Peak oil.
Climate change.
Financial collapse.
If these topics are on your mind, two sessions at CoHo Ecovillage and a newly forming Resilience Network may give you some ideas for the future.
Here are excerpts from a neighbor’s preview of the upcoming events:
“THE TRIPLE THREAT: WHAT IS IT?”
DATE: Friday, Oct 29, 2010
LOCATION: The common house at CoHo Cohousing Ecovillage in Southtown (1175 SE Crystal Lake Dr.)
SCHEDULE: Vegetarian potluck dinner (if you’re interested; no peanuts or peanut sauces please; please bring your own plates, cups, and cutlery to make clean up easier) at 6:30, presentation at 7:30
A basic primer on the “triple threat” facing us in the (potentially near) future: peak oil, abrupt climate change, and financial collapse. None is certain, but any single one could feasibly bring our modern civilization down around our ears. Not the End of the World, but perhaps the End of the World as We Know It.
The evening will be an informal presentation from informed amateurs with plenty of time for questions.
“RESILIENCE FOR UNCERTAIN TIMES: WHAT TO DO ABOUT THE TRIPLE THREAT”
DATE: Friday, Nov 12, 2010
LOCATION: Same
SCHEDULE: Vegetarian potluck dinner (if you’re interested; no peanuts or peanut sauces please; please bring your own plates, cups, and cutlery to make clean up easier) at 6:00, presentation at 7:00 (Please note that the schedule is 30 minutes earlier than the previous meeting. Don’t miss a thrilling minute!)
…it turns out there are LOTS of very reasonable things you can do that will not only have you prepared to cope as well as possible should the worst happen, but they will still leave you with no regrets if the worst DOESN’T happen
The evening will again be an informal presentation by informed amateurs, giving concrete advice about “What to do” about the triple threat (as well as book and web recommendations for the same) with time for questions and contributions.
“RESNET”—YOUR LOCAL RESILIENCE NETWORK
…skill swaps
After the presentation, we’ll take time for people to state what skills they are willing to teach (or are looking to learn and then share). And then—for those willing—we’ll gather names, contact info, and skills for me to put into an online database (okay, a spreadsheet on GoogleDocs), and give everyone access to (but no one outside the group, for privacy and security). That way you can hook up directly if you want. Skill swaps! How cool!
… a monthly skills workshop
…participants volunteer to teach their particular skill to anyone who comes. Winnowing in Winifred’s garage? Distillation in Denny’s shack? Brewing biodiesel in Bobby’s driveway? Talking precious metals in Perry’s Parlor? Count me in!
…Google Group
…to share ideas, articles, book recommendations, notices, etc.
P.S. A recent talk by Kathy McMahon on Peak Oil Blues filled the Common House.