Simeon Brody
The current 'Credit Crunch' combined with high energy prices is seemingly causing a recession... a period of no economic growth or contraction. Part of me welcomes this, despite the discomfort we will all experience (such as reduced entertainment bookings for me) as in a greener world we'd consume less, and in a recession we do just that. One of the weird effects of this economic situation is that with reduced demand, some prices will fall... so I'm not suprised to see the fuel prices dip temporarily.
However, there might be a solution to this crisis, and it's called the 'Green New Deal'. The GND Group, facilitated by the New Economics Foundation, has published proposals to combat the 'triple crunch' of credit, fuel/food and the coming climate crunch. They ask for a massive investment in renewable energy/technology, a radical change to the current unsustainable financial system and international co-operation on issues such as carbon emissions and poverty. There is widespread support for this approach. The report is long and complicated but inspirational (48 page pdf).
I will make time to read this report fully... but I don't expect it to reveal too many new ideas, as I've long advocated some of it's findings to help make a sustainable society, ever since my involvement in Local Agenda 21 back in the mid-90s (incidentally, the York LA21 group developed out of the local New Economic Foundation group!)
A more recent local initiative is York Greenshare, open to members and supporters of York Green Party. This website is a virtual library of items which can be borrowed, such as books, videos, tools etc. I have listed some of my firewood-working tools such as my log-grenade (log splitting wedge) and books on practical green living. It makes no sense to have these things sitting around not being used for 99% of the time, when someone else could get some use out of them instead of using resources buying their own.
A greenshare project could be set up in any group of connected individuals who trust each other and want to share resources, save money and develop friendships. Contact the York Greenshare administrator if you'd like advice on how this could be done, or do it in a low-tech way amongst friends.
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