Jim Merkel

Keynote Address: Radical Simplicity

Friday, May 16 at 7:00 p.m. in the Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center

As oil prices reach record highs and climate scientists offer stark and dire warnings, author, volunteer and engineer, Jim Merkel suggests that by moving toward deeply sustainable lifestyles, we can directly address these challenges.

Since quitting his work as a military engineer in 1989, Jim's experiment has been to live as close to the global median income ($5,000 per year) as possible. His burning question remains, "can I share the Earth equitably with other species, humans and future generations?" His presentation will include practical approaches to making sizable cuts in spending and footprints both in our lives and workplace. Included are images of light living in North America, Kerala, the Indian Himalaya and highlights from his sustainability work at Dartmouth College.

Beyond devouring our planet, over-consumptive habits add to individual and societal stress, wars and a spiritual void. On the contrary, eating local organic foods, helping a friend, cycling to work, insulating our homes or shopping at yard sales can begin a whole new path in life being part of the solution. This process can stimulate a quest to explore our greater purpose and contribution.

Pairing down while imbedded in the land of plenty presents monumental challenges -- moving an institution toward sustainability is even more challenging. There is good new however. Once we decide to take decisive action we will discover ideas, information, dreams and technologies that can improve the quality of human existence on planet Earth.

In Radical Simplicity, Jim asks us to "Imagine you are first in line at a potluck buffet. The spread includes not just food and water, but all the materials needed for shelter, clothing, healthcare, and education. How do you know how much to take? How much is enough to leave for your neighbors behind you -- not just the six and a half billion people, but the wildlife, and the as-yet-unborn?"

In the face of looming ecological disaster and wars coupled with a stressful daily grind, many people feel the need to change their own lifestyles as a necessary step in transforming our unsustainable culture. Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature said about Radical Simplicity, "Jim Merkel offers a special mix of practicality and idealism: a workable mix. I defy you to read this book and not come away thinking of ways your life might change for the better." Howard Zinn, author of A People's History of the United States said "Jim Merkel has written the most persuasive argument I have yet seen for all of us to radically change the way we live day-to-day. Radical Simplicity joins the evidence of science to a fertile imagination. This is a profoundly important book."

Jim Merkel

Jim Merkel is the author of Radical Simplicity and has worked as the Sustainability Coordinator at Dartmouth College. Originally a military engineer trained in foreign military sales, the Exxon Valdez disaster and the invasion of Iraq prompted him to devote his life to sustainability and world peace. Jim founded the Global Living Project (GLP) and initiated the GLP Summer Institute where teams of researchers attempted to live on an equitable portion of the biosphere.

While at Dartmouth, Jim worked to integrate environmentally and socially sustainable practices into the College's operations and culture. His projects included Sustainable Dining, Solar Thermal Evaluation, Carbon Reduction, Sustainable Offices, Green Greeks and Solid Waste Reduction.