A Lean Lifestyle
Lean Manufacturing, Lean Production or simply, “Lean”, is a production philosophy that considers the expenditure of resources in any aspect other than the direct creation of value for the end customer to be wasteful, and thus a target for elimination.
The roots of Lean Manufacturing began as far back as the industrial revolution. This revolution fundamentally was designed to streamline a process to make a more efficient and productive system in order to create a product at a greater output. While the industrial revolution didn’t envision the breadth of what Lean Manufacturing is today, this movement back then led to cost savings, greater revenue and one of the most important outcomes in recent years, which has been cutting waste.
Lean Manufacturing really took hold with the foreign carmakers in the 1970’s and 80’s and has led to a shift in how modern day manufacturing operates.
We are currently in a new revolution surrounding the principles behind Lean. Today, we apply the Lean principles to the way in which we live; hence a Lean Lifestyle. If one were to apply Lean Manufacturing ideas to the way we operate our lives, we might find cost savings, more free time, a healthier lifestyle.
I offer these points as to why living downtown can provide the Lean Lifestyle some people might find attractive.
- Downtowns, where services are closer offer fewer/shorter vehicle trips per day. This saves time and when combined can add weeks onto a year.
- A byproduct of less driving is obviously less gas spent. Less gas spent means more savings and more money to spend elsewhere. On average most downtown dwellers spend 9% of their disposable income on transportation, compared to their suburban counterpart, which averages close to 25%.
- With more public shared space the need for sprawling lawns and huge houses becomes less critical. This allows a downtown occupant the opportunity to have more manageable space and less area that requires maintenance. Not only is this a cost savings in terms of taxes, electric and water bills, but it also helps preserve land and other resources for future generations.
- Lastly, by driving less and walking more, we gain a healthier lifestyle. Research shows the simple act of walking offers surprising benefits for our health, our personal prosperity and adds to the vitality of our communities.
Why not apply the idea of Lean to your own life? If downtown living isn’t for you, there are plenty of other ways of incorporating the Lean process in your own lifestyle.