Photo Credit: Limowreck666 (flickr)

Did you know that in 2006 North American spent over $2,000 per person on entertainment and just over $1,000 per person on charitable activities?

I found this stat staggering.  I recently returned from a trip to Ethiopia, where some of the world's poorest of the poor live.  People are living on less than $1/day in hovels that we even our homeless would turn their noses up at.

Since returning something that I have been struggling with is the excess waste that we generate just from every day living.  I don't mean pollution waste (though that is shocking and can easily be applied to this piece).  I mean waste from leftover food that gets thrown out because we don't want to eat day-olds, to clothes that are from last season, to technology that has been outdated before it even leaves the store. 

I think there is a need in our communities and society to strike a balance between our needs and our wants.  I am not saying don't go to the summer blockbusters.  I am just thinking that when our social safety net is being compromised because we are making choices to spend our money on the latest and greatest instead on what makes our communities strong and vibrant.