by Melinda Briana Epler
One Green Generation
I don't know about you, but I have been moving between feeling inspired by new leadership and new possibilities, and feeling depressed by economic, agricultural, and climate news.
Our system has failed us. Not completely, but mostly. What a dreadful thought! Though rather than spend my energy down and out and feeling utterly powerless, I'd like to put my energy into make that system whole again. But how do we do that??
We reinvent our system. Large corporations, large banks, and large economies have a great deal of control over our lives. So let's remove that control. Let's focus on small businesses, small banks and credit unions, and small economies.
You and I can make a big difference. When we put our money into a large bank, we are one in one billion customers. That bank doesn't care about us, clearly, because we are quite insignificant in the scheme of things. But if we put our money into a small, local bank, we are one in just 1,000 or 10,000 customers. You better believe that business cares about us and our needs! Suddenly we have some power and control over how that bank does it's business. We may even know our tellers, or the owner of the bank!
From all that I've heard about how banks are faring during the credit crunch, it seems that local and small, regional banks and credit unions are generally surviving this crisis. It is the big, over-extended banks that don't care about each of us - and who simply want to grow and make more money - who are finding it tough to survive. Most of the local businesses that cater to local needs are doing ok, too.
We can rebuild our world by living locally and strengthening our local communities.
When I buy groceries and produce from local farmers and producers, I can support systems that I believe in. I can be a voice in that system, and truly help make a difference.
- I can actively take part in sustainable agriculture – which is better for me, the farmers, and our oil supply (from pesticide use).
- I can keep my money within my local economy to make it stronger and more powerful.
- I can reduce my carbon footprint and help stave off irreparable climate change – because my produce isn't packaged and doesn't have to travel across the world from a pesticide-driven farm!
We have a broken system. Our many world leaders, including Obama, will be working to help save that system from the top down (this a top-heavy inverted pyramid we're working with). But we - you and I - must work to save our system from the bottom up. We can make the base of that pyramid much bigger and stronger!!
Let's start today. How can you can support your local economy right now. Will you change the way you buy groceries? Will you rethink your eating out? Will you seek out a local credit union or bank, a place where you can feel good about keeping your money? If you have a bit of extra time, money, produce from the garden, or things you could give away, will you take it to a local organization that could use it? Please write your plans down - anywhere - right now.
The foundation of our world lies in our local communities. It is there, first and foremost, where we must change the system and make it work for us.
We have the power to rebuild the world. Let's do it!
Image by phoenixdiaz on Flickr.
16 comments:
I have started talking to different people I come into contact with about the fact that we need to change our ways and that there are blogs here that can help learn. I always mention the blogs, because this is where I am learning what to do and how to do it.
I have started making my own bread and am learning how to garden and grow as much of my own food as I can. I will have chickens soon and will share the eggs with my neighbors who want them. I am now shopping at a friends vegetable stand. I save money, get to chat with them a while and am not taking home plastic bags, because I bring my own non plastic bags. This is also helping my local economy. At least once each month I am trying to start a new and "green" habit.
We do a recycling collection of unused paints at my work. Today I picked out some pretty colors that were just dropped off. They may not be the colors I had in mind for a room I am painting, but they aren't bad colors and I know they will not get back into the earth somehow.
Thanks for being a part of the co-op here. I love learning all the different ideas from each of you!
We try to buy local where possible, support local shops, local economies. We have always been make do and menders, recyclers, home cooking from scratch, home baking type people. We are doubling the size of our veg and soft fruit plot this year to try and be self reliant. I try and pass the word on to friends who do otherwise, and it cheers me to see pieces in the paper about people waking up and smelling the coffee.
Thankyou for an inspiring post.
We have an allotment that we are going to try and grow more food than we need. I am then going to barter with people for other produce.
I have also taken to buying from the local butcher. Already in this town the only place to buy vegetables is the supermarket as all the the greengrocers have been put out of business buy the supermarkets.
On a side note, I was horrified at the farm shop we go to, as they advertise as local foods etc and then I saw pineapples being sold. unless they have Kew gardens on their farm I cant see how they grew them???
last week i received a 250$ coupon in the mail from chase bank. they currently hold the mortgage on my home and if i move my banking to one of their local branches, after 6 months they will deposit 250$ into my account. it sounded good, too good. afterall, who can't use an extra 250$? then i remembered why i chose my credit union. sure, they haven't offered me any "free" money but i know my teller and she knows me, better even, she knows my kids...by name...in the grocery store...when they aren't thrusting fists full of crumpled birthday dollars at her. i can call them up and say my employer screwed up my paycheck yet again (we're going for the 6 week record this month!) and so pleasepleaseplease clear my mortgage payment and don't charge me any fees thankyouthankyouthankyou. and they do, and they don't. and that is, by far, worth way more than 250$ any day of the week.
I recently made the decision to eat entirely local foods (100 miles) and it is amazing. Not just in the food/seasonality, but also in the relationships I've started to build with my local farmers and dairy producers. The community and the knowledge that there is a real "person" behind my food makes it that much more special to have it. And I know that my money is going back into a local producer, letting him/her continue to invest in community agriculture/farming. It is a way to make one of the most basic necessities of life more sustainable. Knowing that these farmers are working the land in a way that protects it and takes while still giving back in their farming methods makes me feel better about my role in the world and what I'd choose to support.
Sadly, it is hard to find truly local businesses here, but there are some, if one looks. Rather than granola from a grocery, it can be had from a small family seller that makes the product by hand - and participates in community life. And so on.... the emotional payback is well worth the effort.
I wish I could do more to support our local economy - it is a cycle it seems, without the community to support a small business, they can't flourish, and without them flourishing, it is hard to find them in the community.
I'm reading Big Box Swindle right now - very eye opening. If we are going to shift our culture, it will be from the bottom up, from every day folks like us. Supposedly, if we just shift a portion of our spending to local, independent businesses, we make a HUGE local economic impact. We also send a message. We want diversity in the marketplace as well. We want to support people who live in our communities.
I really think local living - not just local food - is the key to change. Fantastic post!
Thanks for your wonderful comments, everyone! I truly appreciate them very much and look forward to more wonderful things you have to say.
Bovey Belle & claudia, ah yes - great point - let's tell all our friends!! I, too, have seen an increasing # of stories. It's a good feeling.
Slice of life, it's too bad we've already lost some of our local resources. But sounds like you've found some great alternatives. Local farm stands often sell non-local food as well. I think it's partly due to demand from customers, unfortunately. : (
blondeoverboard, wonderful, wonderful example!
livinginalocalzone, Great for you! Last year we lived in a place where it wasn't always easy to find local foods. In those situations, sometimes it works well to make your own, or even change your routine.
Green Bean, will look up that book. I agree completely.
green bean:
i just posted to my local freecycle group in hopes of finding a copy of Big Box Swindle. it sounds worth reading. thanks for the idea :)
I am looking into the concept of Transtions Towns. website: http://transitiontowns.org/
I live in a large city and have heard rumors that this concept is being applied in a nearby neighborhood so hope to tap in there.
Good idea about banks, thanks. Planning a rather large garden with plans on giving surplus to food kitchens and also looking for somebody who may want to or need to share some of the land we have because we have extra there too.
I think people need to keep in mind that the community is out there.People of like mind are hoping to meet each other. You just need to meet them half way, so look for opportunities to meet others who will work alongside you.
Beautiful! I agree completely and have been arguing for this since I got out of high school at the beginning of the 90's.
My only concern is the current focus on carbon footprints and climate change. I am concerned about the fact that the massively complicated and incredibly dangerous environmental situation across the globe has been summed up by blaming carbon dioxide. I am not arguing that humanity has not greatly impacted the global environment through gargantuan scale industrial activity. I am arguing that the carbon dioxide crisis has been greatly exaggerated in order to convince us to accept greater control over our existences.
We will not be able to achieve the kind of change that I agree is needed, if we accept the CO2 crisis as presented, including the tax/control solutions as also presented.
Sorry for the negativity but I believe we must have the most accurate picture of the overall situation we are facing, before we can hope to effectively change it.
Peace to all.
SoapBoxTech,
Very interesting comment. I would love to know more about what you mean.
"I am arguing that the carbon dioxide crisis has been greatly exaggerated in order to convince us to accept greater control over our existences. "
Are you saying that you believe we have more problems to worry about than climate change? If so, what is the most impending issue we should be addressing, in your mind?
For me, climate change is at the top of the list because if we don't stop the planet from warming, all of the other issues at hand will become worse and more unmanageable. But I agree that there are many other issues that need to be worked on simultaneously: energy depletion and pandemic diseases are two very important issues for me. And the underlying problem is found in the way that we do things, think about things, and buy things - which are rooted in our culture itself.
Not so much a larger issue than climate change, just that I am not convinced that carbon dioxide is the greatest contributor to the warming we have been experiencing. I tend to be in the camp which argues that solar activity is the primary climate driver, with greenhouse gases and ocean currents as a sort of climate fine tuning mechanism.
Please understand that I am not arguing for ignoring one's carbon footprint or that I support irresponsible industrial practices. Indeed, I feel that human activity has caused massive ecological damage which is currently forgotten, generally speaking, due to the push to deal with the carbon problem.
I should also add, in addressing what I consider to be the most impending issue that we should be concerned about...I suggest that anyone who is concerned about local economies, natural or organic food sources, and natural health practices, should look into Codex Alimentarius.
I had a great conversation with a stranger in the supermarket yesterday...we were both getting in each other's way checking out the cheese....the locally made, from about 30 km's away was the same price for 500gms as the generic supermarket's own brand for 1 kg.
I told her my reasons for not wanting the supermarket brand...food miles, don't know where the milk came from, perhaps a mix from various places, supporting a monopoly chain, but a good buy moneywise, vs supporting a local business, local milk,low food miles, better taste at a bit more cost
She was very interested, didn't know about any of those things, was just comparing based on price, liked what she was hearing, I told her about blogs....we both bought the local cheese, with her off to check out blogs.
2 happy customers!
Belle, lovely story - thank you for sharing your experience!!!
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