The main idea Beavan expresses in his article “Life after the Year without Toilet Paper” is that change must start with oneself. Once a person makes a change, it can influence family, friends, and eventually the community. Beavan expresses this idea by saying, “We know we have to change the system, but we must also remember that the system is only a collection of individuals. … We have to stop waiting for the system to change and remember that every decision we make in our homes and in our workplaces amounts to the system” (Beavan 107). Hayes’ article “Meet the Radical Homemakers” agrees with Beavan. Hayes believes that one should begin to produce, recycle, and reuse as well as maintain. As a result of this change to a simpler lifestyle, one would be happier, and this happiness would spread to the family and community. Hayes shares this idea clearly when she says, “If we start by tackling our domestic lives, we will do more than reduce our ecological impact and help create a living for all. We will craft a safe, nurturing place from which this great creative work can happen” (Hayes
The main idea Beavan expresses in his article “Life after the Year without Toilet Paper” is that change must start with oneself. Once a person makes a change, it can influence family, friends, and eventually the community. Beavan expresses this idea by saying, “We know we have to change the system, but we must also remember that the system is only a collection of individuals. … We have to stop waiting for the system to change and remember that every decision we make in our homes and in our workplaces amounts to the system” (Beavan 107). Hayes’ article “Meet the Radical Homemakers” agrees with Beavan. Hayes believes that one should begin to produce, recycle, and reuse as well as maintain. As a result of this change to a simpler lifestyle, one would be happier, and this happiness would spread to the family and community. Hayes shares this idea clearly when she says, “If we start by tackling our domestic lives, we will do more than reduce our ecological impact and help create a living for all. We will craft a safe, nurturing place from which this great creative work can happen” (Hayes