Mexico, the American preview

[mellowtigger]

I should just turn off my computer and find some nice ignorant thing to do for the rest of my life. Does anyone need a gardener? Seriously, if you (and not your bank) fully own your land , I'll happily go start experimenting with raising food plants there, things appropriate to your climate.  I just shouldn't be allowed internet access.

I've traced a few news stories to original sources that I'll present here. I'm beginning to wonder if Mexico might offer us a preview of the "fun" yet to arrive in America. Several weeks ago, November 25, the U.S. Joint Forces Command released to the public their annual report titled, "Joint Operating Environment (2008)". In it, they describe the world that our nation needs to face realistically. Their warnings about possible failed states in our near future include our neighbor to the south:

"In terms of worse-case scenarios for the Joint Force and indeed the world, two large and important states bear consideration for a rapid and sudden collapse: Pakistan and Mexico."
- http://www.jfcom.mil/newslink/storyarchive/2008/JOE2008.pdf, page 40

What concerns them is that "the government, its politicians, police and judicial infrastructure are all under sustained assault and pressure by criminal gangs and drug cartels." (also page 40) What concerns me, though, is that Mexico gets 40% of government revenue from the sale of oil. And they just peaked in 2007.  According to Bloomberg website:

Petroleos Mexicanos, Mexico’s state oil company, will probably report its fastest drop in production since 1942, eroding revenue as plunging crude prices limit the amount of cash available to drill for new reserves. ... Pemex last year likely extracted 2.8 million barrels a day, down about 9 percent from the 3.08 million a day pumped in 2007, representing a total of $20 billion in lost sales, according to data compiled by the government and Bloomberg.
- http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601207&sid=aljs7Sa2UKq4

Pemex is among the ten largest oil companies in the world. They are also, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, the 3rd largest importer of oil into the U.S., after Canada and Saudi Arabia. Mexico's largest oil reserve, the Cantarell field, peaked in its production 6 years ago. Newer oil fields are not nearly as large as Cantarell was in 1976 when it was discovered. Mexico is working on plans to explore undersea drilling, where they think they can find enough oil to feed the U.S. entirely for 4 years. That's it. That's their big plan to save their economy. Sell oil to America, from smaller oil fields.

So we can fuel our construction equipment to build a bigger border fence as their economy tanks before ours, thank you. Meanwhile, Canada continues its efforts to squeeze oil out of SAND, for crying out loud. Yes, we really are that desperate for petroleum. The big deposits are nearly gone. We're sucking drops out of dry ground and from underneath oceans.

If the USA survives its current financial crisis (which I have my doubts about), we have energy loss to face next. Don't bet on nuclear fission to rescue us either, because world uranium production may have peaked decades ago. You ever wonder why the Europeans are going Green so fast and so shrilly? That's why. If the whole world shifted to uranium, and we reprocessed and reused everything as efficiently as we know how, our total uranium supply "would last just 12 years", accord to the Times Online.

The Crown Prince Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands rides a bicycle to save fossil fuels.  He already sees the end of oil, gas, coal, and uranium.  It's too late for the USA to slap a few solar panels on the White House roof as Jimmy Carter did.
http://www.energybulletin.net/node/47796

Big changes are coming, and I look forward to them.  I wish, though, that I lived someplace where I could garden year-round.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/green-living/grow-your-own-the-seeds-of-change-1418921.html

Comments

[joshuwain.livejournal.com]

Would a green house on the roof help with year-round gardening?

[mellowtigger]

Ooh, that would be fun!

In my ideal house:
1) half of every rooftop (sun-facing direction) would be clear so that the area could be used for a greenhouse.
2) the other half (whose shadow covers the yard outside) would be used for solar electric and solar water heating
3) rain water would be captured and used indoors
4) grey water would be captured and reused outdoors
5) black water would be captured and added to the composter
6) there would be no north-facing (away from the sun) windows, allowing better insulation value on that wall

[dodecadragon.livejournal.com]

In addition to what your ideal is, mine exists in a 60 foot green house dome that captures all water/snow that falls on it. with a 20 foot dome in the center for living in. The kitchen/laundry/bath would be located outside to small dome to keep moisture outside of the smaller dome space (this way I don't need to waste energy pumping such moisture out of the house air.)

Plant harder bushes and trees around the parameter of the dome and more sensitive plants toward the middle.

[mellowtigger]

I want the large dome to have a condenser coil at the top. It both cools the air and it condenses air vapor back into water that drips to some small moss-covered rock down below. Drinking water from recycled plant and human respiration. ;)

[bluebear2.livejournal.com]

Nifty. This reminds me of when I was young and reading stuff written by hippies who were doing a lot of innovation in alternatives back then. Many things got figured out and were working successfully in places but then the '80s came along. Now we're back to that place again and need to see what to do next.
I once had a garden but now just planter boxed on the balcony. You're welcome to come and water them. I'd make coffee and put on some music.

[mellowtigger]

I've been surprised at how many "mini" varieties there are of food-producing plants. From blueberries to cucumbers. With lots of light and water (and above-freezing temperatures), I think there's still a lot of possibility there. :)

[bigsockgrrl.livejournal.com]

"I should just turn off my computer and find some nice ignorant thing to do for the rest of my life. Does anyone need a gardener? Seriously, if you (and not your bank) fully own your land , I'll happily go start experimenting with raising food plants there, things appropriate to your climate. I just shouldn't be allowed internet access."

I'll look you up when my homestead project commences! Gotta get the secure employment thing down before I can settle on some land. When I do, part of the point is sustainable food sources for me and my community.

BTW, thanks for the seeds!! My flatmate and I are gonna start them, and he'll be planting them in the house garden. (I'm probably gonna be moving before the garden really gets going.)

[mellowtigger]

Ooh, another fun idea! People still create communes? That's what it sounds like you're talking about. The only ones that I know about were created ages ago.

Sure thing, I enjoyed putting the packets together. :)

[bigsockgrrl.livejournal.com]

Intentional community is the catch-all PC term these days. But, yes, sort of a commune. Or maybe something like co-housing. I don't have many details, yet. It's still at the dream stage. That doesn't mean it won't happen, though. I've been dreaming this dream for over 10 years, so I'll probably make it true at some point. I'm focusing on the other long standing dream of a resource center for folks to learn to improve their self care and executive function.

You can garden year-round..

[mojomike.livejournal.com]

in Austin... :-)

Re: You can garden year-round..

[mellowtigger]

Welcome to livejournal. Yeah, but atmospheric water is not always easy to come by there, and allergies in that area were kicking me really hard before I left. :( Moving to the (pseudo-)arctic was good for my sinuses. 'Course, I did trade off fire ants for mosquitos, so I'm not sure about the winner there.