Recently I ordered the book Toolbox For Sustainable City Living”, which is a wonderfully written and illustrated book by members of the Rhizome Collective in Austin, TX. The book covers a plethora of projects for sustainable systems related to food, water, waste, energy, and bioremediation. Its an interesting read and provides much insight into the problems of sustainable city living. However, I do take a bit of an issue with the book’s title, as the tools provided in this toolbox unfortunately to a great degree require a bit more physical space and resources than most city dwellers have access to. Recommended for us urban homesteaders.
I also just finished reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan. Per usual, Mr. Pollan’s writing has taken my apparently shrinking vegan brain and caused me to heavily re-evaluate what it means to be vegan, and what it all means, and is it truly sustainable?? A suggested read.
One of the interesting points that Pollan brings up in the book is how the invention of chemical fertilizers was a necessary ingredient in the post-WWII population explosion. Without these inputs there wouldn’t have been the increase in crop yields necessary to feed such a population. He left this information at that, but it brings up an interesting question — if as a society we decide that chemical fertilizers and pesticides are bad and quit using them, will this have a dramatic effect on overall worldwide crop yields? Surely pollution from these chemicals is an important social justice issue, but then what about rapidly increasing food prices (even moreso than now) caused by decreased supply but maintained demand??? Apocalypse? Rioting in the street? Most likely this would never be an overnight thing, but you never know, right?
So yeh, apocalypse. Peak oil has been on my mind (even more so after watching these freakin’ Republicans chant “drill baby drill”) as I read these books. Sure I might have a house with a nice garden and a greywater system and renewable energy sources (ok, we only have the garden so far, but the rest will hopefully come with time), but what good will it all do me if thousands of others dont’ have these things? Will my garden stand a chance when the rest of the city seeks some form of food (Apparently not according to this article)???
Of course i’m just rambling now, but its interested to ponder our impact on this earth. How many of us need to fight for true sustainability for it to make a difference. Are things like “organic” food enough, as Pollan inquires in his book, or do we need a total revolution of our entire food system? And if so, how much of a radical life change will that be for even those of us who like to entertain the thought that we are already living some sort of “radical” life?? We can only guess, so in the meantime I guess we can only do what we feel its right and what is within our capacity.
PS - Pittsburgh residents - in case of apocalpyse, look to the basement of Modern Formations for a possibly supply of canned (not bottled) water.
