My fear is not so much what the environment will do to us – and that is bad enough – it is what we will do to us. In our history has disease and famine had much greater power to destroy than we do?

To be honest I am not too hopeful, but never give up. I was in Viet Nam in 68. I thought we had finally learned our lesson on the use of force to obtain political objectives. Then here comes “I’m too important to go to war” George W Bush, and slaps another tar-baby.
How many of our own to we have to kill before we learn?

The Stock Market – the least of our current worries – has become a place where men are trying to turn lead into gold. Futures and derivatives are nothing but an attempt to defy a financial gravity.

Then there is our environment. We just don’t get it that this is not our earth, it belongs to all generations. If God does exist and creationism is real, God gave man dominion over the earth, not dictatorship. The Religious Right brays about the ten commandment, yet does not even honor the Father God to whom they pray to enough to protect that which they believe he created.

I am not giving up, but if past is prologue, the third act is going to be a bitch.(and I do not mean Hillary.)

One third of the biosphere’s residents destroyed – unless we crash our carbon footprints over the next decade.

You mention the farm bill and public financing. The best way for the public to finance foods that are healthy is to buy them, locally. We bought into a whole system that took us out of the home and involvement in the day to day process of living. Take a look at how much of your life you depend upon someone else to provide. Who knows what Tyson puts into our food? It is our responsibility to know but we put someone else in charge.

I grew up in the 50’s. My Dad had a feed store. Many of his customers did not always have money to pay for feed for their livestock. (Credit was not ubiquitous then) My father did extend credit, but most people wanted to pay for what they got, so they bartered. We had fresh vegetables, chickens that we ate, and we kept some and ate their eggs. Often we got a calf that my Dad finished raising and we had them slaughtered at the local butcher.

Complete localization is not completely realistic, but we need to examine what can be. Farmers Markets are growing and thriving all over the country.

We do not need five Televisions in one house. In fact we really need only about 1/3 of all we consume. We have lost the connection with other people and we buy and eat to compensate.

Electric cars and soon solar cars are good enough. If there is a long trip to be made we need mass transit. Do we really need to freedom to just up and go at the cost of our existence? The planet will be fine. It will just get rid of the virus that is making it sick – us

I doubt we have 10 years. A lot of us will die as well as the other species. Those who survive, if there are any, will be forced to do so in a very basic way. I am trying to teach everyone I know how to do basic things – like feeding yourself.

Modification is not enough, rebuilding is required.

I can’t seem to find an “old-fashioned” (dag nabit) bike seat with springs.

This is a fairly common topic amongst bikers and those interested in starting. Many think that the springy ones will be the most comfortable, but this is often not the case, especially if you might be doing longer distances at some point (not marathons…just maybe a lot of errands around the City

The other “old-fashioneds,” the leather saddles are often the preferred choice of other commuters I’ve know (I’m just a commuter, so know nothing about high-performace racing seats). Like any seat, there will be a breaking-in phase, so be sure to take it easy at first.

Actually, I’ve had people very sternly warn me about the spingy seat come to think of it. Apparently they’re only for very casual riders, since the edge of the digs into the back of your butt/legs.

This is a decent link for more info.

Good luck with it! It seems really hard at first, but you get used to it and after a while, you can’t imagine not riding.

Margot @ 134

newdealfarmgrrl,
I feel the same way about lawn chemicals and for that matter, lawns.
I’m enlarging the flower garden and scrubbing out the lawn little by little.
Our household is at 13.1 tons; I bet it’s more but that is from the rough estimate.

Trying to do that, too…

hi PB
have you ever tried mixing your garden?
putting the herbs and flowers together with the veges?
chives and garlic under the roses.climbing beans on the frame with
those really high dahlias and leaf lettuce underneath.rosemary bushes and larkspur and poppies all mixed in.
the marigolds and brassicas and thymes.
for cropping,keeping types separate is more convenient but for day to day use all mixed up is easier.
as individual plants reach the end they are replaced and spot mulching works well.mixed up also means less insect damage because conditions are better for predators and plants are healthier (happier?)next to companions.(some don’t like each other though.beans and onions are a no no and never put fennel any where near rue)it’s fascinating and can be outrageously beatiful.

http://www.nativeenergy.com/projects.html

9.5 for us … my company offsets all of our business travel.

And I offset that for $10 a month through Native Energy. Invested in building wind turbines so it also adds renewable capacity … and they are good folks.

We like the word “native”. ;0)

I’ll ask my son about bike seats – I know a while back he did a whole lotta research on options since he uses a bike for all his travel and with his fibro, he is serious about comfort.