Life Boat

Welcome to the Lifeboat Section of The Automatic Earth.

Our goal is to bring together as much information and expertise as we can on what people can do in response to various aspects of our global predicament. The scope of the problem has been our primary focus since the inception of TAE, but now we want to offer more practical guidance towards taking what control we can over elements of our own future.

We must decentralize, but this will not be simple. We will face many obstacles originating from the current system attempting to defend itself, but we must persist in order to reach a level of simplicity and independence that can allow us to operate within the scope of the resources that will be available.

We want to see this section develop into a significant information resource for preparation. To do that, we need your involvement. We need the people who are undertaking significant initiatives in the real world to communicate what they are doing with our readership. We want to illuminate the ideas that are working and look into why they work and how those ideas might spread to others areas.

The goal is to build up a manual of best practice over time as people try different ways to achieve greater self-sufficiency. What works where, why does it work there and where else might it work are the kinds of questions we will be trying to answer.

We have decided to focus on 10 key factors - shelter, food, water, energy, money, health, education, community, psychology and security. We invite contributions from those with information to share, and we encourage discussion of that information.

Retrospective #8: Warm is Always Beautiful

SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 2012 3:43 PM

This is number eight in a series of articles documenting the principles and practice of eco-thrifty renovation written by Estwing of the ETR Blog for the Wanganui Chronicle.

To date this column has introduced the concept of eco-thrifty renovation and explained the first three of seven design principles that guided us through this process: solar gain, thermal mass and insulation. I’ve emphasized the concepts of payback period and “low-hanging fruit.” Before I move on to our fourth design principle – draft proofing – I’d like to take a moment to review some of the overarching ideas surrounding eco-thrifty renovation that do not necessarily qualify as design principles. Many of these ideas run contrary to contemporary perspectives on home ownership.

For example, instead of buying the biggest and best house with the biggest and best mortgage, [More...]

Retrospectives #6 and #7: Window Battens and Window Film Insulation

SUNDAY, JUNE 03, 2012 4:43 PM

These are numbers six and seven in a series of articles documenting the principles and practice of eco-thrifty renovation written by Estwing of the ETR Blog for the Wanganui Chronicle.

Retrospective #6: Window Battens

You will recall fr

[More...]

Retrospective #5: Curtains and Pelmets

SUNDAY, MAY 27, 2012 5:22 PM

This is number five in a series of articles documenting the principles and practice of eco-thrifty renovation written by Estwing of the ETR Blog for the Wanganui Chronicle.

I will admit that in the first four weeks of this column I did not offer [More...]

Retrospective #4: Insulation

SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2012 6:59 PM

This is number four in a series of articles documenting the principles and practice of eco-thrifty renovation written by Estwing of the ETR Blog for the Wanganui Chronicle.

Last week I described how thermal mass could be used inside of a buildin [More...]

Creating Community in the Modern World

THURSDAY, MAY 10, 2012 4:33 PM

Circa 1900-1910. "Yard of tenement, New York City." Hung out to dry somewhere in Manhattan. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative.

This is a guest post by Chris Travers.

This article represents a collection of my thoughts and views on neo-t [More...]

Retrospective #3: Thermal Mass

SUNDAY, MAY 06, 2012 7:01 PM

This is the third in an ongoing series documenting the principles and practice of eco-thrifty renovation by Estwing of the ETR Blog, being published every Saturday in the Wanganui Chronicle.

Last week I wrapped up my column with words o [More...]

Retrospective #2: Eco-Thrifty Renovation

SATURDAY, APRIL 28, 2012 3:51 PM

This is the second weekly installment of the new series by Estwing of the ETR Blog that is currently running in their local paper, The Wanganui Chronicle.

Last week I wrote about ‘payback period’ and ‘low hanging fruit.’ To review, paybac [More...]

Retrospective #1: As published in the Wanganui Chronicle, 21-04-12

SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2012 7:58 PM

This is Part #1 in an ongoing series about Eco-Thrifty Renovation, by Estwing of the ETR Blog.

This series recalls the design principles and decision making process of an eco-thrifty renovation. We believe the key components of a sustainable hom [More...]

Meet Thanatos: Real Life Superhero

FRIDAY, APRIL 13, 2012 9:00 PM

New Orleans circa 1937. "Courtyard at 1133-1135 Chartres Street." Young and old, hangin' with the laundry. The head count here is three, the foot count nine. 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston.

Thanatos was the personification of [More...]

Sowing Revolution: Seed Libraries Offer Hope for Freedom of Food

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2012 3:09 PM

This is a Guest Article by Bill McDorman & Stephen Thomas.

The seed revolution began one sunny afternoon on a neatly mowed lawn at the Sonoma County Fairgrounds. For such a historic moment, it wasn't much to gawk at — a circle of about a doz [More...]