UNDER-USED RESOURCES

I was just reading of the economic woes in grass-roots England, where local Councils are feeling the tightening to the point where they are closing facilities we have taken for granted - such as the local Library.

Seems that donations and volunteers are just keeping some infrastructure afloat - but time is not on their side.
Too much is changing, and often all at once.

The thing is - there ARE solutions. We just need to think differently/creatively.
We have many things that are quite UNDER-utilised.
Take local schools, for example. They are only used approximately 1/3 of the time. The other 16 hours per day they do little more than pose a security cost.

Why not make them into a "profitable" centre? They have halls to hire, computer classes to hire, acres of roof space to generate solar elec and therefore excess to feed to others, woodworking/metalworking shops, art rooms with kilns etc, cinema screens, swimming pools .....getting the idea??
And for heavens sake - why aren't they already on the road to food self-sufficiency using some of the land? Selling the excess to the community??
What about saving the water they collect?
Everything that we do for ourselves means less money we have to find....

That's just schools - now extend that to all the assets and amenities that local government control.

Do it different - and do it better!! Do it for you and your neighbours.
Now how about stop reading and putting it into gear?? :)))

So many options, so much good can come of it, and have some fun on the way.....

MEET THE STREET

MEET THE STREET

Years ago when I lived in Melbourne, I was in a villa unit in a group of 10.

One day I was meeting a State Manager of a large firm with a view to taking on a distributorship for his company. I drove clear across Melbourne to see him.

During our discussion, he asked where I lived, so I told him. He looked interested, and asked in what street, so I told him. He looked askance at me and asked what number?

Yes, you guessed it – we lived in the same complex!!!

Of course, from that day on I saw him in the yard continually !!

The point I am making is that usually city dwellers insulate themselves and do their best to maintain a space around them. Natural under the circumstances of living with large numbers of people in close proximity. Rural dwellers are usually more used to co-operative living and sharing resources.

However, as I have said before, in times of trouble our best resource is our local community.

We can watch out for each other, keep an eye on each others places, share produce, share labour, share tools & equipment, babysit etc etc etc.

Problem is, once a calamity has occurred, it is more difficult to get to know people, as one has a wall of suspicion to scale.

Far better to have made some moves BEFORE the calamity strikes.

So let me introduce you to what I call “MEET THE STREET”.

It’s time to make a conscious effort to get to know everyone around you.

Initially –to get the ball rolling smoothly – you might consider doing “fun” things, like organizing a street party, and progress on to other community activities like a combined garage sale, or fair.

Such activity can then easily lead to a very local barter economy, which can then be extended as other streets do the same thing. This then gives bigger resources and a greater pool of labour, assistance and skills.

The time to start is now, folks !! Good luck with it - and remember, it's not the outcome that we ought to focus on - but rather enjoying the journey as best we can.

HEADS-UP

Well, as much as I want to be positive and look beyond the drama that's about to unfold, there are times I may have to give an update on what is going on, if only to ensure we are as aware as possible.

And therefore know when it is time to either head for the hills - or take some other action.

I do a lot of behind the scenes research that helps me stay current with what's going on around the place.
What I see is not pretty much of the time.

The mainstream media is completely sanitised (why not, it's all owned by just 6 Corporations!!!) so it takes a bit of work to glean facts from various sources.

One very good, trusted source is The Automatic Earth ( http://www.theautomaticearth.com)
The information they put forth can be quickly assessed. I also like the comments above each article!

I just thought it might be a timely reminder of my comments in October 2014 about bank "bail-ins".
These have become quietly legalised over the last few years throughout the World, and are now available to the Banksters to use if their banks are having trouble.
Which will be all of them very very soon.
Remember that you - as a depositor - are classed as an UNSECURED CREDITOR of the bank.

What that means is that once you hand over your money - it is no longer yours.
And unsecured creditors come last when the assets/liabilities of a bank are finalised. Assuming there is anything left, that is.....

The problem this time, is that taking depositors money won't make a blind bit of difference. The drama will be way too big for that. Global debt is now at truly staggering heights - and it's the end of the road.

My advice is to keep the absolute minimum necessary in a bank.

Better to be prepared weeks/months in advance - than one minute too late. If you don't believe me, then ask the people of Cyprus in 2008.

Remember too, for those of you with safety deposit boxes in banks - if the doors are shut, so is your box!!

Be as debt-free as you can, grow (or start!) your own vegetables, fruits etc, and remember that one of your greatest resources in times of hardship is your local community. So get positive links there NOW - as it may be more difficult when the fan gets hit with you-know-what!!'

As far as banks are concerned, be especially suspicious when a network outage/virus problem is reported by them - particularly on a Friday!!! I have noted that the last 2 outages here in Australia happened on a Friday - and I don't believe in coincidences. It's almost like we are being trained.......hmmmmm......
Perhaps I'm being a bit too suspicious - but then again, with good cause, as it is nothing compared to what THEY get up to!!!

I wish us all the smoothest path possible through the next period - may you travel with grace and ease !!

LETS EAT - 2 !!! AQUAPONICS.

Further to the Lets Eat blog showing the Rain Gutter cultivation system, I'll now touch on another interesting method - Aquaponics.

Where the RG system requires constant input of the correct doses of nutrients - the Aquaponics system has nutrient production BUILT-IN to it's methodology, by using fish to provide what is required!!
Here how it goes:

They are ideally suited to smaller spaces such as your backyard, for example !! If space is at a premium - put them higher so that you can use the area underneath!!  Use the fence - get creative :))

And for that matter, what's wrong with combining systems? In other words, using the Rain Gutter method of autonomous watering combined with the Aquaponics method of nutrient production !!

Sounds like a win-win to me.....:)))

LETS EAT !!!!!

This is probably a subject near and dear to many people's hearts - food!!

Normally we associate growing our own food with lots of space - if not acreage, then at least a decent backyard.

Fortunately there are new ways of doing things coming out all the time.

One such evolution is the Rain Gutter method of cultivation.

No dig, inexpensive, very little infrastructure, bountiful harvests and..... the best news yet..... it's portable!!!

Finally, a system that is also suitable for people who rent, rather than own !!

All too often renters put in a traditional vege garden, and then lose the benefits when they move.

Well, with the Rain Gutter system, you just pick it up, put it in a trailer or truck - and have it ready elsewhere!! Brilliant.

You can see it here   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyOIRVjatdg

As you can see from the images, you can plonk it on the ground, attach it to a wall or fence, or even make it a freestanding unit. So many options !

Now there's little excuses left for not having fresh, wholesome food near your kitchen :))

I hope that this gets your creative juices going !! Have fun !!