Why is it that we always need to get bigger, to expand, to grow?
How can something infinitely grow?
Can we only breathe in and never breathe out?
And where are we growing from, what is our intention, our state of mind?
I am hugely interested in how our mind responds, relates to and affects the environment. What does peak oil, 350 or climate change have to do with how I think, with my state of mind? How did we get ourselves into this peak everything situation? And now what?
What about the greed and fear in my own mind. Is clinging, grasping, needing ,wanting ever going to come to an end, will it ever be satisfied?
Couldnt I try letting go?
As David Holmgran, the co-founder of permaculture states: Could not the concept of Descent be a new frontier to approach with zeal?
Does Powerdown really sound that bad?
In his book Transition handbook Rob Hopkins states:
“The reality is that the only way from here is DOWN (in terms of net energy consumption terms), but that down need not necessarily mean deprivation, misery and collapse. The idea of Energy descent is that each step down the hill could be a step towards sanity, towards place and wholeness”
We cannot grow the economy indefinitely. We cannot keep finding sustainable ways to support our un-sustainable lifestyle. We cannot really expect the scope of one earth to keep powering our Consumer Society.
Why do we consume? Is that how we define ourselves, as consumers? Of products, ideas, ideologies, trends… meaning? How did we give our creativity and power away to such an extent? What about re-claiming our ability to produce, to create, to imagine?
Yes, downsize me please! I delight in the prospect of descending this mad curve of “growth”.
Downsize me to the scale of my community, to the food that grows in my garden or even pot. Downsize the amount of crap we pump into the atmosphere. Downsize what we put in landfills. Downsize what we continually claim bit by bit away from nature and other species that share this place with.
I recently read this bit of statistics: to maintain the energy consumption of one average American, it would take 40 people paddling on bicycles day and night in his back yard!
Powermedown to the bicycle or a walk instead of forty horses taking me down the road to the dairy to get a packet of chips.
Power me down please!
For some good ideas check out this blog:
www.transitionus.org/stories/open-letter-how-get-350ppm
http://www.billmckibben.com/deep-economy.html
