YEARNING FOR BALANCE
Americans find
simplicity complicated. According to a recent survey conducted for
the Merck Family Fund, a foundation that promotes environmental
sustainability, the majority of people questioned said they want to
simplify their lives, spend more time with loved ones and consume
less. But they have found it’s easier said than done. Although 88
percent agreed that “protecting the environment will require most
of us to make major changes in the way we live,” only 18 percent
were willing to spend less time working if that meant making less
money. Given the conflict between environmental concerns and the
American values of personal and economic freedom, researchers
concluded, the challenge is to find ways “to create a public
conversation around the issues of consumption, materialism and the
environment that can lead to real change.” For a copy of the
26-page report Yearning For Balance, contact the Merck Family Fund,
6930 Carroll Ave., Suite 500, Takoma Park, MD 20912
(301/270-2970).
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Yearning for balance.
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