Rob Hopkins

Some Reflections on ‘The Big Society’….

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A few people have asked me what my thoughts are on the whole ‘Big Society’ concept being promoted by the new British government. I have attended a couple of events over the last week that have given me space to think about it all, so here I am with a few reflections…So, for those new to the idea, the ‘Big Society’ idea is David Cameron’s big idea, focusing on localism, returning power to local communities, making central government smaller and shifting its role to the devolution of power wherever possible, calling for “a massive, radical redistribution of power”.

Independence Day: With beauty and fecundity for all

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What does it mean to be a patriotic American in this day and age? If we shop at Wal-Mart, we may be under the impression it means buying red, white, and blue plastic crap—extruded petroleum from China, of course. Newspapers suggest that being patriotic means supporting the wars du jour, rooting for the home team and providing support for “our boys over there” by forking over streams of taxed money while our infrastructure at home crumbles beneath our feet. For many of us, the Decline of the American Empire has removed any meaning of these words.

Elderflowers

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For most of the year, elders are little more than weeds in tree form. They grow as fast as willows but have none of the advantages – they cannot be woven into baskets or bent into fences, they create a noxious stink in spring, and even their smoke is mildly toxic. For a few short weeks in June, though, they burst into elderflowers.

Economics – 6 July

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-Dollar-denominated debt deflation
-Is the era of cheap Chinese labour almost over?
-With the US trapped in depression, this really is starting to feel like 1932
-Expect lots of government layoffs at state, local level
-Social enterprises ‘growing strongly’

Electric refueling: Doing the math

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Oilbama and what passes for a green movement talk breezily of “clean energy,” as if the only thing blocking a rapid and thorough transition to an alt-energy economy is oil-industry corruption and political indecision. In the misleading verbiage of such false prophets, you never get any details. Why not? Because the facts are entirely contrary to the promises.

Pink petunias in the snow: The basics of fall and winter gardening

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Every year it happens to some folks – for whatever reason, the garden either doesn’t get in early enough or doesn’t do well. We get to the beginning of July and we’re left with a sense of frustration that it is too late to do anything about it. Or maybe you are having a good year, and what you mostly want is to keep that going as long as possible – sure, you are preserving and ready to root cellar, but your favorite foods are the ones that come fresh from the garden and you want to know how long you can keep that going.