DEFINITION
An "ecologically sustainable lifestyle" is difficult to define because lifestyle choices involve numerous factors with unknown primary and secondary effects to the environment, including other humans.   On a day-to-day level, for example, should we buy organic soy milk in wasteful packaging, factory-farm milk in returnable bottles, or go without either?  Theoretically ecologically sustainablIity exists when natural ecological processes are allowed to continue indefinitely without significant alteration by humans.
 

WHY WE HOLD THIS VALUE IN COMMON
The members of Du•má value a lifestyle that is ecologically sustainable because we believe it is important for human culture to learn to live in a way in which all human activities can be sustained indefinitely without damaging the environment.
 

THE REALISTIC LIMITATIONS OF HOLDING THIS VALUE IN THE CONTEXT OF OUR SOCIETY
We would like to carry on as many of Duma's activities as possible in an ecologically sustainable fashion.   However, we also recognize that an ecologically sustainable lifestyle is not fully possible in the context of our society which places much higher value on humans than other species or ecosystems.   Thus, we are doing the best we can to minimize our impact on the planet while providing a model for society to minimize the use of natural resources.
 

WHAT IS EXPECTED OF DU•MA MEMBERS TO UPHOLD THIS VALUE
Creating an ecologically sustainable lifestyle requires a willingness of members to invest personal energy towards determining how to reduce their indirect, chain-reaction, long term, and interconnected impacts on the environment.
 

THE DIFFERING ABILITY FOR PEOPLE TO UPHOLD THIS VALUE
We also recognize that as individuals and as a group we have a limited capacity to assimilate changes in our lifestyle that lead towards ecological sustainability.  For example, buying food in bulk to reduce the need for packaging is easier for most people to adopt as part of their lifestyle than it would be to suddenly and completely give up the use of automobiles.   For a variety of reasons (age, class background, cultural background), some people take longer to assimilate changes in their lifestyle than others.  We hope to provide a supportive atmosphere to help one another and the group make decisions that lead towards ecological sustainability at a realistic rate that doesn't strain the social fabric of the community.
 

EXAMPLES
The following partial list provides examples of activities that individuals and/or Du•má as a group believe contribute to ecological sustainability.   We have incorporated some of the examples into our daily lives to differing extents; other examples hopefully will be possible for individuals and/or the group in the future.
 

• growing our own food organically
• praying for the earth
• reading books and articles about environmental issues
• using non-toxic building supplies and home products
• becoming involved politically with environmental issues
• engaging in earth-based spirituality
• purchasing from local suppliers
• walking or bicycling instead of automobiles
• drying laundry on a clothesline
• reducing consumption in general
• eating a vegetarian diet
• speaking with relatives and friends about ways to minimize our impact on the planet
• learning about the natural history in our bioregion
• experiencing natural areas and wilderness to renew the spirit
• starting a recycling program at work
• installing alternative energy devices such as solar collectors or a windmill
• learning about traditional medicines

THE CLOSE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THIS VALUE AND THE OTHER VALUES WE EMBRACE
Ecological sustainability is closely associated with other values Du•má embraces.  We view ourselves as humans as part of a community of all beings.   If we are personally aware of the destructive attitudes that we carry with us as members of our society, we can cease to dominate other species and create a more egalitarian relationship between ourselves and the planet.   By honoring diversity, we place value on creatures and things necessary to create an ecologically sustainable lifestyle for humans.