"Western society has lost the art of living simply. We have too many material possessions, too many temptations and desires, too much choice, too much to eat.

"We waste and destroy so much. We use throwaway knives and forks, pens, lighters, cameras – and to make them we pollute our water and air, the landscape and nature. It's up to us to tackle waste here and now, before we find ourselves forced to confront the issue tomorrow.

"Only once we have eliminated waste can we catch a glimpse of new possibilities ahead; only then can our everyday, essential activities – dressing, eating sleeping – take on new meaning, a different and deeper dimension. We do not seek perfection, but a life more richly lived. Opulent luxury brings neither grace nor elegance. It imprisons and destroys the soul, while simplicity offers the solution to so many problems.

"An excess of possessions leaves us no time to devote to our bodies. But when we feel comfortable in our own skin, we are free to cultivate our mind and spirit, better able to attain a happier and more meaningful existence.

"Simplicity means possessing little, clearing the way for the bare necessities, the quintessence of things.

"Simplicity is beautiful because it brings hidden joys."