Elizabeth Barrette (ysabetwordsmith) wrote,
Elizabeth Barrette
ysabetwordsmith
  • Mood: busy

Economic Climate Change

This article discusses the dramatic rise in oil and gas prices. It proposes that we've reached a tipping point, where rising oil/gas costs are destabilizing the rest of the (already depressed) economy. I think it neatly parallels the problem of global warming: species can adapt to slow steady changes, but sudden changes can cause serious problems. The price of petroleum products has doubled in the last year; that's more than most individuals and businesses can absorb.

For me, it means we've gone from visiting the post office daily, to three times a week, to twice a week. That impacts my work, because wordsmithing involves a lot of mailing manuscripts and contracts back and forth. I'm leaning more towards markets that use electronic exchanges instead. We used to visit my parents, who live two hours away, every weekend barring schedule conflicts ... then every other weekend ... and now it's once every month or two. I know what this is costing me: time, the one truly finite and irreplacable resource. There lives in me a deep and growling anger towards the people in power, both political and economic power, who have managed the world so shabbily that it's having a profound negative impact on people who are generally doing things right.
Tags: economics, personal
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  • 5 comments
haikujaguar

haikujaguar

May 24 2008, 17:41:56 UTC 13 years ago

All I can say is "Thank God for the internet." Because after I filled my tank the other day I started seriously considering all the places I drive and whether I really need to go there. I've started experimenting with how long it takes me to walk to a few local errands. I know I can bike those places within acceptable times, but I can't take the baby on the bicycle... so we've tried walking there together.

It's about half an hour one way to get to the grocery, which isn't so bad. I can do it in my present state of health while pushing a stroller as long as it's not mid-afternoon when the temperatures get into the mid/upper 90s. But it's definitely not something I'd just up and do on a whim. I need a sun hat, sufficient water for both of us, at least an hour and a half, and enough energy that I know I can get there and back.
ysabetwordsmith

ysabetwordsmith

May 24 2008, 19:21:29 UTC 13 years ago

You're lucky to have places within reach. Where I live, there's nothing within reasonable walking or biking distance. On the plus side, however, there's abundant space for growing things. If I had the stamina for heavy-duty gardening we'd be in better shape foodwise.