103 comments on A Resilient Suburbia 4: Accounting for the Value of Decentralization
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103 comments on A Resilient Suburbia 4: Accounting for the Value of Decentralization
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Of course, local consumers have an economic advantage over more distant consumers, because of the cost of transportation. Also, it's easier for a local producer to deny food to a distant stranger than to deny food to a local consumer.
Another way to look at it is in terms of local consumption as a percentage of production. I just ran some number for some net oil exporters. Iran and Saudi Arabia respectively went from 38% and 18% to 43% and 23% from 2005 to 2007 (consumption as a percentage of production, total liquids).
local consumers have an economic advantage over more distant consumers, because of the cost of transportation
But large farming corporations also have the advantage of economy of scale, greater leverage in futures contracts, and lower overhead. They also have greater political influence through lobbying and targeted campaign contributions. Not that I like any of the above (I most certainly do not.), but that is how the situation is playing out right now.
I think you are talking about producers; he was talking about consumers. Anyway, I would want to live in an area that had a wide variety of local produce and locally produced goods, for a lot of reasons. Ideally, associated interactions would be as face to face as possible.
I think you are talking about producers; he was talking about consumers.
True, but local consumers imply purchasing from local producers. Distant consumers imply distant (agro-factory) producers. Economy of scale, etc, are factors that currently offset the local advantage. Anyone who has seen The Future of Food, however, realizes the problems we face with industrial agriculture and seed monopolies.
I am growing 45+ fruit and nut trees, tending 20'x80' garden, and raise a small flock of sheep, so I heartily agree with the thrust of the vision in your comments.
Will has good points and this concept can be done on smaller lots too. In our energy, commodity constrained future future.
Many people will start to work from home as the cost of going to work in time, money means one needs to produce 1/2 as much for the same real income.
How it can be done is producing RE power like solar steam engines, windgens, collecting local biomass to convert to electricity, fuel pellets, ect along with growing food like will does though I'm thinking on a much smaller plot like 1/4acre. A dozen fruit, nut trees and a greenhouse/garden supplies the occupants with food, cash.
These can bring in a good living because the costs are so low without work travel time, lunch, clothes, lack of time to do things, find deals costs are much lower, running costs are under $400/person/month plus mortgage so one doesn't have to make much.
I live on about $250/month total cost since my mortgage is paid for food, clothes, utilities,
transport which is easy to make in my garage building custom EV's, ect in my small shop.
Starting from scratch on a site this RE, food growing, workshop could be done for under $50k
plus land.
Urban, suburban both have their good points. Transport costs will drop a fair amount as we switch to cool smaller vehicles mostly powered by renewable produced electricity or mass transit powered by the same. In my present EV gets about $.06/mile total costs because it's lightweight and aero.
And it's adjustments like these that will give economist heartburn. If big business, oil, coal, gov don't get reasonable many more will do as I do which will hurt them big time.
It's what we did in the 73 recession which rove the price of oil back down to under inflation
adjusted rates to before the oil embargo though without the electric cars but by car pooling, smaller cars, fewer trips, vacations, ect. In fact this recession, oil pricing looks a lot like then.
jerryd
What's your wH/Mile?
Will has good points and this concept can be done on smaller lots too. In our energy, commodity constrained future future.
Many people will start to work from home as the cost of going to work in time, money means one needs to produce 1/2 as much for the same real income.
How it can be done is producing RE power like solar steam engines, windgens, collecting local biomass to convert to electricity, fuel pellets, ect along with growing food like will does though I'm thinking on a much smaller plot like 1/4acre. A dozen fruit, nut trees and a greenhouse/garden supplies the occupants with food, cash.
These can bring in a good living because the costs are so low without work travel time, lunch, clothes, lack of time to do things, find deals costs are much lower, running costs are under $400/person/month plus mortgage so one doesn't have to make much.
I live on about $250/month total cost since my mortgage is paid for food, clothes, utilities,
transport which is easy to make in my garage building custom EV's, ect in my small shop.
Starting from scratch on a site this RE, food growing, workshop could be done for under $50k
plus land.
Urban, suburban both have their good points. Transport costs will drop a fair amount as we switch to cool smaller vehicles mostly powered by renewable produced electricity or mass transit powered by the same. In my present EV gets about $.06/mile total costs because it's lightweight and aero.
And it's adjustments like these that will give economist heartburn. If big business, oil, coal, gov don't get reasonable many more will do as I do which will hurt them big time.
It's what we did in the 73 recession which rove the price of oil back down to under inflation
adjusted rates to before the oil embargo though without the electric cars but by car pooling, smaller cars, fewer trips, vacations, ect. In fact this recession, oil pricing looks a lot like then.
jerryd
I think this is very much open to debate:
A simple search will turn up dozens of similar articles.
I think this really explains the profitability of "big ag". Consider the use of health and safety regulations in denying market access to small producers. I believe that ignoring or removing these barriers would seriously undercut the advantages of "big ag" especially in dairy and value added processing. In my experience, your reputation for quality and care among your neighbors is way more important than having the local Department of Health's approval.
And since small producers are mostly satisfying local demand...