Giving to the Earth this Year

The time of gift giving is upon us. Most people spend many hours planning and shopping for loved ones. Sadly, most items in our stores are manufactured from cheap plastics or thin metals that break quickly. Current available merchandise has degenerated to the point where what we buy is often low priced and low quality, and an item that the recipient does not really want or need. Unfortunately, for obvious reasons, the gift quickly ends up in the garbage.

Once these items are in the landfill their fate is to sit for thousands of years. Our landfills are already bursting at the seams from daily waste produced by every household; there really is no room for additional holiday garbage.

Gift giving is an important part of our Christmas season. By changing the way we give gifts we can increase their longevity. Instead of each individual relative buying each child a less expensive toy, relatives could pool their money to buy one higher quality, more expensive toy that will last through the rough and tumble play of childhood. Toys that are made from strong durable materials can be enjoyed by one child and then passed on to younger children, delaying their trip to the landfill.

Giving a child one highly valued, good quality gift also helps reduce that child’s insatiable appetite for presents that often develops at Christmas time.  Teaching a child to treasure one truly special toy will send the message that gifts are not expendable, that toys are to be treasured and not tossed in the trash when something better comes along.

Adult presents are sometimes a challenge because adults often buy what they need during the year. What is left for a relative to give during the holidays? Instead of buying something cheap and unnecessary, give tickets to a local play or musical or a sentimental gift such as a photo-book or photo-calendar. These types of special gifts will not be easily tossed.

Perhaps the pinnacle of gift giving is finding a well-suited, used gift at a thrift store. Gifting used items benefits the Earth in a two-fold way: firstly, this delay’s that items trip to the landfill for many years and, secondly the money spent at the thrift shop goes in-part towards funding programs to help others live sustainably in the Third World.

Finally, when you do decide what to buy for your family consider the wrapping. How absurd that commercial wrapping paper once purchased is immediately tossed! Consider using recycled items to wrap your presents: the comics from the newspaper or handmade reusable cloth bags. Avoid expensive Christmas cards that are read only once and then added to the holiday layer at the landfill.

  

How ironical that the holiday season, which is a special time to celebrate generosity, contributes to a stressing of the Earth we live on. This year give the Planet a present: think carefully how your gift giving will affect the environment. 

By Rebecca Hiebert

Slowing Down

Recently I have been thinking about slowing down. Of course, say my friends, you have reached retirement and so that is a legitimate proposition. But then, when I connect with some of my retired friends, one of their complaints I hear most often is that they are busier than ever.

I conclude that busyness has become one of our culture’s virtues. We tend to think more highly of people whose calendars are chock-full than of those who have a few open spaces left.

A lot has been written in recent decades about margins and boundaries. How long would you stay with a book, for example, that had no margins. Most of the book would likely remain unread. Slowing down reminds us that we are most fully alive when we live within appropriate boundaries that allow some room for surprise and flexibility. A good cup of coffee is best taken slowly, as is a good quality wine! So why do we gulp down our lives so quickly?

Beyond being better for you, slowing down is becoming imperative in our day because a fast life always leaves a larger ecological footprint than necessary. This is so very evident in the fast food industry to which many of us have become enslaved. We grab our food on the run and wolf it down on our way to the next thing on our calendars. Of course, on our way in we drop a large bag of paper and plastic into the garbage. Sometimes we even just throw it out the car window. We have yet to add up the personal and social cost of giving up a regular, slow-paced, family dinner.

Feeling the need to take in every possible event we can, we zip around in our vehicles and fly around the world lest we commit the “sin” of missing out on something. Of course, in the process we build up a large number of experiences we can share with our friends. The only problem is we don’t really have time to get together much for a leisurely sharing of life. And at the same time we keep on using up more and more of diminishing fossil fuel reserves of the world.

One commitment I have recently made is to literally slow down while driving. I have developed a 90-90 principle which states that 90 percent of the time on the road I will not exceed 90 kilometers an hour. Some of my trucker friends tell me that such a move can make the difference between breaking even or earning a decent living – given the amount of fuel you save at the slower speed. 

An additional benefit I experience is that every time I set my cruise on 90, I am reminded to slow down in other areas of life as well. Perhaps I can retrain myself to leave a smaller ecological footprint as I learn to slow down and actually have time to smell the flowers.

By Jack Heppner

Voluntary Simplicity

I recently heard about a survey that found that those young adults who carry the most debt are also the one who feel most empowered with their finances. It is only as they get older that they realize that their debt does not empower them; rather it controls them. The above poll-based observation describes the average Canadian! The average Canadian owes $1.50 for every $1.00 he owns and does not realize how much he is controlled by his debt. 

It seems bizarre, but I can understand why we feel that sense of empowerment.  When we buy something, we experience the power of money – the power to get what we want.  If we buy something with cash, that feeling goes away once the money is gone and the novelty of the purchase wears off; but with credit, we carry a constant power source in our wallets, with a power that doesn't really wear off until we go bankrupt.

However, that feeling of power is just that: a feeling, an illusion – not reality. In the ancient world, prisons were used primarily to house people who couldn't pay their debts.  We may not be in prison because of our debts; nevertheless, our debts control us as if we were. Our grandparents didn't carry so much debt. So why do we?

You may have heard of something called "Voluntary Simplicity.” Depending on whom you heard it from; you may believe that it is a growing movement of self-sufficiency and non-compliance to corporate powers. On the other hand, you may consider it a hippy stunt that would have us all poor and living in communes. Voluntary Simplicity has to do with being frugal, making things rather than buying them, and making do with less – and depending on your perspective, that could sound like heaven, or even hell. 

Let me suggest another way altogether of looking at this concept of Voluntary Simplicity, a way we all be able to relate to: voluntary simplicity is about financial freedom in a world full of debt. It's about knowing the true value of things, and refusing to pay more – or less – than something is worth.  It's about re-learning the skills that make our heritage so rich, and sharing our knowledge and support with our communities.  It's about knowing that spending money only gives you a feeling of power, whereas the real power lies in deciding not to spend money on things you don't need. It's about knowing that, as Scotiabank regularly reminds us, "you're richer than you think" – because real wealth is not defined by our credit limits.

We invite you to join us in thinking about voluntary simplicity and simpler living. Val Hiebert, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Providence University College will share her insights as she addresses the South Eastman Transition Initiative at the Eastman Education Centre, Loewen Blvd, next Thursday, November 24th at 7:00 pm.

By Jeff Wheeldon             

Why I Ride My Bicycle

Three reasons, really! It is good for my health, it is economical, and it is the only sensible thing to do if one takes the long view. Which of these I consider most important depends on which day you ask me.

When I retired from my last paying job three years ago, I realized that if I wanted to maintain my health I would need to discipline myself in terms of exercise. Necessary exercise could take the form of a regular workout at a gym, or on some exercise equipment in my basement. It could take the form of a disciplined walk or jog every day, but I knew from experience, that I do not take to this kind of discipline well. As I thought about my options, I realized that the most pleasant discipline for me would be to deliberately limit my options with respect to getting around Steinbach.  I resolved that I would not use motorized transport to get myself between points within Steinbach and environs.

For the most part, I have stuck with my resolve. I am grateful that my health allows me to cycle. I do need a car to carry goods from time to time, but the bike trailer I now have handles most of the things I need to carry. Winter riding is a challenge, but that challenge is not insurmountable. Studded tires reduce wipeouts, and appropriate clothing protects me from the weather. At minus thirty, properly dressed, I arrive at my destination warmer than if I had ridden in a car.

Was I not committed to cycling, Mary and I would need an additional vehicle. According to a recent Globe and Mail article, car ownership in Canada costs at least $6,000 annually, in some cases as much as $13,000. So because of my cycling habit, we can manage with $6,000 less pension income.

Then there is the long view. What do we expect our city to look like in 20 years, in 30 years or 50 years? Will we still be dependant on the gasoline-powered automobile? I do not think so. The current gasoline dominated era will end soon. When that happens, a sprawling city of large parking lots and wide streets will not be a welcoming city.

Some people place their hope in plug-in vehicles. But plug-in vehicles are no more energy efficient than gasoline powered vehicles. They merely substitute hydro energy for oil energy.

Today, if I ride my car from my house to the Clearspring Mall, I consume more than a million calories. If I walk that same distance, I consume 185 calories. If I cycle, I also consume 185 calories, but cover the distance in one-third the time.

If we want our city to survive into the future, we need a city built around energy efficiency, not around the squandering of energy. The planet will give us no choice. By riding my bike, I am sending a signal, however small, to whoever will listen, that we need to, much more consciously, move towards energy efficiency in our city.

Cycling is one expression of voluntary simplicity. Join us at the Eastman Educational Centre November 24 for a discussion of voluntary simplicity with Val Hiebert, sociology prof at Providence. 

Eric Rempel

Saving Summer Shine

Just a few weeks ago, Ruth and I harvested a dozen large, organically-grown cabbages from our garden.

Most of those cabbages ended up as sauerkraut. For the most part, our generation has forgotten about this wonder-food. But last year, Ruth and I made our first attempt to re-discover lacto-fermentation, one of the oldest preservation methods known to humankind.

The process is really quite simple. Cut up the cabbages into thin wedges or send them through a food processor. As you layer this cabbage in a large container, preferably a stone crock, sprinkle on a bit of salt and break open the cells of the cabbage with a “stomper.” Repeat this process until either your container is nearly full or you run out of cabbage. Then cover it with a large plate and place a weight on it.

Within 24 hours the natural juices will have covered the cabbage and the fermentation process will be underway. After about six weeks, when the juices have been reabsorbed into the cabbage, you will know that your sauerkraut is ready. Then it is a matter of placing the sauerkraut in clean jars and storing them in a cool place. And bingo – you are set for the winter.

Even before modern studies have proclaimed fermented sauerkraut as an amazing health food, James Cook introduced it as a staple food for his sailors and found that it helped to prevent the plague of the seas; namely scurvy. He didn’t know exactly why it worked, but later studies showed that it was because of the high level of vitamin C in sauerkraut.

Further studies through the years have identified many health benefits to sauerkraut. For starters, it is an immune booster. The common cold and flu, skin problems, weight gain and tainted blood can all be fixed with a healthy immune system.

Sauerkraut is also a cancer fighter. An interesting study of breast cancer rates among Polish-American women showed that they were much more likely to contract cancer than Polish women who had stayed in Poland and continued to each generous amounts of sauerkraut.

And sauerkraut is an amazing digestive aid, protecting the balance of bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract. It also helps to neutralize anti-nutrients found in many foods and facilitates the breakdown and assimilation of proteins.

So this is the second winter in which we will be eating sauerkraut three or four times a week as a side-dish to whatever else we eat. We find it goes amazingly well with most dishes.

Now if I have convinced you to eat sauerkraut and you head to the supermarket to buy some, be forewarned that much that passes for sauerkraut is simply cabbage soaked in vinegar and salt. Make sure that what you buy is “fermented” cabbage if you want to experience the benefits listed above.

Better still, grow your own cabbage next year and make your own sauerkraut. And save some summer sunshine for the dark winter months. 

Jack Heppner

The Economy

After our last column about a Steady State Economy, I heard from David Dawson who lives at La Broquerie. David agreed with the column, but thought the language got a little too complex at places.

Here is how he put it: I am just an ordinary guy – certainly not an economist. Here are just common sense thoughts from an amateur. Mind you, I believe the economy as a whole is so complex that no one really understands it completely. Experts build computer ‘models’ but how accurate are they.

David thinks it must be obvious to any thinking person that perpetual growth of anything, anything at all, including population and economy is unsustainable. Eventually something will have to give – probably with dramatic effect.  Nevertheless, if our economy isn’t expanding we are told something is wrong. We call it a recession or even depression.  Unemployment soars and company revenues fall, leading to a drop in government revenue. We fear another depression similar to the 1930s.

Obviously, if we can’t go on growing the economy for ever, David says, there has to be a point where growth stops and we end up in a state of permanent recession/depression or at best stagnation.  Currently our lifestyle is based on continual growth, so we are, without doubt, eventually destined for a major shake-up with huge social adjustments.  Are we possibly seeing the very beginnings of this process at the present time? The USA is having great difficulty creating jobs and getting out of the last recessionary period. There are obscenely high pay levels in the financial sector which are creating a totally unbalanced sharing of the wealth of the nation with poverty rife everywhere. Is this partly responsible for the present situation?  The demonstrators all over the world seem to think so.

According to David, when we are in a period of recession our government borrows money to boost the economy to keep employment artificially high.  By borrowing, government creates or maintains a standard of living unsupportable by the economy.  The government hopes it will be able to pay back the loans when the economy returns to growth, but as you can see growth must eventually stop.  We may end up in a situation where we can never pay back the loans, with a crippled economy paying interest only on the money it has borrowed. These payments take much needed resources out of our economy. I wonder if we are in a time of human existence when we are close to, or are actually in, a period of permanent recession/depression.  If that is the case, what are we going to do about the money we have borrowed, whether it is private, individual borrowing, or government borrowing? If this is the time we are in, now is the time to change the way we do things. 

David’s solution is to learn how to cook instead of buying pre-packaged, pre-cooked, boxed meals.  Dig up that useless lawn and plant vegetables.  Learn how to make jam, preserve and freeze your produce.  Compost the waste.

You might also join us Thursday for a presentation on the Steady State Economy. October 27, 7:00PM at the Eastman Education Centre on Loewen Bld. More information at southeasttransition.com.

Eric Rempel

Presenting the Steady State Economy

Addressing the economic and ecological problems of the 21st century

The human family is about to get a little bigger. According to the United Nations, the global population will reach seven billion this Halloween – on October 31, 2011. It would be too easy to say that the coincidental alignment of this milestone with Halloween should be cause for fear. We don’t need to be afraid of a few more babies; birthrates are even decreasing in some parts of the world. What we should be deeply concerned about is the likelihood that these babies will one day aspire to Western lifestyles at a time when the planet simply can’t handle any more materially opulent aspirations.

Our way of life in the West not only puts immense pressure on the environment, it has also become a catalyst for economic volatility on a scale we’ve never seen before. We have designed our economic system to – as economist Tim Jackson describes – “spend money we don’t have on things we don’t need to create impressions that won’t last on people we don’t care about.” Unlike what most mainstream economists will tell you, that’s a recipe for disaster, not prosperity.

Take a moment to consider how the global economy is performing. Oil prices reached $113 a barrel earlier this year, contrasted with a low of $13 a barrel in 1999 (today they hover around $86). Stocks have seen unprecedented volatility; so too have the prices of grains and other essential foodstuffs. Major economies still haven’t fixed a broken financial system that inflates the prices of assets (such as mortgages) and permits a wasteful kind of “gambling” with legitimately earned money. If investment banking was working properly it would be facilitating much-needed investment in green infrastructure, not phony new financial products that consume rather than produce capital.

If this is what a “growing economy” looks like in the 21st century, we should clearly be aiming for something better! It’s time to start being rational rather than dogmatic about the word “growth.” We need to shake ourselves out of collective denial and engineer an economy that is more practical, meaningful and truly prosperous. Recent global protests such as Occupy Wall Street represent an awakening economic consciousness and a backlash against the status quo. They are revealing the cracks of a deeply broken system. But they’re not yet specific and productive.

I invite you to join me in applying specific solutions to these problems by engineering a new economy with a firm foundation. Fostering economic degrowth towards a steady-state doesn’t mean recession; it means fostering a balanced, manageable level of resource flows. It doesn’t mean going back to the dark ages; it means a life more happily and meaningfully lived.

Using the power of entrepreneurship and innovation, we need to find common purpose in the realignment of our overarching social and economic goals — not toward yesterday’s notions of solidarity or neoliberalism — but towards pragmatic and meaningful capital maintenance for prosperity without growth.

Join us on October 27th at 7pm at the Eastman Education Centre to learn more about how we can engineer prosperity without growth.

by James Johnston of the Centre for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy (CASSE)