practicing simplicity challenges us to use items in multipurpose ways.

i think it starts small by talking about such things with our friends and family. Our decisions on how we live and consume are not made in a vacuum. We are affected by the consumer culture and society around us. just making it the norm to openly discuss fosters a way forward for us all.

it brings me to the present and in real life, connecting mind and body, rather than being online 

i spend more than i thought i did, and on frivoulous things. i am planning on doing a low-buy for 12 months

it motivated me to spend more time outside. it took me from the online world to the real world outside.

personal relationships and making quality time

no, there is not a "civilian" option for defense while there are for education and transportation. 

i think there has been an increase in recent years to not use paper wastefully, so it has helped that professors dont require hardcopy papers, or at least accept double sided. i can petition for this in classes which have a different standard, and be an example to other students by voicing my concerns.

it is difficult because we dont see upfront all of that has gone into a product, and we are not a culture that thinks about things beyond our trash can. this challenge has forced me to think about the complete cycle of product's lifetime.

i found that hawaii's site for curbsite pick up and recycling was amazingly easy to navigate, and provided a lot of information. local resources, ways to reduce use in the first place, time tables, local facilities, contact information was all provided, plus much more. there is an emphasis on really thinking through the waste management.