My partner and I have had to re-examine a lot about our lives and our lifestyles in the last few weeks; and it has culminated into thinking seriously about where and how we want to live.
We own house and land down in Bruthen, East Gippsland; but we currently live in Melbourne where I’m studying and working as a Carer, and Deb is trying to establish a business and we’re both trying to raise our daughters.
If the scientists are right, and the trends predicted are accurate, then we believe that our Bruthen house will not be a sustainable option. However, the empty block of land – as opposed to the house – lies in a river valley, and has rich, healthy soil which can at least provide the perfect medium for growing our own food. The house block is further up the hill and is sandy, dry and in the line of bushfire. This season’s fires came within 1km of our doorstep, and quite frankly we don’t want to live like that anymore. Fires are going to be worse in times to come, and water also is going to be scarce.
Add on top of that is the cost of living – can we sustain paying for a house and an empty block of land that we hardly use/see nowadays, as well as renting in Melbourne whilst we work/study? The answer is of course, “no”. It goes against the ethos which we are trying to achieve for ourselves.
But I wonder if there are many other people out there who, when presented with the facts of climate-change, seriously look at their own lives and make decisions (and maybe sacrifices) that helps us do our little bit to step lighter upon this Earth.
Making these kinds of changes are a big call. We do look forward and have a vision of how we want our children to grow up – and that future involves being as self-sufficient and sustainable as possible. To be able to feed, water and house ourselves puts less of a load on the centralised system. If we are in the position to do this, then why not?!
It is akin to a conversation my partner has been having on another forum on home-birth. Since the Australian Government has started dishing out the “baby bonus”, there is no longer the excuse that families cannot afford to hire a private Midwife. However, families are choosing to spend that money (somewhere near $5000 now I think…) on holidays, new cars, renovations, home theatre systems, etc…. nothing you could call”essential” as compared to giving your child the best possible start in life.
Its all about choices - and we do have a concept wired into our brains about “free-will”! We can choose what we do, when we do it, and how we do it.
The wisdom comes with how we make those choices. Do we consider the consequences of our action/inactions when we make choices? I think I’ve mentioned elsewhere about the Lakota-Sioux notion that our deeds/choices affect the next seven generations… do we consider these types of things when we make choices?
So whilst we enjoy the luxury of having three properties… do we need it? Does it assist us to live sustainably and responsibly? Can any of these properties sustain themselves? The answer to this last question is ‘no’. But now we can focus our energies on one place and make it livable in this sense: water tanks, solar and/or wind-power, water recycling, growing of foods and medicines, permacultural gardens, livestock, energy-efficient buildings, etc….
I think a very inspiring story is what a couple of blokes did in suburban Brisbane with the old house they bought. “Bellis” is a wonderful example of exactly what can be done, and I strongly urge people interested in this stuff to check it out.
