STOP sees capitalism and gross consumerism as the two main factors in the present decay of this planet.
Though we have tried recycling and other environmental strategies, we are way off the mark and are racing towards a concrete wall.
Consumerism and global capitalism are a united front against any hope of saving the environment, protecting any semblance of a future for our children or providing liberty, equality and even the most meagre standard of living for all of humanity.
STOP is a philosophy of volunteer radical frugalism. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
We simply cannot go on living the high standard that we consider normal.
The party is over!
40,000 children are dying of starvation and hunger related diseases every day.
Millions more live another day, simply to face hopeless poverty and horrendous living conditions.
Millions more, "the lucky ones", work every day in conditions that most cows wouldn't tolerate.
What can be done? Why has nothing worked so far?
Because we haven't stopped supporting capitalism
and we still think that our standard of living is feasible -- indeed most of us think we should have more -- and that eventually all of the six billion people worldwide will be able to enjoy this standard....
The party's over.
STOP has a simple solution to the problem... STOP!
The present world economy is doomed and must be dismantled peacefully before it falls and crushes all but the super wealthy.
The economic collapse will probably arrive even before the equally inevitable ecological collapse.
20% of the world's population control 84% of the world's wealth. But that wealth came from your (the consumer's) pocket.
Stop buying anything you don't need-- boycott!
The average global income is about $4,000.00 (US) per year.
This is basically the world's annual income divided by the number of people.
This is also a high estimate.
Only 30 countries have an average above $4,000.00 per year and at least 50 countries have an average below $1,000.00 per year.
So...$4,000.00 (US) per year is your slice of the pie.
This is conveniently below the rate at which you start paying income tax.
Therefore income tax, in the global scheme of things, is a luxury!
If you pay any income tax at all, you're making too much money.
STOP is a consumer revolution away from the economy of GREED toward the economy of NEED!
Let's look at what could be called "basic needs".... air, water, food, shelter and clothing.
It is beyond the realm of the imagination how careless we are with the one element we can only live seconds without.
Air pollution is growing at an alarming rate worldwide. Major industrialists and motor vehicles are the main culprits.
Pollution control and un-leaded gasoline are not the solution.
For drinking, almost any amount of fresh water use is justified.
For bathing, cooking, washing and watering (food crops only) use should be strictly limited.
All food should be self-produced or bartered directly from a grower.
Meat and fish are totally unnecessary - even for growing children or pregnant women.
The amount of energy, feed and land wasted on producing meat is unfathomable.
Re-cycling is a joke. Stop buying cans, plastic containers and packaging of any kind.
There should be no garbage that is not compostable. Almost everything in your kitchen that you think is necessary is actually a total waste of space and energy. Fridges, large stoves, microwave ovens, food processors, bread machines, bar-b-ques etc are all expendable and are unknown to manypeople worldwide. Very few dishes and utensils are needed to maintain a kitchen.
At the very most a family should own a small house and a small property.
A second residence or cottage is absolutely extravagant. Individuals without a family should rent a room or share a house.
90% of all furniture is superfluous.
Cushions to sit on and larger cushions to sleep on.
Small tables for working and eating.
In the bathroom, towels, soap, ammonia or vinegar for cleaning and maybe shampoo and a razor... that's it!
No, we didn't forget tissues, tampons, tooth-paste, deodorant the myriad of creams and goops, or even toilet paper.
Again, these are unknown to most people in the world.
Clothing is almost superfluous in itself.
Fashionable clothing is out of the question!
Throw out any clothes that require dry-cleaning.
Dress warm in winter and cool in summer.
Treat your entire wardrobe as if you had to carry it with you.
Beyond these five it's hard to justify the rest of our consumer habits.
Most people in the world don't even have these five basic needs met sufficiently.
Everything else, as far as STOP is concerned, is a luxury.
Since stopping is voluntary and no one can tell anyone what they should and should not have, STOP suggests you make a list of the things, over and above the five basics, that you feel you absolutely must have.
When you've finished you should have a short list of absolute "gems" and a garbage pile the size of Mount Everest.
Selling it won't be an option because hopefully everyone else will be trying to get rid of all their junk.
We'll simply have a huge pile of garbage to deal with...(What else is new?).
Two particularly vile and bourgeois multi-billion dollar industries are the entertainment industry and the tourism industry.
Many extravagant habits of modern "developed" countries fit into these two categories and often the two overlap. Again, the solution is simple.
Find a home and stay home!
Invite your friends over and cultivate your own "entertainment".
Turn off the T.V. and the computer.
Play music, read (from the library), draw, dance, tell stories... trash the stereo, the VCR and the video games. Lose the cell phone, the video camera, the still camera and anything that uses batteries.
Stop using so much electricity.
It is not a "clean" or renewable resource.
Flying, boating and driving (especially private vehicles) should be absolutely restricted.
Not to mention RVs, ATVs, trail bikes, trailers, snowmobiles...
Only the most urgent situations justify going anywhere by any means other than walking or riding a bicycle.
Quit travelling altogether.
Flying and driving all over the planet just to "get away" is the most extravagent activity imaginable.
Hot on the heals of entertainment and tourism is the so-called fitness industry.
The combination of eating properly and everyday activities (like walking) completely does away with all exercise machines, weights and all the insane fads that have developed in order to create this wasteful industry.
The single most important day in the consumerist calendar is Christmas.
This birthday party cum evil spending mania is one of the worst travesties of the modern era.
Christmas should be completely eliminated.
Stop using money and banks altogether.
Stop using credit cards.
Stop gambling.
Sell your stocks, bonds, mutual funds, RRSPs etc. and invest in your home and family.
If you have extra money, give it to someone who needs it.
It would take several hundred pages to list everything that we should stop doing!
STOP hopes this summary at least gets the process in motion.
START looking at everything you own and all of your activities. START NOW!!
The Party is over.
