OUR PHILOSOPHY

Fifty years ago Sue and I embarked upon an experiment to see if we could have a happy and productive lifestyle while minimizing our impact on the environment. We continue to refine our approach but are pleased with the results so far. For someone who is interested in embarking on a similar approach you must first look at what is possible given where you live. Obviously a person living in a city would have to formulate a different way to achieve this than someone in a rural living situation. We are ill equipped to advise those who live in an urban environment because we live in the woods but there are certainly many sources available online which would speak to this issue. Despite the differences, there are a number of core principles which if they are implemented on a worldwide basis would have a noticeably positive effect. This is by no means a comprehensive compilation of the available choices but is how we have approached this problem given our living situation. 1) Reproductive responsibility 2) Responsible use of carbon based energy sources 3) Producing as much of your food as possible or buying it from a non-polluting source 4) Making a living by producing things of lasting value 5) Accepting the reality of governmental incompetence and indifference toward the preservation of all life on this planet. We will address each of these categories individually to illustrate how we have approached a possible way to solve some of the human generated problems that are plaguing our planet.

 The current best estimates of a sustainable human population are from two to a maximum of four billion. This means we would have to reduce our current population levels by 50 to 75%. People who think the earth could comfortably sustain ten billion or more humans are operating from a flawed human-centric view that will cause a massive reduction in the biodiversity that once lost will seriously diminish our quality of life. The best case scenario to address this would be a world wide commitment to intelligent family planning based on the goal of achieving an average of one child per family.The worst case scenario involves degrading the earths complex biological web to the point that we cause unimaginable human suffering and death.The choice between these two would appear to be obvious but the leadership necessary to accomplish this on a worldwide basis is virtually nonexistent. Complex math is not needed to see the obvious correlation between fewer people and less resource extraction and pollution.If we choose to ignore this existential human problem, we will have only our selves to blame for the terrible consequences for all life on earth. Sue and I decided to have no children not because we don’t love and enjoy them but rather to ensure the future of both humans and all other life on the planet.      
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In 1988 NASA scientist James Hansen gave a presentation to the senate which outlined the problems we were creating with carbon pollution and the impacts that would be coming as a result. If we had reacted quickly on both a national and international basis, we could have had a noticeable moderating effect on our current situation. This would require a significant change in both our thinking and resource consumption patterns and even now there is considerable resistance to the perceived sacrifice it would create. We decided that the most immediate way that our impact could be reduced was to not own any petroleum powered devices that were used primarily for recreational purposes. We are practical people who grow a significant amount of our food and heat our house and workshop with wood. To accomplish this we need a rototiller, chainsaw, lawnmower and compact tractor. When electric powered versions of these tools become available and affordable we will switch to them but the myriad of petroleum powered devices designed for recreational use are unnecessary so we avoid them. When the majority of the worlds citizens begin to honestly evaluate and alter their energy and resource consumption patterns we will have reached a tipping point and positive change may have the opportunity to happen. For those of us who only accept the findings of science that fit yourpreconceived notions, what do you intend to tell your grandchildren when they ask what you did to avert the coming crisis.

 When Sue and I were children the small family farm was still a dominant part of our food production system. Large scale farming has now taken over and is often run by a corporation which has led to a disconnection between the farmer and the natural environment. When you no longer have a direct connection to the land the concern you have for all living things can easily be subverted to a desire for maximum production as your top priority. This has created a scenario for the acceptance of regular application of chemicals to control the weeds and insects that may decrease the amount of whatever is being grown per acre. We now see huge consequences from this not only in above ground life but also in the soil micro-organisms that are the literal determinant of what healthy soil is. The most effective leverage you have as a consumer is to avoid buying food products from this environmentally destructive type of agriculture. The methods to implement this range from growing and preserving as much of your food as possible to buying locally grown and organic food products. It is easy to be overwhelmed by all the negative events happening around us but you do have the power to influence some of them by what you eat and who you vote for. If you are interested in creating some of your own food independence, we would recommend finding a local mentor who can guide you to a healthy and bountiful harvest.  
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A society which promotes the purchase of products which either through planned obsolescence or a desire to manufacture the cheapest possible item despite the environmental costs is missing an important opportunity to reduce their impact. Every time something is manufactured resources have to be extracted and energy must be used leading to the production of pollution. If we choose to buy things that are designed to last a long time, it can lead to minimizing the impact of any product by spreading it out over multiple generations. There are certainly many things that are necessary for modern existence that do not fit this paradigm but if we try to use this mindset whenever possible we can diminish the energy footprint of our lives. When Sue and I make decisions we try to consider not only their immediate effect on us but the long term consequences as well.The rule that we endeavor to follow for both products made in our workshop and buildings we have worked on is that they should be designed to last for centuries. When we embrace the concept of buying only what we really need and then having those objects whenever possible last well beyond our own lifespan, the positive results are both immediate and long lasting. Those of us who have reached adulthood have a responsibility to provide an example with our own lives for young people to make intelligent decisions for both now and for how they will affect the future of all life on our planet.  
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Sue and I were teenagers in the nineteen sixties when important legislation to improve the lives of average U.S. citizens was passed despite the ideological differences of the political parties. The ability of our political parties to do anything worthwhile for the American people has gone so far downhill at this point it would have been unimaginable back then. Significant numbers of our so called leaders have either allowed ideology to overcome their ability to reason or are literally for sale. Unless we institute significant reforms to our system of government things will continue to get worse. When we vote for leaders who consider issues like term limits and significant campaign finance limitations vitally important, we may finally open a window and let some fresh air in. I have a proposal which would probably be initially unpopular but will have far reaching effects both here and abroad. Every American would be required to do a certain number of years of service for our country regardless of their financial circumstances. Some of those citizens may choose to do their service in the military but that would leave a large number of people for other worthwhile purposes. These people could be trained to help the poor, the disabled, and the elderly as well as many other possibilities both here and in other countries. The positive effects this would create in our country and in the way we would be perceived by other countries is fairly obvious but there is another benefit that would be revealed over time. When the people that have completed their service begin to enter the realm of politics, they will do it with real knowledge of what it is like to be poor. For people whom had come from a privileged background this may have a life changing affect on how they view the rest of humanity. A bright future is unlikely if we continue down a dark path.