permaculture

[jenny Nazak <jnazak@yahoo.com>]

Hi All,

Here in Austin, Texas, where the weather typically defaults to warm, we have 
had unusually harsh cold this winter. And I know that other places have had 
it a lot tougher than we have.

Yesterday I saw a great article in the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com";>New 
York Times</a> about people who choose to do without heat in winter. Their 
reasons for making this choice fall into many categories. There are people 
who like living in low-rent marginal urban spaces to give themselves the time 
and money leeway to pursue their true calling in life (and for aesthetic 
reasons as well -- some people, like me, genuinely prefer those untamed funky 
spaces); people who love their gorgeous quaint old homes but don't want the 
huge heating bill; green folks who want to show themselves and others that 
what seems like sacrifice can actually be enriching and empowering.

The folks profiled are living in cold places like New York and Colorado.

One guy in NYC lives with 4 of his best friends in an unimproved space that 
they love because it has a stage that they use for their music and poetry 
performances. They basically built a yurt inside their big space, and that's 
where they hang out (with their cats!) a lot of the time. A well-placed hour 
or two in a warm coffee shop can be all that's needed to make the rest of the 
day go better. (And obviously that time spent coffee shop gives other 
benefits as well.) 

It's a beautiful article - you can read it at <a 
href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/garden/21cold.html?pagewanted=1#";>http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/21/garden/21cold.html?pagewanted=1#</a>

What's great about it is the sense that these people are having FUN and 
feeling empowered. 

This article prompted me to do some reflecting on my own path... This winter 
is my third (or fourth?) winter of choosing to do without heat. (I've done 
without airconditioning most of my adult life, but that is a matter of 
preference.) My decision to go heatless started out as part of the <a 
href="http://www.riot4austerity.org";>90% Reduction Challenge (Riot for 
Austerity)</a>, but over the past couple of years, I've realized that 
shrinking my footprint, in and of itself, is a poor motivator for me in the 
long run. I end up feeling discouraged, like I'm never doing enough. I bet a 
lot of people feel that way! Also, it's not an exciting motivator for the 
folks around me. They might feel like they "should" live more like me, but 
sticks make poor incentive. All of us need carrots to live. And carrots, not 
sticks, are what prompts true evolution. Truly functional design, whether 
it's the design of a building or the design of one's life, is always 
motivated by
 higher aspirations than the mere goal of human survival. We want to 
accomplish something or other for the greater good. 

My other motive for going heatless was to confront my fears about dealing 
with cold, and assure myself of my ability (physical and mental) to adapt. A 
big part of this adaptation has come in the form of what you might call 
"personal design": how to dress more effectively; how to structure my day to 
take advantage of warm times (or at least less-cold times) to do washing and 
other tasks that are harder when it's cold. How to keep warm when I'm doing 
tasks such as typing and sewing that require sitting still and having fine 
motor control of my fingers. (Answer: do these things in the morning as much 
as possible, while I'm still in bed and while my body is still warm from 
spending several hours under blankets.) Here again, my motive for going 
heatless - to assure myself of my adaptability - was a survival motive. 
Gratifying for awhile but not inspiring over the long run. 

From there, my motive expanded: By making myself a lab rat for an experiment 
in living without heat, I hoped to assure other people that we could all do 
this if we had to, and survive.

Again with that motive of meat-body survival! Necessary, perhaps, but still 
not very inspiring.

But over the past few months, I've found there's actually a higher motive 
involved. I've noticed an increase in my creative energy and in my urge to 
play, to come up with new designs for a living space that is comfortable 
without heating or cooling inputs. I have so much fun thinking, imagining, 
doodling designs for functional and cozy and beautiful spaces. At some point 
I may put these ideas into a book or website to encourage others. Now THAT is 
exciting. By choosing to do without heat and a/c, and by choosing to get 
around by foot or bike, and through other lifestyle choices that were 
initially motivated by eco-guilt or by fear, I have ended up becoming a 
pretty good designer, tuned in to material properties and the natural 
environment! How cool! What fun! I have a new skill/hobby, and one that can 
actually serve others!

Hmmm, I wonder if one broader lesson here is that a "stick" (guilt, fear) can 
be a good initial motivator for our evolution as humans, but that in order to 
sustain the forward movement and evolve in any way that really pushes the 
envelope of our potential on this planet, we really need carrots. This might 
be a good concept to keep in mind when we're trying to motivate the 
government, corporations, and others to move in a greener direction. 

I applaud my fellow "heatless by choice" folks profiled in the New York Times 
article, for always keeping their sights on the carrots!

That, to me, is the true essence of permaculture. It's not about making a 
"less-bad" world; it's about stretching ourselves and expanding our 
viewpoints in order to create a world that's better than what we've ever 
created before.

Enjoy designing your life! You're already armed with your awareness of the 
problems and with your full heartfelt intent to serve the greater good. Now, 
with this awareness and intent, set out to create a home and a life that you 
really love. Optimize your world to your ideal specifications! The highest 
use of the human mind isn't survival or adjusting-to; it's CREATING.

All the best,

Jenny

Jenny Nazak, Licensed Avatar Master
512-619-5363 
Avatar minicourse: www.avatarintro.com

"When we perceive that the only difference between us is our beliefs, and 
that beliefs can be created or discreated with ease, the right and wrong game 
will wind down, a co-create game will unfold, and world peace will ensue." 
--Harry Palmer, author of the Avatar® Materials, www.avatarepc.com

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