permaculture

[Rain Tenaqiya <raincascadia@yahoo.com>]

Here in Ukiah, California, there is a debate going on about how the town is 
allowed to grow.  Given that water is limited, it is questionable whether any 
increase in population should be allowed without corresponding conservation 
measures.  But mainly, the debate is about whether the town should increase 
its density, or whether new housing should be built on an expanding 
perimeter.  'Smart growth' is a term used to describe conscious planning that 
increases density, but also integrates many functions and actually increases 
the quality of life for the inhabitants.  Mixed use, with offices and 
businesses downstairs and housing upstairs, integrated with parks and public 
facilities, is becoming more common and makes a lot of sense.  There is less 
driving, in theory, because one can work, shop, and play right next to your 
home.
 
The problem, some say, is that once fossil fuels run out, dense urban areas 
will be unable to provide for their own needs.  Also, even though people can 
theoretically live next to their workplaces, people rarely choose to do so.  
So it's a mixed bag.  These people advocate building new homes on the edge of 
town, where people can grow their own food, capture their own water, and 
harvest their own energy.  But, as Toby mentioned, people rarely do this 
either.
 
So as long as we are using fossil fuels, it seems that smarth growth is a 
good idea for those that are not into being self-reliant.  For those who are 
into self-reliance, living on the edge of town, or in town with a large lot, 
or in an ecovillage that you seldom leave, is a good idea.  Since moving to a 
town from the country, I , like Toby, have also been driving less- and I am 
still growing the same amount of food.
 
The fact is that the vast majority of people, even farmers, buy most of their 
food, use fossil fuels for energy, and drive their cars like crazy.  Since 
the food farmers grow contains way less energy than the fossil fuels that it 
took to grow it, we might as well all just live in city boxes and eat oil.  
That is basically what we are doing anyway.
 
Rain
 
 

                
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