The big news of the Summer of 2010 is no doubt the continuing tragedy of the oil gusher at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. An entire ecosystem is being destroyed;a way of life has been uprooted for at least a generation. It’s easy to play the blame game – BP was negligent, the Federal Government was slow to act….everybody is pointing fingers. I even saw a car pass me on the highway with a hand painted sign on their rear window that stated “BP SUCKS!” Certainly,BP,as the operator of the oil well that exploded,and is now leaking, is culpable for the subsequent pollution and eco-system damage.
But BP did not intentionally blow up the oil well – it was a tragic accident.An accident that came from their desire to produce a product that we all want and need – gasoline. Shouldn’t then, some of the blame be pointed inward, at ourselves? After all,BP would not be drilling for oil out in the Gulf of Mexico if nobody wanted their product. But the fact of the matter is,we all want,and need,what BP sells.

And everything we do, from driving our cars, to eating our food, to our summer vacation enjoyment is reliant, dependent on the product that BP produces and sells – gasoline! It is our insatiable demand.
for gasoline and other oil derived products that drives companies like BP to search the world over to find the oil that we all need,want and desire. But now,like Big Finance,Big Oil is too big to fail. Unfortunately,we now have the consequences of its failure….a huge mess! And this mess affects us all. All of humanity. Because all of humanity is reliant upon clean oceans,clean air,and  clean soil for our very survival. Despite this tragedy in the Gulf, BP and the other oil companies won’t stop trying to find, produce, and sell the oil products that we all want, need and desire. And there will be another accident. And we will start the blame game all over again. Well, the blame lies within all of us.Until we change our behavior as a society, and choose to live a different lifestyle – a less energy dependent lifestyle,we will continue to soil our nest,pollute our planet,and kill ourselves. The change that needs to be made begins with each of us,in our choices,habits and actions. If each of us uses less energy,then collectively the demand for oil will drop,and BP and the other oil companies will be less likely to drill in deep oceans,build bigger tankers, or compel our governments to engage in warfare.

A reduced energy lifestyle is not just for those environmental wackos, it is for all of us. It’s a matter of making new choices. It’s a matter of creating new values. And it is simple to do. The first step is to become aware of how you use energy,and how the things you buy and consume use energy. Some of the options are right here in this Summer edition of eco-LOCAL Living. We can choose to buy locally, reducing transportation miles. Our cover story features Nikita Home Furnishings. Their “hyper-efficient” manufacturing process utilizes every bit of wood to make their unique sofas (don’t use the F-word, they are so much more than futons). Nikita has proven that innovative USA made furniture can compete with imports, creating local jobs with environmental accountability. Also in this issue,we take a look at the unique lifestyle of the Twelve Tribes Community in Cambridge. These people have eschewed the consumer culture of modern America and have instead chosen to live simply and to love each other. They are living the lowenergy lifestyle, and,while not for everybody, their example points to a way to escape the insanity of the modern world. Up in the southern Adirondack town of Thurman, the Rohe family has found their peace with the earth – Ann paints the local landscape and Al makes furniture from the local woods. Inspired by the natural beauty that surrounds them, the Rohes create artful objects that other people enjoy, and somehow, it provides a living for them. They are not living large,but they are living right. These are the stories of the new paradigm of local living. It’s a lower energy, lower density way of being. And while it may seem a bit odd to live simply in a world of wireless mobility, instant access and 24/7 information, those that choose the simple path seem to have a smile on their face more often. Maybe they’ve found something in being quiet, in being local. In being eco-local!

In This Issue:

THE WELLNESS DOC

ASK THE ENERGY EXPERT

MONEY MATTERS

RETHINKING FURNITURE

ECO-LIST

ADIRONDACK AMBIANCE -Fruits of and Old Farm

BIBLICAL COMMUNITY - Creates Alternative to Consumer Society

ZOLA KIDS - Green For The Next Generation

HONEST WEIGHT FOOD CO-OP - A Treasure Trove of Locally Made Cheeses