One to One with Bill Goodman:
David Anderson
premiered November 2, 2008
David Anderson, an economics professor at Centre College, discusses his book Treading Lightly: The Joy of Conversation, Moderation and Simple Living on this edition of One to One with Bill Goodman.
In 2004, Anderson and his family made a trip to India, hoping to find some way to help impoverished people there. They did encounter serious health care concerns, but they also found that the people they met were genuinely happy and enjoying life’s authentic pleasures, like family, friends, good food, and music. The discovery taught Anderson that the poor people of India could also help better-off Americans and inspired him to write his book.
In it, Anderson espouses moderation in consumerism. Material goods, he says, have health, environmental, and other costs well beyond the dollar amounts that shoppers pay, and they rarely provide any genuine happiness. He also suggests that consumers invest in quality products that will last rather than cheaply made things that will need to be replaced quickly. That way, buyers spend less money over time and conserve resources.
Another source of inspiration for Treading Lightly, Anderson says, was his parents. As young adults in the Depression era, they learned to have fun saving money and conserving resources, and they provide practical tips in the book.
The author also talks about “green” homes and villages in Australia, Canada, and Rockcastle County; what he hopes to achieve with the book; and everything a viewer might want to know about environmentally friendly toilets.
