This is my first blog in this group so excuse me if I am not in tune with you yet! [Also, I am a Brit and my lovely wife is American]
Firstly, I want to work with local people (20 miles of West Chester) to design and build energy efficient houses. I have design skills for very low energy systems, experience in building and refurbishing houses (old ones mainly). Currently, designing the energy system for a small complex of live/work condos. Intend to build a small community of about four detached houses possibly with some communal spaces close to an existing local community.
Secondly, I have developed new energy technologies that can save huge amounts of energy. Looking to get them in commercial production if I can find the right company(s) with good intentions. There are many ways to replace carbon fuels and most existing corporations do not want to know because they are threatened or just short-sighted. A serious attempt to be self-sufficient will require considerable capital both to make new equipment and to finance the higher capital cost of worthwhile energy generators like PV and geothermal power generation. I need to network to find the right people who can make this happen.
Thirdly, we need to explore and discuss the societal changes that need to take place and the political action that is needed to enable them. I am impressed by the Earth Rights Institute and their moves to educate on the need for land taxes to replace income and output taxes. Philadelphia is already trying to move a bit in this direction but the imperative is not well understood and the movers are meeting strong coroprate resistance. We need to go much further than land taxes to the complete replacement of the existing tax structure by a resource-based tax system. I am just learning about this so let's get a discussion going.