As the nations of the world get more close-knit, dependent on each other, there is also fear growing out of this dependency. Consumables are no more assured, not even essential commodities. All it requires is one cyclone to turn a metro into a flooded cesspool with snakes and rats dropping in home! No wonder survivalism is rearing its head again.
Barton M. Biggs, the former chief global strategist at Morgan Stanley says this: People should “assume the possibility of a breakdown of the civilized infrastructure. Your safe haven must be self-sufficient and capable of growing some kind of food,” It should be well-stocked with seed, fertilizer, canned food, wine, medicine, clothes, etc. Think Swiss Family Robinson. Even in America and Europe there could be moments of riot and rebellion when law and order temporarily completely breaks down.”
Kitchen gardens, car-pooling, community living, waste reduction, growing local, green homes that lap up solar and wind energies, walking over to the grocer instead of taking the car, etc are some measures we can see as response to scarcity arising out of a skewed growth. Already there is a dearth of skilled labour to address emergencies at home. Plumbers and carpenters seem to be all but extinct. Electricians too. As the gadgetry gets more and more complicated, the more tougher to find someone to repair.
It is not just natural calamities, increasing in their intensities, which can cause such situations. But energy crisis too. A much-expected thing as Peak oil could have cascading effects.
As TreeHugger notes, this need not be a bad experience. It can call collective action into the foreground. Working together for the optimum solutions that help a community survive can be more forthcoming.
How prepared is our system to tackle such situations? Any guesses? Let us know.
Meanwhile for some good news for those who like to get self-reliant! Rainbow Solar’s (RSi) new transparent photovoltaic-glass window generates 80 to 250 watts of electricity.
The new window has proven energy savings greater than 50 percent. RSi’s window can be built up to 9×9 ft in size, and uses battery technology with a lifespan of 55 years.
Even if large warehouses and manufacturing units adopt this kind of unit on their roof-tops it could mean a big relief for the grid in terms of load taken off. The initial costs could easily be paid back in a couple of years. The panels could easily take on the lighting load and more.
Why hasn’t this happened in our country? A simple answer perhaps is: subsidized power from the grid.
Let us know if you have heard of large-scale deployment of solar panels.
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1 comment:
"True science, it is said, is merely the process of asking nature to reveal her secrets. And these days, there's a shortage of true science. Too much of "modern science" involves people trying to dominate nature rather than attempting to learn from it..." says Health Ranger.
http://www.naturalnews.com/013286.html
I feel that modern scientists have long stopped practising true science. Scientific experiments that connect man with nature are needed now more than ever before, both for our survival on this planet as well as to give back modern science the respect that it has lost in the eyes of those who genuinely care for Nature and environment.
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