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> If everyone put not only their money where their mouth was, but took legitimate action to ensure their lifestyle fit what was important to their belief, I don

> If everyone put not only their money where their mouth was, but took legitimate action to ensure their lifestyle fit what was important to their belief, I don't think we'd suffer from half of the problems we do. One problem with this is that we fall into a very suboptimal, deleterious Nash Equilibrium. Imagine you're in the 90% of farmers that can't set themselves up "high in the water catch basin" because there is limited space up there. You may be very aware of the problem, but it can only be solved if a majority of farmers in the valley adopt sustainable practices. And, if a majority are not going to do so, then you're am simply hurting myself if I incur the expense of adopting those practices yourself. There is some missing ingredient that needs to be added before people will start cooperating to ensure a long-term good state of affairs. Another problem is that, even if you do set up high in the catch basin and use sustainable farming practices, your produce is going to be comparatively expensive and noone is going to buy it until such time that all those farmers below you finish ruining their soil/aquifer. And you have to eat in the meantime.

balabaster 9y ago
The purpose of growing your own crops is to eat your own crops, you just sell the excess. There always seems to be plenty enough people to buy your excess to subsidize the remainder of things you need. The problem with everyone finding problems is that they use these problems as excuses not to make any changes. That puts them in the 90% of people who complain and do nothing. As Venture Capitalists always say - they're not interested in ideas, they're interested in people who can execute. Either you can (and do) execute, or you can't (or don't). Not all legitimate action means moving up the catch basin and growing your own crops. There is legitimate action that can be taken in the city, in the suburbs and in low lying rural areas. You're not hurting yourself by adopting a sustainable lifestyle, you're helping yourself and the planet in the process.
- balabaster 9y ago
  I love the down votes on this as if I don't speak from experience. This is the life I live, every day. It can be done if you're willing to do it.
- chicob 9y ago
  >The problem with everyone finding problems is that they use these problems as excuses not to make any changes. This is true. But in the case of many problems around Ecology, most solutions orbit around collective action. Individual actions count, but some of them must be taken in the community/region/national level.
  - balabaster 9y ago
    Absolutely, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take the actions that are within your power and ability.

balabaster 9y ago

The purpose of growing your own crops is to eat your own crops, you just sell the excess. There always seems to be plenty enough people to buy your excess to subsidize the remainder of things you need. The problem with everyone finding problems is that they use these problems as excuses not to make any changes. That puts them in the 90% of people who complain and do nothing. As Venture Capitalists always say - they're not interested in ideas, they're interested in people who can execute. Either you can (and do) execute, or you can't (or don't). Not all legitimate action means moving up the catch basin and growing your own crops. There is legitimate action that can be taken in the city, in the suburbs and in low lying rural areas. You're not hurting yourself by adopting a sustainable lifestyle, you're helping yourself and the planet in the process.

balabaster 9y ago
I love the down votes on this as if I don't speak from experience. This is the life I live, every day. It can be done if you're willing to do it.
chicob 9y ago
>The problem with everyone finding problems is that they use these problems as excuses not to make any changes. This is true. But in the case of many problems around Ecology, most solutions orbit around collective action. Individual actions count, but some of them must be taken in the community/region/national level.
- balabaster 9y ago
  Absolutely, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't take the actions that are within your power and ability.