Living With Less Stuff, Creating Less Garbage.

[Defense Minister]

Added the following to my post above:

Don't run the shower full pressure/volume and shut it off completely except when rinsing, use Mobil 1 full synthetic oil in my vehicle engines and change it at 10,000 mile increments.

It should be noted that following these practices also saves me lots of $$$!

 

[arakboss]

Simple, solar-powered water desalination

A completely passive solar-powered desalination system developed by researchers at MIT and in China could provide more than 1.5 gallons of fresh drinking water per hour for every square meter of solar collecting area. Such systems could potentially serve off-grid arid coastal areas to provide an...

news.mit.edu

 

[mrblond]

started composting last year, really cut down on the amount of trash i have to take out every week

 

[Connor Murphy]

Just a few strategically placed EMP bursts from living with less stuff. Probably with less people too.

 

[slimmer13]

The "way out" is zero population growth and probably population reduction, which is highly unlikely, at least by choice.

We are already beyond carrying capacity, and even if population growth stopped today, we are using up resources and polluting the environment at a rate that we will eventually exhaust the resources (some of which we already are - like potable water).

Eventually we will get to the point were deaths exceed growth, and at or near that point we will have increasing die offs.

I probably won't be alive, but I think it will happen this century, maybe as soon as 30-40 years from now, but probably this century. Millions, probably billions will die off. We are not learning to live within our means.

On an individual basis, some can maybe find a place and learn to live within their means, preferably having a net zero impact on their environment, but as you say, for everybody to do that, we are probably well beyond that point.

Human population will peak around 2064 and then decline, but not for the reasons you think. Global birth rates are crashing. Sperm counts and testosterone levels are falling about 1% per year. It is half what it was in the 60s (probably from plastics leeching in to the environment).

As far as max carrying capacity for the earth, yes it has one, but what it is, is an extremely complex question with a ton of variables. It could be increased if things like getting away from factory farming/monocrops is done. Whether that happens is anyone's guess.

 

[arakboss]

Human population will peak around 2064 and then decline, but not for the reasons you think. Global birth rates are crashing. Sperm counts and testosterone levels are falling about 1% per year. It is half what it was in the 60s (probably from plastics leeching in to the environment).

As far as max carrying capacity for the earth, yes it has one, but what it is, is an extremely complex question with a ton of variables. It could be increased if things like getting away from factory farming/monocrops is done. Whether that happens is anyone's guess.

What would we eat if we didn't have big ag?

 

[slimmer13]

What would we eat if we didn't have big ag?

It's just done very inefficiently. Crops are grown in areas they shouldn't be grown which uses way more water than they should be and monocrops and pesticides degrade soil quality. Crops should be grown in regionally appropriate areas and rotated. If pesticides are used sparingly on an as needed basis rather than just doused on principal, yields will remain high and soil quality will be preserved. If not, there is a limited number of harvests left. Some estimates say as little as 30 in the UK.

 

[arakboss]

It's just done very inefficiently. Crops are grown in areas they shouldn't be grown which uses way more water than they should be and monocrops and pesticides degrade soil quality. Crops should be grown in regionally appropriate areas and rotated. If pesticides are used sparingly on an as needed basis rather than just doused on principal, yields will remain high and soil quality will be preserved. If not, there is a limited number of harvests left. Some estimates say as little as 30 in the UK.

I think that we should abandon crops that provide few calories for the amount of water used. In their place we should plant crops that provide more calories with less water. It will limit the variety of produce available in the stores but could save a bunch of water.

 

[The Heretic]

It's just done very inefficiently. Crops are grown in areas they shouldn't be grown which uses way more water than they should be and monocrops and pesticides degrade soil quality. Crops should be grown in regionally appropriate areas and rotated. If pesticides are used sparingly on an as needed basis rather than just doused on principal, yields will remain high and soil quality will be preserved. If not, there is a limited number of harvests left. Some estimates say as little as 30 in the UK.

In short, this is going to catch up to us. Not tomorrow, not next year, but eventually. As I said earlier, I probably won't see it happen (I probably have at most, 20 more years on this mortal coil), but my kids might. Given politics and the $ behind "big ag" and other corporate interests, there isn't much that we can do beyond activism, but on a personal level we (some of us anyway) can grow more of our own food. My plan is to sell the property I have now (only good for growing trees, not food) and buy land that is more suited to growing food for my family, get that started and hope that my kids can continue towards that goal (along with being away from a population center and other issues associated with people in general).

 

[The Heretic]

I think that we should abandon crops that provide few calories for the amount of water used. In their place we should plant crops that provide more calories with less water. It will limit the variety of produce available in the stores but could save a bunch of water.

And stop using farmland for things like landscaping, among other things. My fathers farm is now dedicated to growing landscaping plants.

That said, the dairy farm that was next to us now grows mostly apples, which is more efficient than producing milk.

It depends on the crop and the location too - for example, the apple orchard that replaced the dairy, does not use a lot of water because its location has sufficient precipitation most of the year. If it was located someplace like Arizona, it would use a LOT of water - but be able to provide apples during those parts of the year where Oregon does not.

 

[arakboss]

I have been trying to find the positives in my cabin property being burglarized. I have come up with a couple of things.

First it was likely meth heads that stole my stuff. Maybe they will use the money from selling my stuff to buy some fentanyl laced meth and OD.

Second, while I had a lot of stuff that had some value, I had (probably still do) a lot of junk down there. I used some of the junk to hide the more valuable stuff. That is one way I justified keeping the junk around. If they found and stole the good stuff then I no longer have a reason to keep the junk around. I will try to think of the thieves as kick starters to cleaning the place up. Less stuff should make for less stuff to steal. Maybe if I am lucky they stole some of the junk too.

 

[The Heretic]

Second, while I had a lot of stuff that had some value, I had (probably still do) a lot of junk down there. I used some of the junk to hide the more valuable stuff. That is one way I justified keeping the junk around. If they found and stole the good stuff then I no longer have a reason to keep the junk around. I will try to think of the thieves as kick starters to cleaning the place up. Less stuff should make for less stuff to steal. Maybe if I am lucky they stole some of the junk too.

When I lived in Everett, the first time some neighbors stole something, it was junk; mostly old computers that were both obsolete and no longer working. I had place them in the carport until I could haul them to the junkyard. After that I tried to get them to take more junk but they learned their lesson.

The second time it was some misc. stuff I wanted, but wasn't particularly valuable and I kept it in the carport too.

 

[Member 52301]

Good thread! Thank you.

I shall return.

Cate

 

[Andy54Hawken]

This for the "less stuff" part of the topic....

If you see something for sale at a good deal price....
It's only a good deal if you have a use for it.

Go through what you own from time to time...see what you have used or have an actual use for.
Gift , re-sell , trade , re-purpose items that have been sitting around unused.
Andy

 

[The Heretic]

If you see something for sale at a good deal price....
It's only a good deal if you have a use for it.

Or will have a use for it.

And yes, it can be a fine line between something you will need (but don't need just yet) and something you might need. I sometimes cross over that line.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

And yes, it can be a fine line between something you will need (but don't need just yet) and something you might need. I sometimes cross over that line.

And therein lies the trouble for sure.
Andy

 

[arakboss]

This for the "less stuff" part of the topic....

If you see something for sale at a good deal price....
It's only a good deal if you have a use for it.

Go through what you own from time to time...see what you have used or have an actual use for.
Gift , re-sell , trade , re-purpose items that have been sitting around unused.
Andy

I am super guilty of buying stuff because it's a good deal not because I have a use for it.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I am super guilty of buying stuff because it's a good deal not because I have a use for it.

Well...you need to gift the muzzle loading items to me....

Maybe go through your stuff...and sell / trade for what you do have use for.
Granted that can be difficult to do.
Andy

 

[Certaindeaf]

I've been spending the last ten years getting rid of stuff. Just yesterday I sold three reclining lawn chairs.. I don't need four.
I've got a long way to go.

 

[P7M13]

I rarely buy new stuff.
I'll fix what's broke before replacing.
I routinely dumpster dive, reuse, repurpose, and recycle.