50 Ways to Leave Your Stuff

With apologies to Paul Simon for butchering his song… maybe he is a minimalist.

"The problem is all inside your head," I say to you 
The answer is easy if you take it logically" 
I'd like to help you in your struggle to be free 
There must be 50 ways to leave your stuff

I say, "It's really not my habit to intrude 
Furthermore, I hope my meaning won't be lost or misconstrued" 
But I'll repeat myself at the risk of being crude 
There must be 50 ways to leave your stuff 
50 ways to leave your stuff

You just slip it out the back, Jack 
Make a donation plan, Stan 
You don't need that toy, Roy 
Just get yourself free
Put it on the bus, Gus 
You don't need to discuss much 
Just drop it off at the 1st second hand store you see, Lee 

And get yourself free

Consumer nations generally have a bad relationship with stuff - we carry lots of baggage. It is mostly easier to acquire than to get rid of. 

But, like Paul Simon’s 1975 song 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover, there are also many ways to leave your bad relationship with unwanted stuff behind you. 

Inspired by Simon’s song, I brainstormed some lyrics around getting rid of unwanted baggage, and setting ourselves free. Some are serious, others not so much.

1. Put it at the curb, Herb. 

2. Throw it away, Ray. 

3. Sell it in a pawn shop, Pop.

4. Put it on a rocket to space, Grace.

5. Regift that unwanted present, Kent.

6. Throw a yard sale, Gail.

7. Take it to the dump, Gump.

8. Bury it in the yard, Marg.

9. Do a declutter, Sutter.

10. Donate to Goodwill, Bill.

There are many more that come to mind, but you get the idea. 

I was going to suggest ‘'Put it in pile to burn, Vern'', but that is probably not the best alternative, as satisfying as it may be.

I hope this helps you in your personal struggle to be free of the tyranny of unwanted, unloved, and unnecessary stuff. 

Or at least helps you to have a laugh at it all, and gain a new, fresh perspective.

What are the ways you leave your stuff? 

Stuff, not lovers. Paul Simon already covered that one.

The Great Green Grift

For more on the Flying Hotel see my 1st ever dumb consumer item post here.

Welcome to the Great Green Grift—where noble intentions drown in a sea of hypocrisy and cash, and the planet’s salvation is just another lucrative market for the 1% that already own about half the world’s wealth. 

The climate crisis, soon to be an ‘emergency’, we’re told, is humanity’s existential threat, and CO2’s the villain, warming the Earth by 1.1°C since the Industrial Revolution (IPCC’s numbers).

It seems obvious that change is happening, but the solutions? 

They’re less about saving anything and more about fattening wallets. Welcome to the Great Green Grift, where hyperbolic eco-heros and corporate sharks team up to screw the rest of us, all while cloaked in superhero capes in shades of glorious green stitched together with vines of virtue. Take carbon credits, the indulgences of the 21st century. You pay a fee to offset your carbon “sins”—say, an international flight—and some company promises to plant a tree in Borneo. Half the time, those trees are already there, or they’re cut down for palm oil before you’ve unpacked your suitcase. 

The global carbon market’s worth over $800 billion, yet emissions keep climbing. Funny how the mansions of the rich are lit up like Vegas while they lecture us to unplug our toasters. It’s performance art for profit, with the greenwashing on the outside masking the greed on the inside. Then there’s the renewable energy racket. Wind turbines and solar panels sound great, until you see the strip-mined cobalt for batteries or the used turbine blades being buried because there is nothing else that can be done with them. 

They have been lying about everything else, what makes us think they are all of a sudden telling the truth about all of this?

Subsidies for green tech are a goldmine for corporations with about $1 trillion globally in 2022. Meanwhile, your energy bill spikes because “sustainable” grids struggle to keep the lights on. 

The 1% don’t care. Their Tesla charges just fine at their third vacation home. And the greenwashing continues. BP rebranded as “Beyond Petroleum” while spilling oil like drunken frat boys spilling beer. It’s a shameless move of optics over action.

It’s not about the planet; it’s about control and cash, just like the failed global COVID response (or worse, did it turn out exactly the way the wanted it to?). If so, what is their real agenda with the manufactured climate panic? Sure, CO2 traps heat—physics doesn’t lie. But the apocalyptic prophecies? Often overcooked models that ignore methane, solar cycles, or plain old human adaptability. 

The green grift, and others like it, thrive on fear, not facts, peddling panic to the masses while the 1% pocket the proceeds. 

So, next time you’re told to eat bugs to save the Earth, ask why Klaus Schwab’s still eating steak. The planet might warm, but the real heat’s coming from the great green grift burning a hole in our wallets.

Like all the movements prior, environmentalism has been long co-opted and transformed into yet another get rich scheme for the already wealthy.

If they were truly green, they would give up their riches and adopt voluntary simplicity, and how many of them that you know of are currently doing that?

Leading by example is a solid principle. People watch what you do more closely than what you say. Action has more impact than words.

Is the real existential threat a changing climate, or is it the grift and power grab of governments and the one percenters?

Calmcation + Quitcation = Simplification

A calmcation sounds kind of nice - a vacation where you actually get what a vacation was always supposed to give you - rest and relaxation so you can return to the grind feeling refreshed and ready to increase productivity for the benefit of shareholders. 

I am partial to staycations, but a calmcation is definitely preferred if the alternative is a busycation. 

The simple life can be a constant calmcation compared to a chaotic consumer life. It is a staycation that provides all the peace and calm that one would need, right where you are at. 

Calmcationers seek quiet and tranquility while on holiday, and travel providers are going with that until the next trend hits. They are putting together pre-made packages to spoon feed rattled workers on the brink of burnout.

It is a good idea, but if serenity, mindfulness, and being present are goals, getting off the treadmill permanently to craft a simpler life is an option that can be considered.

You could call it a Quitcation. 

That was the brand of break Linda and I took 25 years ago, after starting with a one year long sabbatical/calmcation (except we called it escaping the rat race) during which we traveled the world. After that it turned into a two year sabbatical so we could extend our epic calmcation, and when that ended, it turned into a quitcation to pursue the simple life more ardently.

Not that we never needed to work again, but since we left on this journey, we have been working to live, rather than living to work. That alone changed our entire perspective on life.

Stress levels returned to healthy, manageable levels as soon as unnecessary striving and struggling was eliminated. 

Begin with a calmcation to restore your peace, embrace a quitcation to break free, and transform that solace from modern life’s chaos into a lasting sanctuary in simplicity.

It worked for us, and it can work for you, too.

As Lily Tomlin said, ''for fast acting relief, try slowing down.''

Still Not Happy

The consumerism lie is a whopper that goes against thousands of years of human experience.

The lie? 

That life would suck without a bunch of stuff you don't need, and that we all need more of it. And if we can't get more, we will not be happy.

Are we to believe that before consumerism no one was ever happy? 

Before there was air travel, were people happy? 

Before cars? 

Before fast food?

Before computers and smart phones?

Before vinyl siding, forever chemicals, and big box stores?

Of course they were.

Most likely though, they were happier (and healthier) than we are today. That’s progress, folks.

Consumerism isn't to make us happier. It is to make the pushers of stuff happier.

Will more crap will make us happier?

In my experience the opposite is more accurate. Over the years as my minimalism has maximalized, I find myself with less and less stuff, and more and more happiness.

Upon investigation, all the evidence across the eons shows us that collecting a stuff we don’t need, and making our happiness dependent on that, was never a good idea, and it still isn’t.

And that is no lie. 

David Shi’s Primary Attributes of the Simple Life

"David Shi describes the common denominator among the various approaches to simpler living as the understanding that the making of money and the accumulation of things should not smother the purity of the soul, the life of the mind, the cohesion of the family, or the good of the society.''

- Duane Elgin

 

In my experience simple living is like yoga in practice - both are supremely adaptable to any person and situation. 

Having said that, there are also grounding principles, guideposts to aid practitioners to the better life they steadfastly strive towards. These basic principles give us direction, meaning, and purpose.

For example, simple living, yoga, and meditation all share an emphasis on mindfulness, self-discipline, and personal growth.

More broadly, what are the foundational principles and values embodied by this mind-expanding practice we call the simple life?

David Shi, historian of the Simplicity Movement, admits that "the simple life is almost as difficult to define as it is to live".

But, he forges ahead bravely anyway, and defines what he sees as the primary attributes of living simply: 

- thoughtful frugality 

- suspicion of luxuries 

- reverence and respect for nature 

- desire for self-sufficiency 

- commitment to conscientious rather than conspicuous consumption 

- privileging of creativity and contemplation over possessions 

- aesthetic preference for minimalism and functionality

- sense of responsibility for the just uses of the world’s resources

In an overall assessment which elevates simplicity to the loft heights it deserves, Shi calls voluntary simplicity  ‘enlightened material restraint.’

Developing that restraint is the antidote to consumerism, and the ticket to clarity and freedom.

When pursued diligently, the attributes of simplicity lead into a joyous and beneficial daily practice that brings the practitioner into the present to cherish the moments with kindness, peace, and gratitude.

While simple living is a challenge to define, I think that  David Shi’s attributes do a great job of summarizing how most of us think about this beautiful way of living. 

How does this mesh with your ideas of simplicity as practiced in your home? Let us know in a comment below.

This is a Net Zero Crap Blog

Most consumer products are crap we don’t need.

You could call this blog a net zero blog, but not the net zero that most people are thinking about these days.

Our net zero is about reducing dependence on the system’s capitalist consumer crap complex to zero.

Why is this important? Because ninety percent of everything is crap. At least, that’s what science fiction writer, Theodore Sturgeon, opined in 1957.

 

His revelation has been dubbed “Sturgeon’s Law” ever since, even though this reality has probably been known since forever.

The way I see it, Sturgeon wasn’t being ambitious enough. Many would put the amount of crap at around 99%. On a good day.

Living a not buying anything life helps achieve a balance between the amount of this crap that flows into our lives and the amount removed, resulting in no net increase in crap levels. 

Our net zero way of living typically involves eliminating purchases, and therefore potential crapification, as much as possible through measures like reducing, refusing, replacing, repairing, and rethinking. 

It also means learning to do things yourself, while offsetting any remaining crap intrusions through actions like decluttering, downsizing, and other marvelous minimalist methods.

And it also means living according to the ''one thing in, one thing out’’ rule, which leaves the crap level neutral overall. 

Consumer crap is harmful to children and other living things, and is more harmful to life as we know it than CO2. Actually, the consumption of consumer crap   creates CO2 in large quantities, so when you reduce the crap you also reduce the CO2. 

Considering this, you would think that governments would be promoting simplicity and minimalism, but I don’t see this happening. 

How curious this callous crap conundrum. 

I still think the best solution is to go net zero on the crap continuum, and simply not buy anything you don’t need.

What do you think? Are you part of our net zero crap community, or do you think you might like to join us? 

We are a gentle, compassionate and kind group, and our goal is to make life great again for all the world's children, and all other living things. Not through the banks and elite controlled systems, but by individual personal changes, and community efforts from the ground up.

Let us know where you stand in a comment below.

 

Living Simply, Living Freely: Why I am Resisting Nova Scotia’s So-Called "Climate Lockdown"

This is a road through the woods that I cycle on.
It is OPEN.

Canadians are still feeling feisty after government's COVID overreach and illegal activities used to crush dissent and peaceful protests.

That could be why Nova Scotians are actively and vocally fighting the most recent example of government mismanagement.  

Starting August 5, 2025, the province outlawed hiking, camping, fishing, and any woodland activity, with a $25,000 fine for stepping into the trees. 

They claim it’s to prevent wildfires amid drought, but this blanket ban will extinguish our freedoms faster than any fires.

I can understand wanting to do something, but this ham fisted response is exactly like the COVID restrictions - they both give the illusion of ‘doing something’, and ‘keeping us safe’. 

Unfortunately, these quasi-solutions end up not tackling the problems at hand, and contributing great harm to society while they fail miserably.

The 2023 Nova Scotia wildfires were tragic, but criminalizing a forest walk while allowing forestry operations is absurd. 

For us at the Not Buying Anything blog, living simply means rejecting consumerism, and official narratives, and embracing nature’s gifts. 

This ban doesn’t just block blackberry picking (a 20 year tradition for me and Linda) or the hikes that keep me sane. What they are trying to do, again, threatens the fundamental rights that we thought we had. 

I cherish the freedom to live simply and regularly connect with nature. Therefore, I won’t comply with this potentially illegal move by an obviously frustrated and floundering government, and no other freedom-loving person should either.

This is a trail through the woods that I cycle on.
It is CLOSED.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association says the province must prove in court that this ban is necessary and minimally impairs our Charter rights, or it’s unconstitutional.

Our legal protections demand resistance:

Charter Rights: Sections 6 (mobility) and 7 (liberty) guarantee our right to roam. The Canadian Constitution Foundation calls this ban a likely violation for its excessiveness.

Proportionality: Section 1 requires restrictions to be reasonable. A $25,000 fine for a hike, while industry gets a pass, fails this test.

Bill of Rights: The 1960 Canadian Bill of Rights demands due process. This crippling fine for harmless acts is unjust. It’s our duty to resist unjust laws. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, “One has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws”. 

If a law bans us from nature without cause, we challenge it not by being reckless, but by standing firm. If you enter the woods for low-risk activities like walking, do so carefully, respecting the land. Let’s protect our traditional freedoms and nature-loving values:

Speak Out: Email Premier Houston, demanding targeted fire bans, not a forest lockdown.

Support Challenges: Back CCF’s efforts to defend our Charter rights.

Share Your Story: How is this ban affecting you, or if you don’t live in our beautiful province, what would such a ban in your area make you think? Let us know in a comment below. Living simply means living freely. Let’s defy this ban and reclaim our right to nature’s solace. It is necessary, and more vital and important than our governments are willing to acknowledge.

How am I going to get my wild blackberries for jam making if I am banned from the woods at peak berry season? How am I going to get my mental and physical break amongst the trees?

They are going to have to pry the hiking stick and berry bucket from my cold, dead hands.

Be fire safe out there - it is crazy dry still. Report any fires.

Stepping Away From The Feather Bed of Civilization

In a world that equates progress with luxury, comfort, and convenience, the words of Robert Louis Stevenson and Henry David Thoreau ring with a rebellious clarity. 

Their journeys—Stevenson’s 12-day trek through the rugged Cévennes mountains with a stubborn donkey named Modestine, and Thoreau’s solitary retreat into the woods—offer a powerful antidote to the gilded cage of modern life. They remind us that stepping away from the "feather bed of civilization" can awaken a deeper, more resilient way of being. 

For those of us yearning for simplicity, their stories are a call to rediscover the raw, unfiltered joy of living close to nature.

In Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes (1879), Stevenson captures the essence of his journey: 

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move; to feel the needs and hitches of our life more clearly; to come down off this feather-bed of civilization, and find the globe granite underfoot and strewn with cutting flints. Alas, as we get up in life, and are more preoccupied with our affairs, even a holiday is a thing that must be worked for. To hold a pack upon a pack-saddle against a gale out of the freezing north is no high industry, but it is one that serves to occupy and compose the mind. And when the present is so exacting who can annoy himself about the future?” 

His 200km solo hike through the barren hills of south-central France wasn’t about reaching a destination but about embracing the act of living itself. Stevenson faced the elements, the locals’ suspicions, and his own limitations. He was mistaken for a peddler, warned of wolves and robbers, and yet was still enthusiastic about the freedom in the simplicity of the open road.

Stevenson’s journey was a deliberate step away from the comforts of society. His words resonate with anyone who’s ever felt suffocated by the demands of modern life. 

For Stevenson, the answer was to leave behind the feather bed and embrace the rugged simplicity of the outdoors.

Henry David Thoreau, in his own retreat to Walden Pond, found a similar truth. 

“I love Nature partly because she is not man, but a retreat from him. In her midst I can be glad with an entire gladness. If this world were all man, I could not stretch myself, I should lose all hope.” 

Thoreau’s time in the woods wasn’t just an escape - it was a rebellion against the constraints of a society that demanded conformity. Nature, to him, was freedom—a place where “a different kind of right prevails.” Stripped of human institutions, he discovered a life that was simple, unobstructed, and profoundly joyful. Thoreau’s solitude in the forest allowed him to confront the raw, inconvenient facts of existence. Far from the anesthetizing comforts of civilization, he found resilience in simplicity. 

His life at Walden was a testament to the idea that less can be more—that stripping away the trappings of modernity can reveal a deeper, more authentic way of living.

Today, we’re told that progress means faster technology, bigger homes, and endless convenience. 

But at what cost? 

The pursuit of luxury has left us enslaved to our desires, and vulnerable to those who profit from our dependence. 

As I reflect on the state of our world, I see little evidence of true evolution. Instead, I see a society that’s grown soft, demoralized, and disconnected from the natural world that sustains us. We’ve traded resilience for comfort, freedom for convenience, and in doing so, we’ve lost something vital. Stevenson and Thoreau challenge us to question this narrative. They remind us that nature isn’t just a place to visit—it’s where we live, our greatest teacher. 

To step away from the hyper-complexity of modern life, even for a little while, is to rediscover our capacity for joy, strength, and clarity. It’s a chance to feel the ground beneath our feet, to face the “needs and hitches” of life head-on, and to find contentment in the simplicity of the present moment. For those of us drawn to simple living, Stevenson and Thoreau offer a roadmap. Their journeys weren’t about escaping reality but about embracing it in its rawest form. 

Whether it’s a hike through the mountains with only a sleeping bag and a stubborn donkey or a quiet retreat to a cabin in the woods, the act of simplifying forces us to confront what truly matters. 

It’s not about renouncing everything but about choosing what adds value to our lives and letting go of the rest.

Here are a few ways to channel their wisdom into your own simple living practice: 1. Step Outside Regularly: You don’t need a 200km trek to reconnect with nature. A walk in a local park, a night under the stars, or even a moment of stillness in your backyard can ground you in the present. 2. Embrace Inconvenience: Like Stevenson wrestling with his donkey, or Thoreau chopping wood, lean into the challenges of a simpler life. Cooking from scratch, growing your own food, or fixing something instead of replacing it builds resilience. 3. Question “Progress”: Before chasing the next shiny gadget or lifestyle upgrade, ask yourself: Does this bring me closer to freedom or further from it? Simplicity often lies in saying no to what doesn’t serve you. 4. Find Joy in the Raw Moments: As Thoreau found “entire gladness” in nature, seek out the unfiltered beauty in your surroundings—the crunch of leaves, the smell of an early summer morning, the quiet of a starlit night. In the end, the choice to live simply is a quiet rebellion against a world that wants us comfortable, compliant, and dependent. 

Stevenson and Thoreau show us that true freedom lies not in accumulating more but in needing less. 

By stepping away from the feather bed of civilization, we can rediscover the granite underfoot, the cutting flints, and the joy of a life unencumbered by excess. In conclusion, I invite you to take a step, however small, toward simplicity. Leave the gilded cage behind, even for a moment, and let nature be your teacher.

Where will that next step take you? Share your thoughts in the comments below, or tell us about someone you know who’s traded comfort for freedom, and let's celebrate the raw, resilient joy of living simply.

Gary Snyder - Deep Ecology Poet and Simple Living Advocate

Gary Snyder is an American nature-loving Zen poet who deeply loves nature, and learned early in life to respect indigenous knowledge. Naturally, he is also a simple living advocate.

Why his name is not heard more often these days is a bit of a mystery. Perhaps it is because today’s green movement has been highjacked by politics, economics, dogma, and hysteria instead of being based on the solid foundation laid for us by the early environmental pioneers.

What remains of the diluted environmental movement, which was hopeful and aspirational in the beginning, has become mired in ideological battles, corporate greenwashing, and alarmist narratives that can overshadow practical solutions. But people like Snyder had suggested solutions long ago already, which went largely ignored.

The challenge is balancing passion with reason, and staying true to those foundational pioneering principles.

As I read his writings, Snyder describes my whole approach to life since I was a young tumbleweed rolling in the wind over the Canadian prairies.

And just to show how simple living, a deep love of nature, creativity, and compassion can carry you a long way in life, Mr. Snyder is still with us. 

He is now 95 years old, and still rocking the simple life. How nice to celebrate his life and major contributions to humanity while he is still alive.

I picked out a few quotes that highlight where he has been coming from since he was hanging out with the Beat poets in the 1950s. 

Lawrence Ferlinghetti called Snyder ''the Thoreau of the Beat Generation''. 

Gary Snyder Quotes

The Redtail hawk teaches us to have a broad view of things, while not missing the stirring of a single mouse.

Practically speaking, a life that is vowed to simplicity, appropriate boldness, good humor, gratitude, unstinting work and play, and lots of walking, brings us close to the actually existing world and its wholeness.

You should really know what the complete natural world of your region is and know what all its interactions are and how you are interacting with it yourself. This is just part of the work of becoming who you are, where you are.

True affluence is to not need anything.

Three-fourths of philosophy and literature is the talk of people trying to convince themselves that they really like the cage they were tricked into entering.

Doom scenarios, even though they might be true, are not politically or psychologically effective. The first step is to make us love the world rather than to make us fear for the end of the world.

Walking is the great adventure, the first meditation, a practice of heartiness and soul primary to humankind. Walking is the exact balance between spirit and humility.

Thank you, Mr. Snyder. May we continue to recognize your wisdom, and follow in your footsteps as we learn to reconnect with nature and our better selves.

 

The Top 10 Easiest Things We Cut From Our Budget

Over the years, careful budgeting has enabled Linda and me to stay debt-free and live within our means. Financial discipline is the key to a life of freedom and simplicity.

I get it—budgeting isn’t exactly thrilling. Most people’s eyes glaze over just hearing the word, which is why so many dream of winning the lottery. But here’s the catch: even a lottery win demands serious budgeting to sustain. There’s no escaping it. For those ready to take control, I recommend starting today and starting small. Linda and I began by cutting the easy stuff first. 

Here’s our list of the easiest things to stop buying and live without: 1. Alcohol – It’s literally poison, and skipping it improves the bank balance and health.

2. Magazine subscriptions – Libraries offer them for free.

3. Motor vehicle – Ditching the car was tough at first, but staying close to home, biking, and walking quickly became our norm.

4. Fast/processed foods – Tasty but unhealthy. We swapped them for home-cooked meals.

5. Restaurant meals – We learned to recreate our favourite dishes at home for a fraction of the cost.

6. Travel holidays – After escaping the rat race, we found didn’t need pricey getaways.

7. Clothes – Our wardrobe is minimalist. We wear clothes until they wear out, which takes years.

8. Entertainment like movies, concerts, or fairs – Fun, but we skip the crowds and overpriced snacks like fifteen-dollar fries.

9. Meat – It’s expensive and the biggest part of the average grocery bill. We’ve discovered vegetarian based dishes that are as satisfying as crispy bacon (once your palate adjusts).

10. Sweets – Our rule: want a treat? Make it yourself. This keeps sweets rare and special. I know this might sound like I’m asking you to give up all the fun stuff that makes life in our consumer-driven world enjoyable. 

But here’s the payoff: time and freedom. 

Cutting these expenses helped us escape the grind of endless work and the exploitation of paying interest on debt. 

For us, that meant more time for hobbies, like gardening, and the peace of knowing our simple life is financially sustainable. Everyone’s “easy list” is different. What’s simple for us might be tough for you, and that’s okay. The key is to find your low-hanging fruit and start there. The results are undeniable, and you can achieve them too. Try cutting one item from your spending for a month and see what happens. 

What’s on your easy list? Share in the comments below. We’d love to hear your ideas!