Now I seem to be turning into a Greenie

wildsparrow

Since discovering all about this whole PO malarkey I'm cleaning out my bookshelves.

I had dreams of building a cosmetics empire. And an entertainment one also, focussing on live performance and training.

I'm basically refocussing completely. Now I'm tossing out my marketing and skincare books and buying DIY and gardening books.

My Vogue magazines will go next. Things MUST be going to get bad if I'm doing that, LOL.

freelight · Coal Joined: Nov 04, 2004 Posts: 18

there are greenie ways to take care of your skin too.
aloe, burdock root, vitamin a and e, zinc and evening primrose to name a few!
evening primrose has helped me avoid headaches and i guess it helps prevent cancer too!

wildsparrow

Yes, I have already got quite a few books on those herbal ways of doing it. My idea was to create a market my own herbal/natural bath products. But since I think capitalism is going to hell in a handbasket, my ambitions must now shift entirely, I need to focus my energy not on reading marketing books, but on dreaming up a little community where I can make remedies and lotions for whoever needs them, in exchange for their eggs or whatever. Sounds great to me.

something_awfull

JudoCow09 · Heavy Crude Joined: Aug 07, 2005 Posts: 253

Let me emphasize the word "if"

You guys are preparing to dodge a bus that might never show up.

Ludi

Wildsparrow, I think herbal products will still be a good line to go into, especially basic skincare such as soaps and lotions. I know I crave good soap and lotion after a long hot day working in the sun. These things will be precious in the future and people will be happy to pay for them in money or apples, depending. So don't give up on that!
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"...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy

JudoCow09 · Heavy Crude Joined: Aug 07, 2005 Posts: 253

Why is everyone willing to give up their way of life now? You people think just because Peak Oil WILL happen means that we will end up falling to our knees and working in fields. You people think you know this will happen, when you only really can anticipate a negative outcome.

Once again, just because you know Peak Oil will happen doesn't mean you know that we'll all be working in fields to stay alive.

Trab

How does jettisoning a bunch of stuff you don't use translate into giving up one's lifestyle? I prefer to think of the steps I'm taking as reclaiming what's important in my life. Modern culture (at least in the US) encourages us to accumulate a lot of crap. I'm getting rid of the excess crap that I don't use, or really don't need, while it still has some value. Stuff owns us just as much as we own it, so I see nothing wrong with determining what stuff is truly worth owning and taking the appropriate steps.

What these folks are talking about is taking steps to retain access to things that they may not be able to buy for one reason or another. Seems like a prudent path to me.

You're right that we may be getting ready to dodge a bus that won't come. It makes sense to be prepared, and then be happily surprised when things aren't as bad as you feared. I'd much rather be in that situation than showing up at the foodmart one day, waiting in the queue, and then demanding to know where my sugar-coated squishies are, since my ration card states I get 4 of them a week, but the shelves are empty. Wink

Economic turmoil of one sort or another is coming, though. Whether it's caused by peak oil, or poor fiscal policy, or just a K-wave cycle completing, it will happen, and in our lifetime.

FairMaiden

I'm a greenie by nature (pun intended, LOL) so that is already my lifestyle. But I have felt the urge to "clean house" as well. I wonder why? I do know I'd like to make more room for survival stuff. I live in an earthquake zone - so I should have all that stuff anyway!

I believe that things might be down for some time. I don't see us going all the way back to horse and buggy tho!

JudoCow09 · Heavy Crude Joined: Aug 07, 2005 Posts: 253

Well I guess it makes sense to be prepared. In fact, throwing away all your old computer hardware probably wouldn't hurt since it's mostly useless anyway. Very Happy

I'm really trying to say is if you're trying to overprepare for post-peak to see it not happen, don't throw away so much stuff to the point that you are barely holding on to your current lifestyle.

Ludi

Tyler_JC

I have already cut my consumption of beauty products considerable.

Well actually I can't cut something I never used to begin with...but the point remains. Somehow. Smile

Some of the more exotic beauty creams will be reserved for the very wealthy (again). I doubt the average person will be without Ivory soap for a few decades.

But cutting back on unnecessary spending is a good way of preparing for any kind of economic down turn.

JudoCow09, cutting out extra spending is not "giving up our way of life". If buying hundreds of dollars worth of useless beauty cream makes you happy, go right ahead. But it isn't a "way of life". Unless you live in Beverly Hills.
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"www.peakoil.com is the Myspace of the Apocalypse."

JudoCow09 · Heavy Crude Joined: Aug 07, 2005 Posts: 253

SeasonOfPain

I did the same thing with all (okay, 90%) of my computer books. I'm a computer programmer, which I don't anticipate being a high-demand trade post-peak.

The trouble is, I haven't yet identified what I *could* be good at post-peak that can be learned in a short amount of time. I'll probably be a part of a body-disposal unit. Crying or Very sad

FairMaiden

I agree with Judecow...its seems highly impractical to "throw" away your dreams or hopes bc of something that may not even happen. I believe peak oil is serious issue and I believe we should prepare. But it could also occur decades from now! Does this mean we stop living - no! I believe that the environment is important so I have a downscaled lifestyle anyway. I don't know what I would do if I didn't. Still there is room for improvement on my part - I'd like to set up an apt sized worm composter on my balcony, grow some veggies, etc. I think saving your money and paying off mortgages are great ideas anyway - there is no down side there. And if we see some miracle breakthrough like cold fusion (or using the heat of the earth's core as we've seen in Iceland)...then we won't have anything to regret...we'll still be better off.