Patos Permaculture Journey Blog

With the looming the threat of peak oil, knowing that our reliance on oil for energy is fragile, Carla took on a challenge to see how she would get along without oil. 

She hoped to go for one week. She has a forest garden in her lot in town, and seems to be pretty resilient. But into the first day, she realized that I couldn’t do it. Not even for a day. She figured that she could probably scrounge enough firewood to cook some eggs for breakfast, but would need to go out to find enough wood to cook lunch.

“I could take my bicycle to get firewood. But with my son on the carrier, enough wood for a fire, and all the hills, I would not have the strength.”

It was a worrying thought for a single mom with a young child. 

In real life, Carla is blessed with many friends, family, and neighbors who would help. But in this scenario, they would likely be struggling as well, and she wanted to imagine how she could manage on her own.  Now she realizes that she couldn’t. 

Even with all that she grows at home, she determined that their diet would be limited, with days of not eating well.

It is not unusual for the water system to shut down. In a crisis, this would likely happen for a longer time.  How would she get water if it didn’t come through the faucet?   

She began to feel vulnerable, alone with a young child. While we need others, people in crisis, looking for food and water, in different states of mind, may hoard resources, or resort to violence. Going outside with him in the middle of a city could be dangerous. But she doesn’t even want to imagine that. 

What she learned

Through this experience, Carla, someone who is very environmentally savvy and forward thinking, faced the reality that she is not ready to face life without oil. She is determined to help herself and her community transition into an age of declining oil production. She is envisioning a community that can manage without electricity, grocery stores, gas stations, and modern conveniences that depend on oil. 

• We need to become more accustomed to bicycle transportation 
• We should start storing wood, and building stoves that conserve wood.
• Rainwater catchment systems would be a good idea.  
• It would help to expand our ideas of what food is, and learn to prepare foods that we may not know, that are plentiful local, and sustainable. 
• Reaching out to others to build a support system is critical. We need to be able to count on each other. 

Make your own salad dressing! Great taste packed with nutrients.

Having a blender makes it easy. Basically, dressing is oil, vinegar or sour citrus, a little water and whatever else you want to add.

You can alter this recipe with what you have available and spice it up how you like. It is a favorite at los Patos.

• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/4 c balsamic vinegar
• Olive oil
• one piece fresh turmeric
• 1/4 c water
• 1T dried turmeric
• 1t sea salt or mineral salt
• 1t black pepper
• 1 heaping T of nuts or seeds of your choice

Blend it until creamy. Serve with salads, it also makes a great dip.

Imagine being 15 speaking to cameras in a room full of world leaders. Can we take her courage as inspiration to tap into our own? Is what we have to lose by speaking out and taking action greater than life on earth? Time Magazine’s article on Greta Thunberg, next generation of leaders.

Sometimes we just have to swallow our pride and acknowledge our humanness. It’s time to let go of needing to always be right, and allow a kid to shame our generation to do the right thing. Shame can motivate. She’s right. So, let’s squash that panic that we adults have to be in charge of youngsters. Allow a kid to lead when she has the right message at the right time. 

What Is the Climate Strike? An Adult’s Guide to What, Why, and How to Help

It is high time to show up for real in action to match what we know to be right. The right place for us to be is at their side when they go out in the streets and out on that limb to initiate change. If they are to have a future, we have to act now. 

I will see you in the street. I will be finding every way I can to stand up for this. Join your energy together with the momentum and energy in action, we are one. Join the climate strike. San Vito Sept. 27, 2019 Climate Strike photos

 15 Things you can do to stand up to climate chaos:

1. Try going without using fossil fuel. Ride your bike. Walk. 
2. Withdraw from any corporation, agency, institution, or system that robs from people and planet. 
3. Visit neighbors. 
4. Share food. 
5. Sit in nature. 
6. Plant trees. 
7. Take a break. 
8. Imagine a world of peace and prosperity. 
9. Create. Make music, art, write, garden, build, dance; what makes your heart sing.
10. Wean yourself off central banks and money.  
11. Value cultural diversity, learn about native peoples.
12. Cultivate biodiversity, learn about wild food in your area.
13. Think global, act local.
14. Get involved in activities and solutions in your community, participate, inform yourself, read, discuss, share, make your voice heard.
15. Adjust your diet to the crop of the season, reduce consumption of food produced in industrial agriculture. Support sustainable grazing alternatives. Look for new sources of protein at your fingertips.

What banks can do to cool the planet down

The rooster is crowing. It’s time to wake up. It may still be dark, but from your dreams, hear your purpose.

The climate crisis is a world-wide 4-alarm fire. Kids across the globe are following Greta’s lead, striking from schools. Businesses are shutting down to shout the alarm. Demanding change. Those in power must take action. 

The crisis is real. Human’s existence on the planet is limited unless we follow nature’s rules on a grand scale, across all systems.

Now is our time. We can do this. The leaders are us. It is time to put our skills, passions, feet and hands in response to the alarm. Our individual talents, skills, and perspectives in this great work. We have to show up however we can wherever we are. 

Be bold. With courage comes freedom. With freedom comes responsibility. We are many. We have what we need to support each other through this crisis. 

Our strength is aligned with each other and our true nature. We are nature. Part of the great oneness.  

Hurry, before it’s too late. It’s already late. 

The voices of truth are systematically silenced, so you may not hear those sharing your deepest concerns. Still, trust that they are there. Raise your voice. Find friends. 

Come to the park on Friday in San Vito. We will be there with music, face paints, banners, conversation and more. 

This is a movement of peace and prosperity across the planet. 

Join us.