Freedom through conservation
Lindsay Curren has no intention of ending up the Scarlett O'Hara of the 21st century, dizzy and confused as neo-Rome burns. Instead, the Staunton, Virginia based writer, designer and high-heeled survivalist writes Lindsay's List, the women's conservation blog and edits Transition Voice, the online magazine on peak oil and the coming life of sweaty labor and, hopefully, nicer manners.
Human life is messy, and human beings even more so. Working out our "stuff" together is no easy feat. And it's made no easier by the flood of all kinds of information into our minds, too much of which pollutes our internal lives rather than edifying our personal existence. The powerful tsunami of junk info we face daily comes in the forms of advertisements, which are pervasive, continual, and … [Read more...]
I've written before about the merits of swapping clothes and accessories you no longer want for "new-to-you" items instead. The three top benefits are: Saving money — one of the the keys to prosperity is spending less/saving more. Eco-friendly — reusing stuff helps avoid adding to the landfill. Fun! — getting together with others for a good time beats solo shopping zombiedom. But … [Read more...]
Something's been troubling me ever since I listened to President Obama's first post-reëlection press conference. Perhaps as a result of Hurricane Sandy, the now two-term president was finally asked a question about global warming, a topic conveniently avoided by both sides throughout the seemingly interminable campaign. The question came from New York Times White House correspondent Mark … [Read more...]
This morning I'm participating in my first hOUR Economy time bank exchange. I'm giddy with excitement about it, feeling like I've taken another giant leap away from the industrial economy. Not only that, I feel I'm taking a giant leap into the new economy that's developing all around us. These are exciting times. Time is on our side, yes it is If you've never heard of a time bank, let me … [Read more...]
Since I've gotten back to regular blogging, I've mentioned a few times that I've opened a store on Etsy, the online marketplace for handicrafts and vintage. I've also pointed you to products on Etsy that are in line with the conservation values I espouse. But now I'm going to wring out a full-throated paean to exactly why I think Etsy is so great across so many fronts. And then, even though … [Read more...]
It was a pretty disappointing presidential campaign by the two major parties given that neither talked about my key issues — peak oil and global warming — with any passion or consistency. Both major parties seem content to avoid what are essentially the two toughest challenges today and going into the future. The issue behind all issues Yes, there's been plenty of red meat from both sides on … [Read more...]
We live in a world dependent on electricity and we forget that being dependent on something — however wonderful that thing is — makes you vulnerable. Even getting a back-up generator isn't a painless solution for household resilience. A medium-size generator can cost $50 or more per day in fuel to run. And just hope that your local gas stations don't lose power or sell out to panic buyers … [Read more...]
Ever since we first got together my husband and I have talked about how to respond to one of our key shared interests — peak oil. For us this means, first of all, a conservation-minded approach to life — using less energy, wasting less, and relying on reusable materials such as hankies and eco-cups, carrying our own grocery bags, and growing much of our own food and cooking it … [Read more...]
The other day I went out on the Saturday morning yard sale crawl in quest of superb finds and other delights. It was an especially early one since the ladies at the local DAR were starting their sale at 6am. But like the rest of the "pickers" there I was, combing for goodies. I finished by 6:30 and had to wait an hour and a half until the next sales in town, which were slated to start at 8. But … [Read more...]
There's a lot of books out there on crafting and artisan-level work. They're usually how-to's that combine techniques, project ideas, and patterns. Some are wonderful but too often the projects either don't stand the test of time, or are a real stretch in terms of the use-value of the end product. Betz White's Sewing Green: 25 Projects with Repurposed & Organic Materials is a real … [Read more...]
