Dax
I think you will find that those who have the power and don't wish to change have both city and country estates. So they will survive and prosper, according to your logic.
It's so hard being rich and powerful these days.
Environment
(42 posts) (16 voices)-
dax
MemberHave to agree with you there, however this is not a material collapse, but a mostly psychological collapse. Off course there will be lots of material disruption and unavailability, but in any survival situation, it's your mind set, ability to cope with rapid and maybe terrifying change and still function rationally and logically that gets you through along with being prepared as best you can.
It will probably be the rich and powerful who will break down first, because their existence is unsustainable. You can't support fantasy when reality takes over, we see that every second of our lives. Ideologues refuse to accept reality and deny it's existence, until it runs over them. When money becomes irrelevant and it's your skills that get you through, the rich and powerful will be have nothing to offer when the environment collapses because they nothing to offer of any of use.
Denial of reality is the hallmark of an ideologue, you only have to look at all who are trapped in an ideology and sadly that is just about all off us, to see how much we rely up hope, empty promises, material satisfaction and each time, getting none. But still cling to the hope that the ideology says having lots of everything and the best, brings happiness. Ideologues even deny their own psychological and biological environmental reality.
It's the same with the natural environment, it's dying all around us in many different, seeable and many more unseeable ways. I doubt anything could be done to turn it around, because we would have to stop how we are living and change now. Tomorrow never comes and they are going to fix the environment tomorrow, because it's not as important as their ideological controls.
The only answer to saving the natural environment before it goes beyond the point of no return for supporting life as we know it, is rid the planet of ideological humanity. We are the only problem and we are in deep denial about that, if not, we would be doing something about it as a race. Some are and they are not of the rich or powerful, there is nothing stopping others to do the same. Other than the illogical and deep fear they have about changing direction and stepping outside their ideological comfort zone. When the shops shut, money and expensive bling won't buy you nothing and we'll either survive using the environment or be victims of fatal circumstance, we've created. whatever happens.
Posted Sunday 24 Jul 2016 @ 8:15:56 am from IP # -
Good article on the 3rd Pole. The Himalayas.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-25/climate-change-the-third-pole-under-threat/7657672
Posted Monday 25 Jul 2016 @ 7:59:14 am from IP # -
Morbo
Memberso low population density is a key to survival. Lets have a look.
Tasmania: population density 7/km2. Exports opium, tasteless smoked cheese, booze, dodgy salmon. Imports everything, per tax dollar spent the return is 10 cent, the GST.
Australia, the foodbowl of Asia, 3 people per km2. Exports grain, minerals, beef, lamb, booze. Imports pickles from India, everything frozen from China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Europe. Every fish can Thailand etc. Every other can Thailand, China, Malaysia, etc. Everything else in packaged food the same. Even so called fresh bread from Ireland.
Manufacturing contribution to GST declines by 0.5 percent per year, down to 6.5 percent in 2015.
You have to read the package though. Even if it says Aussi spinach farmer John, on the back it says its from Netherland.Posted Monday 25 Jul 2016 @ 10:00:13 am from IP # -
The way to go is definitely off-grid - but it takes a lot of balls to turn away from the herd and do your own thing. How difficult / strict are the building regs in Australia, if, for example, you want to build an adobe home?
You still have to buy a patch of land of course, but once you get it and build on it, then it beats the ass out of having a mortgage around your neck. The current mood is to break away from the system and do your own thing anyway - so never a better time to start.I am currently looking for a cheap patch of land to build my own 'hobbit home' Luckily out here in Cambodia there are not a lot of rules and regs when it comes to building - I want to try out a lot of the self-sustainable ideas i've been researching over the last few years - hope to get started soon - currently working on making a workdesk out of pallets - for a few dollars - plus blood and sweat of course - : )
Happy chat / share about all ideas ecological - my site is at eco1solutions.comPosted Wednesday 27 Jul 2016 @ 9:21:29 am from IP # -
axess
MemberMichael,
If you wish to build in Cambodia I would start by talking to the locals about appropriate local technology preferably evolved or modified to suit the local climate and resources.
The rest is science and your desire to integrate hybrid solutions including alternative power sources.
The use of PV for example is not so useful if the area is under heavy cloud cover for most of the year.
Another solution might be a biodiesel backup generator to account for poor grid reliability rather than a massive investment in batteries if the grid is normally fairly reliable. Is biodiesel available in Cambodia or would you have to make your own?
Would a "hobbit" style home be appropriate in a tropical climate rather than an elevated well ventilated house instead?
I currently live in a rammed earth house in suburban southern Australia (Melbourne)and can assure you it is possible to build adobe (mud brick) houses in Australia despite the "strict" building regs. The price of land is the killer here.
Posted Wednesday 27 Jul 2016 @ 10:10:45 pm from IP # -
scott drew
MemberWhat will happen Morbo?
Law firms will run the case and charge for it. In house company lawyers will defend their company and make it look like they are worth the cost to companies.
The only winners here are lawyers.
Posted Friday 29 Jul 2016 @ 12:16:29 am from IP # -
From the Comments attached to "The Archdruid Report":
There is a new blog titled "Litterfall blog" by Joel Caris of Figuration Press.
"We’ll be talking every week about industrial decline, connection to the natural world, and new ways of living rooted in ecological contexts."
http://figurationpress.com/litterfall/In the first post "Clear-Eyed Futures: An Introduction" Caris says:
"We need simpler lives, lived with less energy, using less resources, amassing less stuff, and distracting ourselves with less stimulation. We need to shed complexity and let go of all the things that, in the end, we will be unable to hang on to."For the following post he promises:
"We’ll start next week with talk of energy, resources, and empire, and then go from there."Posted Thursday 18 Aug 2016 @ 1:12:26 pm from IP # -
Greg C
MemberGoing back to the start of the thread I don't think it is right to criticise everyone if they don't follow a perfect lifestyle. An ecological lifestyle is always a work in progress, there is always more that you can do.
Take a bit of mine as an example. We have been environmentalists since the '70s. When we built our passive solar house that was one step. You can't afford to replace your ageing motor car so what to do. Buy offsets. We actually offset the emissions of all the cars in the household, 4 with two teenage girls. cost about $250/year with Greenfleet. I heard about Greenfleet from a sticker on a guys car. You would never have known he cared other than that small advert. Like wise if someone turns up at a rally in a fossil fuelled car how do you know it is not offset. I have a sticker on my car so I might inspire someone else and I won't know it. Not that offsetting is the perfect solution, it even allows people to continue with their lifestyle however 'bad' and offset. But if done properly with someone like Greenfleet you not only offset emissions but repair habitat at the same time.
Then put a 3 way catalyst on the car. Brings emissions down very close to a modern car. Nobody would know of course. Time to replace white goods, environmental performance the top priority, replace ageing motor car with a Prius. People notice that, the guy next door buys a small diesel for his wife to drive to work. Economy very close to the Prius. Put up solar panels. Not that I influenced anybody but now there are 4 houses in the street with solar panels.
There are two powerful forces driving lifestyle. Keeping up with the Jones and saving money. Solar is a money saver finally, other things maybe not unless helped along by government. We have just come back from a holiday, again all you can do at present is offset emissions for the travel. It was very interesting seeing what other governments are doing, the standout in virtually every city we were in was the electric share bicycles, very popular and they get charged when put in the clip when you finish. Then electric cars and charging points in the street. Australia needs to do much more. Hybrid cars have taken over the taxi fleets world wide, a no brainer financially. Some cities banned plastic bags, San Francisco has banned styrofoam. Too late really but better late than never.
That is why saving the environment starts at home, we have enormous power to change things bit by bit. The problem in most instances is it is not obvious. I can't wait for the battery revolution to roll out, driven by money saving alone. The regulators are already scared
Posted Friday 19 Aug 2016 @ 6:36:01 am from IP #
