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To get 2012 off to a fresh start, I’m kicking off a new four-part series on de-cluttering our day-to-day as a way to get back to the essence of what it means to live: embracing experiences over stuff, finding simple joys and treading a bit lighter on the only planet we have.

Our first installment looks at the roots of our love affair with consumerism and its far-reaching impacts on our lives. From there, new installments will present some practical how-tos for getting a grip on physical clutter, digital clutter and, finally, mental clutter.

American culture has evolved to the point where the un-official mantra is “more stuff = more happiness.” It drives everything that we are exposed to each day, from ad nauseum discussions of economic growth to relentless multimedia marketing and advertising to the inadvertent life lessons we’re teaching our kids about what really matters.

Over the past few generations, the concept of prosperity — which is conditionally linked to happiness — has transformed as technology advanced, cheaper energy and labor was harnessed and suburbia sprawled outward. We steadily shifted from a mindset of need to that of want as our basic day-to-day necessities were covered in easier fashion. Stuff became more plentiful, cheaper and easier to acquire, further whetting our appetite for more.

But at what cost?

Academic and medical studies abound highlighting the negative economic, social, health and environmental impacts that unchecked materialism has wrought. This has spurred a number of population-based measurements of general well-being and happiness to track these impacts at a macro level. For instance, in the 2009 Happy Planet Index study by the New Economics Foundation, the United States ranked 114th out of 143 countries measured.

Heck, even the nation of Bhutan now tracks a Gross National Happiness index to compete with more traditional measurements of prosperity such as gross domestic product (www.grossnationalhappiness.com).

But beyond the studies, all of us can feel in some way, shape or form the impact of unchecked consumerism closer to home: credit and debt woes, rising prices of consumer goods as raw materials and energy costs rise, the perpetual need to reorganize our stuff to make room for more, the loss of enjoyment when it comes to simple activities that don’t necessarily involve some gadget or machine, compromised family time ... The list goes on.

Returning to what really matters

While it may seem impossible to change the really big systemic problems surrounding us, what is possible is change within our families and ourselves. It starts by taking a step back to take stock of all we have — material or otherwise — in our lives.

What things do we surround ourselves most with each day? What satisfaction do these things bring us? How do the things we own/consume benefit others — from our family and friends to people halfway around the world to all the other life that also calls this planet home? What life-nurturing experiences could we be missing out on because we’re too busy using/managing our stuff?

Think about what our not-so-distant ancestors occupied their time with — or conversely, what they didn’t: Relationships with people were more important than relationships to inanimate objects. An hour or two sharing a meal or having an impromptu conversation built ties stronger than steel. A night beneath the moon and stars provided more entertainment than any ticket could ever buy.

Returning to what really matters in our lives — relationships, experiences, simple joys found throughout our day-to-day — is critical for getting back on track and re-establishing that balance point within ourselves and the world around us. It’s undeniably tied to our make-or-break ability to redefine true, lasting and sustainable prosperity for all 7 billion people (and counting) as well as the millions of other species who call this earth home.

Now granted, each person’s sense of balance will be different. I am not saying everyone should sell off everything they own and live like hermits in a cave (though I’m sure their lives are as rich as anyone’s). Rather, I am advocating we learn to look at our possessions objectively and with insight into what we truly need in life to be happy and satisfied.

I hope you’ll read on with our next installment where we’ll start to roll up our sleeves and get at simple things we can all do to help us clear the physical clutter that may surround us each day.

Tiverton resident Bill Gerlach writes and speaks about the intersections of life, nature, being and community at www.thenewpursuit.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at @bill_gerlach.