Simple Living Network

Since 1996 The Simple Living Network has been providing resources, tools, examples and contacts for conscious, simple, healthy and restorative living. The site offers hundreds of resources for simple living as well as a free, on-line newsletter, access to study circles and discussion forums, and more. The network is run by Dave Wampler and is a small, cottage business operating in the Cascade mountain village of Trout Lake, Washington.  Through his network you can get access to a number of study circles; for example, one circle is based on the book by Cecile Andrews, The Circle Of Simplicity: Return To The Good Life, and describes a format for starting a simplicity study circle that meets peoples needs for both change and community; another circle is based on the book by Linda Breen Pierce, Simplicity Lessons and is a practical guide for those who long for a slower pace of life with more time for relationships, fulfilling work, and living one's dreams; and another is a program for transforming your relationship with money and achieving financial intelligence, integrity and independence.  This is based upon the nine-step program for financial integrity in the book Your Money Or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin.

Northwest Earth Institute

The Northwest Earth Institute is a national leader in the development of innovative programs that empower individuals and organizations to protect ecological systems. NWEI offers seven study guides for small groups. These self-guided discussion courses are offered in workplaces, universities, homes, faith centers, neighborhoods, and community centers throughout North America.  Each program encourages participants to explore values, attitudes, and actions through discussion with other people.  Courses include “choices for sustainable living,” “voluntary simplicity,” discovering a sense of place,” and more.

Cloud Institute

The mission of The Cloud Institute is to ensure the viability of sustainable communities by leveraging changes in K-12 school systems to prepare young people for the shift toward a sustainable future.  The Institute equips school systems K-12 and their communities with the core content, competencies and habits of mind that characterize education for a sustainable future. We do this by inspiring teachers and engaging students through meaningful content and student-centered instruction.

Redefining Progress

Redefining Progress is a leading public policy think tank dedicated to finding solutions that ensure a sustainable and equitable world for future generations. Working with government and advocacy groups, Redefining Progress develops innovative policies that balance economic well-being, environmental preservation, and social justice. The organization brings ground-breaking ideas into public dialogue, policy discourse, and decision-making in compelling and nonpartisan ways.

Green America

Green America is a not-for-profit membership organization founded in 1982 (they went by the name "Co-op America" until January, 2009.)  Their mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society.  Green America works for purchasing and investment choices that are fair and sustainable, and for promoting fair trade business principles.

350

350 is the red line for human beings, the most important number on the planet. The most recent science tells us that unless we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, we will cause huge and irreversible damage to the earth.  Solutions exist. All around the world, a movement is building to take on the climate crisis, to get humanity out of the danger zone and below 350. This movement is massive, it is diverse, and includes scholars, scientists, business leaders, churches, governments, and schools.

Good Guide

GoodGuide™ strives to provide the world's largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of products and companies. GoodGuide's mission is to help you find safe, healthy, and green products that are better for you and the planet.

Wiser Earth

WiserEarth is an online community that maps and connects organizations and individuals addressing the central issues of our day: climate change, poverty, the environment, peace, water, hunger, social justice, conservation, human rights and more. Here you will find a huge directory of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and socially responsible organizations, as well as online community forums where members can engage in discussion, post and share resources, and collaborate on projects.

World Changing

Worldchanging is a 501(c)3 media organization that comprises a global network of independent journalists, designers and thinkers covering the world's most intelligent solutions to today's problems. We inspire readers around the world with stories of the most important and innovative new tools, models and ideas for building a bright green future., solutions-based journalism that takes a big-picture approach to sustainability.

World Watch Institute

The Worldwatch Institute is an independent research organization recognized by opinion leaders around the world for its accessible, fact-based analysis of critical global issues. Its mission is to generate and promote insights and ideas that empower decision makers to build an ecologically sustainable society that meets human needs. Worldwatch seeks innovative solutions to intractable problems-emphasizing a blend of government leadership, private sector enterprise, and citizen action that can make a sustainable future a reality.

Ecological Footprint

We all have ecological footprints. It's their size that differs. 
The footprint calculator estimates how much of the Earth's biocapacity is needed to support a person's consumption choices over the course of a year. The results can be compared to the global average or sustainable rate.  Also see: http://www.footprintnetwork.org

Greendex

Unlike other measures that rank countries according to the environmental performance of their governments, companies and other factors, the Greendex is the first to rank the performance of individual consumers, rather than countries as a whole.

Water Footprint

People use lots of water for drinking, cooking and washing, but even more for producing things such as food, paper, cotton clothes, etc. The water footprint is an indicator of water use that looks at both direct and indirect water use of a consumer or producer. The water footprint of an individual, community or business is defined as the total volume of freshwater that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by the individual or community or produced by the business.