Unplugged Living: eco-friendly and good for the soul

A small but growing number of young professionals in the US are choosing to live ‘unplugged’ - without a TV or Internet connection.

These young adults are unplugging for the sake of their own happiness, carving time out of the virtual world of soap operas and facebook, giving that time to real world things they love to do.

With the average American spending three hours per day watching TV or browsing the Internet, the young and unplugged are finding themselves with an extra 21 hours a week to devote to hobbies and socialising.

Unplugging is good for the environment too, shrinking carbon footprints through reduced energy consumption and removing the need to buy the latest gadgetry.

Dr. Peter Whybrow, a biobehavioral researcher at the UCLA School of Medicine, said: “A small group of people are reacting to what is overload.

“They are fascinated by [gadgets and TV] initially, but after a while, they find it erodes time as opposed to saving time, and time is the only thing we’ve really got that is our own.

“If you become consumed by new technology and forget you are fundamentally creatures of the natural world, you do end up diminishing your life.”

Benefits of Unplugging

Time to think, meditate, and free your mind.

Building relationships and connecting with friends and loved ones through socialising and shared activities in the real world.

A healthy body. Instead of slouching in front of the TV, unplugging encourages you to get active. Go for a walk or a run. Get outside and breathe in the beauty of nature.

Being able to focus on your goals and dreams, rather than using TV as an anesthetic to numb your mind into settling for less than you long for.

Time to be creative - do some drawing, read a book, write a song.