I was born in 1959. 

There is a very high probability that I will die before the increasing trouble the earth is in will have really serious consequences in northwestern Europe. And there is a very high probability that the consequences that will occur, will still be fairly limited and will mean comparatively little to my personal life.

So that means that I, and with me all Western people of my generation, are the ONLY GENERATION EVER who, as far as external factors are concerned, are given to live a relatively problem-free and luxurious life.

Not a hard, unhealthy and mostly poor life like before the first world war.

No huge economic crisis like between the two World Wars.

Luckily no wars.

And no severe climate disasters, serious food shortages, shortages of clean drinking water, social and economic systems collapsing....

I was given that problem free and good life by the hard work of my and your parents, grandparents, ....

And I lived that luxury life at the expense of my children, the generations after them, the people in poor countries, nature.... Because I lived a life that needed more than what one earth can give.

A change

About ten years ago, I didn't want that life anymore. I didn't want to further increase my debt to the future. And I no longer wanted to participate in the destruction of everything living and beautiful on this earth. 

But I do want to try to pay back a little of what I took in excess.

Therefore, over the past 10 years, I have greatly reduced my ecological footprint, together with my wife.

I hope you will consider this, if you belong to the same generation, or to younger generations who have the privilege of being able to spend at least a large part of their lives in this luxury.

And I invite you to share your thoughts with me and with all readers in a comment on this post.

Anything in relation to this topic is really welcome, as long as it is respectful.

By the way...

The biggest chance of what could happen in the next two decades, in my opinion, is that there will be an economic crisis with associated food shortages and serious strain and crumbling of systems such as health care and social safety nets for the unemployed, people with low income and the socially weak in our Western society. 

In a way, I am preparing for those difficult times, by living simply and practicing a little self-reliance and resilience. A pleasant side benefit to reducing one's ecological footprint, you might say....

ALL WE NEED IS LESS CONSUMING

Through my artworks I ask you to reflect for a moment on the nature around you, on the beautiful feeling that nature can evoke. Thus to think about your actions to support the wellbeing of the earth and everything that lives on it. And on what humanity loses when many of us continue on the destructive path of ever more greed and consuming. And please, reflect on how you can survive in this rapidly changing world…

So do you want to know your ecological footprint? 

Then visit this website: https://www.footprintcalculator.org/home/en 

And do you want to reduce your ecological footprint?

Then ask me, I will help you. For free. Or simply visit my website and choose in the menu for Your Footprint.

And if you appreciate my writings and art and want to support me, you can buy me a piece of fruit here: https://ko-fi.com/jacobberghoef, thank you 🍏 !