Five Critical Resources People Waste Without Realizing It

We are told that we live in a world full of constraints. There is always a shortage of one thing or the other. We have to make do and be efficient. Being efficient means preventing the wasteful use of a particular resource. What is  that particular resource that we value? What is it that is truly valuable and should not be wasted? How often do we stop and think about that?

Hope there are some answers in this post.

• Time

The single biggest complain that every adult complains about is not having enough time to do what they need to do. They are not able to do certain things because they simply don't have enough time. So, it is a proven fact that we value time. Lets think about what we do with our time. Do we use our time to do the things that are important and useful to us, our family, our community, our country, our planet Earth? Or do we waste our time on the mundane and mindless? Do we get stuck with analysis paralysis? What would our lives be like if we can be efficient with our time? We need to think hard about in what ways we waste our time. And eventually this will result in steps to accomplish things that are important and meaningful all around -spending time with oneself and their family, learning new skills, keeping healthy, devoting time to community causes. The list is endless.

• Passion

Another important ingredient to life's recipe that is wasted all around. Passion is defined as a compelling enthusiasm and desire for something. We like to believe that we are passionate about things we do or talk about. Passion can lead to great accomplishments. All great people in this world got to that point because they were passionate about what they did. But history tells us that passion has led us to riots, mass murders and environmental disasters as well. We have examples like Gandhi and Martin Luther King who were passionate about freedom for everyone. But we also have examples where passion misled to events like holocaust and Godhra train burning. Passion can be purely evil and wasteful without us realizing it and lead to inequality and injustice in society. We have to be careful about our passions in this interconnected world we live in today. One man's passion can be everyone's biggest nightmare. Passion must take a big picture into consideration and align with morality. 

• Relationships

Human beings are social animals. We need meaningful connections to other people to not only survive in this world but also to live a balanced and happy life. Our relationships are key to success in our careers and emotional well being. Just like anything else relationships require time and nurturing. As we attempt to forge new relationships, we should not let our existing healthy relationships waste away. The tree simply cannot survive without its roots. A healthy relationship always serves a deep purpose. And we need to be cognizant of the purpose of our relationships. We can have thousands of so called friends and still feel all alone. We can have multiple children and still not end up having a connection with any of them. The key to having a meaningful and purposeful relationship with others is to first have the same type relationship with oneself. Know thyself.      

• Nourishment

 Nourishment wasted in any form is a loss for entire human society. Be it food, water or medicines. We simply cannot afford to waste these essentials to human life. We grow what we can consume. We buy what we can consume. And we make sure to consume what we grow and buy. Additionally we need to practice good eating habits. Good eating habits not only result in good health but also in lesser consumption of medicines. When it comes to nourishment, we must align with our local weather and supply chains. We must align in our homes as well as the businesses we run around these essentials.     

• Natural Resources

The wastage of natural resources is all around us. It is in the sprawling cities, oil spillages in oceans, massive deforestation for housing, agriculture and industry and non stop extraction of coal, oil and metals. We can very well blame the governments and corporations for not being responsible in managing these resources. But at the end of the day it is human greed that has led us where we are today. All of us play a part in world economies. Some more than others. But we can change. We can be efficient with energy, our homes and our routines. We can recognize the wastefulness, take our share of responsibility and educate others along the way.

Do the right thing. You really know what the right thing is. Fashions may change. Maybe you shouldn't wear short pants or short skirts or go without a shirt or go without a tie. That is a fashion, but the proper thing, the good thing to do, you already know. In truth, you know to be kind, to be courteous, to be fair. You know that. -Maya Angelou