100 Million Will Die by 2030 If World Fails to Act on Climate: Report

[magical thyme]

49. We don't. We make changes in our own lives

based on what we believe. Live the change you want to see. It is the only way, and that way when the crap hits the fan, you will be in a position to help those who have been slower to see the light.

Edited to say this was meant to be a reply to 18, not the dictator!

The only thing I miss right now is companionship, and once I am able to move, I am heading to a transition town where I will automatically find like-minded people.

In the meantime, I reduced my energy consumption dramatically in the last 9 years. I put limited money into a couple small projects and got used to having my thermostat set at 55 in the winter. Your body adjusts *and* I'm now allowing myself to set it to 60, feel plenty warm and using ~ half the oil and gas that I used when I first moved here. I've gotten down to about 300 gallons oil/winter. This year I'm aiming for 200 gallons -- we'll see if I can make it.

I am currently almost vegan and will be 99-100% vegan by next year. I grow as much of my own as I can, increasing what I grow each year. I buy as much local organic as I can. I have already lost 2" around my waist in just 6 weeks or so and the change in diet has been totally painless thanks to the book "Eat to Live." The diet promoted by that doctor (which has been demonstrated to be very healthy) is one where I can grow most of what I eat, relying on others only for buckwheat (which is grown and processed locally).

I am driving my '97 civic into the ground, still getting almost 45 mpg. There may be 1 car after the civic for the rest of my life. When change hits big time, I will have my arabian mare to get around. She's under saddle now and will also learn to pull a small buggy. Non-horse people should be switching to bicycles. I don't ride bikes simply because they give me ear-aches for reasons I don't understand. Plus I'm a life-long horsewoman and have a future role to play in that.

I live further from where I work than I want to, but will change that as soon as I'm able to sell my house. I will be downsizing my house in a big way (not that my house is all that big, but 1400 ft' is plenty for a small family, way more than I need as a single). When I do downsize, the freed up money will go to extra insulation, solar, wind or geothermal -- which ever makes sense. I have my eye on an 800 or so sq' cottage near a transition town with acreage. Maybe will grow enough to sell excess at the in-town farmer's market...