THE END IS NIGH!

If you read Gavin's Blog (The Greening of Gavin), 

you will have seen this.  But it is so good, 

I have decided to post it here too, 

in the hope that it will reach more people. 

I like it because it is an easy-to-understand overview 

of what is happening in our world.  

It covers all the bases -  

capitalism's need for continuous economic growth, 

peak-oil, our over-reliance on

cheap money and energy,

the disintegration of the environment,

climate change...... 

I really like the fact that the author seems almost excited 

by the promise the crumbling of the world-as-we-know-it offers us - 

an opportunity to do it better.  

Have a look and see what you think.

Here is a link to the authors of the animation: Doing it Ourselves.

I am off outside to plant some more veggies!

It is Sunday! Must be time for a Rant!

I find myself living in a community which was horrendously affected and effected by the 2009 Black Saturday Bush-fires which ravaged huge swathes of this state.

More than 3 years have passed but the community is still reeling from the shock and aftermath of these events.  Even though a great deal of the infrastructure and housing has been built back: much of it bigger, grander and better than before;  it is the phychological, emotional, social, economic and environmental scars that continue to fester and ooze.

Mental illness, suicide, drug and alcohol problems, domestic violence, negativity, and bullying are all problems exacerbated by the isolation of the community, socio-economic issues, struggling small businesses, unemployment, low education levels, youth disengagement, lack of services, high cost of living,  etc.  Even the climate on the mountain contributes at this time of the year.  It is cold and heating costs high in an area where there is no mains gas and many rely on wood heating.

I have been thinking that this community is really a microcosm of the world at large.  It underwent a cataclysmic event in the space of a few days.  The world, on the other hand is undergoing its own series of cataclysmic events: GFC, european and american economies on their knees, climate change, expanding gaps between the rich and poor, peak-oil, shrinking resources...you get the drift.  Unfortunately many people cannot, or are unwilling to, put these together to see the whole...unlike my community where it happened so suddenly, people couldn't help but notice!

I am thinking, some of the things that may heal this community may, in the long run, also benefit the whole world.   Building a community that is self-sustaining in the areas of governance, economy, society and environment would benefit this community; as it would the whole world.

Unchecked growth, globalization and the elevation of money and wealth to the status of a god have brought us here.  Maybe localization can bring us back!...or at least allow us to continue in a sustainable way.

Check out these links:

Planet Kitchen

Post growth economies

Local Blu

Me, me...I'll do it!

I think I may have to learn to sit on my hands...

to stop me for volunteering for anything else.  

I am still doing a couple of mornings at the school 

and working in the op-shop on Fridays 

but Iwhat I am most excited about is that I am doing some volunteering with

Sustainable Gardening Australia (SGA).

From the website:

Sustainable Gardening Australia was established in 2003. We are a not-for-profit, non-government organisation dedicated to changing the way Australians garden.

SGA is totally committed to achieving real, continually improving and easily understood environmental solutions for gardeners. 

The project I am working on, 

with three other delightful volunteers is locating and

helping to prepare about six gardens in the inner west of Melbourne 

for a Sustainable Gardens Open Day later in the year. 

(Hey, Veggiebobbler, do you know anyone down your way?)
The focus is not on 'show gardens' but on
attainable sustainable gardens with ideas and practices
that anyone could have a go at.

I will let you know more as the project develops 

and it would be a great opportunity for 

a Melbourne Bloggers' Big Day Out, when the time comes.  

As the name suggests, SGA is an Australia wide program

so c'mon all you Aussies, check out their web-site
for all sorts of interesting information and to have 

their newsletter delivered to your in box.

There is a down side to my involvement in
this project though...I will have to
meet with the other volunteers and Tracey from SGA
at my favourite nursery....oh dear!