The United States represents less than 5% of global population yet consumes nearly 25% of the world's energy and natural resources. This imbalance reflects the excessiveness of the American way of life. Furthermore, the US is responsible for projecting this lifestyle around the world to which much of the global population now aspires to achieve. This trend is simply unstainable and deadly for our planet.

Most human behavior is learned and is greatly influenced by our life experience. This becomes manifested in our daily habits. While we may not intend to harm the Earth through our lifestyles, much of humanity lives in a manner that is simply unsustainable. Thought leads to action and behavior. If we change our mindset to become more aware of our impact, we can develop habits that are much more healthy for the planet.

There are many lifestyle changes we can make to live more sustainably. Here are just a few:

• Downsize your living space

• Use renewable energy

• Own only one car per family

• Drive an electric car

• Use public transit

• Buy and consume less stuff

• Stop eating beef