I have written before about my view that “American-style” consumerism is at the root of many problems the world faces. Often I have contrasted that with what prevails here in Costa Rica, which, comparatively speaking, is a low consumption society…although the influx of gringos the last few years threatens to change all that. Now granted, low consumption isn’t for everybody, I understand that. But if, just if, enough people lived this way, I believe the earth would be a better place. What exactly am I getting at with this idea of L-cubed, or a Latin Low-Consumption Lifestyle? Let me provide some examples…and as always, there are exceptions! But exceptions don’t make the rules. In Costa Rica, we don’t use appliances such as dishwashers and clothes dryers that consume an inordinate amount of electricity. We use “suicide showers” rather than energy wasting hot water heaters. In the higher altitudes of Costa Rica, like the Central Valley, no one uses air condition, nor heat. Down on the coast that may be a different story, at least for A/C, but not really if you live high enough to cool things down a bit while enjoying an ocean breeze at the same time (yes, there are places where you can “have your cake and eat it too” in Costa Rica). In Costa Rica, we grow our own fruit, or it may just be growing on its own, right in your backyard. We don’t need to buy our fruit and produce from industrialized farms that are depleting the soil and poisoning it and us with pesticides. In Costa Rica we get most of our energy from renewable sources, like wind, water and solar. In Costa Rica we generally buy used cars of the compact variety and then drive them to the last kilometer…this is in large part due to the ridiculously high cost of new imports, but it helps keep our consumption rate low compared to other “more developed” societies. In Costa Rica we protect the environment because we realize it is the main reason we get up every morning with a smile on our faces, not to mention the dollars it brings from others who would like to enjoy a similar experience. I could go on, but you should catch my drift. Now, mind you, those living in a place like Detroit can’t do some of these low consumption things and probably don’t even want to. Great, as part and parcel of a low-consumption and earth-friendly attitude of life, is maintaining a non-judgmental mindset of live and let live. But those of you who are intrigued by what I am talking about, come on down, the water is very very nice!
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