Hi, I'm supposed to be an authority on this topic. I could probably fill 50 books on suggestions. But trying to keep it short:
learn how to avoid palm oil in your food
all that light bulb stuff is crap. Look to your heat first. Learn about rocket mass heaters and micro heaters. You can save thousands of dollars and switching from electric heat to a rocket mass heater will reduce your carbon footprint as much as parking seven cars.
Drying your clothes with a clothesline or drying rack instead of using a dryer.
try growing a bit of your own food. There is a huge amount of petroleum that goes into growing and transporting food.
4.1 if you are going to do gardening, look into hugelkultur. Gardening without irrigation or fertilizer.
look into "poo-less" (eliminate soap and shampoo in the shower). It turns out that 99% of your body funk is water soluable. Millions have traveled this path with great success which then has less toxic gick in their lives, plus they cut their water and hot water usage.
explore paths of having a more luxuriant life while having less stuff. There is a lot of petroleum wrapped up in stuff. "Reduce. Repair. Reuse. Recycle."
replace your teflon pans with cast iron or stainless steel. That stuff is really bad.
to reduce your petroleum footprint: explore hypermiling, telecommuting, community living or tiny house living (the "less stuff" thing) ... and the biggest impact is .... as odd as it sounds ... growing an epic garden that feeds you and a bunch of other people.
My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!
Kyrt Ryder wrote:Have you tried ...
My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!
My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!
My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!
Idle dreamer
paul wheaton wrote:I am not going to try to do this anymore. It is up to you and everybody reading this. I have spent ten years trying. I have reached a lot of brains, but apparently, not enough. Clearly, I don't have a knack for it.
Pecan Media: food forestry and forest garden ebooks
Now available: The Native Persimmon (centennial edition)
My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!
"The rule of no realm is mine. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, these are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail in my task if anything that passes through this night can still grow fairer or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I too am a steward. Did you not know?" Gandolf
Marco Banks wrote:I think a popular movie (a romantic comedy starting Sandra Bullock and some hunky guy opposite her) would go a whole lot farther than another preachy docu-advocacy film).
My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!
Rene Nijstad wrote:It seems to me that people in general only want solutions if they feel an overwhelming personal need for it.
I think you're simply early Paul.
My books, movies, videos, podcasts, events ... the big collection of paul wheaton stuff!
“The most important decision we make is whether we believe we live in a friendly or hostile universe.”― Albert Einstein
paul wheaton wrote:I am a little worried that as long as I have been trying things that most people are of the position "paul is trying things, so I don't have to."
So, now I'm saying: I am not going to try those things anymore.
People have little interest in purchasing a bed. What they want is a good night's sleep.
Founders and marketers must go beyond selling products; they have to sell what their product will allow customers to do.
If they don't, you know they’re inexperienced. Take a look at this quote from investor Dina Routhier:
"The most common thing that pegs an entrepreneur as an amateur is when they come in and immediately start talking about their amazing new technology, and forget to start the discussion with, “What big problem in the market am I trying to solve?” If they don’t start with the problem, then I know they are green."
paul wheaton wrote:
Marco Banks wrote:I think a popular movie (a romantic comedy starting Sandra Bullock and some hunky guy opposite her) would go a whole lot farther than another preachy docu-advocacy film).
I think this is true. A few years ago I contacted my favorite author and tried a lot of different things to convince him of a story. I then paid a ghost writer to write it - that didn't work. I then found another ghost writer, and that didn't go anywhere .... that project is still sitting in the wings gathering dust.
Creator of Shire Silver, a precious metals based currency. I work on a permaculture farm. Old nerd. Father.
Idle dreamer
On that note, a person can probably remember the Occupy thing on Wall street and beyond... The media jumped on it and gave it a big push of publicity, and then... it just faded out of the media picture, to nothing. No media presence whatsover. It's not that the trillions made through usury has really gone anywhere productive, or the system changed in any way that makes sense to the poor, it was that the story was a story, and then it wasn't. That's comparing apples to hand grenades since Permies is a movement of design, ideas, innovation, while occupy was a protest that brought a single idea out in the open to many, but the example of the media circus might be similar. You don't want that with Permies. The circus can't finish and everybody goes home back to their drivel. You want Permies to make a lasting impression, and it is, on people who really like Permaculture.In the " be careful what you wish for....you might just get it" department, just my opinion but Permies as a movement is just about right where it ought to be. It has fully reached enough people to begin some grand experimenting and comparing of notes, and has partially reached a multiple of that same number. That this fact has not resulted in the positive feedback or financial return anticipated is lamentable, but all important movements take time.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."-Margaret Mead "The only thing worse than being blind, is having sight but no vision."-Helen Keller
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."-Margaret Mead "The only thing worse than being blind, is having sight but no vision."-Helen Keller
Living in Anjou , France,
For the many not for the few
http://www.permies.com/t/80/31583/projects/Permie-Pennies-France#330873
Observation 1: most people find folks one or two levels up took pretty cool. People three levels up look a bit nutty. People four of five levels up look downright crazy. People six levels up should probably be institutionalized. I find the latter reactions to be inappropriate.
The funny thing is, the concepts that Paul lists are not complicated. They may be a level or two or more above the people who Paul would like to reach, but they are not rocket science ideas that are beyond their mental, physical, financial, or resource grasp; hence the topic title of the thread "the solutions are simple", yes, they are, but unfortunately the problem that is being addressed here is not nearly as simple. No matter how simple the concepts are, it is the strangeness of wrapping the brain around a new concept, and the strangeness of applying the concept, rather than the difficulty of the concept itself that is the problem. This is the same with people's stumbling block over learning new things. People do not like to change, and they do not like new ideas.And yet, your message is often level five or higher. rocket mass heaters, the thing about the light bulbs, this isn't something a level zero person can understand.
The treat you badly, or they ignore you, or they don't even notice that you existed in their presence at all, because they do not want to hear what it is that you say. You expect them to change. and You expect them to learn something new. These things might be simple, but the stumbling block is invisible, and unconscious, and deeply embodied. It's sad but true that people often have to be faced with disaster personally to understand the need, to finally take action to change. It's sad that when you pointed out on Reditt all of those ways that a person could make a difference and you got zero positive response, while those who stated something completely inane get great reception for their 'idea'. But that just goes to show that those people are clearly not ready to embrace any new idea, and are quick to embrace nihilistic apathy, or the status quo of the lowest common denominator. They want to complain and to cheer each other on in the complaint; and nothing more. They do not want to change, or they do not want to really do the work (no matter how simple/easy the changes are), because they can't wrap their minds around the concept of changing their ways. To you, Paul, the paradigm is obvious. It stares you in the face at every turn of the page, every blink of the eye. It's in the air you breath and in the water you drink, and the food you eat. You embody it. For them: the paradigm needs to bitch slap them for them to even notice that it exists. That's just the way it is. You can't change that. It has to come to them.I think the world is heading towards some big trouble and very soon. Maybe it's only going to take another ten years before it will be easier to infect brains with life-saving ideas like permaculture. The world needs people who are strong enough to stand up and point us in the right direction. It's just really shitty that the world treats those people so badly.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."-Margaret Mead "The only thing worse than being blind, is having sight but no vision."-Helen Keller
"Where will you drive your own picket stake? Where will you choose to make your stand? Give me a threshold, a specific point at which you will finally stop running, at which you will finally fight back." (Derrick Jensen)
"Where will you drive your own picket stake? Where will you choose to make your stand? Give me a threshold, a specific point at which you will finally stop running, at which you will finally fight back." (Derrick Jensen)
duane hennon wrote:
Features Tell, but Benefits Sell
People have little interest in purchasing a bed. What they want is a good night's sleep.
Founders and marketers must go beyond selling products; they have to sell what their product will allow customers to do.
Rene Nijstad wrote:It seems to me that people in general only want solutions if they feel an overwhelming personal need for it. This can be an emotional need (we cannot let our planet go to sh#t) but it's mostly a need based on survival, so a practical one (how do I feed my family).
Moderator, Treatment Free Beekeepers group on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/treatmentfreebeekeepers/
"The rule of no realm is mine. But all worthy things that are in peril as the world now stands, these are my care. And for my part, I shall not wholly fail in my task if anything that passes through this night can still grow fairer or bear fruit and flower again in days to come. For I too am a steward. Did you not know?" Gandolf
paul wheaton wrote:I have some obligations borne from past projects that I need to wrap up. And after that, I think I will putter on the forums, putter with the lab and putter with podcasts and youtube vids. Drop the book projects. Drop the dvd projects. And drop the attempts to find a path to mega media - that is for somebody else.
paul wheaton wrote:I am a little worried that as long as I have been trying things that most people are of the position "paul is trying things, so I don't have to."
So, now I'm saying: I am not going to try those things anymore.
paul wheaton wrote:I dunno. The need for this stuff is right fucking now. The stuff I am advocating is so freakishly simple that any pleeb can wrap their tiny brain around it. But somehow the word about this stuff just stays with a few people. If dicaprio or letterman mentioned rocket mass heaters in either film, that could have been serious change.
"Where will you drive your own picket stake? Where will you choose to make your stand? Give me a threshold, a specific point at which you will finally stop running, at which you will finally fight back." (Derrick Jensen)
hey hey hey... are you dissin my man, the Beibs? He is the sh#t! Just kidding. And an excellent case in point. It sort of takes lightning striking to get famous. I have friends who are brilliant musician/songwriters, and do you think they have a chance at being famous or making any kind of money from their obvious and amazing talent... not bloody fracking likely. Life is more than a bit of a lottery. And the crappy thing is, you can cash out to it all your life and it might never pay off. But, that's a little different than a guy like Paul, who is Keynote speaking and on demand in a permie sort of way. I just think that Paul has high expectations that he might be the catalyst, or that someone who he provides the information for might be the catalyst, or that somebody else might somehow inspire the catalyst soon that kicks over the critical mass, and the world FINALLY get's it's shit together. He just wants it to happen. And he's poured a lot of his personal energy into making that happen. He wants lightning to strike. Here's hoping it happens soon enough for the big guy to see it happen, no matter who makes that final push to get the bigger snowball rolling.Few people ever predict the next big thing. Nobody saw Justin Beiber coming.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."-Margaret Mead "The only thing worse than being blind, is having sight but no vision."-Helen Keller
Idle dreamer
With forty shades of green, it's hard to be blue.
Garg 'nuair dhùisgear! Virtutis Gloria Merces
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."-Margaret Mead "The only thing worse than being blind, is having sight but no vision."-Helen Keller
Steve. You should start a thread on this, and in addition to that try to get any permaculturally minded groups in that city to join in brainstorming how to get that to happen. It's your dream; and it is a good one. Make your dream come true.I'm always dreaming about getting Cavs players and NBA cares to take on permaculture projects and education. Part of me believes that The LeBron James Family Foundation could be a catalyst for change if they incorporated permaculture into their program.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."-Margaret Mead "The only thing worse than being blind, is having sight but no vision."-Helen Keller
Self destruct mode activated. Instructions for deactivation encoded in this tiny ad.
Freaky Cheap Heat - 2 hour movie - HD streaming
https://permies.com/wiki/238453/Freaky-Cheap-Heat-hour-movie
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