Biospheric Resonance

This being first and foremost an entrepreneurial blog, I generally don’t talk about politics here. Unless, that is, it concerns an issue that strongly affects a community, market, or industry that I’m engaged with in the pursuit of my profession. I believe that this is the case with the following:

With election time looming on the horizon, the politicians are hitting the campaign trail hard, talking up all manner of  schemes they promise to implement if they are elected. One of the issues that is getting some attention in this way  here in Hawaii is agriculture and food. From what I’ve heard so far, the typical idea being spouted by some of “our” candidates boils down to this:

1. To divert more juicy pork towards subsidizing local undertakings that are unsound and unsustainable, otherwise they wouldn’t need subsidizing in the first place, and
2. In the process, to take more control over food  matters away from local farmers and consumers and give it to the government.

The typical result of such a plan is exactly the opposite of what it purports to be: it always causes there to be less sustainability, less economic opportunity, and less food security for the people.

As a challenge to this year’s candidates and voters, I propose a plan below that would really work to create a secure, independent, resilient food system as well as revitalize the entire economy in Hawaii if implemented. As a voter, you can litmus-test candidates’ integrity and allegiance by presenting points from this plan to them and observing their responses.Most politicians, no matter what they say to your face, are in the game to enrich and empower themselves  at your expense, in which case they will not like this proposal at all. Here goes:

1. Permanently exempt all agricultural products and services produced locally by Hawaii-based businesses and residents from all state and local taxes, at all levels (production, wholesale, and retail).
2. Exempt said products and services from all state/local health department (“food safety”) and trade regulations, such as, but not limited to kitchen certification, pasteurization requirements, and vending licenses.
3. Require all food products with GMO content sold in Hawaii to be labeled as such.
4. Lower the age at which Hawaii’s extremely onerous child labor restrictions apply from 18 at least down to 15, preferably 13, empowering our youth to take any job agreeable to themselves and their parents, and thereby building precious marketable skills and self-esteem. Many will want to explore the myriad opportunities in agriculture opened up by the previous 4 points.
5. Declare that industrial hemp is not a drug  and allow it to be grown without any restrictions.
6. Nullify (resolve not to enforce) any and all federal laws pertaining to health, food, energy, agriculture, and commerce that violate the U.S. Constitution and/or the inherent rights of the Citizens of Hawaii,  those laws existing on the books as well as any  that are currently pending or may be passed in the near future. This would also include arresting and deporting any federal agents attempting to enforce those nullified laws on Hawaiian soil.
7. Vigorously oppose the pending and future passing of any further laws of such kind, e.g. the Food Safety Modernization Act of 2010, to name but one example.

These measures are what it would realistically take to achieve the secure and thriving communities most of us here in Hawaii seem to be saying we want. The expanded command-and-control plans the politicians are proposing will only lead us in the opposite direction. Now, dear fellow Hawaii Citizen, it is up to you. Go ahead and suggest these ideas to your candidates, and see if any are willing to listen to you and get themselves wholeheartedly behind something that upholds your rights.

Let me know what you think. Anything you would want to change, add, or leave out? Why? Do you know of any candidates who would adopt one or more of these points, or is already supporting something similar?

Tags: food politics, food security, food supply, Hawaii, Hawaii agriculture, modest proposals, sustainable agriculture

Due to its enormously centralized structure, the current food supply system of the U.S. and most of the western world is extremely vulnerable to a myriad of disruptive factors. These include economic downturns, energy shortages, acts of God, unhygienic production practices, environmental disasters, terrorist attacks, civil unrest, etc. Any one of these on its own can cause serious interruptions in the supply lines. Two or more happening at the same time could shut down the entire inflow of food to your area for several months.

How likely is this really, you may wonder. I’m not trying to peddle fear and doom here, but an honest, matter-of-fact assessment of where everything’s at right now and how it got to be so shows that the odds aren’t exactly in favor of rose-colored glasses. There’s no denying we live in “interesting times”.  Of course I fervently hope that such extreme circumstances won’t come to pass. But what if….how will you cope with a challenge like that? How much do you currently rely  on the centralized system for sustenance? What alternatives are available to you in your situation?

Am I preaching to the choir, or is this a new concept to you? Are you young or old, living alone or with a family? In the city, the ‘burbs, or the country? What kind of resources are you able to invest in the peace of mind and positive outlook that come with knowing you’re prepared for challenging times ahead?

What would YOU consider the most challenging or frustrating part of  kicking dependence on the system and achieving resiliency in terms of your food needs? (Sourcing, purchasing, bartering, growing, preserving, storing, securing, etc.) Which resources do you have plenty of, and which ones are you short on in this context? Money, equipment, knowledge, skills, indoor space, land, like-minded people, local producers…

Whether you agree or disagree about the likelihood of a food crisis or the importance of personally preparing for one, whether you are just beginning to take some steps at this or are a dyed-in-the-wool self-sufficiency pioneer, I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic.

Tags: clean food, disaster preparedness, food security, food supply

With no end in sight to the current housing market contraction, anyone looking to sell a house is under increased pressure to make the property stand out in a positive way in order to improve the chance of getting a decent price for it within a reasonable time. At the same time, measures taken to achieve that goal must not be too high of an investment to make if they are to generate the desired return.

Despite the dismal economic climate, many people are getting passionate about wanting to live in a harmonious, ecologically sound,  and healthy environment. They are still willing to pay a premium to get it.

It is possible to do a number of low-cost tweaks on a property that give it a dose of green credibilty and make it more appealing to those home  buyers. The landscaping is the easiest area to achieve an immedate  impact. Standard property management practices tend to make a place look ugly, barren, and cheap. Without spending much more, your home could get a smart, chic, luxuriant look that draws the attenton of potential buyers.

If the property is still to be renovated before putting it on the market, there are also many ways to breathe some life into the house itself, both inside and out, to make it virtually shout healthy, wholesome, and ecofriendly, and again, the expense need not exceed that of a conventional approach.

If you are a homeowner or real estate professional needing to sell, does this sound like something that could be of help to you? Does there seem to be a demand for homes with “green curb appeal” in your market? Have you had any experiences, whether positive or frustrating, with selling into this niche? Would you be interested in learning how to tweak properties this way? Or how to develop new ones from the ground up with this factor in mind?

Tags: green building, green credibility, green curb appeal, healthy homes, housing crisis, landscape construction, landscape maintenance, real estate, real estate marketing

Every environmental issue that I examine – and I have carefully examined many in the past 25 years – has the tendency to give me the same basic overall answer, namely that self-mastery is THE KEY to securing the survival of planet Earth and its inhabitants for the foreseeable future.

Personally, when I think of self-mastery in this context, I think of getting to know myself really brutally honestly well, learning what my true motives are for doing every little thing I do, learning what kind of effects various external influences and stimuli have on me, what kind of effects my own actions have on the external world. From this follows learning how to consciously override automatic responses and self-direct every decision in my life in a way that is authentic and appropriate to me.

This is just one perspective though. I’m sure there are many more as to what self-mastery being the key could mean.

What is YOUR take? What does “self-mastery” mean to you? Do you feel affinity with the term? To you, what does it have to do with solving environmental and other problems in the world? Is it something you feel could empower you to make a difference?

Tags: be the solution, conservationism, personal development, personal ecology, self-directed-living, self-mastery