Restorative economy log
This is an ongoing collection of links relating to the mostly rather simple, human-based solutions that we need to get ourselves out of our current fix.
# Proposed outline of the problem:
• Frayed connections: The beginnings of the problem are "spiritual": our lack of deep connection to each other and our environment. We can play with technological solutions all we like, but in the absence of cultivated connection, we're not going to succeed. But traditional spirituality is often corrupted by power, and modern spirituality often corrupted by narcissism. We need engaged, independent faith, of whatever flavour, that expresses profound respect for life through practical – sometimes political – reverence for diversity, equality and justice.
• Humane, respectful politics. While never losing clarity about issues, we have to stop demonising people, including political opponents. Dialogue must stand tall alongside demonstration.
• Inequality
• Energy: We need to get off fossil fuels, fast.
• Technology: Generally, we have to favour technology that works in sympathy with nature. That means, probably, minimal energy use, maximising diversity, aiming for circular flows of energy resources and avoiding depletion. Biomimicry, etc. But I'm still trying to figure out how to distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate technology. Probably I should go back and read Schumacher.
• Zero-waste economy
• Sustainable agriculture
• Water: We apply too much technology to our water management. Older, simpler systems that work with nature.
• Forests
Enough of prelude. On with links.
## General
Drawdown maps, measures, models, and describes the 100 most substantive solutions to global warming.
http://www.drawdown.org/The mathematics of mortality: immortality is impossible
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171030154430.htm## Agriculture
Researcher sees huge carbon sink in soil minerals
https://phys.org/news/2017-11-huge-carbon-soil-minerals.htmlBuilding resilience through permaculture in a semi-collapsed state: Zimbabwe
https://permaculturenews.org/2013/08/15/the-chikukwa-permaculture-project-zimbabwe-the-full-story/This article covers an extraordinary set of likely insights into "the most effective way to grow food in a warming world".
https://craftsmanship.net/drought-fighters/Cover crops and no-till
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2013/09/cover-crops-no-till-david-brandt-farms/Studies suggest that regenerating soil by turning our backs on industrial farming holds the key to tackling climate change
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/sep/10/soil-our-best-shot-at-cooling-the-planet-might-be-right-under-our-feet## Land restoration
The extreme challenges of reforestation in Iceland
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/20/climate/iceland-trees-reforestation.html## Water and water resilience
Water johads: A low-tech alternative to mega dams in India
http://www.notechmagazine.com/2015/06/water-johads-a-low-tech-alternative-to-mega-dams-in-india.htmlGlobal kids study: More trees, less disease
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/10/171009084403.htm?inf_contact_key=3b6b5eb715f4392190e4e8cc1747d44245688b2f6dd9742af00146f2bfc22672'Animals, plants, soil, and air have long collaborated to regulate our climate by stimulating “the water cycle”—until we disrupted their partnership. The good news is that there is a clear pathway to reconciliation.'
https://craftsmanship.net/the-new-water-alchemists/Land restoration in Ethiopia
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2017/jun/21/land-restoration-in-ethiopia-this-place-was-abandoned-this-is-incredible-to-meBillions of gallons of water have fallen on Los Angeles County since last week. And much of that kept right on going — out into storm drains, lost to the sea. Couldn’t we actually use that water?
http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/12/17/48734/drought-four-things-southern-california-is-doing-t/Tamera’s ecology experts transformed an area at risk of desertification – and say they can do the same anywhere in the world
“There’s a principle in permaculture called the triple S – slow, spread and sink,” says Mueller. “When you have flowing rainwater, something in your ecosystem is wrong. You have to slow it down, spread it over the land and let it sink.”
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2017/mar/07/tamera-portugal-permaculture-waterPlanting the Rain to Grow Abundance | Brad Lancaster | TEDxTucson
Brad is the author of the award-winning books Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond,
www.HarvestingRainwater.com, and co-founder of
DesertHarvesters.org.
[Tedx talk on YouTube](
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2xDZlpInik)
So Cape Town's about to [start drilling, desperately, into the Table Mountain Aquifer](https://goo.gl/RuZogK), risking substantial environmental damage to avert a crisis that could have been and was predicted years ago.
Hopefully this will at be at worst a stop-gap emergency measure that is minimally used, but in the long term...
We're not the only ones screaming "drought" while actually wasting the water that falls on us. In California as well,
https://www.forbes.com/sites/laurelmoglen/2017/03/23/millennials-bettering-the-world-through-business/#4ce14aea15a51) If Windhoek can purify its waste water to become drinkable again, then Cape Town can.
2) We flush millions of litres of water out to sea via storm water drains every year. In Sun Valley, California, another drought-hit zone, they store storm water in Roman-style cisterns.
3) Cisterns and rain barrels: Collecting our water is only a partial solution. But it's a good part.
http://www.scpr.org/news/2014/12/17/48734/drought-four-things-southern-california-is-doing-t/4) Replenishing, not depleting, groundwater: Spreading grounds.
Green streets
https://www.epa.gov/G3/learn-about-green-streets"A living case study is Australia, which went from the second largest per-capita water user in the world (behind the U.S.) to one of the most efficient"
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ashoka/2015/04/15/why-does-california-let-billions-of-gallons-of-fresh-water-flow-straight-into-the-ocean/2/#2347bebf6ddaCisterns
http://www.cnbc.com/2015/04/13/how-to-fix-californias-drought-problem-commentary.htmlLos Angeles' extensive plans for harvesting stormwater.
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-stormwater-plan-20150625-story.html