2) We have laboriously created over 1,000 square feet of organic gardens using terra preta (carbon sequestration in the soil) agriculture techniques. See HERE and HERE for our personal account of creating, and bringing to life these gardens. We are permaculturing our front lawn. We have put in a 4,000 gallon catfish pond. After the catfish begin to breed regularly, we anticipate being able to produce about one catfish every two weeks for our dining pleasure. Waste water from the pond is very rich in nutrients. Accordingly, it is recycled into our gardens, which benefit greatly from this.
3) We have used a commercial product, basically a glorified dehumidifier, to produce nearly all (about two gallons per day) of our drinking water year around using only renewable electricity. The machine is fairly simple and easy to maintain.
4) We purchased a Chevy Volt. To my surprise, we have been able to keep it charged, for the most part, year round, while also powering everything else, from our renewable energy system. This vehicle also serves as our home energy system's backup generator. It is easy to access the car's 17 kilowatt battery pack if needed to "top off" our household's 33 kilowatt battery bank. So far, however, this has never been necessary.
5) Other projects we have planned include installing about 5,000 gallons of catchment rainfall storage and associated drip irrigation for the gardens. Passive solar space and water heating are among other possible future projects.
Overall, we produce ALL of our household electricity year round. We produce a significant portion of the Volt's power using renewable energy. We produce a substantial portion of our food from our gardens. For the past three years, our grapevines have gifted us with 26 bottles of wine per year! This wine improves every year! We produce all of our drinking water from air using sun and wind power only.
While the deep problems of human civilization still remain, we have decoupled significantly from its failing, environmentally destructive economy in terms of energy, food, water, and transportation. We even use satellite internet, so that local grid failure will not disconnect us. We are increasingly resilient and self-reliant. This is something we as a people have generally lost as we've become industrialized. Now we are reclaiming it!
By decoupling as we have, we have eliminated most of our personal "carbon footprint." As others come to adopt these practices, their carbon footprints will also plunge.
When our numbers are
millions, then tens, hundreds of millions, not only will our collective
consumption of fossil fuels decline dramatically, the polluting industries
which depended upon our being their captive market, will wither and collapse as
well!
As concentrated corporate power has overwhelmed our political system, we, by seceding from it and all that it offers, will strangle it. This without firing a shot! At this point, we will all be much better positioned to compel the rapid de-carbonization of our society. If you do not understand WHY this must be undertaken, and why it MUST be rapid, read THIS.
We feel empowered. At the level of our own lives, we have fought back against the Empire! When we become many ("I'm Spartacus!") this becomes revolutionary.
This is a way for each of us, individually, to begin to reclaim the balance with Nature that our civilization so conspicuously lacks.
That is revolution from below! Join! Take action NOW!
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