One cure to rising obesity rates is simple. Turn off the electricity. Knowing that it'd work leads to many thoughts about our society. Convenience is a double edged sword.
Right! I call my plan for keeping the flab off "inefficient living."
To wit, I'm taking a week of vacation beginning today to split and stack winter firewood (home heated exclusively by wood), take care of major vegetable-garden harvest and big food-preserving tasks. I also do errands and commute to work by bicycle whenever possible (often not possible here in N.H.).
We aren't off the grid, but last week we ordered a new Amish-made word-fired kitchen cookstove from Lehman's.
Whoopee! It'll heat our water, bake our bread, dry our clothes (while humidifying the winter indoor air, deliver wood ashes to sweeten our acid soil, and keep us toastier than the old Glenwood C that's done the job for the past 37 winters.
About 84 percent of New Hampshire's land base is forestland, so those log loads of firewood we buy support local resource-based enterprises that help protect open land from development.
I love it all!
But it's difficult to live like this. Subversive, really. Challenges the dominant consumer paradigm in ways that make people uncomfortable.
You are to be commended for proving there's no reason we have to be at the mercy of utility providers. Independent living is possible, just different. I'm glad you spend time online so the rest of us get to learn about your adventures.
Whoa, not independent, Greg. Far from it! I more like the sound of interdependent.
I'm still trying to find a local backyard mechanic who can build me a rig that lets me use my bike trainer to pump water from the pond up into my vegetable garden and turn the crank on the grinder that turns wheat berries (from Texas) into whole wheat flour.
Drives me nuts to separate fitness activities from necessary daily work.
Imagine the power we could generate if we hooked every exercise machine in every gym and every children's swing and see-saw on every playground in the USA up to a generator or a water pump.
We could fight obesity without turning the power completely off.
4 comments:
Right! I call my plan for keeping the flab off "inefficient living."
To wit, I'm taking a week of vacation beginning today to split and stack winter firewood (home heated exclusively by wood), take care of major vegetable-garden harvest and big food-preserving tasks. I also do errands and commute to work by bicycle whenever possible (often not possible here in N.H.).
We aren't off the grid, but last week we ordered a new Amish-made word-fired kitchen cookstove from Lehman's.
Whoopee! It'll heat our water, bake our bread, dry our clothes (while humidifying the winter indoor air, deliver wood ashes to sweeten our acid soil, and keep us toastier than the old Glenwood C that's done the job for the past 37 winters.
About 84 percent of New Hampshire's land base is forestland, so those log loads of firewood we buy support local resource-based enterprises that help protect open land from development.
I love it all!
But it's difficult to live like this. Subversive, really. Challenges the dominant consumer paradigm in ways that make people uncomfortable.
Sounds like fun to me...for a while! :)
You are to be commended for proving there's no reason we have to be at the mercy of utility providers. Independent living is possible, just different. I'm glad you spend time online so the rest of us get to learn about your adventures.
Whoa, not independent, Greg. Far from it! I more like the sound of interdependent.
I'm still trying to find a local backyard mechanic who can build me a rig that lets me use my bike trainer to pump water from the pond up into my vegetable garden and turn the crank on the grinder that turns wheat berries (from Texas) into whole wheat flour.
Drives me nuts to separate fitness activities from necessary daily work.
Imagine the power we could generate if we hooked every exercise machine in every gym and every children's swing and see-saw on every playground in the USA up to a generator or a water pump.
We could fight obesity without turning the power completely off.
Peg:
I've exactly that same thought about exercise equipment and power.
My perspective is so far removed from "independent" or "interdependent" that it all looks the same from here.
Wish I were closer to NH so I could help with the bike trainer rig.
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