As I drive down the road listening to NPR spew about the dire state of the housing market, stock market, auto market, and war market, I can’t help but find great hope in these stories. Stories of people driving less over Memorial Day, buying fewer cars, can’t buy houses anymore they can’t afford. I’m sorry Dad, but I can’t find anything negative in these statements. I applaud them. The economy of excess is slowing down. Insatiable is not sustainable.

We went rock climbing last week with a bunch of friends with kids and my friend Nancy, who owns The Alpine House bed and breakfast in Jackson, told me she and her husband bought another parcel of land but just before signing on to build some condos they got cold feet because of the state of the economy. Instead, they refinished the small cabins already on the property, and she was ecstatic because this summer she would have tons of free time to spend with her three kids instead of managing a major construction project. The slowing of the economy forced her to slow down and save resources, and save her sanity.

People are getting it. It’s only people who look at life from an economist’s viewpoint who are bummed. If you look at it from an environmental or social standpoint (once folks get over not buying widgets on a whim), I think it’s good news for the future of humanity. Even George Bush appears (don’t get excited) to be getting it. In his April 29 Rose Garden speech about the state of the economy he said, “We are deeply concerned about food prices here at home. Creative policy is to buy food from local farmers” Duh. Even better, judged by the number of friends last month who asked for gardening advice, more people are combating the price of food and reconnecting with nature by making their own backyard gardens.

Even before the economic downturn around the world the slow movement started picking up speed. But it’s not about doing things at a turtle’s pace, it’s about doing things at the right speed for you, the planet and society. People are making and doing things that matter, last longer, and are made of high quality ingredients. Slow Design, in everything from clothing to houses, embraces the Slow Food principles of local, high quality ingredients, sustainability, and social responsibility. More specifically, Slow Home “calls for an end to poor construction, bad design, misleading marketing, unfair lending practices and environmental neglect in the housing industry.”

At the Slow Movement and Slow Planet websites you can read more about Slow Design, Slow Travel, Slow Work and Slow Sport, Slow Books, Slow Cities and Slow Schools. I think slowing down is the best part of the new economy. If people can’t drive somewhere, or buy a house that they can’t afford, perhaps they’ll find something better to do with their time.