Cheer up everyone! The secret to staying positive is to do one peak cheap energy obviating measure per day, only if it is a plan of what to do. Then when you have done the usual stuff think of some more. You will find it becomes more fun and easier as you go along.
The latest electricity reducing measure?outside pizza oven! Fill it with waste pallet wood set it alight, consume wine and beer with friends, place pizza or whatever in the oven and by the power of your own imagination 3kw?s saved. The possibilities are endless, so no more doom and gloom.
There was a story I heard a few years back of two cowboys in the Wild West. One was travelling out of town and the other was travelling into town from another town. The two cowboys stopped to talk and one asked the other what the town that he had come from was like. The cowboy replied that the town was full of thieves, crooks and liars and could not be trusted under any circumstances. After he had given this information he asked what was the town like that the other cowboy had come from. The other cowboy said,
? for you it will be exactly the same?
Why bother?
Moderator: Peak Moderation
BTW,
How do you post pictures, I have always hated computers, never really 'got them' but i could post a piccy of the pizza oven which was built out of a skip!
Also while i'm at it, how do you lot highlight your quotes when you reply.I have not got the patience to find out and my children tend to speak in code when i ask!
Yours,
Ludite
How do you post pictures, I have always hated computers, never really 'got them' but i could post a piccy of the pizza oven which was built out of a skip!
Also while i'm at it, how do you lot highlight your quotes when you reply.I have not got the patience to find out and my children tend to speak in code when i ask!
Yours,
Ludite
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marknorthfield
- Posts: 177
- Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
- Location: Bracknell
I agree with James. It is about changing lives for the better (in the long term), and the seemingly quite recent explosion of attention to the idea of the 'carbon footprint' gives me hope that people will begin to understand, in a relatively short space of time, how their everyday actions matter, and how collectively we can make a difference. The latter point is particularly important because a big part of the doomerish way of thinking (which I have certainly felt from time to time, because I'm human) centres around 'nothing I can do will make any difference to how things turn out'.
Certainly, the kind of hardships in store are not widely appreciated as yet, and that will be considerably more testing to people's mental well-being, but people the world over are often more adaptable than we give them credit for. It's a doomerish assumption to think that ultra-selfish consumer culture has forever taken complete control of society's will - things change, and that includes the way people think and act. Very few will want society to crash and burn, even if the economy does just that.
To respond also to an earlier post about people no longer taking part in the forums... I admit that I was never a really frequent poster in the first place, but I haven't posted on here for a loooooong time - well over a year, I'm sure. All the same, I visit these forums for a good read at least twice a week, every week, because they provide much food for thought, useful insights and counterbalances to mainstream media sources. It's like my favourite online newspaper, but with journalists I actually care about! If I felt I had anything useful to say then I'm sure I would have done - that's my only criteria for posting. Many of the technical and political issues I felt I did not know enough about to comment on effectively (compared to people like Tess, clv101 or Andy, to name but a few).
Meanwhile, I have had fairly frequent discussions with friends, acquaintances and sometimes strangers about Peak Oil and what it could mean; I have given away at least three copies of The Last Oil Shock in recent months (with more to follow I suspect) because it is just so on the ball; I've been learning to grow things in my partner's garden (no green space of my own apart from the kitchen window sill, unfortunately); I've been appreciating my bike more and more; more than anything I've been simply getting on with my life and trying to limit the time I spend in front of my computer screen because it just takes so much time out of the day! Writing msgs on forums takes even longer, as the last half an hour has just shown me. Maybe I won't wait so long til the next one though...
Hmmm. Think that's quite enough rambling for now. I need to go to work!
All the best, everyone.
Certainly, the kind of hardships in store are not widely appreciated as yet, and that will be considerably more testing to people's mental well-being, but people the world over are often more adaptable than we give them credit for. It's a doomerish assumption to think that ultra-selfish consumer culture has forever taken complete control of society's will - things change, and that includes the way people think and act. Very few will want society to crash and burn, even if the economy does just that.
To respond also to an earlier post about people no longer taking part in the forums... I admit that I was never a really frequent poster in the first place, but I haven't posted on here for a loooooong time - well over a year, I'm sure. All the same, I visit these forums for a good read at least twice a week, every week, because they provide much food for thought, useful insights and counterbalances to mainstream media sources. It's like my favourite online newspaper, but with journalists I actually care about! If I felt I had anything useful to say then I'm sure I would have done - that's my only criteria for posting. Many of the technical and political issues I felt I did not know enough about to comment on effectively (compared to people like Tess, clv101 or Andy, to name but a few).
Meanwhile, I have had fairly frequent discussions with friends, acquaintances and sometimes strangers about Peak Oil and what it could mean; I have given away at least three copies of The Last Oil Shock in recent months (with more to follow I suspect) because it is just so on the ball; I've been learning to grow things in my partner's garden (no green space of my own apart from the kitchen window sill, unfortunately); I've been appreciating my bike more and more; more than anything I've been simply getting on with my life and trying to limit the time I spend in front of my computer screen because it just takes so much time out of the day! Writing msgs on forums takes even longer, as the last half an hour has just shown me. Maybe I won't wait so long til the next one though...
Hmmm. Think that's quite enough rambling for now. I need to go to work!
All the best, everyone.
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tattercoats
- Posts: 433
- Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
- Location: Wiltshire
- Contact:
Hiya everyone -
Andy! I thought that was probably you over on the It's Not Easy Being Green Forum. And Vortex, you're quite right, I've tended to spend more time there engaged in the practical side of things.
I still read Powerswitch avidly. I don't have much to add, I suppose, which is why you've not seen me posting here lately; yes, I'm convinced of peak oil, yes I'm convinced that my household and I need to make changes, and that's what we're doing.
I like reading between the lines in the news as PS and all of you have taught me to do, and I'm glad to have a better handle on the situation than I would otherwise have done.
I guess, after the first few months of 'How do you make bread/jam/wine?' and 'what food can you forage?' and 'I'm going to start growing vegetables', I've gravitated to the 'green' site because it goes into detail on those issues. But I'm still here, still reading, still groaning at your puns, Andy, and still marvelling at your photoshop ingenuity, Vortex.
But overall... yes, it's happening. For me, the discussion is largely in the past. What to do remains the big topic, and the answers I come up with, again and again, are 'Upskill. Reduce debt. Become adaptable. Persuade those you care about to do likewise.'
And that's where I am now, with my vegetable garden and my lottie, my chicken house (as yet uninhabited but we're getting there) and my home-made everything. Oh, and I've joined the Parish Council - engaging in the local democracy.
But guys, it's lovely to be missed!
Andy! I thought that was probably you over on the It's Not Easy Being Green Forum. And Vortex, you're quite right, I've tended to spend more time there engaged in the practical side of things.
I still read Powerswitch avidly. I don't have much to add, I suppose, which is why you've not seen me posting here lately; yes, I'm convinced of peak oil, yes I'm convinced that my household and I need to make changes, and that's what we're doing.
I like reading between the lines in the news as PS and all of you have taught me to do, and I'm glad to have a better handle on the situation than I would otherwise have done.
I guess, after the first few months of 'How do you make bread/jam/wine?' and 'what food can you forage?' and 'I'm going to start growing vegetables', I've gravitated to the 'green' site because it goes into detail on those issues. But I'm still here, still reading, still groaning at your puns, Andy, and still marvelling at your photoshop ingenuity, Vortex.
But overall... yes, it's happening. For me, the discussion is largely in the past. What to do remains the big topic, and the answers I come up with, again and again, are 'Upskill. Reduce debt. Become adaptable. Persuade those you care about to do likewise.'
And that's where I am now, with my vegetable garden and my lottie, my chicken house (as yet uninhabited but we're getting there) and my home-made everything. Oh, and I've joined the Parish Council - engaging in the local democracy.
But guys, it's lovely to be missed!
Green, political and narrative songs - contemporary folk from an award-winning songwriter and performer. Now booking 2011. Talis Kimberley ~ www.talis.net ~ also Bandcamp, FB etc...
Yay! Great to know you're still around!!
Andy Hunt
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
Eternal Sunshine wrote: I wouldn't want to worry you with the truth.
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tattercoats
- Posts: 433
- Joined: 24 Nov 2005, 11:09
- Location: Wiltshire
- Contact:
(blows kiss)
It's lovely to be wanted. I'll try to be a bit less invisible!
It's lovely to be wanted. I'll try to be a bit less invisible!
Green, political and narrative songs - contemporary folk from an award-winning songwriter and performer. Now booking 2011. Talis Kimberley ~ www.talis.net ~ also Bandcamp, FB etc...
Andy Hunt
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
Eternal Sunshine wrote: I wouldn't want to worry you with the truth.
Tattercoats, I've missed you too. 
I look in on the Its not easy being Green and enjoy it alot but don't post there because as Marknorthfield commented the whole posting thing is very time consuming. In any case I want to stay in this community and in a strange way am looking forward to the future when more people have their say here - I actually don't believe this place will become redundant as the news becomes more commonly accepted.
Perhaps we should try to get a link with Its Not Easy Being Green, what does everyone think?
I know I have often felt a great dispair because my family seems so reluctant to listen to such vital news but I am amazed how very recently I have seen a huge change of attitude from my husband and mother, maybe this is partly because they can see a huge change in attitude from me?
My mum is talking about carbon nutural building and is going to have a wood burner and solar panel installed in her home, my husband has agreed that I can have a compost toilet (in the garage to start with but I have bigger plans to take it indoors some time soon! ), he is also constantly telling the kids to turn off lights and is conscious of not driving if possible and conserving energy, we are fixing the sash windows to stop draughts, he has agreed to solar water although I have had a letter from the council saying NO! and we are both focused on paying off debt, a good friend is selling her house and moving in with her boyfriend so they will both be debt free......
I look in on the Its not easy being Green and enjoy it alot but don't post there because as Marknorthfield commented the whole posting thing is very time consuming. In any case I want to stay in this community and in a strange way am looking forward to the future when more people have their say here - I actually don't believe this place will become redundant as the news becomes more commonly accepted.
Perhaps we should try to get a link with Its Not Easy Being Green, what does everyone think?
I know I have often felt a great dispair because my family seems so reluctant to listen to such vital news but I am amazed how very recently I have seen a huge change of attitude from my husband and mother, maybe this is partly because they can see a huge change in attitude from me?
My mum is talking about carbon nutural building and is going to have a wood burner and solar panel installed in her home, my husband has agreed that I can have a compost toilet (in the garage to start with but I have bigger plans to take it indoors some time soon!
), he is also constantly telling the kids to turn off lights and is conscious of not driving if possible and conserving energy, we are fixing the sash windows to stop draughts, he has agreed to solar water although I have had a letter from the council saying NO! and we are both focused on paying off debt, a good friend is selling her house and moving in with her boyfriend so they will both be debt free......You are absolutely hard core Pippa. I hereby nominate you for Powerswitcher of the Year award!Pippa wrote:my husband has agreed that I can have a compost toilet ..
Andy Hunt
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
http://greencottage.burysolarclub.net
Eternal Sunshine wrote: I wouldn't want to worry you with the truth.
Thanks Andy (Vortex we now need one of your pictures showing blond woman receiving a mighty award!).
I will post a picture of my toilet when its done! (I am really looking forward to the day - should be this weekend - I have the sawdust already). Once I am pooing as nature intended and salvaging my contributions then the pressure will be on to find somewhere to store it for a year or so - 'cause I haven't got a compost heap on my own ground - and I am definately going to need one
).But that's not all, I forgot to mention that husband (Marcus) has decided that the patio heater should go!!!!!!!!!
Bandidoz wrote:Hi Pippa
What are you using for buckets for the C.T.?
Ha, ha,
Just been out to get the buckets! Thought that I'd find plenty, no problem. Went down to the school kitchen but the biggest one they had was 10 litres
, then tried the butchers, both pubs and the garage, no luck . Have tried ringing our building merchant to see if they have anything in 40 litre approx containers but no!!!Where else can I look for a freebie, ideas anyone?