Kerala, India

            In many eyes, Kerala would be thought of as a terrible place to live because the city does't have all the luxuries and electronics that many grew up on. But in my eyes, I think that it seems like a place I wouldn't mind living. There would be some steps to be made to be able to slowly reduce our dependence on electricity and the many amenities that we grew up on but I think it is possible. We don't need a lot of the things that we own. Most of the things are just wants and we feel like we need them but we can live without a nice flatscreen tv, or designer clothing.
             Just yesterday, me and my boyfriend have decided to reduce our consumption of television, computer time and video games. We went all yesterday with turning the T.V. on once in the thought that we might want to watch it to go to bed but we turned it off right away because it was a better idea to just talk. I actually am going to unplug the tv in my room so I don't have the urge again. This may be a small baby step, but that is what it takes. Many people don't rely on other people and the natural things around them to be entertaining during leisure times because they only rely on the tv to entertain them. I find this way of life wrong!
        In Bill Mckibben's book, Hope, Human and Wild he does a great job at bringing us along with him on his journey to Kerala and almost makes me want to experience the place first hand by saying "This is what the world looks like" as he strolled through the state. Kerala is said to mirrors the United States on about one-seventieth the cash and be just or even more happy with a score of 88 out of 100 on the human well-being scale. I love that Kerala has changed the rules of the game that you need to be rich to live a long and happy life. I am not rich and I have no idea if I will be some day but Kerala gives me some comfort on the issue because I know I will be happy even if I don't end up having a lot of money. But Kerala has to be kept in mind as an example and not somewhere I should visit but somewhere like it. It is remarkable that they have found a place that is "the one large human population on earth which currently meets the sustainability criteria of simultaneous small families and low consumption." I am on board with Bill to undermine the developed world's instinctive resistance to change and make them change.
          I absolutely loved reading this book, everything that Bill was talking about were things just like what I was just talking about with boyfriend the other day. I am all about living the sustainable life not just because it is the right thing to do but it just seems more enjoyable. I look forward to reading Eaarth: Making Life on a Tough New Planet by Bill Mckibben later this week and filling everyone in on my views from another one of his books.