Living locally
Posted: 20 Jun 2005, 22:15
I'll kick off a new one, then... I reckon the chief alternative transport is going to be: staying put. Seriously, *less* travel, rather than differently-powered travel.
It's the thing my household are going to be experimenting with shortly, as we're relocating to be near the main job. Really near, as in a bike ride or a walk.
The plan is to learn to live locally. I'll increase my weekly deliveries of organics (somewhat more efficient in transport than supermarket global goodies) on the way to growing all I can; I'll be making new friends locally with a view to setting up unofficial networks of barter and support. Heh, my new neighbours might not hear the words 'peak oil' from me until I've got to know them a bit, but they'll still be part of the network for tackling it.
We'll be drastically reducing car usage and learning to ride bikes. I'll visit the local farms and see what they produce that I can use; and I'll keep my ears and eyes open for clues as to who does what/ makes what / knows what - I'm even planning on looking at the local Womens' Institute. I already sing and make jam, thank you, but I'll bet there's plenty of stuff the WI can teach me about making, fixing and generally coping with circumstances.
I'm thinking very much in terms of the following hypothesis; if travel by current oil-based means were impossible, how would I achieve XYZ? If I can't walk there or cycle there, can I source it closer to home?
At the end of the day, the only things which can't be grown or bred locally are the materials which were the stuff of trade centuries ago. We may come back to that situation: Cornish tin, Maldon salt, sipces from the East...
Cinnamon Wars, anyone?
I'm rambling. But basically - less travel. 'Is your journey necessary?' rings a bell somewhere...
It's the thing my household are going to be experimenting with shortly, as we're relocating to be near the main job. Really near, as in a bike ride or a walk.
The plan is to learn to live locally. I'll increase my weekly deliveries of organics (somewhat more efficient in transport than supermarket global goodies) on the way to growing all I can; I'll be making new friends locally with a view to setting up unofficial networks of barter and support. Heh, my new neighbours might not hear the words 'peak oil' from me until I've got to know them a bit, but they'll still be part of the network for tackling it.
We'll be drastically reducing car usage and learning to ride bikes. I'll visit the local farms and see what they produce that I can use; and I'll keep my ears and eyes open for clues as to who does what/ makes what / knows what - I'm even planning on looking at the local Womens' Institute. I already sing and make jam, thank you, but I'll bet there's plenty of stuff the WI can teach me about making, fixing and generally coping with circumstances.
I'm thinking very much in terms of the following hypothesis; if travel by current oil-based means were impossible, how would I achieve XYZ? If I can't walk there or cycle there, can I source it closer to home?
At the end of the day, the only things which can't be grown or bred locally are the materials which were the stuff of trade centuries ago. We may come back to that situation: Cornish tin, Maldon salt, sipces from the East...
Cinnamon Wars, anyone?
I'm rambling. But basically - less travel. 'Is your journey necessary?' rings a bell somewhere...
