|
|
| # 38 Ready for the future, |
|
Are we ready for the future, or just watching Coro St.
So by now, you’re probably all getting a bit bored with me grinding on, month after month about the same old subject
The World’s running out of oil.
Yeah yeah, heard it all before, hurry up man Coro Street starts in 10 minutes.
And it is true, that is the attitude of most of the Worlds population, but at long last the governments of the world are starting to become aware of this impending situation.
Whether or not our own Government moves fast enough to take advantage of the boundless opportunities that will arise from this situation, or will they just lumber along twiddling their collective thumbs, remains to be seen.
But I do know of a number of Kiwi’s who have leapt at the chance and no doubt there are countless others beavering away in sheds and workshops up and down the country as I write.
So what am I doing about it?
My lovely wife and I quietly launched a research project on our property last September, I unofficially gave it the title of “Beyond 2055” as a working name.
The object of this research project is see what two people can do to improve the future situation of our own children and grandchildren’s world.
Initially this was to reduce the food miles for the majority of our own most basic food needs and to improve our own security of supply.
Secondly to research and develop methods and practices that will support intensive small scale land use, for a variety of different needs (possible alternative supplies of power and fuel)
Thirdly to research and develop alternative modes of transport and in particular an engine that is capable of running on these home grown alternative fuels ultra efficiently.
And last but not least, figure out how to do all that, on the most meagre of budgets, the resources we already have and what can be built by an old sheddie and his mates.
The last one is a piece of cake; I have been doing that all my life, a Kiwi truckers number one job is to problem solve and figure out how to get the job done as cheaply as possible, as quickly as possible and in the most professional manner possible on the day.
But as the wages or income of a trucker never seems to go far enough unless of course you get off your backside and do it yourself, it can become intensely frustrating and time consuming to always be doing things “on the cheap” when you know full well you’re just reinventing the wheel to save money.
However what you learn from using this method is invaluable. Bert Munro, Peter Jackson and John Britten are just a few of this Nation’s population who believe in the philosophy of a world class “can-do-it-yourself” attitude.
The next stage of course will be to market and promote anything learned from the whole damned exercise and try and make an honest buck to help support us in our old age.
Well what else am I going to do with my time over the next 50 years?
There is an old quote from an anonymous inventor who lived back a couple of centuries ago, that goes something like this.
-The discovery of something new is not usually followed with the words “Eureka, I have found it” it’s much more likely it will be followed by the words “Shit, look at that, that’s strange”-
I’d like to add a bit more
–If you’re not looking for something, you won’t find anything-
But then, that is “just an old trucker’s point of view”
|
|
|
|
|
