Simple Living Works!

This picture of podcast guest Ed Fallon was shot by Steve Martin in Paris at the pre-Summit climate action event after Ed’s 200-mile walk. He’s surrounded by thousands of pairs of shoes, symbolizing the marchers that weren’t allowed into the city. Instead, millions around the world marched. For example, see my blog Positive Signs from Central Calif.

Simple Living Works! Weekly Digest

May 8, 2016

In This Issue:

• Alternatives’ Founder Has Died //
• This Week: Our Simple Living Daily Nudge — Weekly Edition // 
• NEW SLW! Podcast: Ed Fallon //
• New SLW! Site Search Engine on Home Page Window #4
• What Others Are Doing – So Much Help!
• More!

What’s NOW with SLW!

• I wanted to reach out to those of you have been carrying on my Dad’s work.

  Bob Kochtitzky passed away early on May 5th after a long struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. One of the things that gave him comfort in the twilight of his years was knowing that folks like you were continuing his work.

  My sister Michele and I wanted to reach out and let you know the news and to thank you for your ongoing efforts.

  Godspeed,
  Chris Kochtitzky

  Alternatives’ History with photos, 1973 to present || Historical Note from Bob K. on Alternatives’ 20th Anniversary

• Our Daily Nudge reminders us that simple living is more than my or your personal happiness or success. Instead it’s about our mutuality.
  • What Is The NUDGE?
  • How It Works
  • How Do It Get It
  • How to SHARE It
  • More About Holidays
  • 2016
    • May — Theme of the Month: Earth Care
  • Weekly Edition – ReUse
  • The Monthly and Weekly Editions allow you to share nudges with your contacts in a way and at a time that works for you. Share by email, Twitter or web site.
  • All SLW! resources can be used for yourself, your family, your congregation or group – for inspiration and education. For example, if you’re tired of generic clip art for your worship bulletin, newsletter or web site, hopefully TheNUDGE will guide you to some more challenging, thoughtful reproducible items.
  • It is structured around our “Alternate Any Year Calendar,” plus some quotes and art from our collection “Spirit of Simplicity” and alternate celebrations from our “Treasury of Celebrations.” Most of the graphics are line art, “retro” drawings on purpose that highlight the text, the words.
  • While my weekly digest/blog focuses on what other simple living/minimalist bloggers and podcasters are doing, and promotes the SLW! podcast, each Daily Nudge will focus on one resource from SLW! timeless archives.
  • While my weekly digest/blog is extensive – some might call it “text heavy” – containing some 50 links, each Daily Nudge is designed to have just one quote, one idea, one link.
  • Follow me, Gerald Iversen, on Twitter for a daily nudge, or subscribe by email. Send NUDGE in the subject line to SimpleLivingWorks@yahoo.com. Follow me on LinkedIn or Google+ for the weekly edition. Follow Simple Living Works! on Facebook, Pinterest and now Instagram for weekly nudges. All the nudges are archived so you can catch up if need be. Go to SimpleLivingWorks.org, window #2. Your feedback is, of course, welcome.
  • The theme for May is a new look at Environment – The 4 R’s, especially appropriate for our podcast guest, activist Ed Fallon.

• SLW! Podcast #68: Ed Fallon, talk show host of Fallon Forum, climate crisis activist, former elected state official
• Here’s help with next year’s taxes! — SLW! Podcast #67: redmoonsong is a simple living war tax resister. Her inspiring personal story shows that simple living does indeed work! Waging Peace at Tax Time // Simple Living as a War Tax Resister
• SLW! Blog Index | SLW! Podcast Index
• SUBSCRIBE to SLW! Podcast for free through iTunes, Stitcher.com or your favorite podcast service. Subscribe to SLW! Blog. Click “+Follow” at lower right of blog post, enter a name and email address. Welcome!
• Simpler Living Alternative Daily Calendar – MAY: Environment – the 4 R’s
• Check out a few of SLW! thought-provoking, timely resources that might meet your personal, family or congregational/group needs. They’re all FREE. Visit Seasonal/Thematic Resource Index

What’s Coming on SLW!

SLW! Podcast #69 – Renowned Biblical scholar and author Walter Brueggemann (May 15) Preview now

What Others Are Doing – So Much Help!

I’m glad to pass along links from simple living bloggers, podcasters, coaches and others. Some faith-based, some not. You needn’t read them all. Choose FIVE links — including SLW! — to investigate.

• Becoming Minimalist (Joshua Becker)
  • Inspiring Simplicity Reads (4/30)
  • Compliments Are Free (4/18)
  • Inspiring Simplicity Reads (4/16)
  • Whatever Is Accessible, Gets Utilized (4/9)
  • The Cost of Convenience (1/19)
• Center for a New American Dream: Kids Unbranded Action Kit

  • 5 Meaningful Gift Ideas for Mother’s Day: It’s not always easy to come up with meaningful gifts to show our moms how much they mean to us. Here are 5 gift ideas they’re sure to love.

  • Update: A Year of Buying Nothing New: It’s been four months since mom and simple living expert Julie Fathy pledged to buy nothing new for the entire year. Find out what she’s learned based on her experience so far.

    Stop McTeacher’s Nights! At these branded events, teachers “work” behind the counter at McDonald’s selling burgers, fries, and soda to students and their families. Let’s put an end to this marketing ploy disguised as a school fundraiser.

  • Your Stuff, Their Stuff, Our Stuff: Is the weight of your “stuff” bogging you down? What about inherited items or stuff that belongs to others? Decluttering expert Pam Holland believes that tackling the excess stuff in our lives is key to improving well-being.

  • 10 Reasons to Host an Alternative Gift Fair: It’s not too early to begin planning an Alternative Gift Fair in your community. Julie Welles shares her experience in Pennsylvania and offers 10 compelling reasons for hosting an event this year.

  • Going Plastic-free, Faithfully: Retired pediatrician Carol Janus found renewed purpose in helping others when she partnered with the faith-based community—and beyond—to raise awareness about plastic pollution in her community.
  • How to Start Your Own Toy Library (recorded webinar)
• The Common Good Podcast
  • Ep. 71: Jim Redmond, Mr. Missouri River, on Acting Ecologically Wherever You Live (5/1)
  • Episode 70: William Ostrander:: I Want to Reverse Climate Change by How I Farm. Why Am I Also Running for U.S. Congress? (4/1)
  • Episode 69: Anne Marie Tipton: The Movement to Divest from Fossil Fuels Is Growing Rapidly (3/1)
  • Episode 68: Convergence of OneEarth Living and Voluntary Simplicity (2/1)
  • Episode 67: Raising Up the Common Good & Living More Simply—Two Components in Earth-Size Living (1/1)
• Community Solutions: Founded in 1940, this non-profit organization advocates for small communities and the benefits of face-to-face relationships. Since 2003, the focus has been to provide resources for low-carbon living and to inspire collective, cooperative solutions in the face of peak energy and climate change.
• Creation Justice: CAPSULES – News and Opportunities for Christians Doing Creation Justice
• E-The Environmental Magazine
• Earth Mama (Joyce Rouse) – Website, Songbooks, Whole Enchi-Mama on a USB Thumbdrive, Standing on the Shoulders music video, sheet music offerings // SLW! Podcast
• Eco-Justice Ministries (Peter Sawtell) // Voluntary Simplicity archive // SLW! Podcast #18 // SLW! Podcast #66
  • The Auction Action (5/6)
  • Confused about Recycling (4/29)
  • What We Know – Earth Day 2016 (4/22)
  • Civil Disobedience, Withdrawing Consent (4/15)
  • Pushing the Boundaries of Activism (4/8)
• GodSpace (Christine Sine) // SLW! Podcast
• The Homesteading Guide Daily: Exploring life off the grid.
• Jubilee Economics (Lee Van Ham, Dan Swanson, Gerald Iversen)
  • Jubilee & the School of the Prophets (5/3)
  • Jubilee Is Bigger Than We’d Thought: Permeates Scripture, Addresses Today’s Crises (4/29)
  • Jubilee and the Kingdom of God: A Better Model for Us Than Superpower Domination and Failures (4/17)
  • Elections in Times of Crisis (4/12)
  • How “Gospel” Is Part of a Linguistic Coup—Three Authors Who Turned the Word Upside Down (3/25)
  • Positive Signs from Central Coast Calif. (1/31)
• NEW-A Living Earth Economy (David Korten – Yes! Magazine): This column explores how we can make peace with nature, realize the value of living wealth, and return to local, self-organized rule.
• Living Lightly (Susan Vogt on living more simply but abundantly): 365+ Days of Give-Aways – Finding good homes for no longer needed items rather than just putting them in the trash // TMI-Too Much Information // SLW! Podcast // SLW! Podcast: Lent
  • 1. CLEANING UP MY DESK + many excuses for delaying it

    • An Inconvenient Lent
    • Cleaning My Desk #1 – my paper reduction scheme, 8 things I learned
    • Desk Cleaning #2 – a little about decluttering my desk but even more about facing a health issue
    • Dancing & Desk Cleaning #3 -another procrastination excuse + 5 emotional reactions to going through old papers
    • Travel & Desk Cleaning #4 – 3 insights about letting go of papers
    • Cell Phones & Desk Cleaning #5 – what to do with old cell phones
    • Lenten Lessons & Guilt – 6 things I learned  during my 2+ months of paper reduction and trying to listen better

    2. LISTENING MORE CLOSELY TO OTHERS

    • Listen up – What I learned from not being about to hear well
• Live Simply (Third Way: Celeste Kennel-Shank)
• The Minimalists podcast (Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus). Minimalism is the thing that gets us past the things so we can make room for life’s most important things — which actually aren’t things at all.
  • 019: Mentalclutter (4/27)
  • 018: Writing (4/20)
  • 017: Health (4/12)
  • 016: Ryan (4/7)
  • 015: Consumerism (3/31)
• Mustard Seed Associates (Andy Wade)
• NEW- New Changemakers: Join the Changemaking Celebration! (Tom Sine)
• NorthWest Earth Institute‘s latest discussion course ebook, Sustainability Works: Rethinking Business As Usual // Change Is Our Choice: Creating Climate Solutions // Voluntary Simplicity // SLW! Podcast
• The OneEarth Project (Lee Van Ham)
  • Sizing Up Our Great Work  (4/21)
  • The Heroic Journey to Keep Earth Livable (4/14)
  • Fun, Affordable Way to Get a Professional Design for Your Book Cover, Tee Shirt, etc. (3/28)
  • Cover Art for My Next Book: Artist John August Swanson (3/18)
  • Three minute film: Ecology and Economics—Colleagues, Not Rivals
  • Conversation about The OneEarth Project and Lee’s book,
    Blinded by Progress: Breaking Out of the Illusion That Holds Us
• The Pastoral Center/Gospel Living (Paul Canavese) // SLW! Podcast
  • CatholicCreationCare.com – General resources
  • CreationCareKids.com – Children’s resources
• PostConsumers: Find the Satisfaction of Enough
  • NEW–Marketing 101 for the Postconsumer: understand how marketers are manipulating us, so we can make informed decisions about how we control our consumerism.
  • Updated Postconsumers Glossary: From serious definitions to inspiring Postconsumers core values and even a few playful throw-aways.
  • Control Addictive Consumerism: Interactive Web Course
  • The Disposable Nature of Addictive Consumerism
  • The Difference Between Anti-Consumerism and Postconsumerism
  • The Good, Bad and Ugly of Emerging Markets
  • You Are Not Where You Shop
  • The Consumerism of Having a Baby
  • Is It Greenwashing or Ethical Consumerism?
  • The Hidden Consumerism of Camping
  • Millennials and Consumerism
  • Tips for Raising PostConsumer Children: Grade School // Middle School // High School // College
• Simple Enough (Bob Sitze) // SLW! Podcast
  • “Mindless Exultation? (3/26)
  • “Time for Hard Choices?” (3/25)
  • “Hats” (3/22)
  • “Simple Congregations: Disaster Preparedness” (3/7)
• Simple Living: the Good Life (Janet Luhrs)–Time, Finances, Home-Work, Health
• Simple Times (Debi Taylor-Hough): Saving Your Time, Money & Sanity
• Simplicity Collective – Let us be pioneers once more (Samuel Alexander)
• Simplicity Parenting (Kim John Payne): because it is a beautiful world
• Smart and Simple Matters podcast (Joel Zaslofsky of Value of Simple: Liberate Your Time, Money and Talent) // SLW! Podcast
  • The More of Less and Generosity as an Act of Bravery (Joshua Becker) – Ep.98
  • Alexx Stuart: from World’s Best Bartender to Low Tox Life Champion–Ep.97
  • Being Happily Replaceable, Spreadsheet Poets, and Fertility Challenges (Emily McDermott)–Ep.96
• TreeHugger: Finding a Greener Future
• Various Publications
  • Pynpinie: ideas for the inside of your home that are simple to use, functional and attractive: 16 Actions to Take Today to Live a Simple Life
  • “Organize His Way: A Christ-Centered Approach to Organizing Your Life,” Bible study workbook and support network. EileenKoffMinistries.com Blessings, not stuff, Eileen Koff CPO (Certified Professional Organizer)
  • Cutting Clutter with Compassion, Utne Reader
  • Time to Stop Worshipping Economic Growth, Daly News (CASSE)
  • Enoughness Instead of Never Enough (2/19) Center for Action and Contemplation (Richard Rohr)
  • Social Innovation Solutions: Voluntary Simplicity (Dr. Thomas Jefferson Hoban, IV)
  • Pirate Television: Kima Cargill: The Psychology of Overeating
• For links to earlier entries, check the previous SLW! blog.
• Upcoming Alternate Celebrations: Jan.-April // May-Aug.

What’s Happened

• SLW! Podcast #66: Peter Sawtell, Eco-Justice Ministries, updates us on the Paris Climate Talks, Fear vs. Anxiety, and Grieving about the Creation Crisis
• SLW! Podcast #65: Ken Sehested, founding exec. dir. Baptist Peace Fellowship; co-pastor of Circle of Mercy, a peace church; author/editor of “Peace Primer II,” “In the Land of the Living” and “In the Land of the Willing”; blogger at “Prayer & Politiks and Signs of the Times:  At the intersection of spiritual formation and prophetic action” // Ken’s ThanksGivingThanks resources resurface!
• Live Like You Give a Damn! Join the Changemaking Celebration! Get Tom Sine’s new book (also, text and video testimonials). Videos: The Future of the Church (27 min.); Tom Sine Interviews Mark Scandrette, author of FREE: Spending Your Time and Money on What Matters Most (15 min.); An Invitation to Join the Changemaking Celebration (2:33); The Future of the Church (1:42); Tom’s writings for Alternatives: Reflections for Advent and Christmas
• Previews of Simple Living Blogs, Podcasts and Sites // New Collaborators and Champions
• Recent Responses to all SLW! media, including links
  

  Podcast Reminder

  You can access all SLW! podcast audio and the show notes either at SimpleLiving.startlogic.com/SLW-PODCAST or at SimpleLivingWorks.org (then click window #3). Complete Episode Index. Listen through your computer, iPod, iPad, iPhone (or equivalent).

  SUBSCRIBE through iTunes, Stitcher.com or your favorite podcast service. To SUBSCRIBE to email notices, click Comments at the bottom of Show Notes, then check ‘Notify me of new posts by email.’ Please rate us in iTunes and leave a review.

  Send us your email address to receive the free monthly SLW! eNews. Remember to like us on Facebook. Urge your friends to do the same. Do your friends a favor. Share our blog and podcast.

  Like SLW! on Facebook. | Follow us on Twitter. | Follow us on Pinterest. Share your thoughts on our podcast and blogs. Email SimpleLivingWorks@yahoo.com, leave a message on our Facebook page or on the SLW! blog.

  Peace, Gerald “Jerry” Iversen, Chief SLW! Activist

  *IMAGE: Ed Fallon from FallonForum.com

  For hard copies of Alternatives’ resources at nominal cost, contact ELCA Archives, 321 Bonnie Lane, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 // (847) 690-9410 // archives@elca.org

  We do not solicit or accept donations, nor do we sell anything. All our resources and services are free of charge. We’re an all-volunteer organization. Instead, we urge Alternative Giving. Give away at least 25% of what you spent last year on all celebrations – Christmas, birthdays, etc. — to local, national and international causes.

  Copyright: Creative Commons non-commercial attribution share-alike license.

  *Treasury of Celebrations: published by Northstone, a division of Wood Lake Publications, BC, Canada, best known for its Seasons of the Spirit curriculum.

  Through social media, we extend the mission and resources of the non-profit organization Alternatives, 1973-2011. Simple Living Works! web site home page | Theme/Seasons Index. To learn more about SLW! – our MISSION, for example — please listen to our getting-acquainted episodes, especially #1 and 2. We produce a half-hour podcast twice a month, hopefully educational and inspiring for you, your family and your congregation or group. We blog each week.