While radical, daily policy changes make the whole world precarious, I wonder how to keep healthy and survive-- how to sleep well every night, have a good bowel movement every day and keep peace between my ears. As much as possible, I figure we've got to keep local.
Alas. Because of the international supply chains that my computer and yours require during manufacturing-- and to build and operate the Internet's data centers and access networks-- this substack ain't local. (While I wonder if a less ecologically damaging Internet is possible, I say thanks to the late Richard Feynman, who "would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.")
Michael Shuman lays out nine principles of localism: 1)Localists need a functional federal government. 2)Localists want a diversity of independent communities. 3) They want free(r) trade. 4)They detest war. 5)Localists love small businesses. 6)They need a vibrant democracy. 7)They embrace free speech. 8)They need a stable economy. 9)Localists are Constitutionally conservative.
Let me add: Localists consider the international consequences of their purchases (of food, electricity, electronics, appliances, vehicles, solar PV systems, batteries, generators, pharmaceuticals, etcetera) on waterways, air quality, soil quality and public health. They recognize lethal greed: how corporate manipulation of science and regulation makes people sick.
Localists aim to live within the energy, water, ores and food within their watershed-- even while Congress cut funding for organic food programs just before Donald Trump took office.
Localists recognize that since they are manufactured by international, ecologically-ravaging supply chains, solar PVs, industrial wind turbines, battery energy storage systems and EVs are not local. Watch Australian Sandra Bourke's documentary, Dollars & Destruction: How Renewables Harm Our Farms & Cost the Earth. See Calvin Luther Martin's "Friends Against Rural Mismanagement. Solar Energy: Yes or No?"
Localists notice how butterflies are surviving, or not, near them. Note: for NY Times (or other media) access, go to your local! public library's website, find the NYT link, then log in with your library card number to access the digital edition.
LOCALISTS LEARN ABOUT INFRASTRUCTURE & INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY CHAINS.
They study how proposed development (regarding telecommunications, power lines, smart utility meters, energy storage, data centers, cryptocurrency, EV chargers, etcetera) would impact local flora, fauna and human health.
LOCALISTS RECOGNIZE THAT REGULATION IS DEAD, and INVESTMENT HAS REPLACED REGULATION
On February 10-11, The European Union held an A.I. summit in Paris-- and decided to cut back on regulations so that artificial intelligence can flourish. In a recent Zoom call, people who attended this EU conference reported that:
à ï ? ? à ? ï ? ? ï ? ? à ? ï ? ? ï ? ? Rational questions about AI's sustainability and ecological consequences were not welcome.
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