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[Livingontheland] Preparing Our Families for Economic Hard Times
- From: "Douglas Willhite" <drwillhite@earthlink.net>
- To: "Douglas & Hillary Willhite" <drwillhite@earthlink.net>
- Subject: [Livingontheland] Preparing Our Families for Economic Hard Times
- Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 10:32:35 -0800
Wishing you folks all the best, Doug
Preparing Our Families for Economic Hard Times by Doug Willhite, Copyright 2008 "The debate is not whether we're going to have a soft landing or a hard
landing in the U.S. but how hard the landing is going to be." Nouriel Roubini, Professor of Economics, New York University; from Time
Magazine, Feb. 4, 2008.
In President Bush's 2008 State of the Union address he stated: "Our
security, our prosperity and our environment all require reducing our dependence
on oil consumption over the next decade." [1] If your family is NOT feeling a burden from higher food and fuel prices,
the bursting housing bubble, wobbly Wall Street, or too much debt, then count
yourself among the very fortunate.
The good news for the rest of us is there is much we can do to help
cushion our families and stabilize our communities in the face of financial
hardships and vital resource shortages. [2] If we look back a few
generations in America, many families had a wealth of traditional knowledge
and skills which were passed down from one generation to the next that made
living with less purchasing power doable and even pleasurable. Our
ancestors managed without crude oil for thousands of years. There is much that
we can learn from them. They often worked hard and enjoyed life even while
getting by with far fewer conveniences, choices and creature
comforts than the smorgasbord of options which today's Americans take for
granted and have grown dependent on. [3]
What To Do
Scholar, Richard Heinberg, recently advised "if you're interested in
finding shelter during the storm, get thee to the productive side of the
economy. Grow something, or learn to make or repair something useful." [4]
So, if you aren't already, start growing as much of your
family's food, medicine, fiber, fuel and other resources as
possible. Especially food! Farming, gardening and manufacturing were
once cornerstones of traditional family life, and must become so
again. Use your backyard, patio or rooftop [5] to begin setting up a
"modern homestead." [6] Raised beds and container gardens are the
easiest way to build fertile soil, conserve water, and virtually
eliminate tilling and weeding. Build fertile soil by adding amendments
such as compost, worm castings and mulch to the top of the beds.
[7] Plant or graft as many fruit, nut, olive trees, berries, and grapes as
your lot can support. Use attached greenhouses, solariums and cold
frames to extend your growing season, produce multiple crops and protect
from predators. Raise chickens, rabbits, geese, guinea pigs, sheep,
pigs, goats and cows for meat, eggs and dairy. If necessary, get
your zoning laws changed to allow backyard agriculture.
Save heirloom or open pollinated seeds to grow true reproductions of your
favorite plants. Preserve harvests by canning, drying, and pickling. Build
a root cellar to store potatoes and root crops. Expand your knowledge and use of
local wild foods and herbal remedies. Join or form a community farmer's market
and a local food co-op. And learn to cook from scratch the way grandma
did!
Begin making things, if you don't already. Repair, re-use, and recycle
everything. Work from home or live close to your job. Support your regional
economy by buying from neighbor-owned businesses. Eliminate credit card
debts by living simply, within your budget, and making a shopping list
and sticking to it. Pay off your mortgage early by adding extra principal to
your monthly payments. Barter and trade goods, labor and services with
friends and neighbors. A sure way to save money on health care costs is to make
certain you and your loved ones get plenty of exercise, fresh water, nutritious
food and rest. [8]
Recycling rainwater is as easy as funneling your rain gutters into a water
storage tank. (Be sure to filter and boil before drinking.) You can modify
your plumbing so that grey water from sinks, showers and tubs flows into
separate pipes from toilet water and may be reused to water fruit trees, grapes
and berry bushes. Set-up a composting toilet and use composted manure
to fertilize trees and bushes. [9]
Using solar and wind power technologies to heat and pump water,
and provide electricity to your home or business will pay for itself and provide
your family with added security during electrical grid outages and price spikes.
Adding extra insulation to your attic, walls, and floors will save money on
energy costs too. One way to super-insulate your house is by
retrofitting with straw bales and covering with clay plaster. [10] Other
ways to improve insulation include 2x6 or larger wall cavities,
earth-jacketing, or underground homes.
Train draft horses, mules and oxen for work and transport. [11] Walk,
ride a bike or a horse, carpool or use public transit whenever possible.
Organize with neighbors to have electric railways installed between the town
centers in your region. [12] Transportation and infrastructure are critical to
your family's economic well-being. It's a common misperception to assume
you'll be better off living remotely in the mountains. History reveals that
those who live closer to water routes and centers of commerce have more
opportunities during financial hard times. [13] But, if you live at or near
sea level consider moving your home to higher ground in case the melting ice
caps raise ocean levels. [14] Don't forget to help educate your community. In the future your family's
financial freedom will be more tied to your neighbors, as fuel prices and
spot shortages force the global economy to relocalize. [15] Use
emails, gardening clubs, potluck gatherings and other opportunities
to exchange tips and information. Knowledge and communication will help
insure local economic stability and security.
If you feel frightened or overwhelmed after reading this article, take a
deep breath and rest assured you're not alone. We're all in this
together. Each positive action you take will bring your family one
step closer to financial freedom and security. So make a list, prioritize, then
get started. Sure beats waiting around for the government or the "experts" to
fix things! (Recall how they bungled Katrina.) [16]
Bibliography:
[1] Transcript of President Bush's 2008 SOTU speech http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/01/28/sotu.transcript/
[2] Heinberg's brilliant essay, "What Will We Eat as the Oil Runs
Out?
[3] President Bush said in his 2006 State of the Union address
that "America is addicted to oil."
[4] More from peak oil scholar, historian, and cultural analyst,
Richard Heinberg.
[5] Design a rooftop garden
[6] Harvey Ussery writes instructional articles for Mother Earth News.
He and wife, Ellen, practice an integrated approach to raising poultry
which includes orcharding, vegetable gardening, and vermicomposting (worm
castings for fertilizer). Save yourself some trouble and read his web page
BEFORE setting up your homestead. http://www.themodernhomestead.us/
[7] To read a variety of informative letters from market gardeners and
others living on the land, sign-up at:
[8] Michael Pollan's New York Times article: "Unhappy Meals"
[9] The Humanure Handbook
[10] The Beauty of Straw Bale Homes, by Athena & Bill Steen
[11] Renewing Husbandry, by Wendell Berry
[12] Kunstler lists ways for us to survive the housing bubble
implosion and an energy scarce future: http://jameshowardkunstler.typepad.com/clusterfuck_nation/2008/01/disarray.html
[13] Survival in Times of Uncertainty: Growing Up in Russia in the
1990's
[14] CBS News warns that a NASA climate scientist said: "At this rate,
the Arctic Ocean could be nearly ice-free by 2012, much faster than previous
predictions." This will raise sea levels.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/13/tech/main3613698.shtml?source=mostpop_story [15] Find or form a relocalization network in your
area.
[16] NBC's Brian Williams reports on how our government mismanaged
Katrina
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- [Livingontheland] Preparing Our Families for Economic Hard Times, Douglas Willhite, 01/31/2008
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