As You Sow, So Shall You Reap
The average American family has been feeling the crunch of a declining economy and falling income levels. Many families are familiar with the stress of high utility bills, growing food costs, and the considerable costs of kids, which can all take a heavy toll on ones physical and mental health as well as their wallet. Many people have been forced to change their lifestyles to meet the new needs of their families when stability and routine gave way back in 2008. In spite of most people's best attempt to hold onto the conveniences they have become accustomed to, many families have found it hard to regain footing and find good health and finances. Families wondering how to improve their mental, physical and financial well being should consider some sustainable lifestyle changes and home upgrades to achieve a level of self reliance that cannot be encumbered or only go slightly inconvenienced by factors like a struggling economy. Sustainability is the practice of using resources wisely and with the future in mind. It is employing nature to provide what is needed, often utilizing local sources as to support the viability of the family as well as the health of the immediate community. Sustainable living means recognizing the amount of waste being created and exploring ways to improve efficiency. Living sustainably fosters a healthy and positive lifestyle that allows people to take control of their costs that are eating away at the already tight budget and reallocate money to run the household more efficiently. The resources used to provide the information were chosen specifically for the range in the size of the change to a person or family's lifestyle the adjustments would be responsible for. To meet the needs of various families, a range of information from small changes in personal habits to large home upgrades is included. The research behind the following information comes from sources that have experience from teacher turned family farmer to nearly thirty years of advocating for sustainability and writing in a sustainability magazine. More than just people who write about it, most of the resources used are from people who are involved at grassroots levels in urban community gardens and coop programs or in businesses that work and create ways for homes and families to save money being sustainable. They have provided this information to show how easy it is to find mental, physical and financial improvement by implementing a few changes in the home.
Of all the reasons to live sustainably, sound piece of mind is among the most important. Turmoil over bills and rising food costs can tarnish mental health. What's even worse is that 14.9% of American households were food insecure in the year 2011- meaning that the food intake of one or more members was reduced and their eating patterns disrupted at times during the year because the household lacked money and other resources to food (Coleman-Jensen, Nord, Andrews, and Carlson). However, there are plenty of sustainable options to help families improve their mental health and gain piece of mind, knowing they will never be food dependent again. Frequent trips grocery stores for food can rack up the costs. The cost of gas with the food bill can stack against any family, not to mention the poor quality food stores charge continuously rising prices for. Produce is the most basic but essential form of nutrients that grows in the ground naturally without much assistance needed and yet families have to deal with a premium price tag on it when it's fresh, especially if it isn't filled with synthetic chemicals and toxins. If the goal is to improve mental well being then the stress of bills and food costs will have to necessarily be reduced. Luckily families can rest assured knowing they can have their own food system that will alleviate some of their food costs, all the while providing fresh, nutritious food. Instead of being crushed underneath the weight of food insecurity, families should consider what space they can commit to a garden. A citrus tress and a vegetable garden can be a fun family activity or a peaceful stress relief; whatever you make it, at-home gardens are an excellent way to ensure your family always has healthy food options available all year long while saving a great deal of money and in turn bringing you piece of mind. Although there are some considerable costs of installing a garden like building raised beds, setting up irrigation systems and the tools it takes to maintain it, these are mainly one-time costs that will be paid for in raw vegetables, spices and herbs and self reliance. The exact amount of savings will vary depending on a lot of different factors like diet and in which region the garden will be. If the family's diet doesn't consist of many vegetables already there won't be much cost to cut juxtapose those who do eat a lot of vegetables and even more if they prefer to buy organic. Furthermore, some regions only require seeds to grow produce because the soil is rich, the sun shines brightly and the rain keeps things healthy. In states like Arizona where the soil is mostly clay, the sun is scorching, and it's arid all the time it will take more time and money to get things started properly. However, having a garden is more than just a place for savings. Gardens give families added food security as well as providing a peaceful place for family time, meditation and appreciation of the environment. Getting the kids in the garden is a great way to build the family relationships and grow stronger as a family. Beyond an at-home garden, families can find solace in community gardening. Community based gardens are sustainable plots of land dedicated to growing farm fresh, inexpensive produce for the immediate community. It's a way to lend a hand to your neighbors which many find a rewarding experience. Both at-home gardens and community gardens are sustainable options to increase sustainability of communities and families alike, improving mental health and subsequently physical health along the way.
Being physically healthy is an important consideration for families as well, but with little time for the gym and a lack of quality food options there doesn't seem like much a family can do. However, families can improve their physical conditions by getting used to a few sustainable exercises and food habits. Getting the kids away from the video games and more physically active can be challenging but very beneficial. Every bit of activity counts, so families can be creative when choosing an activity to reach their goals of finding sustainable ways to improve physical health. Signing up for local charity events supports your community and often offers a fun opportunity to go for a long walk, jog, or run with the family. Community business viability also benefits from such events. Not only is riding bicycles to the grocery store a sustainable way to reduce our impact on the environment but its fun and healthy for the whole family on many levels. Besides the intended physical benefit of riding a bike, lessening our car usage also reduces emissions in the environment. Less pollution means clearer skies and fresher air for everyone. Exploring public parks is as great a learning experience as it is a healthy exercise. In Arizona, for example, a trip to the Desert Botanical Gardens with the family would make for a great outing. It would provide an opportunity for the family to get out of the house, learn about the native plants and animals of Arizona, and get some exercise out of the day. Another hidden or just overlooked benefit of planning day trips like these is the energy you're saving by shutting down the house before leaving. On a typical day a household uses lights, computes, TVs, stoves or ovens among other electronic equipment and appliances that are costly and energy draining. When the family goes on a day trip to the local park to throw a ball around and get some exercise, none of that is running making parks, museums and the like inexpensive and sustainable options for exercise. Of course at-home gardening and community gardening are again great ways to get families outdoors, stretching their legs as well as changing their food habits. Sherry Rindels from Iowa State University claims women can burn around 150 calories each half hour of digging and spading in the garden while men can burn around 197. The at-home garden is good for much more than the aforementioned piece of mind and occasional exercise however. The real physical benefits of an at-home garden come from the quality of produce families receive. Industrial farms poison their crops with synthetic chemicals to ensure a desirable looking and sizeable yield. Furthermore, the amount of chemicals used on agriculture continues to increase because of pests and insect adaptations among other factors. "While some additives are harmless, others can cause everything from hives and asthma to nausea and headaches in some people" (Sherpa). A sustainable at-home garden provides organic vegetables free of synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides and any of the other more than 14,000 laboratory made chemicals polluting farms and environments around the world. On top of the organic aspect of home gardening, food miles also make home gardens the superior choice to grocery store produce and sometimes even local farmer market options. Food miles is the distance food travels from the farm to the dinner table. The longer the vegetable has to travel, the longer it has to be stored. Each second it's off the vine it is degrading and therefore losing nutrients. Sustainable gardening allows you to pick the vegetable at peak ripeness and cook it immediately giving families the most possible nutrients and freshest ingredients. While the average food in America travels 1,500 to 2,000 miles before reaching its destination (Deneen), families can have produce that's never been further then their own backyard. Don't forget, gardens also provide an excuse to exercise. Most of the time, the hardest part about exercising is finding the motivation to get out there and get going but if families have gardens to maintain they always have a reason to stay active. Gardens provide long term commitments to the amount of work it takes to maintain one which burns plenty of calories as discussed. Along with gardening, sustainable housework and upgrades to the home also give cause for plenty of exercise along with plenty of financial benefits.
The smallest change in habits can save families a few bucks here and there, which is good. When a lot of those habits come together to create a completely sustainable lifestyle and efficiently running household the saving really begin to pile up, which is even better. Depending on the situation of the individual families, some or all tips may apply. The key is to finding that balance of changes that will create sustainability in the home without becoming too big of an inconvenience. It isn't expected for families to hunt and gather their foods, butcher their own catches in home and include the brains, eyes and other animal byproducts because that isn't a reasonable lifestyle change to ask of people. Instead, to find sustainability in finances around the home, families should consider how many times they can avoid eating at restaurants that charge top dollar for the same meals that can be prepared at home for a fraction of the cost. The bureau of labor statistic reports in 2011 the average family spent more than $2,600 dining away from the home. Cutting the amount of trips to restaurants down by three quarters would potentially save families an average of $1,950 each year. Furthermore, the same report shows the average family spends more than $3,800 dining in home which can also likely be reduce by buying in bulk. Wholesalers like Costco offer bulk sizes on some goods that, if utilized properly can last a long time and save money in the food budget. Goods like rice, flour, pastas, beans, cereals, can goods and boxed goods can all be purchased from wholesalers and stored indefinitely. Buying in bulk not only cuts down on trips to the store saving gas and improving our ecological footprint, but saves huge on the food budget. Finally, cutting down the food budget is supported by planning ahead. Families that plan menus well in advance have the opportunity to save even more money by utilizing leftovers in later meals. For example, chopping leftover chicken into small pieces and tossing it in with a salad saves the money on other expensive proteins for that meal. In 2010 Americans wasted of more than 34 million tons of food ("Food Waste Basics"). Planning ahead really cuts down on waste, reducing the amount of money you will write off as a loss. Proper utilization of the aforementioned garden will be one of the biggest money savers if families simply plan ahead. It's easy to get a packet of seeds from a single vegetable and end up with more tomatoes than useable but not enough other veggies to go with them. Keeping in mind which vegetables will go with family meals will help reduce waste and keep a well balanced diet on the table. After supplementing their produce budget with an at home garden families can go a step further and supplement their protein budgets by establishing an aquaponics system. An aquaponics system is a sustainable environment for fish and agriculture to support a natural symbiotic relationship. By combining raising fish with growing vegetables, families can have the freshest, healthiest possible meals without spending a dime. The money saved on produce, fish, spices, herbs, and flowers can be split between other foods, bills and savings. Even the food and fish scraps can be utilized in a sustainable home because they are good for composting. Composting in the home adds to the organic materials in the garden helping veggies grown healthier, helps reduce waste going to landfills, and of course, saves families money. Some small businesses even pay money for recyclables and compost. This gives families opportunities to utilize food scraps and recyclables in a way that wont just save money but will earn them money on top of the savings. Collecting aluminum, copper, plastics, and other recyclables are easy and cost effective considering the amount of bottles Americans go through daily. Another great way for families to save money with sustainable changes is to make many of the products retailers charge a great deal for simply because people do not know they can do it easily themselves. Hygiene and cleaning products like deodorant, shaving creams, lotions, lip balms, window cleaner, degreaser and disinfectants can all be made in home with simple, inexpensive all natural ingredients. Thus far, however, these changes have all been of small scale. To reap the real savings one must sow a different seed. Conservation efforts and home upgrades is where the real dollars are saved because it turns an inefficient house bleeding energy and utilities and transforms it into a sustainable home that is energy efficient. To conserve energy around the home families need to know what is constantly running and therefore sucking up energy. Modern technology I designed to never really shut off, despite being turned off. To ensure your appliances are not continuously stealing energy when it isn't necessary, a power strip should be used in each room. With a power strip, all electronics can be completely turned off and on from one central location rather than having to unplug each device individually. Reducing the amount of laundry and only washing full loads saves big money considering most of the energy used in the home is used to heat and dry water, clothes, dishes etc. Families should consider replacing the older appliances that aren't as energy efficient gradually, over time. Upgrading all appliances at once would be a massive cost considering families will likely be replacing refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers, water heaters and other main appliances. However, by replacing at least one each year families will save money on the costs of the upgrade because their electric bill will be reduced each year. The goal is to reduce our dependence of energy and utilities and therefore cut costs whenever possible. Sometimes though, people must spend money to make money. An example of this is bringing alternative energy sources in the home. Buying solar panels to go on the roof of family homes can be a costly investment but removing the home from the electric grid and alleviating the cost of the electric bill will be worth the initial cost. Home repairs and or upgrades are critical to running a sustainable home. Energy bleeds from homes poorly designed and built in haste. It would likely benefit majority of average homes to replace windows, re-caulk seals, line doors and vents with weather stripping, or even going as far to replace insulation. With so many options available to the average family, saving money becomes a choice. Families can choose to make the changes needed to become self sufficient and sustainable or they can remain in their desperate situations.
The stress of life takes it toll on the mental, physical and financial well being of many families across America. Ever since the economy crashed it has steadily been declining, taking household incomes down with it. This creates a dire situation that backs many families into the proverbial corner. In the face of such adversity, families have the choice to sink or swim. If they choose to swim, they may need to know which direction is the closest shore which is where sustainability comes in. Making the needed changes and sacrifices to live a more sustainable life will help any family find piece of mind, improved physical condition and lead to a sound financial future. There are so many opportunities to take advantage of, there is no excuse for being stuck with high utility bills, extreme food costs and other unaffordable expenses. By creating a sustainable lifestyle, families are taking control of their health and future and ensuring their families will never be food insecure or fall into a state of poverty.
The average American family has been feeling the crunch of a declining economy and falling income levels. Many families are familiar with the stress of high utility bills, growing food costs, and the considerable costs of kids, which can all take a heavy toll on ones physical and mental health as well as their wallet. Many people have been forced to change their lifestyles to meet the new needs of their families when stability and routine gave way back in 2008. In spite of most people's best attempt to hold onto the conveniences they have become accustomed to, many families have found it hard to regain footing and find good health and finances. Families wondering how to improve their mental, physical and financial well being should consider some sustainable lifestyle changes and home upgrades to achieve a level of self reliance that cannot be encumbered or only go slightly inconvenienced by factors like a struggling economy. Sustainability is the practice of using resources wisely and with the future in mind. It is employing nature to provide what is needed, often utilizing local sources as to support the viability of the family as well as the health of the immediate community. Sustainable living means recognizing the amount of waste being created and exploring ways to improve efficiency. Living sustainably fosters a healthy and positive lifestyle that allows people to take control of their costs that are eating away at the already tight budget and reallocate money to run the household more efficiently. The resources used to provide the information were chosen specifically for the range in the size of the change to a person or family's lifestyle the adjustments would be responsible for. To meet the needs of various families, a range of information from small changes in personal habits to large home upgrades is included. The research behind the following information comes from sources that have experience from teacher turned family farmer to nearly thirty years of advocating for sustainability and writing in a sustainability magazine. More than just people who write about it, most of the resources used are from people who are involved at grassroots levels in urban community gardens and coop programs or in businesses that work and create ways for homes and families to save money being sustainable. They have provided this information to show how easy it is to find mental, physical and financial improvement by implementing a few changes in the home.
Of all the reasons to live sustainably, sound piece of mind is among the most important. Turmoil over bills and rising food costs can tarnish mental health. What's even worse is that 14.9% of American households were food insecure in the year 2011- meaning that the food intake of one or more members was reduced and their eating patterns disrupted at times during the year because the household lacked money and other resources to food (Coleman-Jensen, Nord, Andrews, and Carlson). However, there are plenty of sustainable options to help families improve their mental health and gain piece of mind, knowing they will never be food dependent again. Frequent trips grocery stores for food can rack up the costs. The cost of gas with the food bill can stack against any family, not to mention the poor quality food stores charge continuously rising prices for. Produce is the most basic but essential form of nutrients that grows in the ground naturally without much assistance needed and yet families have to deal with a premium price tag on it when it's fresh, especially if it isn't filled with synthetic chemicals and toxins. If the goal is to improve mental well being then the stress of bills and food costs will have to necessarily be reduced. Luckily families can rest assured knowing they can have their own food system that will alleviate some of their food costs, all the while providing fresh, nutritious food. Instead of being crushed underneath the weight of food insecurity, families should consider what space they can commit to a garden. A citrus tress and a vegetable garden can be a fun family activity or a peaceful stress relief; whatever you make it, at-home gardens are an excellent way to ensure your family always has healthy food options available all year long while saving a great deal of money and in turn bringing you piece of mind. Although there are some considerable costs of installing a garden like building raised beds, setting up irrigation systems and the tools it takes to maintain it, these are mainly one-time costs that will be paid for in raw vegetables, spices and herbs and self reliance. The exact amount of savings will vary depending on a lot of different factors like diet and in which region the garden will be. If the family's diet doesn't consist of many vegetables already there won't be much cost to cut juxtapose those who do eat a lot of vegetables and even more if they prefer to buy organic. Furthermore, some regions only require seeds to grow produce because the soil is rich, the sun shines brightly and the rain keeps things healthy. In states like Arizona where the soil is mostly clay, the sun is scorching, and it's arid all the time it will take more time and money to get things started properly. However, having a garden is more than just a place for savings. Gardens give families added food security as well as providing a peaceful place for family time, meditation and appreciation of the environment. Getting the kids in the garden is a great way to build the family relationships and grow stronger as a family. Beyond an at-home garden, families can find solace in community gardening. Community based gardens are sustainable plots of land dedicated to growing farm fresh, inexpensive produce for the immediate community. It's a way to lend a hand to your neighbors which many find a rewarding experience. Both at-home gardens and community gardens are sustainable options to increase sustainability of communities and families alike, improving mental health and subsequently physical health along the way.
Being physically healthy is an important consideration for families as well, but with little time for the gym and a lack of quality food options there doesn't seem like much a family can do. However, families can improve their physical conditions by getting used to a few sustainable exercises and food habits. Getting the kids away from the video games and more physically active can be challenging but very beneficial. Every bit of activity counts, so families can be creative when choosing an activity to reach their goals of finding sustainable ways to improve physical health. Signing up for local charity events supports your community and often offers a fun opportunity to go for a long walk, jog, or run with the family. Community business viability also benefits from such events. Not only is riding bicycles to the grocery store a sustainable way to reduce our impact on the environment but its fun and healthy for the whole family on many levels. Besides the intended physical benefit of riding a bike, lessening our car usage also reduces emissions in the environment. Less pollution means clearer skies and fresher air for everyone. Exploring public parks is as great a learning experience as it is a healthy exercise. In Arizona, for example, a trip to the Desert Botanical Gardens with the family would make for a great outing. It would provide an opportunity for the family to get out of the house, learn about the native plants and animals of Arizona, and get some exercise out of the day. Another hidden or just overlooked benefit of planning day trips like these is the energy you're saving by shutting down the house before leaving. On a typical day a household uses lights, computes, TVs, stoves or ovens among other electronic equipment and appliances that are costly and energy draining. When the family goes on a day trip to the local park to throw a ball around and get some exercise, none of that is running making parks, museums and the like inexpensive and sustainable options for exercise. Of course at-home gardening and community gardening are again great ways to get families outdoors, stretching their legs as well as changing their food habits. Sherry Rindels from Iowa State University claims women can burn around 150 calories each half hour of digging and spading in the garden while men can burn around 197. The at-home garden is good for much more than the aforementioned piece of mind and occasional exercise however. The real physical benefits of an at-home garden come from the quality of produce families receive. Industrial farms poison their crops with synthetic chemicals to ensure a desirable looking and sizeable yield. Furthermore, the amount of chemicals used on agriculture continues to increase because of pests and insect adaptations among other factors. "While some additives are harmless, others can cause everything from hives and asthma to nausea and headaches in some people" (Sherpa). A sustainable at-home garden provides organic vegetables free of synthetic fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides and any of the other more than 14,000 laboratory made chemicals polluting farms and environments around the world. On top of the organic aspect of home gardening, food miles also make home gardens the superior choice to grocery store produce and sometimes even local farmer market options. Food miles is the distance food travels from the farm to the dinner table. The longer the vegetable has to travel, the longer it has to be stored. Each second it's off the vine it is degrading and therefore losing nutrients. Sustainable gardening allows you to pick the vegetable at peak ripeness and cook it immediately giving families the most possible nutrients and freshest ingredients. While the average food in America travels 1,500 to 2,000 miles before reaching its destination (Deneen), families can have produce that's never been further then their own backyard. Don't forget, gardens also provide an excuse to exercise. Most of the time, the hardest part about exercising is finding the motivation to get out there and get going but if families have gardens to maintain they always have a reason to stay active. Gardens provide long term commitments to the amount of work it takes to maintain one which burns plenty of calories as discussed. Along with gardening, sustainable housework and upgrades to the home also give cause for plenty of exercise along with plenty of financial benefits.
The smallest change in habits can save families a few bucks here and there, which is good. When a lot of those habits come together to create a completely sustainable lifestyle and efficiently running household the saving really begin to pile up, which is even better. Depending on the situation of the individual families, some or all tips may apply. The key is to finding that balance of changes that will create sustainability in the home without becoming too big of an inconvenience. It isn't expected for families to hunt and gather their foods, butcher their own catches in home and include the brains, eyes and other animal byproducts because that isn't a reasonable lifestyle change to ask of people. Instead, to find sustainability in finances around the home, families should consider how many times they can avoid eating at restaurants that charge top dollar for the same meals that can be prepared at home for a fraction of the cost. The bureau of labor statistic reports in 2011 the average family spent more than $2,600 dining away from the home. Cutting the amount of trips to restaurants down by three quarters would potentially save families an average of $1,950 each year. Furthermore, the same report shows the average family spends more than $3,800 dining in home which can also likely be reduce by buying in bulk. Wholesalers like Costco offer bulk sizes on some goods that, if utilized properly can last a long time and save money in the food budget. Goods like rice, flour, pastas, beans, cereals, can goods and boxed goods can all be purchased from wholesalers and stored indefinitely. Buying in bulk not only cuts down on trips to the store saving gas and improving our ecological footprint, but saves huge on the food budget. Finally, cutting down the food budget is supported by planning ahead. Families that plan menus well in advance have the opportunity to save even more money by utilizing leftovers in later meals. For example, chopping leftover chicken into small pieces and tossing it in with a salad saves the money on other expensive proteins for that meal. In 2010 Americans wasted of more than 34 million tons of food ("Food Waste Basics"). Planning ahead really cuts down on waste, reducing the amount of money you will write off as a loss. Proper utilization of the aforementioned garden will be one of the biggest money savers if families simply plan ahead. It's easy to get a packet of seeds from a single vegetable and end up with more tomatoes than useable but not enough other veggies to go with them. Keeping in mind which vegetables will go with family meals will help reduce waste and keep a well balanced diet on the table. After supplementing their produce budget with an at home garden families can go a step further and supplement their protein budgets by establishing an aquaponics system. An aquaponics system is a sustainable environment for fish and agriculture to support a natural symbiotic relationship. By combining raising fish with growing vegetables, families can have the freshest, healthiest possible meals without spending a dime. The money saved on produce, fish, spices, herbs, and flowers can be split between other foods, bills and savings. Even the food and fish scraps can be utilized in a sustainable home because they are good for composting. Composting in the home adds to the organic materials in the garden helping veggies grown healthier, helps reduce waste going to landfills, and of course, saves families money. Some small businesses even pay money for recyclables and compost. This gives families opportunities to utilize food scraps and recyclables in a way that wont just save money but will earn them money on top of the savings. Collecting aluminum, copper, plastics, and other recyclables are easy and cost effective considering the amount of bottles Americans go through daily. Another great way for families to save money with sustainable changes is to make many of the products retailers charge a great deal for simply because people do not know they can do it easily themselves. Hygiene and cleaning products like deodorant, shaving creams, lotions, lip balms, window cleaner, degreaser and disinfectants can all be made in home with simple, inexpensive all natural ingredients. Thus far, however, these changes have all been of small scale. To reap the real savings one must sow a different seed. Conservation efforts and home upgrades is where the real dollars are saved because it turns an inefficient house bleeding energy and utilities and transforms it into a sustainable home that is energy efficient. To conserve energy around the home families need to know what is constantly running and therefore sucking up energy. Modern technology I designed to never really shut off, despite being turned off. To ensure your appliances are not continuously stealing energy when it isn't necessary, a power strip should be used in each room. With a power strip, all electronics can be completely turned off and on from one central location rather than having to unplug each device individually. Reducing the amount of laundry and only washing full loads saves big money considering most of the energy used in the home is used to heat and dry water, clothes, dishes etc. Families should consider replacing the older appliances that aren't as energy efficient gradually, over time. Upgrading all appliances at once would be a massive cost considering families will likely be replacing refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers, water heaters and other main appliances. However, by replacing at least one each year families will save money on the costs of the upgrade because their electric bill will be reduced each year. The goal is to reduce our dependence of energy and utilities and therefore cut costs whenever possible. Sometimes though, people must spend money to make money. An example of this is bringing alternative energy sources in the home. Buying solar panels to go on the roof of family homes can be a costly investment but removing the home from the electric grid and alleviating the cost of the electric bill will be worth the initial cost. Home repairs and or upgrades are critical to running a sustainable home. Energy bleeds from homes poorly designed and built in haste. It would likely benefit majority of average homes to replace windows, re-caulk seals, line doors and vents with weather stripping, or even going as far to replace insulation. With so many options available to the average family, saving money becomes a choice. Families can choose to make the changes needed to become self sufficient and sustainable or they can remain in their desperate situations.
The stress of life takes it toll on the mental, physical and financial well being of many families across America. Ever since the economy crashed it has steadily been declining, taking household incomes down with it. This creates a dire situation that backs many families into the proverbial corner. In the face of such adversity, families have the choice to sink or swim. If they choose to swim, they may need to know which direction is the closest shore which is where sustainability comes in. Making the needed changes and sacrifices to live a more sustainable life will help any family find piece of mind, improved physical condition and lead to a sound financial future. There are so many opportunities to take advantage of, there is no excuse for being stuck with high utility bills, extreme food costs and other unaffordable expenses. By creating a sustainable lifestyle, families are taking control of their health and future and ensuring their families will never be food insecure or fall into a state of poverty.