With Simply Living’s 35th anniversary coming up next year, we’ve been putting together a History of Simply Living document to share with the community at our Get-Together in February 2027. I thought I’d share a little piece of it, a seminal document from February 1992 (the year of our founding), authored by Marylin Welker. For more information about our organization, visit the Simply Living website.
SIMPLY LIVING: A Proposal Concept Paper
A VISION of the future we seek to create!
SIMPLY LIVING will build partnerships with people and among organizations committed to honoring the sacredness of the Earth and all her people.
SIMPLY LIVING will serve Central Ohio in two ways: as a RESOURCE CENTER for persons creating a more humane and sustainable society, and as an ACTIVE FACILITATOR for positive cultural change through personal action and participation. In doing so we commit to each other.
TO CELEBRATE: the gifts of the Universe and seek to live joyfully and with sufficiency; our place as one of the created species and seek to live harmoniously with all life forms; the interrelatedness of all things.
TO BELIEVE: that tomorrow in not to be awaited, we are creating it today; that what we do to others and to our earth we do to ourselves; that our pursuits and our actions must be grounded in acting with justice and living sustainably–this includes living with sufficiency and using the greatest possible measure of renewable resources; that diverse cultural perspectives and points of view are critical in addressing the issues related to a just and sustainable world; that through our local actions, we participate in a global movement that is transforming the world.
TO COMMIT: to learning as a lifelong process which is more fun and better done with each other; to building learning opportunities which will lead to actions based on the values articulated here; to the practice of democracy as an ongoing responsibility and privilege, requiring skill-building, partnership, and dialogue.
TO ACT: with personal responsibility for our world, striving to integrate what we think and value with what we do; with the assurance that what we do and say make a difference; in ways that are life-giving, creative, renewing, and loving.
TO SEEK the Divine Spirit as a source of energy, wisdom, and love.
Why We Exist
We are living in a time of rapid change in every aspect of our lives. Our normal response is to not embrace change and even at times to resist or oppose it. How do we discern change for a better world and how do we then do it?
Many people are deeply concerned about the state of the world and the state of our community. As the number and magnitude of serious issues increase, we are challenged to question underlying assumptions about our ways of doing business and living. Not only do we struggle with the information and facts, but also with the content out of which we act.
We tend to address symptoms rather than causes. We seek reform or confrontation which increasingly has limited effect in addressing the roots of our malaise.
What we most need now are creative, local, and specific processes and projects which, in transforming our lives, contribute to transforming the social order.
In Central Ohio, many creative efforts to address serious issues are already being implemented. . . . Such efforts, which meaningfully involve people in positive change, deserve broad public support. Information sharing, publicity, coalition building, learning, and consciousness raising are critical. Simply Living will be about this work.
In addition to what is already happening in our community are many projects around the country which address similar issues. We can learn from these efforts and adapt many of them for our community. Simply Living will be an active facilitator of positive cultural change.
What Will We Do?
Initially, Simply Living will establish a storefront location or visible center. This center will serve as a resource to the community with materials for loan, skilled resource people, and referral service. Presently many of the excellent publications relating to social change (i.e., Coop America Quarterly, In Context, materials from the Rocky Mountain Institute, Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, etc.) are not publicly available in Central Ohio. Neither is a network of information and referral of efforts.
Critical to the organization will be development of key work groups. The membership base will include individuals, businesses, and organizations. A newsletter will serve members. In addition to membership and newsletter committees, there will be work groups for publicity, outreach, learning opportunities, and resource development.
A key question to pursue is how to expand the circle of people working for just and sustainable change. Perhaps small neighborhood focus groups and/or topic specific study groups and/or once-a-month social gatherings will be formed to facilitate our learning and acting. Interest areas could include ecological, economic, political, social, and spiritual changes. Ideally a network of people who are exploring similar topics can be developed. Working organizationally, the center would serve as a liaison between persons in the community who can lend their knowledge, skills, and commitment with identified groups (church committees, neighborhoods, issue-oriented organizations) seeking to learn new skills and to change old patterns.
Specific workshops which might be offered in the first year include increasing home energy efficiency, converting to alternative energy sources, seeking financial independence (and aligning work and values), investing for social responsibility, creating backyard wildlife habitat, investing in our community, etc. Member interest will doubtless suggest many more possibilities.
How Can We Implement Simply Living?
Governing Structure: We would seek incorporation as a 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization. While incorporation is relatively easy, applying for and receiving the tax-exempt status for the IRS is much more complicated. A governing council of 9-12 persons would serve as the Board of Trustees, charged with policymaking and developing a set of by-laws.
Funding: The majority of operating funds will be sought as monthly/yearly pledges of members. It is hoped the start-up funding can be realized by financial pledging of members. We will also seek contributions of any amount to begin this work. Ongoing funding which is not grants-tied is desirable. Fees for services such as workshops and trainings will also be a source of funds.
Staffing: Because this will be an experimental project, cooperative leadership is highly desirable. We will seek sufficient start-up funds to pay two people a nominal salary. Developing volunteer staffing will be a high priority.
