Population growth and climate change

The United Sates Census Bureau predicts that the population of the United States will grow by another 100 million in the next forty years. In his book The Next 100 Million: America in 2050 Joel Kotkin sketches a mostly positive outlook on how  diverse and optimistic Americans will cope with this population increase

Mr. Kotkin’s text is a serious study and richly footnoted. His anti new-urbanist view is in apparent. He puts forth that even with this new growth the density of the United States will still be many times less than the population density in Europe. His position on the growth of new extra urban mini-metropolises throughout the heartland of America, supports my view that telecommuting and information transfer technologies will make living in major urban environment a life style not a career driven decision.

If we take as a given that Climate Change will be upon us sooner than later, where ill those people live and what will this population growth mean to the rest of us.

While no one for certain, can say what areas of the United States will be suitable for human habitation in fifty years, one thing for certain some places in America will get better for humans and others will get worse. If you read, and fully believe Dianne Dumanoski’s book The End of the Long Summer you might not be so optimistic. However, as I  believe that we are past the climate change tipping point, its a moot point. The population of the United Sates will grow significantly and climate change will shift our industrialized focus.

What does that mean to our future economy. Less consumer spending of scare resources and more group purchases or redistribution of resources through government. We will have to build new infrastructures to support our increased population and new infrastructure to support it where it lives.

Where will the new population go. No one knows for certain, except that it will go where the weather supports growth and to places (urban or otherwise) that provides for the spiritual and physical needs of Americans.

What does that mean?

More Local Everything

New villages, cities and towns that provide green economies in places that have good weather, rational water supplies and the potential for growing crops.

More small city growth where transportation and infrastructures can be funded locally without mega grants from the federal government.

More villages, cities and towns in areas with abundant green power of hydro, wind and direct solar.

More communities that provide local entertainment and opportunities to recreate in the outdo

Where will this take place?

Your guess is as good as any, my guess: the hill country of Texas, interior North and South Carolina, possibly Arkansas, Oklahoma and the Dakotas as well as the Intermountain West. It is unlikely to take place in the coastal states or anywhere with mega city growth has reached practical commuting and social management limits.

Healthcare and Weekly RATS. We are now officially part of the way there.

Having recently returned from a vacation, without television or regular news, I need to get back into the swing of things.

Sunday brought us a good way towards some rational national health insurance system. The rest of the world laughs at us: “How can you have small business women and men making jobs when their jobs come with crappy pay and no healthcare”.

As much as the conservative insist the end is nigh, and socialism is run amok, this country needs some social purchases. As rugged independent individuals, we have been unable to build a system that cares for the sick, aged and dying. To build a good system for that, we will act together, much like Medicare and Social Security. yes it will take taxes, but we are among the least taxed people in the world and we get what we pay for.

Any way, the world as we know it is not coming to an end, and we will explore health insurance for at least a generation before we get it right.

Here comes “Weekly Rats”.  All is not good on Main Street in my town. A local roadside motel is advertising "weekly rats".

I can’t be sure if that’s a benefit, or an offer to reduce rates to meet the lousy prospects on our Main Street.

I can tell you, on our main street , jobs are still being lost, wages are being reduced and we are resetting how we go about living the “good life”

Simplify your life. Six easy and small ways with a link to 72 more.

I know the "baby boomers" are begining the de-acqusition phases of their lives. As I talk to my old and new friends, who are age peers, they are looking  for EASY and SMALL ways to simplify their lives.

They are not looking for leisure retirements, they are looking for ways to dump impediments to continued productivity.

For example, if taking care of my large yard is getting in  the way of my volunteer work, something has to give:

I dropped the yard work!

So here are few EASY and SMALL ways to simplify your lives:

1. Make all your bills into e-billing and direct pays. Most e-bills can be put on credit cards so you don't always face over charging yourchecking account.
• Reduces paper mail coming in and reduce recycling or waste.
• It also saved me $15/month in postage, and the monthly drive to the post office for stamps.
2. Give to charity all the clothing you have not worn in one year. (Of course save the raincoat, even if you live in Arizona, you might travel)
• This simplifies your decision making on what to wear. It also keeps you more up to date.
• It makes it easier to organize your closet.
3. Take ALL your books and magazines to the used book exchange.
• This simplifies cleaning the house and the inevitable internal question of "Tell me again, why am I saving this?"
• Lets you return those "lost" library books!
• Porvides you with a little income to maybe buy a current novel, or self-help book.
4. Burn all that lumber you have been saving for that "project". Skip the project, you don't need a yard shed. (See above: drop the yard work)
• Clears the garage for the car and makes getting into the house easier. I did this one!
• Might save your life, if you need to get out of the garage quickly.
5. Drop all memberships that don't contribute to the benefit of others (than yourself).
• Lots fewer meetings.
• Lots less junk mail.
• More time to be productive helping others. (A very post consumer view.)
6. Have your home phone disconnected (We did!)
• No false emergencies at our houses. (We do have cell and email for close friend.)

Thats my list of six.

If you really want the full monty go to this website. Zen Habits

There are seventy-two ways to simplify. If that's too many read this excerpt from the site.

The Short List 

• Identify what’s most important to you.
• Eliminate everything else.