Surviving "Peak Everything"
We are suffering what some people call “peak everything.” Peak climate, peak food, peak oil, peak water, peak electricity, peak people. Just one of those “peaks” is important. Stir them all up and what are we in for?
Prices are skyrocketing. The mortgage crisis, credit crunch, gas prices, natural gas prices, electricity rate increases, milk, eggs and higher meat prices have been making our lifestyle difficult lately.
Now the price of typically inexpensive staples, such as flour and pasta, are increasing, too.
The experts aren’t giving any indications that these situations are temporary. In fact, a lot of them say there is more to come.
How well we fare with these new circumstances is directly related to how prepared we are.
It’s time to live locally—
Buy produce from a farmer’s market and support nearby small businesses, for they are the heart of our local economy.
It’s time to get to know your neighbors—
Don’t complain about barking dogs or call code enforcement on your neighbors about petty, superficial things. You might soon need to borrow that proverbial cup of sugar. Make all the friends you can.
It’s time to learn sustainability—
We can’t expect anyone to take care of us. We must be responsible for ourselves. Try a garden. Turn off the air conditioning on those iffy days. Stock up on canned goods.
It’s time to get strong—
The weak won’t make it. No victim mentality here. Buff up, physically and psychologically.
It’s time to really get into voluntary simplicity—
It’s better to enjoy living simply in preparation for a time when the simple lifestyle might not be so voluntary.
We can fear the future of a world of possible hardships...or we can embrace what we’ve been given and be thankful for it.
