sufficience

There has been, at least since the middle of the last century, a steady rise in choices: in consumer goods, in technology and medical advances, in advanced studies and cultural accessibility. These parameters have gotten us into the bind that we - and the rest of the world - now find ourselves in. It is far too easy to lose track of where all of these choices come from and what their purpose is. We have forgotten to think of the larger context, because it is so intimidatingly large.

Our search for solutions to global warming has led many experts and ordinary people to extreme conclusions, running from science fiction carbon sinks to denial. The most accessible solutions for managing our resource addictions seem to have one thing in common, which is a respect for a larger understanding of what our needs actually are. This understanding comprises not just the immediate needs of individuals or a single corporation or business sector, rather it takes into account multiple needs at many scales across all classes and sectors - from neighbors and small businesses, to regions and multi-national corporations into the future. The best solutions consider the long-term health of local and global systems for all people working together towards a shared future. Community is the common ground.

Both the ancient 7th Generation Principle held by the Iroquois and the on-going Transition Towns movement started in the 1990s in England foster healthy communities through a common goal of sustainability. These, and similar, concepts insist that we consider all resource use as having an impact on the local and larger environment and, most importantly, on future generations.

While I was doing research for a paper on social behavior and climate change in 2012, I came across the name of Thomas Princen in multiple footnotes. He had been working since the mid-1990s on conservation and conflict resolution, gradually working his way towards a theory of consumption and the idea of living within our environmental means. He wrote The Logic of Sufficiency in 2005, and I wish I had heard about it then. Based on a strong economic, sociological and environmental foundation, he tells stories about how people in various cultures have adapted positively to ecological constraints. His definition of sufficiency has no negative connotations; it is about having enough and understanding the consequences of having too much. The book is a joy to read, and his chapter on the history of efficiency is a gem in itself. We have become so caught up in thinking that material and financial efficiency will get us out of our energy woes, that we have forgotten the importance of social issues, at the expense of our very survival.

The idea of “sufficiency” is important for where we find ourselves today in a warming world with dwindling natural resources. Princen states that we are no longer living with plenty; we have pushed our global systems past the limits at which they can recuperate. He describes how vital local knowledge and local stewardship are for the long-term management of remaining resources. This is in stark contrast to our global society of experts who wave wands at problems across the globe with unintended consequences. It is only with an intimate understanding of risks that a culture can make decisions that affect local ecological and social systems. Princen puts forth the idea of sufficiency as a set of ethics crucial for our time.

And now I find his ideas in everything I read - in studies on sustainability and resource management, in community revitalization projects. They all echo that bumper sticker: Think Globally - Act Locally. Act where you understand the most. Ask when you don’t understand. Connect with those who strive for the same goals that you do. Know where all you use comes from, know where all you discard goes to, and most importantly, understand who gains and who is harmed by your actions.

I am certainly not touting a return to isolationism or introverted tribalism. The interactions and the benefits of our global society are here to stay. Learning to respect the limits of earth’s resources will enable us to make smarter, careful, more sufficient decisions. If we have our eyes and ears and hearts open, we can shed our habits of consumption and grow together as a community, locally and globally.

[1] I use the term “we” recklessly, at the expense of the billions who do not have enough.