Bay Area Biodiesel Info
For everyone in the Bay Area interested in purchasing biofuels
This group was started to relay accurate, up-to-date information about where B100 biodiesel is available in the bay area, how much it costs, and the origin of the oil used to make the fuel. Through general info about biodiesel & a specific Bay Area focus, it is hoped that this group will encourage people in the Bay to go biodiesel. The aim of this group ...learn more
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Created: Jan 03, 2008
Updated: Jun 15, 2009
Membership: Open
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In the face of an uncertain future... what should we do now?
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In the face of an uncertain future... what should we do now?
I found this a few months ago. It was written by Peter Lunsford on the Relocalization Network website as part of his essay on community. I've tweaked it just a little bit -- it's great "food for action" on increasing the adaptability, resilience, and community where you live.
What should we do now?
Start to get to know the neighbors in your neighborhood. The best way to do this is to give something before expecting to receive something. Bake a cake, preserve some jam or salsa, or prepare a gift basket of homemade items and then deliver the goods to one neighbor at a time, letting them know you want to get to know them. Start talking about your lives and the future together. Tell them how (and why) you made the jam!
If you have kids, get involved in the PTA and their extra-curricular activity organizations, booster clubs or volunteer for chaperone duties. It is reasonable to assume that after just one PTA meeting you will be upset about something you heard and will have something to say about it. Get involved in your kids education and get to know the other parents. Invite them to socialize with you – perhaps a dinner club?
After getting to know the neighbors, ask them if they know how to do something you need done, or if they have a skill you need. Blatantly ask them to help you and teach you. Then return the favor with a favor and follow through even if it’s at an inconvenient time. Projects can include helping to prepare a vegetable garden, knitting socks, putting up a permanent clothes line, building a solar water heater or solar oven, or installing a rainwater harvesting system.
Ask an adjoining neighbor if they would participate with you in enhancing your property boundary or fence line with a new landscaping approach (that doesn’t shut you off from each other by the way!) All of these projects will get your neighbors interested in what you are doing.
Join and attend a church – there are plenty that advocate virtually any philosophical beliefs, yours included. Churches are communities.
Locate and volunteer with a fraternal community organization; like the Lions, or Rotary, or a Woman’s Auxiliary, or the Scouts. Get to know the members and their families. Start to socialize with them regularly – invite them over for a barbecue or to make ice cream with an old-time crank ice cream freezer, or both!
Start an informal neighborhood coop. Offer to buy compact florescent bulbs, or dry foods, in bulk at a discount for the entire neighborhood. Tell them why it’s important and ask for orders (but don’t personally profit from the exercise.) Educate your neighbors on the importance of bulk food storage and rotation and suggest that you collectively buy in bulk as a neighborhood to realize savings. Buy compost or mulch in bulk at a discount at the appropriate seasonal times of the year to enhance your yards.
Start a neighborhood seed or rhizome exchange for your gardens. Get rid of the seeds you don’t want and collect more for the foods you like. (Have some unusual flower seeds and other interesting seeds that you don’t want, so you can offer them in exchange for others.) Or offer to buy seeds for the entire neighborhood in bulk, at a discount, to realize bulk savings. Talk about why non-GMO seeds are so important.
Offer to watch the neighbor’s kids if needed.
Plan neighborhood (or adult) fun days to nearby parks, festivals or entertainment destinations, or organize a periodic neighborhood block party. Ask neighbors to volunteer to help, and make it a hit.
Compile and share a contact list for all the neighbors in your area, along with notes of interest they might be known for (like professions, skills, hobbies, memberships, or hunting for example).
Throw a party, and then subtly suggest in your conversations with everyone who comes that you want to know when they are going to throw their party for you to attend. Suggest an annual or seasonal block party or family picnic where everyone can get together.
Once “community” has been established you will need things that you simply don’t have, but others do. You will want to trade. Trade becomes an art with everyone bartering to maximize their advantage. You may trade with neighbors (but don’t get greedy.) Your community may trade with other communities. Understand how this works.
Get involved in your neighborhood association. Get to know the “players”. Suggest improvements to make the neighborhood more neighbor-friendly.
Obviously there are hundreds of things you can do to get involved, and to start involving your neighbors. And it needs to get started now. If you wait for your neighbors or community to start it, it may never happen. There is a huge power in beginning something. Be powerful. What will you do?
