From Consumng Less Harm To Creating More Good

[Pete Spencer]

Welcome to The Abstract Essentialism Foundation: From Consuming Less Harm to Creating More Good

Hello and welcome!

I’m delighted that you’ve joined The Abstract Essentialism Foundation.

I created this group because I believe we have an opportunity to work together towards a world in which we live in greater harmony with nature. Rather than waiting for someone else to solve our environmental and sustainability challenges, we can begin by sharing our ideas, learning from one another, and taking practical steps wherever we can.

We don’t need to have all the answers. We don’t need a large budget, special qualifications, or a perfect lifestyle. We simply need a willingness to explore what might be possible and to help one another along the way.

Our starting point: a simple question

Recently, I began looking more closely at everyday products I use, starting with shaving gel and soap.

You can find my results here: https://petermspencer.com/pages/from-consuming-less-harm-to-creating-more-good

I wanted to understand what they contain, how they are made, what happens to their packaging, and whether there might be better alternatives.

At first, this seemed like a straightforward exercise in finding products that were less harmful. But it led me to a much bigger question:

Can I move from consuming less harm to creating more good?

This question has become a useful starting point for exploring five stages of progress:

• Conventional: What do I currently use, and what impact might it have?
• Less harmful: Can I reduce avoidable harm?
• Sustainable: Can I make choices that help maintain the natural systems on which we depend?
• Circular: Can I reduce waste by reusing, repairing, refilling, or recovering materials?
• Regenerative: Can I contribute to restoring and improving the natural systems that support life?

These stages are not a rigid ladder, and not every product or activity will fit neatly into them. They are simply a way of asking better questions and looking beyond the immediate convenience of a purchase.

Why investigate everyday products?

A product may have recyclable packaging but ingredients with environmental drawbacks. Another may have a simple formulation but cost more than we can comfortably afford. A product described as natural or sustainable may still have a supply chain that we know very little about.

And sometimes, the best alternative is not another product at all. It may be using what we already have, making something last longer, repairing something, or changing a habit.

I’ve been comparing several shaving products, including simpler soaps and one made with hemp oil. Although some look promising, I have not yet established that any of them is genuinely regenerative from farm to finished product.

That uncertainty is important. We should distinguish between what we know, what a manufacturer claims, what appears promising, and what still needs investigating.

We should also consider affordability and practicality. There is little value in recommending a solution that most people cannot reasonably access.

An invitation to become a co-creator

I would love you to help make this group a place where we can learn together and turn good intentions into practical action.

To begin, perhaps you could choose just one everyday product, habit, or activity that interests you.

It might be something you use in your home or garden, the way you produce or purchase food, how you manage waste, or how you care for the land around you.

Then ask yourself:

1. What do I currently do, and what do I know about its effects?
2. Could I reduce harm without spending more money?
3. Is there a practical alternative that is more sustainable or circular?
4. Could I go further and contribute to regeneration?
5. What evidence would help me decide whether the alternative is genuinely better?

You don't need to answer every question. Even one useful discovery, a practical suggestion, or an unanswered question could help someone else.

Please share your thoughts

If you feel comfortable doing so, reply to this post and tell us:

• What would you like to investigate?
• What change or solution have you already discovered that might help others?
• What question would you like the group to explore together?

Please feel free to share useful links, experiences, research, and ideas. We won't always agree, and that is perfectly fine. Respectful discussion and a willingness to learn are more valuable than pretending to have all the answers.

Let's also remember that we are not here to judge one another. We all have different circumstances, resources, and opportunities. Small steps matter, especially when we learn from them and help others take their own.

Imagine what we could achieve together

One person investigating a product may discover a better way to do something. Another may find a useful local resource. Someone else may have the skills to develop an idea further.

When we share these discoveries, invite others to contribute, and put workable solutions into practice, the benefits can extend well beyond our individual efforts.

That is the spirit in which I hope The Abstract Essentialism Foundation will grow: not simply as a place to discuss problems, but as a growing community of co-creators who share knowledge, develop solutions, and take action.

Our recurring question is simple:

Can we move from consuming less harm to creating more good?

I look forward to discovering what we can achieve together.

Warm wishes,

Peter Spencer
Founder, The Abstract Essentialism Foundation

You can find my results here: https://petermspencer.com/pages/from-consuming-less-harm-to-creating-more-good