Read more about this book at www.chelseagreen.com

One blog leads to another...

 Gotta love this Web 2.0 world while it lasts.

Archdruid John Michael Greer's post today takes thoughtful issue with our newest RSS provider, Sharon at "Casaubon's Book."

I know what some of you are thinking.

Archdruid? 

Read more and decide for yourself re: the wisdom he offers.

Free Vermont! 

I so appreciate "to do" lists during these interesting times.

Solutions are so much more important to identify than problems.

Thanks to Carolyn Baker for passing on Sharon's wonderful blog to us.

We're feeling pretty good over here, looking over this list, and is a good one.

Moving in the right direction, perhaps.

Read Sharon's 100 Things to Do to Prepare for Peak Oil here.

Distractions from political leaders make it more difficult to focus on relocalizing the economy. When politicians who know better propose solutions to high oil prices that ignore the fundamental causes of the high prices, then the time it takes to debunk them eats away from the limited time during which we have abundant energy to use in relocalizing the economy.

Food prices are on the rise. In 2007, according to the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, the cost of food rose 4 percent, the
highest single-year increase in two decades, and it looks like food
costs will go up another 4 percent in 2008. The prices for corn
and soybeans are skyrocketing because of the increasing demand of crops
for fuels such as ethanol. In addition, with higher
transportation costs, it is costing more each day to ship food across
the country and around the world.

To reference and adapt Barbara Kingsolver's newest book on localvore living...

Animal.

Vegetable.

Pants.

Or underpants.

Whole Systems Design, Inc. describes its work as “occurring at the interface of people and land --
where the built and biological environments meet.” Based in Vermont’s
Mad River Valley, Whole Design Systems integrates ecology, landscape
architecture, site development, construction, farming, education and
other disciplines. Founder Ben Falk holds a master’s degree in
landscape design and has taught at the University of Vermont and
Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum. Vermont Commons Editor Rob Williams
conducted this interview.

Vermont needs to become energy and food independent. We have plenty of wind, solar, biomass, and hydro-power resource-potential to meet our needs. We have plenty of agricultural and water resources. We have plenty of smart and motivated people. What's missing? The problem is that most of us are too busy paying the bills to create real political action and the people in charge of course want to preserve the status quo that put them in charge.

 The Peak Oil conundrum is perhaps the single best 21st century
trend for making the case for relocalization, and ultimately, secession.

 Rather than elaborate here, I suggest you read more from Richard Heinberg, who was in Vermont late last week to share his 8 books of wisdom with listeners.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

By Tom Young

Thomas Fuller once said, “Many things grow in the garden that were
never sown there.” This is certainly true at the Waitsfield
Elementary School. Thanks to the work of many, the Waitsfield
Elementary School’s garden has been “reincarnated” over the past three
years. This garden initiative has offered both children and adults
alike a chance to explore the growing process, to think about the
benefits of growing locally, and to use the garden as a community
place.