Do I want to even wake up....

I occupy a strange place in the green blogosphere, in that I focus on the economic drivers of our situation as much as the environmental ones. As I stare mesmerized into the computer screen following Wall Street completely implode and actively debate whether I should go to the bank and pull out a lot of my money and put it under my mattress (I am only half kidding, and the part that I'm kidding about is putting it under my mattress) We're in pretty dire straits and it's going to be going on for a while. The economy is not between a rock and a hard place, it is under the rock and the hard place. Things are going to get worse financially and economically for a lot of people around the world, and it's going to take a long time to work it out of the system and return to what is fashionably called equilibrium.

Now a plus side of this is that with slower economic growth, perhaps there will be some dissipation in our consumptionfest and it will give the earth a chance to recover and buy us some time to resolve our environmental issues. Perhaps, I'm worried that the lack of capital to fund basic research means that we'll coast without much improvement, discovery is a costly process and it needs some love that just might not be available. A larger issue is that I think the momentum of the system is already in play. If you look at the damage that hurricane Ike did, I think that there are more storms coming into play. The earth and our waters have heated too much and warming is still continuing. Just like how the collapse of the Wall Street firms was laid before the big denouement, I fear that we still have much damage to deal with. I have no idea where the residents of Texas are getting their insurance from, but I hope it's not AIG. Even though the brakes are being applied, the challenges of the planet are still in play.

I don't like to leave on a bummer of a note, so I'll try to leave on some actionable but not necessarily pleasant thoughts.

1) Consider personally de-financing. If you have a lot of funds in the bank, consider converting that into hard assets and hard skills. Gardening and the material for gardening might be a good idea. As might learning how to can fruits and vegetables. Becoming more sustainable and self sufficient is probably a good idea.

2) Consider used first, a lot of people are going to be selling things. Give money to your farmers market and buy the goods from people who need some cash.

3) Spend time with friends and family. Learn the power of companionship and the ideas of others. Someone to debate and share opinions with is wonderful. That's why the blogosphere is so enticing. Now do it in real time.

4) Get involved with the community. Care about your community. There is going to a whole lot of breakdown going on. City budgets are going to get strained and resources we are use to are going to become less frequent. Things like litter patrol are going to be farther and further between. Do your part, and if there is garbage in front of you. Consider picking it up and throwing it away. Keep things clean.

I hope my imagination is running away from me, but things are going to be different, be prepared.