Is self sufficiency sustainability?

[big brown horse]

I have an anvil and a three lb hammer from my horse shoeing days. I even learned to make some tools out of old horse shoes and bar stock, I ought to try my hand at nails...peg style.

Ex husband got the forge but that is ok, it takes propane to fuel it.

BTW a piece of old rail road tie makes a decent anvil.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

if and when TS really does HTF -- where would you get...... Nails. Just for instance.

Well MY neighbor is a blacksmith so I would probably walk down the street and buy some from him.

I love the "community" here

 

[redux]

maybe we should change the name of the forum to "sufficient selves"

 

[Farmfresh]

Do you believe that by living a self sufficient lifestyle, you are living a more ecologically sustainable one?

In other words, if you raise your own food and produce your own energy and make your own soap, etc., are you therefore making less of an impact on the planet than if you purchased those items?

For thousands of years people lived an agrarian/artisan/barter lifestyle. If you could not break the rocks quite right to make your arrowheads you cooked Grog a bowl of stew so he would break them for you. The lifestyle WORKS and it is extremely sustainable. I would say folks back then were pretty darned self-sufficient as well (except for the occasional need for Grogs rocks). It could have gone on forever. (That IS what sustainable means isn't it?)

Then came mechanization, industrialization, fossil fuels and 39 cent cans of green beans. We have plasma TV's, cars, computers and everyone I know has a metal stove in their kitchen. It ain't working so well dude.

With all the factories comes pollution, cans that leach chemicals into our tomatoes, glass bits in the baby food, horrible asthma, cancer and allergies. The fuel is depleting and people are living hollow lives. Sustainable? I think not.

It is obvious that we are NEVER going back to cracking rocks to make a tool. We like our computers and it is sure nice to have a deep freeze and a good doctor when you need one. Heck I am even quite fond of whatever soul who is out there melting sand to make me some canning jars. Seems to me we need a way that is different from EITHER of the old choices.

How about a civilization where we use technology and the Earth in unison. You know wind power, solar power, geothermal power, hydro power. Heck lets even harness the tides. Use all of that power for good - not Monsanto. Melt that sand in big old factories and make my glass jars and my metal stove, but this time make my metal stove one that will REALLY truly last. Make the parts simple. Make them easy to repair. Make it so useful and reliable I will not only, NEVER want to buy another one - my grand kids won't be needing a new one either.

Lets all live in reasonable homes. Homes that are sized to be comfortable for our families - not land airplanes. Homes that are easy to heat and cool, because they are well built, well insulated and sited to be in tune with their location on the earth. No high rise glass towers in the Arizona desert, no air conditioned mega malls in the tropics. If you live in a hot climate your house should have lots of windows to catch a breeze and be built out of materials that help it to stay cool (can you say adobe?). If you live in the cold parts of the world designs that catch and hold heat would make some sense. Everyone who was able should have a least a little hand in growing or preparing some of their own food. Those that are not able should still be able to buy food that is safe healthy and mostly locally grown. People should have enough experiences in life that they can learn what it is they do best. Then have an opportunity to share that skill and make a bit of profit. If you are really good at breaking rocks you should be able to do what you like and make some money for it. (There will be a need for money. Some things you just don't want to do or make and there is always a need for a few more canning jars )

Sure there will be trade offs. High fashion may become a dirty phrase. A banana might become a food for special occasions if you live (like me) in Missouri. Goodness ... we might only watch TV sometimes. It may be better for us to walk down the street and watch a local play. We could all be more aware of the Earth we live on and live smarter and happier, without going back to breaking rocks.

It COULD work and it COULD be sustainable. Is it 100% by the book self-sufficient? I certainly hope not. That would be too lonely.

 

[Bubblingbrooks]

Do you believe that by living a self sufficient lifestyle, you are living a more ecologically sustainable one?

In other words, if you raise your own food and produce your own energy and make your own soap, etc., are you therefore making less of an impact on the planet than if you purchased those items?

For thousands of years people lived an agrarian/artisan/barter lifestyle. If you could not break the rocks quite right to make your arrowheads you cooked Grog a bowl of stew so he would break them for you. The lifestyle WORKS and it is extremely sustainable. I would say folks back then were pretty darned self-sufficient as well (except for the occasional need for Grogs rocks). It could have gone on forever. (That IS what sustainable means isn't it?)

Then came mechanization, industrialization, fossil fuels and 39 cent cans of green beans. We have plasma TV's, cars, computers and everyone I know has a metal stove in their kitchen. It ain't working so well dude.

With all the factories comes pollution, cans that leach chemicals into our tomatoes, glass bits in the baby food, horrible asthma, cancer and allergies. The fuel is depleting and people are living hollow lives. Sustainable? I think not.

It is obvious that we are NEVER going back to cracking rocks to make a tool. We like our computers and it is sure nice to have a deep freeze and a good doctor when you need one. Heck I am even quite fond of whatever soul who is out there melting sand to make me some canning jars. Seems to me we need a way that is different from EITHER of the old choices.

How about a civilization where we use technology and the Earth in unison. You know wind power, solar power, geothermal power, hydro power. Heck lets even harness the tides. Use all of that power for good - not Monsanto. Melt that sand in big old factories and make my glass jars and my metal stove, but this time make my metal stove one that will REALLY truly last. Make the parts simple. Make them easy to repair. Make it so useful and reliable I will not only, NEVER want to buy another one - my grand kids won't be needing a new one either.

Lets all live in reasonable homes. Homes that are sized to be comfortable for our families - not land airplanes. Homes that are easy to heat and cool, because they are well built, well insulated and sited to be in tune with their location on the earth. No high rise glass towers in the Arizona desert, no air conditioned mega malls in the tropics. If you live in a hot climate your house should have lots of windows to catch a breeze and be built out of materials that help it to stay cool (can you say adobe?). If you live in the cold parts of the world designs that catch and hold heat would make some sense. Everyone who was able should have a least a little hand in growing or preparing some of their own food. Those that are not able should still be able to buy food that is safe healthy and mostly locally grown. People should have enough experiences in life that they can learn what it is they do best. Then have an opportunity to share that skill and make a bit of profit. If you are really good at breaking rocks you should be able to do what you like and make some money for it. (There will be a need for money. Some things you just don't want to do or make and there is always a need for a few more canning jars )

Sure there will be trade offs. High fashion may become a dirty phrase. A banana might become a food for special occasions if you live (like me) in Missouri. Goodness ... we might only watch TV sometimes. It may be better for us to walk down the street and watch a local play. We could all be more aware of the Earth we live on and live smarter and happier, without going back to breaking rocks.

It COULD work and it COULD be sustainable. Is it 100% by the book self-sufficient? I certainly hope not. That would be too lonely.

 

[Buster]

Sorry, Buster.

yep.

come on over to the meat chickens thread or over to my journal where i'm blaming you for turning to the dark side.

Have I been a bad influence?

 

[Beekissed]

Buster, going on my Lunatic Tour at Joel's place on May 11th!!!


Can't wait!!!

 

[redux]

High fashion may become a dirty phrase.

Does that mean no more "America's Next Top Model"?

 

[Farmfresh]

Maybe it will be Americas Best Top Artist or Americas Best Top Milker - who knows. There are already tons of "reality" shows out there that are doing great. Dancing with the Stars, American Idol and other shows that highlight talents are doing gangbusters as well. Should we be judging people on how well they photograph anyway? If you have watched the show at all you would realize that most of these girls don't need to be farmers .... they already live like animals. No, take that back ... most animals keep their living spaces cleaner and are kinder to each other.

 

[redux]

I love that show. And yeah, some of the contestants are immature, I agree. But I still love the art of the photography and the styling. And, of course the high fashion.