Happiest of New Years to you all! I hope this note finds you warm and dry!
What a blustery beginning to the year. The Holidays have passed and 2007…. here we come!
Should I share with you my resolution? Does it come true if I tell; like a wish upon a star, which is only possible if sealed in secrecy?
Well, I will share, because I know you are all sitting on the edge of your seats.
I’ve completely abandoned ever going on a diet again. Yes, it’s true and in fact… the idea of limit-ing my calorie consumption is abhorrent to me. I will, of course, con-tinue to make wise and healthy eating choices and include plenty of exercise. But I will not spend another penny or brain space fussing over weight reduction programs for the sake of vanity.
If you’ve met me, you might think, like I have many times in the 40 years of previously attempted dieting, that I could benefit from a few pounds lost. But the more important thought to consider besides fitting into a certain size of clothing or culturally imposed image of “the perfect” weight for Deb, is that maybe a little stored fat would be a good thing right about now. Aren’t our bodies designed to hold on to “extra” when the harvest is plentiful so we can ride the wave of scarcity when the cupboards are bare? Isn’t that why we’re attracted to “fat” in the first place, so we can store it, and save it for leaner times?
I don’t always let people know how concerned I am about the future of our food supply. I make my speeches palatable to a wide arrange of Peak Oil and Global Climate Change supporters, and try not to appear fanatical. But I must say to you all that I have serious apprehensions about the coming few years. It is time to get serious about the work ahead. My brain, your brains, all of our collective attention needs to be on mobilization to prepare for the fossil fuel decline and climate change disruptions. The weight will come off when our grocery stores no longer shelve enough food. A heroic cooperative effort is needed now. Please join me in making this happen. My real New Years resolution/wish is that we all weather the coming storm together safely. See our line up of meetings scheduled for 2007 at www.sustainablemontereycounty.org, and you can always email me at deb@sustainablemontereycounty.org.
Plant that veggie garden, we’ll need it.
Deborah

Well, it's not really raining today, there's some sun in Pacific Grove, which is incredible in it's own right.
But it has been raining and it will continue to do so now that fall and winter are here and around the corner.
I just want to see how many folks are trying to catch their rain as a way of sustainable living.
Remember, most water systems are heavily reliant on natural gas for distribution. Part of thinking beyond fossil fuels, is to think about our most basic needs... how would they be met if the system that runs them is not functioning?
Rain water is an excellent option. My little tiny house, no more that 600 square feet, can catch over 400 gallons of water for every inch of rain. Of course, this requires a place to keep the water... but it's possible.

Is it possible that the federal government has told the oil companies to lower their prices for a few months because the holidays are coming and they don't want consumers to feel the pinch while stocking up on presents? I really wonder what the gas prices will look like in January.

I propose that we don't give in to our programmed holiday response. I propose that we be minimalists. My family and I are doing one gift per person and a stocking, the rest we make or bake. A direct quote from Julian Darley and Celine Rich, both from the Post Carbon Institute... "Reduce, produce 90% less and make the rest." It's hard to imagine how much less this would be but as they said to me, "If you drink coffee every day, have it every 9th day." So, if you usually buy 9 holiday gifts, buy only one.