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Saturday, January 15, 2011

Turning Point

How to end a blog?  In the spirit of impermanence this blog has to end at some point.  I have been writing and posting for 2.5 years now, documenting my thoughts and data on the house.  We have maintained a stable set of data and it is time to transition from a construction project into a farming project.  The final data point is this...

Energy costs are $0.88 a day and one cord of self sustaining wood (dead, dying or downfall) a year.

So theres the data and as you can see from the blog I have interjected some of my thoughts and opinions so here is my final thoughts....

"Even our scientists can see that there is no technological fix, no amount of computers, no magic bullet that can save us from population explosion, deforestation, climate disruption, poison by pollution, and wholesale extinction of plant and animal species.  We are going to have to want different things, seek different pleasures, pursue different goals than those that have been driving us and our global economy."  What we need is "a great turning of human consciousness."  Joanna Macy

This is not all doom and gloom, I have seen and feel this shift coming.  We have to look at environmentalism from a whole new point of view.  A view that holds the same passion we place in our spirituality.  Every religion makes references to protecting nature and providing for those in our society that are in need.  We need this spiritual shift and awakening to make the difference for all creatures on this planet.  Please keeping doing all the little things, but fundamentally change your life and be the change you want to see.  Look deep within and be completely honest about what needs to be done.  Forget what the science supports or does not support.  When you strip away all that science or religion teaches you about a beautiful flower what is it that deeply moves you.  As Jack Kornfield writes in After the Ecstasy the Laundry "this transformation is not automatic.  In every area of the mandala of awakening we need consciously to face our conditioning and habits."  Grab hold of your habits and shake them loose.  Challenge your thinking and be completely honest with yourself.  Make the very hard internal commitments to change, but above all hold compassion close to your heart and spread joy to all that you meet.

A smile and a bow to everyone.

Ben


New blog coming about our farm.  Check back soon I will post the link.

2 comments:

  1. Ben,

    I am very interested in the specifics of your solar system. Does your solar hot water heat your house through radiant floor heat? What size water tank and for how many panels?

    Thank you,
    Thomas

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  2. Our solar system is a collection of 90 Apricus tubes, 105 gal storage tank and we use our slab as a dump zone during the winter. We are able to get some heat during the shoulder months but we supplement with sustainably harvested firewood at about a 1.3 cord a year. We also generate about 1/3 of our electricity but only use about 3000KW a year. The solar systems were done by Revision Energy in Portland Maine.

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