They say there are only two things in life which are certain: death and taxes – and probably not in that order! In this millennium, and certainly within this decade, change is, almost unarguably, a certainty too. Whether we like it or not. We often react to change a lot better when we feel like we’ve had a hand in its direction or have instigated the change ourselves. But when change is thrust upon us, sometimes we don’t react nearly as positively. It can take us time to adjust to what the change is bringing or has brought. There are multiple ‘change curves’ out there – just try Googling it… all are attempts to explain the emotions and reactions we experience when going through change. Whether the change is voluntary or not we will experience a range of responses. We read stories of those who have suffered at the hand of change and have not adapted. Charles Darwin was right. Those who do not adapt do not ultimately thrive and those that do not thrive most often, do not survive. So change we must – whether we like it or not.
About 3 years ago I read a book called Choosing Eden, the real dirt on the coming energy crisis by Adrienne Langman which came to me attached to the front cover of a Gardening Australia magazine. It enlightened me to terms like “Peak Oil” which I had never heard of before I read that book. I know, I know, where had I been? I’d been working 50 – 60 hour weeks in mainstream, middle class Australia, relying on the popular media to keep me informed of world events. So, obviously I was not too well informed! I started with Google – after all, where else do you go when you want to know something? And I started to discover that there were plenty of people out in cyberspace talking about Peak Oil and what would happen once we hit that point. I kept Googling – part of me was in denial – what if this was not real? What if it was? Worse, what if I ignored the warning signs?
What was the worst thing that could happen if I responded to this new information? How would I respond? Would my partner respond too? I encouraged him to read the book – another person’s trusted opinion about something can sometimes help you to put new information into perspective. He read it. He felt the same imperative as I did. We had to respond – in a constructive, practical way.
And so we have. And so we will continue to respond to the challenges of Peak Oil, of diminishing global resources, of increasing population growth, of learning to live well on less, of finding a way of treading more lightly on this planet. That’s when this journey was really born … but I’m sure this isn’t where it will end.
If you haven’t read this book, then get your hands on a copy here. I recommend it for ‘starters’ or others who simply need inspiration.