Sustainable living

In "The Birthday Balloon," Shannon Hayes writes:

"I was being interviewed by a parenting magazine for a story they were running on eco-parenting.... she was examining the added financial burdens parents faced when they chose to raise their children in an ecologically responsible way—as examples, she mentioned chlorine-free diapers, bisphenol and phthalate-free baby bottles, organic baby foods and clothing, and all-natural, fair-trade, and zero-impact toys. Ula was a mobile baby at the time, and as the reporter spoke, I watched her approach her favorite all-natural toy, the family laundry basket. ...Taking a cue from my daughter, I interrupted the conversation. 'I’m sorry, but that’s not what eco-parenting means to me. It isn’t about going out and buying ecologically-produced versions of products I think I may need. It’s about discovering what I don’t need.'”

I think this is true not only for parenting, but for sustainable living in general.  Sustainable living is not about buying fancy stuff.  It's about not buying stuff.