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  • From: Tompkins County Relocalization Project <tcrp-news AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • To: tcrp-news AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [tcrp-news] Minutes of TCLocal meeting 1 December 2012
  • Date: Mon, 07 Jan 2013 10:25:10 -0500

MINUTES OF TCLOCAL MEETING 1 DECEMBER 2012

ATTENDANCE

Jon Bosak (editor)
Krys Cail
Karl North (by phone)
Simon St.Laurent
Tom Shelley (chair)

We operated this time without a formal agenda.

ARTICLE IDEA: LOCAL POLITICS OF ENERGY DESCENT

From KN's email of 29 November to TCLocal Contributors:

In the "peak oil network", as increasing financial instability and
ecological damage worsened by the constant pressure of rising
energy and other resource costs brings us closer to various
tipping points, it is interesting to see how perceptions of the
energy descent are evolving. Last year I wrote a paper, The Case
for a Disorderly Energy Descent[1], which, summarizing studies by
David Korowicz and others, argued for the likelihood of sudden
collapse events, in contrast to John Michael Greer's prediction of
a more gradual process. Korowicz recently restated the case for
fast collapse events in more detail[2]. In his recent references
to that paper, Greer[3] seems now to agree with Korowicz that fast
collapse scenarios are likely as cross-contagion from different
destabilizing trends causes a cascade leading to global supply
chain collapse events. But he disagrees with Korowicz' claim that
the political will to deal with such situations is lacking.

I think Greer is right in pointing out that governments have the
capacity to cope in the short term with financial and supply chain
collapse and the ensuing social disorder, and historically have
acted when the survival of the nation-state is at issue. The
resulting policies have not been pretty or to everyone's liking
but they have often managed to stabilize things for a while. At
any rate, there seems to be increasing consensus in the network
that ever more likely crisis events will cause enough loss of
basic services on the scale of hurricane Sandy or worse, and that
governments will eventually have to intervene in the economy with
an ever firmer hand to forestall social chaos and open
revolt. Gradually a new relationship between government and the
market will take shape. I mentioned some possible scenarios (e.g.,
Departments of Descent that set economic policy) in the conclusion
to Cities and Suburbs....

I have tried to get some ideas on paper to explore local political
options in the short and long term in the context of evolving
thinking about collapse events, but I think to effectively address
the politics of energy descent will require a collaborative
effort....

[1] http://karlnorth.com/?p=424
[2]
http://www.feasta.org/2012/06/17/trade-off-financial-system-supply-chain-cross-contagion-a-study-in-global-systemic-collapse/
[3]
http://thearchdruidreport.blogspot.com/2012/08/a-crisis-of-legitimacy.html

Discussion motivated by KN's proposal ranged widely over a number of
points.

SS: If we consider our layers of government (international, national,
state, county, town/city) it's clear that each layer is expecting the
one above it to insulate it from the consequences of catastrophic
events. Our focus should be the state level on down.

KC: The response to Sandy demonstrates our lack of support from the
state level: urban areas were given far more attention than rural
areas.

SS: "Occupy Sandy" provided a very interesting demonstration of one
form of local response.

KN: The response of local government will vary depending on where we
are in the energy descent.

SS: A theoretical timeline contrasts with the effect of random
shocks: storms, drought, the effect of falling water levels on water
transport (it is already limiting Mississipi river transport and
affecting the Great Lakes), financial crises, food crises, conflicts
in the Middle East....

SS/KC: We should point to recent events as illustrating the threats
with which we're concerned.

KN: For example, the supply chain collapses caused by Sandy.

KC: These situations can be complicated by ill-considered
regulations; e.g., requiring that workers attempting to deal with
storm-downed wood have equipment to grind it up, thus eliminating
many folks with chainsaws who would be happy to use the cut pieces
for firewood.

JB: Regulations are perfect targets for attention at the local level
because changes to local ordinances cost nothing in themselves.

KC: The Tompkins County Council of Governments might be the group to
which we should be directing our efforts.

AGREED that TCLocal's scope does include publication of the kind
of theoretical/political piece contemplated by KN.

AGREED that members should think about and be prepared to suggest
appropriate component pieces of a larger treatment of local
political responses to various scenarios.

JB: "Problem/solution" is a classic generic rhetorical framework; a
similar scaffolding for some articles could be "peril/preparation."
Thinking particularly here of the three-part Gannett series on the
fragility of the electric grid that was published a few months ago;
the peril is becoming quite clear -- what should we be doing to
prepare?

AGREED that JB should again call attention to the TCLocal/LAP
proposal for supplying City of Ithaca operational power from hydro
on Fall Creek and Six Mile Creek. Already tried Mayor Myrick with
no response; this time perhaps a letter to the editor. For action
next year.

SECRETARY POSITION

With the October death of Bethany Schroeder, TCLocal no longer has a
Secretary.

AGREED that JB will take over preparation of meeting minutes.

EDITOR POSITION

JB reports that his left brain is burned out and that he's currently
only fit for projects to which he can contribute as a photographer.

AGREED that Simon St.Laurent will take over as TCLocal Editor.

ACTION: SS to make changes on the web site to reflect this change
of roles.

FUTURE ARTICLES

Green Burials: We are overdue in getting back to Mary Woodsen
regarding an article that emphasizes the local
energy/sustainability/resilience aspects of facilities such as
Greensprings. We now, sadly, have a perfect sidebar, since Bethany
chose to be buried there.

ACTION: SS to contact Mary Woodsen.

Emergy: TS is working on this.

Solar Farmhouses: KN will be working on this when results are
available from his current construction projects in Maine.

NEXT MEETING

AGREED that we should continue monthly meetings.

AGREED that we don't have to keep scheduling the meetings for
Saturday afternoons.

ACTION: TS to set up a cloud scheduling thingie for us to use in
finding an optimum meeting time.


Submitted by Jon Bosak



  • [tcrp-news] Minutes of TCLocal meeting 1 December 2012, Tompkins County Relocalization Project, 01/07/2013

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