Breakaway Locals
I took an apple to my horse friend Able yesterday, at the carriage company where I used to work. The visit brought home what the downturn in the economy is doing to tourism here in Savannah. They're hurting. Extras like a carriage ride are the first to go in hard times. But fewer tourists here puts a dent in every area, from restaurants and inns to the usually thriving ghost tour business. As everyone holds on to the money they have, it creates a cascade of loss in the economy.
One reaction to the tremors in the global economy, is an upsurge of bartering, and creation of community-based networks. When, and if, the global shipping routes slow down, it makes sense to re-organize from the home base. For the first time in my life, I'm learning about things like growing food, saving seeds and canning. Many communities have co-ops, where each person contributes something with the idea to exchange. The town of Ithaca, New York has taken the radical step of printing their own money, which circulates among local businesses that accept "Ithaca Hours." Says one local, The simplicity of it, and the audacity of it, at the same time, is what appeals to me.
The Uranian times we're living in, with the opposition with Saturn, sets the stage for surprising, creative solutions to a broken system. That means local communities or regions taking matters in their own hands. Taking the best of both of these major planets, it would be the creation of community that has structural integrity, along with personal freedom. In a radio interview, the well-known actor and Lakotah activist Russell Means talked with both realism (Saturn) and the spirit of revolution (Uranus) about plans for the Republic of Lakotah. The vision is to get off the grid, with wind energy, and they're open to resourceful non-natives joining them. Many are drawn because there's no property or income tax, but Means says freedom has a price, and that everyone has to work hard for the community. The site's banner reads, Welcoming all self-sufficient People who come with an open Heart, a Passion for Freedom and a Love for Grandmother Earth.
It's easy to become fearful, go into survival mode, and think you're alone with an uncertain future. But there's the other path of thinking collectively, and building networks that will get everyone through the hard times. It's an old-fashioned idea that's quickly turning into the next big thing.
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