tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.comments2011-08-02T20:48:05.205-07:00Half Empty PlanetEsmeraldahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16639702216737757008noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-38201332530725059002011-08-02T20:48:05.205-07:002011-08-02T20:48:05.205-07:00There aren't enough buses to take everyone to ...There aren't enough buses to take everyone to their work, nor do we any longer even have the resources to build, deploy and fuel such a fleet. And reducing or even totally forgoing the electric light convenience is not going to ensure retention of an imagined happy future, even if everyone did it.<br /><br />Our futures are not going away. Even should we all expire in short or longer order, we will have a future be it but as compost.<br /><br />Our problems are beyond solution; but that does not mean that our predicaments are beyond management. Indeed, the question is not how to best or properly arrange our affairs in order to forestall the fearful changes that we know are coming; rather the challenge is to successfully mitigate the worse impacts and adapt to the rest.<br /><br />We've been so far up shit creek for so long that we have forgotten how to use the paddle lying in the bottom of the boat. Instead we argue over which brand of outboard will save us. The result, predictably, is that soon we will swim. A modified backstroke could help keep some from choking on the crap and going down. Practicing?Lloyd Lincoln Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05805539115759234462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-4972534363796956882011-08-02T13:47:39.389-07:002011-08-02T13:47:39.389-07:00I got a freelance deadline dropped in my lap this ...I got a freelance deadline dropped in my lap this week! It's the catholic school stuff, so I unfortunately will be spending my days off this week working on that stuff, getting it done. The good news is that I will be wrapping up that project, and crossing it off my list of shit that eats up my time. Can I get a raincheck for Wednesday after next? :) <br /><br />P.S. I have one of those Halloween black cat stuffed animals for Wesley! It has spiderwebs on his tummy and a purple bow tie!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-72544255851678609292011-08-02T13:34:28.126-07:002011-08-02T13:34:28.126-07:00@flappergirlcreations
I think "roll with the ...@<a href="#c5493356784123736601" rel="nofollow">flappergirlcreations</a><br />I think "roll with the punches and try not to die" may be the best life-philosophy i have ever heard in my life. <br />Am I still seeing yo utomorrow or will you be busy? I have to stay home tomorrow because a friend is coming by to get some stuff stored in the basement before he skips town, boo- but if you're up for coming by in the am I'd still love to see you :DEsmeraldahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16639702216737757008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-54933567841237366012011-08-02T13:03:28.968-07:002011-08-02T13:03:28.968-07:00Poetically written, my dear.
Yeah, we are all too...Poetically written, my dear.<br /><br />Yeah, we are all too scared to look at the truth—denial is a much more comfy spot at the moment. Afterall, it allows us to continue to live the narcisstic and apathetic lifestyle we are used to. When tragedy does finally strike, we will band together (9/11 comes to mind as an example). Of course, it will be too late, but I think that people will form tighter communities, and try to help each other survive. <br /><br />Yes, we have it coming to us, and sometimes I think I'm kind of looking forward to it in a way. It will be nice that we can't watch TV all the time or be self-absorbed surfing the internet all day long. We can't ignore our problems by using our myriad of electronic distractions. We will have to band together, think about others, spend more time with our families and our communities. That aspect of it, I think will be good for us. <br /><br />Still, no denying it's gonna suck. I'm still a pansy and the thought of hard manual labor makes me feel ill. Food and water shortages are scary. But what the fuck? When it happens, and we have no other choice, what am I gonna do? Roll with the punches and try not to die.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-33134184332288079732011-07-27T21:19:42.460-07:002011-07-27T21:19:42.460-07:00@Lloyd Lincoln ClarkHey, Radical- I haven't ye...@<a href="#c9107147704340875351" rel="nofollow">Lloyd Lincoln Clark</a>Hey, Radical- I haven't yet gotten a blog visitor I don't personally know, so you get a gold star. Thanks for popping by!<br /><br />The Gore piece tried to be inspirational and inflammatory but just ended up totally missing the point and disgusting me. You're not missing out. <br />Feel free to come back any time. Ps, I heard Yoda speaking your comment.Esmeraldahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16639702216737757008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-91071477043408753512011-07-27T20:27:32.698-07:002011-07-27T20:27:32.698-07:00Here by way of Archdruid Greer's blog. Yep. Ba...Here by way of Archdruid Greer's blog. Yep. Basically. Hadn't read the Gore piece in the RS. Not sure I should thank. Sad it is.Lloyd Lincoln Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05805539115759234462noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-13535174223541582682011-07-26T21:43:11.311-07:002011-07-26T21:43:11.311-07:00Esmeralda,
A couple of other perspectives you mig...Esmeralda,<br /><br />A couple of other perspectives you might consider.<br /><br />1) Conspicuous consumption. Such as buying a huge, highly gadgeted washer and dryer, not because they are the minimum that meets your needs, but because they are "the best" -- that is, prestige items. You buy first-class so that you have the appearance of wealth to friends, family, and neighbors.<br /><br />2) Inherent harm. TV, radio, and other media with ads may be related to the rise in ADD/ADHD, in my opinion. As we lose the old-time story telling and oral history skills as previous generations pass, we continue with advertisers. Ads deliberately destroy our attention on a story being told, interrupting with a message deliberately distracting and loud/colorful/memorable with respect to the initial story. Distractions, especially deliberate distractions, are rude and discourteous. Thus, living with TV and Radio we become used to short and interrupted segments of stories, of walking in in the middle or not staying to the end. Parents that read infant-length books to their children and nothing more, raise children with little development of attention span. The reports of success from exposing infants to classical music may be less about the music and more about the longevity of the experience, again, in my opinion. Electronic activity before bedtime can affect sleep patterns. (Yes, even commenting on blogs!)<br /><br />3) Sharon and JMG share a recommendation -- become a resource to friends, family, and community, with established and dearly won skills. A sewing machine lives in a designated "sewing" room. A sewing basket, on the other hand, with a few buttons, needles, threads, pins, and a garment to mend or being created, can go to the doctor's office, to the break room at work, and even visiting the neighbors for an evening's conversation (ie, prior generation's "entertainment")<br /><br />4) Each new skill, each change, opens opportunities. You learn new words, new meanings to old words, often new people to respect and emulate.<br /><br />5) A follow-on from #2 above. So many advances in modern society aren't really healthful or helpful. Many people have allergies to artificial sweeteners and various preservatives. If you aren't reading Crunchy Chicken ("putting the mental, in environmental"), she has some important things to say about the toxic things we are exposed to from contact with various plastics. <br /><br />6) Fitness. This is one I am working on. Just think of how many times you avoid an extra trip through the house, or around the lot, because we are so used to advertising hype about "easy" and "efficient" and "labor saving". We have been taught not to work, that saving steps is a good thing. So we find walking across the parking lot at Walmart as a dreaded imposition, rather than an opportunity to walk correctly to keep the knees, hips, and ankles in working order, to relax the back and neck, and to consider (mediate on?) what we are doing with our day.<br /><br />We keep the cell phone handy so we don't have time to get bored. Heaven forbid we seek time to finish a thought.<br /><br /><br />I am hopeful that as I get better at gardening, the potato bugs and grasshoppers won't strip all the leaves off the potatoes, that the bermuda grass and a few weeds won't overgrow everything, and that I get a better yield on the delightful, but few, potatoes I have dug this year.<br /><br />Something to look forward to, I guess.Brad K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/18378344866487206569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-82840712847446556612011-07-19T12:12:37.653-07:002011-07-19T12:12:37.653-07:00@carinalou
Carina, you've really gotten the gi...@<a href="#c5849386102655998867" rel="nofollow">carinalou</a><br />Carina, you've really gotten the gist of what I'm saying and summed it up nicely here. It's not that I'm saying that excessive consumption is good; just that my reasons for wanting to live a more simple life are not because I think I can affect climate change or depletion through my actions. Living more simply is just nice.<br />There are a number of things I'm not willing to give up, and many that I would love to drop but my significant other refuses to, or I already have and therefore may as well use (I grew up without a dishwasher and don't care if I have one or not, but there is one in my house now, and I will continue to use it until it breaks)- In any case, more than simplifying your life, I fell that *preparing to* simplify your life is maybe even more important. <br />Ok, use the stove, but think about getting a woodstove and squirreling it away for the time when your electric stove will be no good, or learning to sew or repair things now, so that when it later becomes necessary to DIY, it won't be a problem. Whatever way you can prepare, that's in your best interest. But I don't see a benefit in depriving yourself of small amenities because the world is unfairly balanced in your favor. That simply won't help. <br /><br />I've been obsessed with climate change and resource depletion for some time, but it's reached critical mass recently in my head, and I simply have to blog now, or else I'm in danger of getting punched in the face by my family and friends who are sick to death of hearing me talk about nothing but. I'm glad you're interested, too. <br /><br />The decline of industrialized civilization is a big topic and has many, many facets, but it's all really fascinating. Catastrophic climate change, mass extinctions, paleoclimatology, climatology, peak oil, mineral depletion, coal and gas depletion, water availability, political instability, public debt, finances, the history of the American monetary system and the loss of the gold standard- <br />All of these things are useful knowledge, and though overwhelming, are excellent preparation for the future. I'm obsessed- monomaniacal even- about these topics and what they bode for our future as a whole. I have to write a blog about what I learn or I'll explode!<br />You should add me to your feeds, I'll be posting all kinds of interesting stuff about sustainability and simplifying our lives in a pleasant way. :DEsmeraldahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16639702216737757008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-58493861026559988672011-07-18T21:10:40.149-07:002011-07-18T21:10:40.149-07:00This all feels especially relevant to me right now...This all feels especially relevant to me right now, because I've recently made a lot of drastic changes in my life, including giving away half my stuff, moving into a studio apartment, and going car-free. I've been reading plenty of minimalism blogs lately and coming to a lot of the same conclusions as you. One is that there's lots of reasons to consume less, and people do so for different reasons. Certainly trying to preserve resources for everyone else is noble, but I think having a more personal reason, such as to get more fulfillment out of life, is more motivating in the long run. Another thing I've realized is that everyone has their own thing that they're not ready to give up, which is okay. I think cutting back is something that has to be done on one's own terms. My dad thinks I'm crazy to voluntarily live without a microwave or a dishwasher; I can do without those things, but no way am I ready to give up high speed internet.<br /><br />Anyway, I think it's awesome that you're thinking about these things. Enjoy your Xbox, don't feel bad about it, and change your life as it feels right to you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-14005842253298967162011-07-17T11:17:38.937-07:002011-07-17T11:17:38.937-07:00@flappergirlcreations
I actually think I figured o...@<a href="#c553296955739421756" rel="nofollow">flappergirlcreations</a><br />I actually think I figured out what it was- As it turns out, big containers are great for three things: Growing plants, napping kitties, and POOPING kitties. So basically the parasites and bacteria and protozoa from the cat poop (because everywhere is our litter box!) turned the soil to poison. mad bummer.<br />But I got some blueberry bushes this weekend! Three, to be exact- all different varieties. One lowbush- a wild variant with tiny, flavorsome berries, one mid season with big berries that gets quite tall that I'm especially fond of called "Polaris", and one heavy bearing plant I can't recall the name of, but that's HUGE. <br />Commercial agri-biz is going to be in all kinds of trouble as petrolium prices soar- there have already been food riots in parts of the world- which is why going back to a local, sustainable agriculture is not just cool and healthy, it's neccesarry- we simply are going to run out of options as a planet- no more Mexican apples or sweet potatoes from Peru or wherever. <br />Just putting a basil plant in your window does tons of good- the amount of money and energy we expend in shipping food is unacceptable and unsustainable- I mean that literally- we won't be able to do it for much longer at a price we can afford. <br />It sounds like your dad is in a very good position to face some of the challenges that lie ahead. If I were you I'd think about mining his brain for knowledge about how to fix stuff and garden- <br />I do have one big question for him:<br /><br />I inherited a grapevine that had been uprooted and left to bake in the sun for almost a month- with all it's roots exposed. I was deeply upset my dad had pulled it up because it was my moms- so I took it and planted it not expecting anything. After a year, it actually started sending out little vines. I have been prunign it (I read on the osu extention site how to prune grape vines) and I'm letting it grow in one of the sunniest spots and trying to give it what it needs- but it's been about three years and it has not produced any fruit. It is quite old already (5-10yrs?)and was producing before it got pulled up.<br />My questions are:<br />Do you think it will it ever fruit again?<br />Is there anything I should be doing to encourage it to fruit? What kind of mulching or fertilizer should I be giving it? <br />(btw, It's a table grape, not a wine grape- a niagara type thick skinned one) <br /><br />I don't know if he has any experience with these kinds of grapes, but it's worth a shot!!!<br /><br />thanks a million Christine!<br />kisses!Esmeraldahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16639702216737757008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-5532969557394217562011-07-12T16:25:59.441-07:002011-07-12T16:25:59.441-07:00"Basically, I think the whole concept of brin..."Basically, I think the whole concept of bringing farming back to being a profession that *everyone* does or contributes to to some degree, even if it's just growing herbs in the windowsill of your apartment, is what we need to be working towards."<br /><br />I agree. Regardless of the turmoil that's going on with climate change and peak oil, I've always felt that it was really horrible that American farming was getting fucked over in favor of factories and other businesses the government felt was more important. I watched a horribly depressing documentary a few years back that talked about this, and how farmers were getting fucked over and in turn, being forced to close down their farms. My aunt and uncle had a dairy farm in rural Oregon for years, and I knew of their stuggles firsthand. <br /><br />My parents have always had a garden—my dad has an incredible green thumb. Actually, my dad is handy in so many ways (probably from growing up poor). He can fix anything and grow anything, and I really should learn as much as I can from him before his time on this planet is up. As someone who has had amazing success in growing food in the PNW for over thirty years, I'm sure my dad would be happy to answer any questions you have about fungus, dying potatoes, etc! So if you want, send me a list of questions, and I'll forward them to him :)<br /><br />xoxo<br />CAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-12539729774828884192011-07-10T21:08:05.548-07:002011-07-10T21:08:05.548-07:00@flappergirlcreations
I can't think of much- ...@<a href="#c9053763506505126920" rel="nofollow">flappergirlcreations</a><br /><br />I can't think of much- Try to aquire hand tools in favor of electric, if you can't garden, maybe learn to preserve food- solar dryers are fun and cheap to build- also learning the basics of trades like plumbing, sewing (got that one wrapped up!), making your own household products (see the awesome, indy-press handwritten book "Make Your Place" for excellent recipes for everything from homemade dishsoap to drain cleaner) <br />I WOULD say "get crafty, upcycle everything you can, repair instead of throwing away, etc, but you're already doing 80% of the stuff you can to be prepared. Other than keeping abreast of what, how, and why things are disintigrating, there's not a lot someone who's already living sustainably in a good eco-awesome, walkable city can do to prepare. Hunter prefers not to know this stuff either- and I really can't blame him. It can be scary and depressing- which is why the DIY movement is so exciting. It's the perfect reaction to doom-screamers like me "ok, so things are going nuts? Lets learn to adapt and live within our means as a bumper- so when bad crap does go down, we'll be less affected" I have a long of crafty catching up to do with someone like you!!!!!!Esmeraldahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16639702216737757008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-90537635065051269202011-07-10T20:35:34.533-07:002011-07-10T20:35:34.533-07:00"Anyway, my obsession is turning away from ho..."Anyway, my obsession is turning away from horrible facts and figures towards learning to sustain on less: growing a victory garden, repairing stuff myself, buying less, and trying to adapt to what I see happening all around me."<br /><br />I am doing all this as well, except for the gardening. I've had to do all this because I've been so broke for so long—lol—but on the bright side, it looks as if being so broke is actually just preparing me for what's beginning to happen. I know I can survive on very little, because I've been doing it for the past two or so years. Besides those things that you listed, what else should I be doing to prepare for the massive shit storm?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-75967863140986759562011-07-10T19:39:05.881-07:002011-07-10T19:39:05.881-07:00@flappergirlcreations
Christine- I empathize utte...@<a href="#c3425475560236750543" rel="nofollow">flappergirlcreations</a><br /><br />Christine- I empathize utterly- I was very much in that place for some time, but I recently started reading about peak oil and it hit me- that I WILL live to see this shit happen. <br />Maybe not the worst of the environmental changes, but peak oil is happening *right fucking now* and after we crest the top of the peak (where we are, and are just passing) we are in for some serious shitstorms (already visibly manifesting in the middle east and north Africa) <br />Once the countries with declining oil supplies stop or limit exports to the US, we will no longer be able to support our way of life in any recognizable way. <br />This is not happening 30 years from now, or even 20, it's happening right now- you can tell by what you're paying for gas. <br /><br />So I can't ignore it- because I know it's not going to go away or get better, and I want my family to be as prepared as possible for a life without petrolium or petrolium products that are affordable. <br />Staying informed for me is a survival mechanism. If it was just climate change I might be able so sadly look away and say this was our last hurrah- but it's not just the climate- and we're past the last hurrah. This "recession" is not going away, and it's not going to get better. Ever. <br /><br />Anyway, my obsession is turning away from horrible facts and figures towards learning to sustain on less: growing a victory garden, repairing stuff myself, buying less, and trying to adapt to what I see happening all around me.Esmeraldahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16639702216737757008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8502905111524263650.post-34254755602367505432011-07-10T17:42:57.821-07:002011-07-10T17:42:57.821-07:00"Call me a sour Susan but it seems laughable ..."Call me a sour Susan but it seems laughable to think that we'll all voluntarily switch off our a/cs and stop going to the mall to eat Sbarros Pizza and buy plastic jewelry and sweatshop jeans. Unless we simply can't afford to do those things, or they're taken from us, we will keep doing it till it kills us. We're addicted- like- SERIOUSLY addicted, and we're going to mainline that shit until we're dead in some squat in Hell's Kitchen with needles sticking out from our arms."<br /><br />Totally. I completely agree.<br /><br />I applaud and admire you for learning so much about this stuff, and I love learning second-hand through you. I'm one of those people, though, who if I can't fix it or do anything about it, I just have to let go. That's with everything in life, btw, not just this. It just becomes too heartbreaking and frustrating to do so. So I fall into the camp who is saying, "OMG! We are fucked, and I know nobody in power is going to do anything about it. So all I can do is not overpopulate the earth with more humans and hope I don't live to see this shit happen." Totally shitty, I know, but I feel that is my only option here. Am I wrong?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com