Focusing on what's important
Our great-grandparents routinely prepared themselves to weather unfortunate circumstances. We've gotten out of the habit - instead we rely on a global food distribution system and just-in-time grocers who stock three days of food on the shelves. Risks to that food distribution system include: immediate and sharp disruptions, like earthquakes and floods; longer term economic hits, like the deepening recession or a depression; and decreasing supplies of conventional oil used to transport food.
Did you know this?
Obviously long term food security means growing more of our own food locally. Seattle declared 2010 the Year of Urban Agriculture, encouraging P-patches, planting strip gardening, and smaller neighborhood-centered farmer's markets.
All the other things we spend our time on fade to insignificance when we can't eat. I encourage us all to make 2011 Get Ready year. Here's what you can do.
I don't live in King County, I live in Kitsap County. Recently I've joined the Kitsap County Agricultural Alliance, which plans to focus on urban agriculture in 2011. I've also joined the WSU Master Gardener program. Ensuring local long term food security is my immediate top priority.
It can be emotionally difficult to face the idea that the life we are living this instant might change dramatically for any of these reasons. I'm surprised at how many of my otherwise intelligent and organized friends don't store food. I care about y'all - this is my once-in-a-while reminder to ground our spiritual aspirations in the physical. Waiting until the emergency occurs to make preparations means competing with everyone else for those three days of food on the grocer's shelves.
Consider also getting an education in long term preparation and life change. Sharon Astyk is a well known writer and leader in this field. Her current project is called The Anyway Project.
"When in doubt about how to change, we should change our lives to reflect what we should be doing 'Anyway.' Living more simply, more frugally, using less, leaving reserves for others, reconnecting with our food and our community, these are things we should be doing because they are the right thing to do on many levels. That they also have the potential to save our lives is merely a side benefit (a big one, though)."
Did you know this?
- The average food item travels 1500 miles to reach the grocery store.
- Puget Sound grows 1% of the food we eat.
Obviously long term food security means growing more of our own food locally. Seattle declared 2010 the Year of Urban Agriculture, encouraging P-patches, planting strip gardening, and smaller neighborhood-centered farmer's markets.
All the other things we spend our time on fade to insignificance when we can't eat. I encourage us all to make 2011 Get Ready year. Here's what you can do.
- Earthquake preparation. You've got your 72 hour kit, right? Three days worth of water, food and a way to cook it, a source of heat, and a battery-driven radio for info. Three to Get Ready: Take the Preparedness Challenge.
- Longer term food stores. Got a basement or a closet? Build a pantry. Buy two of whatever food you pick up and put the spare in the pantry. Remember, eat what you store, store what you eat.
- Grow something - even herbs! Culinary herbs can grow in a pot on the windowsill or deck. Growing Culinary Herbs.
- Get to know your neighbors. We live independent lives connecting with virtual communities. In a real emergency, the people physically closest to you are the people you will be sharing the crisis with.
I don't live in King County, I live in Kitsap County. Recently I've joined the Kitsap County Agricultural Alliance, which plans to focus on urban agriculture in 2011. I've also joined the WSU Master Gardener program. Ensuring local long term food security is my immediate top priority.
It can be emotionally difficult to face the idea that the life we are living this instant might change dramatically for any of these reasons. I'm surprised at how many of my otherwise intelligent and organized friends don't store food. I care about y'all - this is my once-in-a-while reminder to ground our spiritual aspirations in the physical. Waiting until the emergency occurs to make preparations means competing with everyone else for those three days of food on the grocer's shelves.
Consider also getting an education in long term preparation and life change. Sharon Astyk is a well known writer and leader in this field. Her current project is called The Anyway Project.
"When in doubt about how to change, we should change our lives to reflect what we should be doing 'Anyway.' Living more simply, more frugally, using less, leaving reserves for others, reconnecting with our food and our community, these are things we should be doing because they are the right thing to do on many levels. That they also have the potential to save our lives is merely a side benefit (a big one, though)."