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Excerpts from Living Values Activities Books and
Simplicity Ideas at Home for Parents of

Core Activity:  Simple Things

Begin with a song about the beauty of nature, or a melody from a native musical instrument.

Think about the following Reflection Points:

• Simplicity is natural.

• Simplicity is learning from the earth.

• Simplicity is beautiful.

• Simplicity is relaxing.

• Simplicity is being natural.

Explore general concepts of simplicity through questions and discussion:

• What is simplicity?

• What are examples of art which have the beauty of simplicity?

• What simple things do you enjoy?

• What things do you enjoy that cost very little or no money?

• What can we learn from the earth?

• When can life be too complicated?

• How do we make life overly complicated?

• What ways can life be 'simplified'?  

Activity:  Do a simple activity.  Paint a picture with one color of paint, go for a walk in silence, or write a poem from a bird to yourself ? advising you about the simple beauties of life.

Homework: Enjoy Simplicity-Is-Relaxing and Simplicity-Is-Not-Making-Things-Complicated homework. Each day for one week, spend ten minutes relaxing. Perhaps focus on a tree, a flower, or a light. Or go for a walk and observe the simple things: the light on the leaf, a tree, a small flower, a bird, or another element of nature. Perhaps lie under a tree and watch the leaves. For a few minutes, simply be an observer, free from desires. Focus on the beauty of what is natural. Think that the natural you is beautiful.

Core Activity:  Precursor to Sustainable Development

Create your own Relaxation/Focusing Exercises. 

Concept: Simplicity is the precursor to sustainable development. Simplicity teaches us economy ? how to use our resources with the needs of future generations in mind. When we, as students, learn to respect the earth, we will, as adults, respect the earth. Simple methods can be effective in achieving a goal.

Possible subject areas of focus:

Tie in the concept of ?simplicity as the precursor to sustainable development? to a unit on ecology. Discuss the importance of sustainable development. Perhaps study examples from United Nations Development Programs to illustrate the concept. 

Explore the needs of our planet ? perhaps view films about the earth and discuss the levels of pollution and deforestation or the ozone layer and the holes in that layer ? a result of man?s pollution. Perhaps study about toxic pesticides such as DDT and what that has done to the water supply and the bird population. Discuss the importance of the Amazon Rain Forest.

Look at international reports and strategies for change ? perhaps look at Agenda 21, the document developed at the Earth Summit in Brazil. Look at the school?s curriculum for other suitable areas of environmental focus.

The Environment and School 

Activity:  Think about why we should respect and take care of the earth. Discuss your concerns. Apply your concerns by thinking of ways you can be environmentally conscious at school. One thing is to conserve, the other is to improve the ecological status. Generate ideas about what could be done. Some ideas are:

• In class, set up recycling bins.

• Use paper on both sides.

• Pick up trash from the grounds.

• Plan a time to plant trees.

• Look into whatever environmental concerns there are in the school.

• Question if the water is being polluted.

• Ask yourself questions like: "Is the grass watered in the afternoon when some of that water will evaporate?" or "Is there a need for composting?"  

Discuss the ideas, reach a consensus, make an action plan, and enjoy carrying through the plan. While a class may decide on one project, individuals may wish to personally commit to several ideas.

The Environment and Home 

On another day, give thought to and implement a few respect-for-the-earth changes at your school. Generate ideas for home. Discuss energy usage. Ask:

• Do people drive cars, walk or bicycle when they travel short distances?

• What are the environmental effects?  

Read aloud and then discuss the following paragraph, taken from Living Values: A Guidebook (page 42).

           The ethic of simplicity is the precursor to sustainable development. Simplicity teaches economy. It teaches investment by example to those clear and honest about their needs and who live accordingly. Simplicity is the conscience which calls upon people to rethink their values. Simplicity asks whether we are being induced to purchase unnecessary products. Psychological enticements create artificial needs. Desires stimulated by wanting unnecessary things result in value clashes complicated by greed, fear, peer pressure, and a false sense of identify. Once fulfillment of basic necessities allow for a comfortable lifestyle, extremes and excesses invite overindulgence and waste. While that approach can be defended as a means to build certain economies, it should not be used at the expense of pushing other economies into dire poverty. It should not be that imposed sacrifice of some brings great affluence to others.  That is not a principle but an injustice.

Ask:

• What is the role of greed with overindulgence and waste?

• How does the value of simplicity help us avoid waste?

• What are the consequences for the environment when overindulgence and waste are reduced?

• How can we use our love for the environment and the world to help us assess our wants versus our needs?  

Activity:  Reflect on your personal situation. Pretend that you have a wonderful position in the government in twenty years time. You also have a terrific salary and an opportunity for more money on the side. What advice can you give yourself for the future? What suggestions would you like to make to improve the environment? Write a letter now to yourself for the future. Also, make an individual commitment for the health of the environment now.

Research and Effect Change

Activities:  Think about the environment in the community. If rubbish or waste are affecting the clean water supply, address those issues. You may want to research local usage of pesticides and natural (and less expensive) alternatives that do not pollute the earth or its inhabitants. Get involved in learning about organic gardens. Perhaps you and your classmates would like to do a long term project of changing a lot full of rubbish into a garden or park. You could write your their local mayor and share your ideas. Create respect-for-the-earth slogans and post them at school and at other appropriate locales in the community, e.g., sports games.