The Oil Drum | How Can We Make 2009 a Better Year?

154 comments on How Can We Make 2009 a Better Year? - Open thread

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Nate Hagens on January 1, 2009 - 11:59am

How Can We Make 2009 a Better Year?

More exercise. It has even more positive impacts on the brain than on the body. Reduces cravings (even of internet variety), increased neuronal connections, more creativity, etc.

Of course if that improved creativity results in the building of a larger, more energy intensive shopping mall, then perhaps it may not have made it a better year..

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Chicken_Of_Doom on January 1, 2009 - 12:16pm

Yes, turn off the doomer porn and go snowshoeing, or if you are not stuck in WI, ride your bike. Stave off those expensive health issues that result from a sedentary consumer lifestyle!

Hey, you know what TOD needs? "TOD Library", a comprehensive list of books/dvd's etc that are recommended by the experts that contribute to this site. Catorize them, (fiction, gardening, PO,Oil and Gas industry stuff, localization, etc etc) maybe have short reviews.....

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Billy_Smith on January 1, 2009 - 1:44pm

My favorite movie this year (OK, it was done in 07 but I only saw it this year) was King Corn. PBS has a nice writeup and link to a trailer.

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aangel on January 1, 2009 - 2:40pm

There are several places I can point you to. The first is my post below on book kits that is a start. It doesn't have book reviews yet (but will soon).

Also, Dr. Mills is setting up a preparation page here:
http://drmills.wiki-site.com/index.php/Peak_Oil_Preparation

He's creating something like what I did with The Guide to Post Peak Living.

From my conversation with him, I think he'll have book recommendations, too, if he doesn't already by now.

And if you haven't read his page on Evolutionary Psychology and Peak Oil, I strongly recommend it:
http://www.drmillslmu.com/peakoil.htm

I think Matt has done some good work picking books, too (look down the left side):
http://www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net

And his forums are always edifying.

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Robert.Smart on January 1, 2009 - 12:33pm

The secret to doing more exercise is wanting to, and one key to that is to get sugar (sucrose, fructose) out of your diet: see http://www.abc.net.au/rn/healthreport/stories/2007/1969924.htm for a compelling case. Worked for me, and that might be the reason rsi/shoulder/neck problems have gone.

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Gail the Actuary on January 1, 2009 - 12:55pm

I try to buy food in pretty much its original form--mostly from the produce department and fish department, but also goods liked dried beans and rice. I don't eat a whole lot of meat. If I buy canned goods, like beans and tomatoes, I try to buy them without added ingredients. I drink coffee, tea, water, and occasional wine. I also get a moderate amount of exercise. So far my health seems to be quite a bit better than that of my contemporaries, but there are no guarantees. I have a cousin in her early 40s who is a vegetarian and a runner, but recently was diagnosed with breast cancer that has metastasized.

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ThatsItImout on January 2, 2009 - 6:15am

"but there are no guarantees. I have a cousin in her early 40s who is a vegetarian and a runner, but recently was diagnosed with breast cancer that has metastasized."

First, let me say I am sorry to hear that, I don't know about you but for me my cousins are like adopted to sisters to me, we are very close.

I think a great deal of health is genetic. We can improve the quality of life with lifestyle changes but I doubt we can do much to change the issue of cancers, heart issues and other genetic based problems with diet and exercise.

I have gone completely off sugar and reduced portions of everything else, especially white flour, and moved to a more vegetable based diet (I love veggies anyway). I have gone from 169 pounds down to 142 and lost 6 inches around the waist (hopefully giving an old guy some appeal with opposite gender ;-) putting my self near the bottom of the suggested wieght table for a guy my height. However I must say that it has had no effect on blood pressure or the way I feel, except perhaps a bit more confident in my clothes! Now if I could just find some way to make myself taller...

One thing I am trying to do: Reduce stress. In all honest, I have tried to reduce my visits to TOD, because I feel many folks are trying to "carry the world on their shoulders". There is much in the world about which the individual can do nothing, and the U.S. is becoming a smaller factor in the world anyway, what we do as a nation has less and less of an effect. I am trying to do things that I needed to do anyway, cut debt, cut waste, save more, etc. At 49 years old however I realize that I am closer to the finish that to the beginning...if there is anything I wanted to do, now is the time to do it, and allowing myself to be worried into ill health won't help me.

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ccpo on January 2, 2009 - 12:18pm

but I doubt we can do much to change the issue of cancers, heart issues and other genetic based problems with diet and exercise.

This is completely and utterly wrong. Study after study links lifestyle and diet to health. It is just the opposite: many illnesses - including many cancers - have a very strong behavioral/environmental component.

Asian women, for example, on their traditional diets have a lower incidence of breast cancer than "western" women. When they immigrate? Their numbers match the "weigooks."

I'd find you a link, but this is so very well known I think you need to google it yourself.

Cheers

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Seadragon on January 1, 2009 - 1:08pm

Thanks for the link. I knew most of it already, but it makes a nice summary to hector people in my circle.

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Egregius on January 1, 2009 - 3:38pm

I can testify that merely by cutting out sugar and non-wholegrain flour from your diet (I snack on fruit and nuts when I get hungry though), you will lose weigth unless you eat lots and lots of fatty food. Slowly and steadily though; after two years of cutting over 3/4 of my regular sugar intake, I started eating more junkfood on purpose because I was getting skinny, and my plates are usually beyond full.

You could check out books by french dietician Montignac on some of the theory behind why 'easy carbohydrates' can cause increased fat uptake and risk of diabetes.

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aangel on January 1, 2009 - 2:17pm

More exercise.

When I realized there was likely going to be more physical work in my future, I decided to get in better shape. The route I chose was to take Kempo, a form of karate. That way I'm getting fit while learning how to handle myself in self-defense situations. I recently took my yellow belt test (I am at the very beginning, after all) and now I'm no longer a complete beginner. The dojo I've been training at has emphasized a lot more aerobic exercise for the last two months in the group lessons and although at first I couldn't do the full hour, now I can (although I'm sweating profusely by the end); in the private lessons I'm still being taught new moves, which is very fun and actually intellectually stimulating.

For $175/month I receive a half-hour private lesson every week plus unlimited attendance at the group lessons for my skill level, which is currently five per week, including Friday night sparring, which my new yellow belt now allows me to attend.

I'm 38 years old and there are many other students my age and older, in case anyone is wondering.

There are lots of dojos out there and I've had a good experience with mine:
http://www.ussd.com

If this is interesting to anyone, I would recommend looking for a dojo that will not advance you until you have demonstrated mastery of the skills. Some dojos will tell you up front when you will achieve each belt, which is, in my view, more consistent with marketing/profit motives rather than making sure the student is truly learning the material.

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davebygolly on January 1, 2009 - 4:08pm

I also recommend karate. The style I'm involved with is Shotokan. Karate isn't for everybody, and Shotokan is even less for everybody. But I love it even though I'm not good at it -- my memory is terrible in general and worse still for physical movement. I always like to say I've killed more people dancing and during kata than during kumite (sparring). Attack when people least expect it. :) I love the sparring -- keeps the reflexes sharp. Less memory needed, because a jab to the face is a clear reminder to block.

Shotokan is very, very strict, and my sensei also. He'll give you a whack or put you on the floor doing push ups if your screw up. During breaks he's a pussy cat. Some people, a lot maybe, won't like it, but it's done wonders for me, and I see what it's doing for the kids that stick it out.

I'll be 68 in a week or so. I started 10 years ago, but there were breaks.

IMO, perhaps the least of the reasons to take karate is for self-defense. It's for health, discipline, reflexes, stretching, fun, sociability. The chances of your ever using it for self-defense are extremely slim, and the idea of wanting to use it outside the dojo is very dangerous. When we spar the adrenaline is high, the alertness is high, but there is zero hostility or aggression. When either of you gets a good shot in, you're both happy.

But never mind -- karate or whatever -- yes, exercise is very good for body, mind and soul -- though not the sole, it wears out. Hiking and just walking are also great.

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aangel on January 1, 2009 - 8:48pm

Yes, it's been very good so far to me for all the reasons you cited. I don't know if I'll ever use what I'm learning in a real-life situation. Lord knows I'm not going to bars to pick fights. But still there is the confidence factor that plays a role, too, I think. I don't quite feel like I could handle myself in any situation, but I can see glimpses of it, and that's a benefit I was told about beforehand but never really "got" until I started training.

I also have fun teaching my wife some of what I'm learning. It's quite hilarious because she adds a lot of sound effects from the movies.

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NZSanctuary on January 2, 2009 - 3:40pm

Good to see someone recommending martial arts. I have been involved with Kempo (Okinawan) and related Chinese arts for over 20 years. Martial arts are not the sort of thing you do to lose 10 lbs in 10 weeks, but our society is too focused on short term goals and immediate results - and that is part of the reason we are digging ourselves deeper into this whole resource and financial mess. If you are willing to commit to training however, martial arts is an excellent path, both physically and mentally.

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Kiashu on January 2, 2009 - 10:59pm

I recommend walking or biking - and edit - making your own lunch for work. You will save money, feel more energetic and be healthier overall.

Martial arts are good, but tend to cost money and also require quite some commitment - you can't just do them, you have to try to do them well.

I like to recommend simple and low or zero-cost things like walking and biking. Popular in Australia is the 10,000 steps programme. You hook a little pedometer onto your belt, and it counts your steps. Good ones will allow you to note your stride length and bodyweight, and thus calculate distance travelled and calories spent, too.

This works well for some people, though not all. Some people respond well to having a constant number reminder near them. "Only 3,241? Bugger, I guess I better walk home from work today."

The "10,000" is a common goal number of steps, making up an hour or more's walking, and six or so miles. In my experience, just pottering around doing housework will give you 1,000-2,000 steps, if the shops or train station are something like half a mile away that'll add a few thousand, so it leaves only one dedicated walk you need to do each day - say half an hour with the dogs in the morning, or after dinner to help you digest.

At a friend's workplace there's a man who does about 20,000 steps a day, except that once a week he walks home from work... which is about 12 miles. He's 60 years old.

By walking or biking a lot, you save money on commuting - whether by car or public transport - you lose excess weight in a slow way that you can keep up (unlike a fad diet), and usually become physically healthier, which also saves you money in a country without a good free public healthcare system.

I find that you save money on food, too. Fast food generally leaves you feeling sluggish and without energy, making it harder to go for walks. But after exercise you don't usually want a big greasy feed. So between fast food and exercise, one of them will gradually be given up. Assuming it's the junk food you give up, this makes your food bill cheaper.

My woman's also just made the point that one thing people can do to save money and be healthier is to take their lunch to work. Lots of people, especially professionals rather than working class, buy stuff at lunch, which is usually more expensive and fattier. Of course lots of people are busy in the mornings - so, just make some extra dinner the night before, then set some aside in a container for the lunch next day.

If you have time to comment on blogs or watch Everybody Loves Raymond then you have time to cook your dinner or go for a walk :)

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rootstock on January 1, 2009 - 2:22pm

More exercise - but not just at the gym! A good workout/weights program will benefit anyone, and I highly recommend it, but we should also commit to a "car-last" approach (for those of us who still own them) to daily life, which will benefit personal health and the planet simultaneously.

For many people, to do this may mean some pretty substantial changes in one's life - but we'd better start practicing now while it's our choice rather than due to external circumstances, as this readership well knows.

Three years ago I left my (dream) job that unfortunately also required 2 hours of commuting by car, and opted for one that is located less than 2 miles away - the 30% pay cut, I figured, would be amply compensated by getting 10+ hours/wk of my life back, plus commuting expenses reduced (including big ones like needing to replace the rapidly aging '95 subaru). Five years before that, we had left our beloved (and totally car-dependent) mountain town for a dense urban center, the first of our big re-localizing choices.

The new job came with a system-wide transit pass, as well as the option to walk/bike/telecommute. So it was a pretty easy switch in commuting habits. It's just snowballed from there; with a transit pass and new commuter bike, I now plan my travels based on walk- or bikeability, or transit schedules. I often choose not to go somewhere if it's inaccessible - its a good excuse to avoid lots of those things you probably didn't want to do in the first place, like go to the big box store in the suburban mall. Indeed, it tends to mean we patronize local businesses or the downtown business district, as our historic neighborhood still retains many small shops. We can't manage to ditch the car yet for various reasons, but once the subaru finally dies, maybe we'll be ready.

So for a better 2009, pledge to reduce your private-vehicle miles traveled and get more exercise in day-to-day living as a wonderful side benefit! If you live in the US, the 2 mile Challenge, www.2milechallenge.com/#/home is a good place to start.

But we must remember that it's also not just about personal choices - the system within which we live really dictates our options. And though we may tend to "other" it as something outside our realm of control, the "system" is designed by people and can be changed. So the second pledge must be to step up our level of civic engagement to help build the kind of world that removes the barriers that keep people from making healthier and lower-carbon choices - its not just lack of personal motivation, commitment, or knowledge.

I'd rather be working collectively for a survivable future than be stock-piling ammunition, whiskey, and vitamins, quite frankly. The pioneers who settled this valley, and the native peoples they displaced, did not survive and thrive on rugged self-reliance, but on strong community ties, values, and interdependence.

So pledge to get more active in the civic realm, too - help get a good candidate get elected, if only to the local school board or community council. Consider becoming a candidate yourself! Go to community meetings and speak up. Contact your elected officials on a regular basis - local officials are particularly approachable and a lot of the most interesting action in the sustainability realm is at the city and county level right now. Learn to be an effective grassroots organizer. Network. Form an eco-team - see www.empowermentinstitute.net - with your neighbors. Demand better public services - like transit and intercity rail. Advocate publically for a carbon tax (raising the gas tax is a good first step). And then remember to celebrate the successes along the way - despite the inevitable setbacks. For a bit of inspiration, pick up Paul Hawken's book Blessed Unrest www.blessedunrest.com from the library or a locally owned bookshop and give it a read.

Building strong, positive social networks is also demonstrably good for one's health, and will add to the benefits from more exercise.

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neon9 on January 1, 2009 - 3:47pm

Excellent...My NYR is to put more miles on my bike than my car. I just need a good odometer for the bike...

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davebygolly on January 1, 2009 - 4:22pm

Building strong, positive social networks is also demonstrably good for one's health, and will add to the benefits from more exercise.

One hundred and fifty percent true. Try to never lose friends, especially as you get older. You can't afford it because, attrition starts taking a toll (unless you get attritted first, in which case there's no problem). Argue with those that like to argue, don't argue with those that don't. Never let politics or religion or anything like that interfere with a relationship. Humor is also important, starting with oneself. Try to never take offense. One can have intense discussions about anything between friends as long as there is a sense of humor to let out the steam if it starts getting hot.

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Nick on January 2, 2009 - 8:20pm

What good advice!

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Rune Likvern on January 1, 2009 - 5:57pm

Agreed.

I am just waiting for the temperature to come above minus 10 Centigrades before I head for the woods for more cross-country skiing.

WRT malls, would it be possible to introduce shopping free zones within them? ;-)

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Round Tripper on January 2, 2009 - 12:35pm

Use the 1-Mile Solution. One or two times a week walk or bike to an errand that is within a mile of your home (or other starting point). It's an easy way to get started and you'll feel better and better.

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