Message From The Editor of Off-Grid News
It seems to me that more and more
people are "getting it." I meet the most unlikely folks in Lowe's or the
local co-op, purchasing materials to build a chicken coop or the wiring
needed to put up a fence. I watch men in shirts and ties debating over
seed packets with their impeccably dressed wives. I'm stopped at Walmart
in the canning aisle by people who ask me if I know anything about
canning or what they need to purchase to put up vegetables from their
garden.
They're fascinated and inspired when I tell them that canning meat is
possible too.
Our local farmers market is growing by leaps and bounds. More and more
people are seeing the positive impact of healthy food free from
pesticides and GMOs. They're sticking their finger in the air and noting
the winds of economic change and the direction they're coming from, and
realizing that they're going to have to do something to keep from being
blown away by the storms that are coming.
But there are still too many who have their heads in the sand or who
feel defeated before they even get started. There's not much any of us
can say to those who refuse to face reality and continue to believe all
is right with the world. Trillions of dollars in debt cannot be
sustained. Reckless printing of dollars cannot get us out of the trouble
we're in. Not even our government can remember what happened five short
years ago as it begins to pressure banks to once again make loans to
those who can ill afford to pay for them.
And then we have North Korea. Now, their posturing may simply be the
swagger of the man-child dictator who feels he must do something--even
bluster--to retain the respect of the military he supposedly commands.
Or his threats may be the ravings of a lunatic who will do whatever he
wants to against any real or imagined slight and to heck with the rest
of the world. These are things that we really have no control over.
But we do have control over our little corner of this earth, and those
of us who are keeping our "can do" attitude can help those who want to
do something but don't know where to begin. It doesn't matter if it's
one neighbor, a class you organize in church, a column you volunteer to
write for your local newspaper, or any other way you can share your
knowledge with people who want to learn, you can contribute to the
self-reliant movement that is sweeping this country. I would like to
encourage you to look for ways to share your knowledge and skills with
others around you. Look for ways to encourage the people in your area to
come together in sustainable communities.
If we can accomplish this, then it doesn't matter if the government
coffers go belly up, or if joblessness skyrockets to double digits, or
if tin-god dictators across the world get their knickers in a wad, we
will be prepared.
Isn't that a satisfying thought?
As always, thank you for being a subscriber to Off the Grid News. We
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The Editor
editor@offthegridnews.com
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