As we welcome the new year, many of us will resolve to lose weight, start a new diet, workout or work less.  It disturbed me to see headlines for the newest fad diet - they appeared almost a few hours into Christmas day.  Jared Diamond's NY Times editoral on the world's consumption puts the new year in perspective.  He writes that Americans and other developed nations consume 32 times more resources than the developing world - a lifestyle that is clearly not sustainable or attainable for the world's 6.5 billion people. 

Just as it is certain that within most of our lifetimes we’ll be consuming less than we do now, it is also certain that per capita consumption rates in many developing countries will one day be more nearly equal to ours. These are desirable trends, not horrible prospects. In fact, we already know how to encourage the trends; the main thing lacking has been political will.

This is a sticking point for me as we work to achieve the Millennium Development Goals.  While I want and desire people to attain a standard of life with dignity and empowerment, does this lifestyle necessary correspond with consuming more?  Sustainable development should include principles of renewing and reusing our resources.  Quite frankly, we need a set of "Less Consumption Goals" for the United States set to be achieved by 2015. =)  Here are 8 goals that I hope will reduce my impact and consumption in 2008:

1) Purchase locally grown produce at the farmer's market.  Support Community Supported Agriculture in your town or city.  Cook more meals at home.
2) Drive less. Walk more. 
3) Buy less.  Support local artists. 
4) Take time to enjoy nature with friends.
5) Learn more about global warming and its impact on people in the developing world.
6) Give away stuff that I don't need. Simplify.  Freecycle.
7) Give more time and money to people/places I care about.
8) Keep the sabbath

What would you add to the Less Consumption Goals of 2008?