Some time ago, a dear friend lent me a book called “Collapsing Consciously: Transformative Truths for Turbulent Times” by Carolyn Baker. It details solutions for living graciously during, and after, the inevitable collapse of industrial society.

Now, lest anyone think that I’m becoming one of those “The End Is Nigh” sign-waving nutbars that we see standing on street corners spouting Doomsday epithets. Do I believe that the world is going to end as depicted in the Book of Revelations in the Holy Bible, “….struck by deadly plagues, famine, earthquakes; the sky will turn dark, and oceans will turn to blood.”, and suffer penance at the hands of the Four Horsemen: Pestilence, War, Famine, and Death? In a word, No.

I do believe, however, that we are already experiencing a gradual erosion (some very gradual; some more pronounced) of many things that we take for granted such as infrastructure, food security, and cheap fuel. We already see the ever-increasing cost of fuel, for some, is necessitating the choice between gas for the family wagon or food on the table.

I do not believe that this means we need to become a society of “Doomsday Preppers”, as much as TLC’s television program of the same name seems to portray. What many of these “preppers” seem to overlook when amassing their stockpiles of weapons, ammunition, bottled water, and canned foods is that in the event of some cataclysmic event, all this will eventually run out, and Then What?

There is a more elegant way of preparing for the future.

First, I strongly suggest we stop accumulating so much “stuff”. Or as a good friend put it: CSMC (Cheap Shit Made in China). Start demanding, and buying quality made, long lasting, repairable goods.

Second, look to your property. How much of it is devoted solely to ornamental plants such as roses and lawn? Think about mixing all manner of food producing trees, shrubs, groundcovers, and vines into your existing landscape, or go full on permaculture Food Forest. (See my previous blog posting: “Food Forests, Permaculture, Bees, and a side order of children”) You will be surprised how edible landscaping complements your landscaping.

Third, learn to preserve and put by the bounty of your edible landscaping. Canning, dehydrating, and fermenting are just some of the ways to preserve the fruits (and veggies, roots, nuts, etc.) of your labours. Nothing is more satisfying than opening the door of your larder and seeing row upon row of canned jars of goodness winking like jewels in the sun.

Fourth, in my opinion, the most important. Cultivate relationships. Get to know your neighbours, their kids, and even their pets. Develop deep friendships with people of like minds. Cultivate spiritual leanings of whatever variety speaks to you. These deep ties with community will be what sustains us in the Next Age, whatever it may be.

Recently in my “wee burg”, the federal Port Authority locked up, in a 25 year lease, several acres next to a public waterfront park with the plan of sub-leasing said land to a local boat building business.

What many people seem to have overlooked is that the business in question could have, and should have, approached the city directly and worked out a lease agreement without the unnecessary involvement of the Port Authority;  another thing that seems to have been overlooked is that one of our city councillors is an employee for the aforementioned boat building business.  Hmm…I smell something funky, and it’s not the next door neighbour’s barbecue.

In this “wee burg”, heavy industry has taken over nearly 95% of all waterfront access; the Port Authority has over 100 leases on both sides of our inlet, and seems to have the feeling that “we know what’s best for you, so be quiet and go away”.

Since further expansion of the park has been curtailed by the short-sightedness of the majority of city council, the Port Authority should cough up a healthy budget for ameliorating the ugly viewscape that will dominate one side of the park.  Full height trees to block the view from the park, full curtailment of all industrial traffic through the park, improved parking areas, proper topsoil brought in for grass, proper washrooms, lighting, tables, seating areas, and a covered pavilion for people to sit under during our frequent spells of rain should be the very minimum the public should expect.

This speaks to an even larger problem that is rearing its ugly head in this town: the erosion of control over the public commons.  ALL federal entities; ALL Crown land are owned by the canadian public.  That means that you, Dear Reader,  OWN it!  To that end, I propose that you repeat after me: “It’s MINE; I own it!”, and keep repeating it until you believe it.

It is time that all levels of government learn (or re-learn, rather) to have a healthy amount of fear and respect for the public; the public also needs to reclaim their right to be the dictatorial shareholder in all matters Federal, Provincial, and Municipal.  The public needs to demand, and expect, that Big Business’s whims will not supersede the will of the public.

If Big Business is going to remove from the public commons anything that is going to be used for the express pleasure of the business, then that business should have to beg the public for the right to do so, and fully expect to handsomely compensate the public for their largesse.