Climate change is happening. And we have already done so much damage that it is going to get worse. At the same time, the production of cheap fossil fuels is past its peak. That much is a given.

At Westacre, we are attempting to build a life that significantly reduces our impact on the environment and cushions us from some of the inevitable changes ahead.

This week I was reading this:
“The peak of conventional petroleum production, by an interesting irony, happened in 2005, right as that report was being leaked to the press. Thus we’re at least 27 years too late, and the massive discontinuities are already baked into the cake. Individuals, families, and communities can still take constructive steps to prepare for those discontinuities and get through them with as little suffering as possible, but one way or another it’s going to be a very rough road down from the peak.”
– John Michael Greer

And this:
“The impossibility of sustaining this system of endless, pointless consumption without the continued erosion of the living planet and the future prospects of humankind, is the conversation we will not have.”
– George Monbiot

A few years ago, the UK government commissioned a report on climate change. It said that the ice on Greenland will inevitably melt, causing a 7m sea level rise. Unable to find maps that show you what that looks like, Alex made Flood Maps. That’s just one of those discontinuities. Where is your house on that map.

Our plans for Westacre are quite ambitious, and we are fortunate to have the luxury to be able to do this. As we renovate the house, we’ll be showing you all the elements of our low-carbon house and how they fit together. In the long run, we aim to show the world that it is possible to live a rich and fulfilled life with a much reduced impact on the living Earth.

Not everyone will be able to do all of this. But some of the things we are doing, and have already done, are very simple:
– move to a renewable energy provider like Ecotricity or Green Energy.
– turn down the thermostat on your central heating.
– put thermostatic valves on your radiators.
– keep your main living area warm with a wood burning stove.
– install a water saving toilet.
– grow some of your own food.

Getting ready to plant potatoes

And you know what? We’re loving every minute of this life. Doing real work on the land, making real relationships with our neighbours, warming ourselves at a real fire. I’d recommend it.

What are you doing to prepare for a future of discontinuities?