PSFK had a link to a great (and greatly wordy) essay by design thinker and green design leader Bruce Sterling.
While it officially ends his Virdian Design Movement it has thoughts on what matters and doesn't, what to spend money and what not to, and in general, thoughts on a massive purge of the inessentials from your space. The guidelines are to categorize all your possessions as follows:
- Beautiful things
- Emotionally important things
- Tools, devices and appliances that efficiently perform a useful function
- Everything else (predicted to be the largest category and one that must leave your daily space)
You are not "losing things" by these acts of material hygiene. You are gaining time, health, light and space. Also, the basic quality of your daily life will certainly soar. Because the benefits of good design will accrue to you where they matter -- in the everyday.
Further, he maintains you should make those everyday tools the very best you can get, be they a bed, a chair, a computer, presumbly a chainsaw if you're a lumberjack. So it's not about "green-hairshirting" but quality and purpose.
As we rethink our duo eco impact --economic and ecological--disposable fashion is out, serious quality is in.
More ruminations from Bruce Sterling to come...