Thursday, July 3, 2008

$250 Oil and Austerity: Fewer big box stores and less mango in my Jello

Oil at 200 bucks per barrel, 210, 220, 230, 240 and 250 will change our lives in significant ways - in many cases for the better.

Though I’ll miss my mango. (Yeh, I’ve been spoiled.)

In a recent article (by Tamsyn Burgmann, The Canadian Press) entitled ‘$250 a barrel would change life’ I read the following quote by David Foot, co-author of Boom, Bust and Echo:

“Outrageous oil prices would finally push Canadians into truly more sustainable practices [e.g. “we’d value our agricultural lands and not pave them over”], as the gains from global trade are reversed and society turns back to local production.”

I think it’s a good thing we stop burying prime land under Wal-Mart Superstores (etc.) the size of 18 football fields and driving across town to buy a huge assortment of cheaply produced goods from faraway lands.

It’s also a good thing we stop covering acres of highly valuable land under poisonous, petroleum-based pavement.

Though it’s regrettable Canadians need to be pushed to practice sustainable land-use habits (and I may never see mango in my Jello again) I think I’ll be able to survive with locally grown cherries, strawberries, raspberries and apples.

Heck, if we can find a way to remove toxic petroleum residue from millions of acres of arable land now used as parking pads maybe the hardy elderberry - my personal favourite - will make a comeback.


Click here to read - The New Age of Austerity will have a bright side

.

2 comments:

carmilevy said...

I'm looking forward to a return to village life. Seriously. Europeans seem to have gotten it long before we ever did.

G. Harrison said...

good morning carmi,

most folks would benefit from such a return.

because of Old South's (relative) compacted-ness my 20 years in Wortley Village have been a positive learning experience.

e.g., i've discovered we don't all have to have one of everything. neighbours enjoy the concept of sharing resources, regular communication, becoming friends.

who has my circular saw? i'm not sure but i'll ask my friends and neighbours at our next 'shed night'.

cheers,

gord