Date: Sun, 25 Feb 2001 10:31:23 -0500
From: Molly Williams 
To: Positive Futures list 
Subject: Re: [pf] minimum household necessities.

David,

Interesting. I find I have little desire to be sustainable, based on
this description! For one thing, I love my camera and photos (and film
developing). Also travel to distant places. And having my own reference
books. And green plants in the house. And pets. I consider these to be
important to my life and would not willingly give them up for a long
period of time.  
  
How does a computer fit into this list? (I saw telephone for e-mail
access but nothing specific about computer, monitor, printer?, their
power source, etc.)

You don't mention any clothes (other than how they are to be cleaned),
soap, dental care, medical/health care in general (other than
nutritionally; things like bandages/plasters, sanitary
pads/tampons/cloths, tissue/handkerchiefs, etc.), cleaning materials or
tools (other than clothes cleaning). Are none of these necessary in your
life? What about a refrigerator or other cold-storage facility? 

Minor note: Instead of knife-fork-spoon, you might just say utensils,
since many people use chopsticks.

~ Molly

David MacClement wrote:

· I realised today (Sat. 24 Feb) that we four have been settling down to live at a certain level that IMO is not far from sustainable.

· I think this is something positive to talk about on this Positive Futures list, though most US and Canadian readers won't agree after reading my list below.
  I distinguish between: necessary (or minimums), desirable, and luxury.

   ( continued early Sunday morning, before the others get up for daytime:
 Note; for various reasons, often someone is awake here most of the 24 hours)

· I have been ensuring that the necessary minimums below, have been always done (or are always available) for most of 10 years now. If there's a cost, the person with the 4-times-higher-than-anyone-else income pays (except for the rates - local govt. land tax - which I pay half of).


          The Complete List of Minimum Household Necessities:

- roof, to protect from sun and to collect  the rain water we drink and use;

- walls door and windows, to protect from wwind and cold, and provide some privacy;

- a door-closable place to sleep - minimum  bed: 2 to 6 boxes, door, 8" stiff sponge mattress (still going well after ~15 years: left in bright sun ~6 times a year), 2 sheets, pillow & case, duvet with cover;

- clean water, to drink and wash self and cclothes (& shower, basin etc.);

- hot water: 5 litres per person per day (uup to 25 l/cap/day, is desirable);

- clothes washed and dried (outdoors), no lless than every 5 days, preferably every second day, in an automatic washing machine; incl. soap, detergent;

- toilet, either composting or flush type;

- wooden chairs: one per person;

- lights: compact fluorescent 11 W, one perr person + 1 common;

- minimum food guaranteed:
  bread (sliced preferred by some), carrots, not-too bitter cabbage, honey or jam, Marmite (see: http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/6783/dsmenu.html
), peanuts (for some) or peanut butter (for others), milk;

- plate, bowl, mug, tea, knife-fork-spoon;

- desirable food (provided *ex gratia* by tthe person with the largest income, i.e. not guaranteed) :-
  fruit in season, potatoes, cheap meat (e.g. ground beef) a couple of weeks each month, vegetable(s) in season, pasta, ginger biscuits every 6-8 weeks;

- place to cook, ranging from pots, charcoaal and stones, to a microwave stove. Facilities for boiling water, e.g. kettle;

- telephone, including able to be used for  e-mail and (desirable) ICQ;

- radio - a service equivalent to NZ's Natiional Radio, perhaps like PBS;

- winter spot-heating, for an hour or more  on about 25 really cold winter days, and available at a minute's notice right through the winter. (If, with winter clothing this is "insufficient", people shouldn't try to live there.);

- a location such that (i) you can get to tthe Public Library by walking no more than 4 hours per day (& InterLibrary loan can be arranged), and (ii) one has views through the windows of the sky and living things like bushes;

- (desirable): public transport, for gettinng more easily than by bicycle, to places one regularly visits: shop(s), _maybe_ paid work, meetings, probably friends further away.

- (I'm still listing the "necessaries"): a  sympathetic ear (and hugs when needed). No criticism or negative comments at all, unless asked for;

- (very desirable, virtually necessary): a  sufficiently knowledgable person to talk to so that one can share one's interests ("intelligent conversation" is one description used);

- (desirable): (i) the ability to hear recoorded music (or at least make one's own if able), and (ii) floor-space for a desk and ones things.

       And that's it!

· Note that there's nothing about carpets or fancy furnishings, there's no TV, cushions, central heating, or car. Those are luxuries, IMO. I'm talking about minima here - you're living on so little you _need_ very little income.
· If more is wanted, two questions need to be asked: (1) if there's a cost, is it worth it?, and (2) would you (the group) still be living sustainably?

· People trying to visualise a sustainable future are concerned to point out that it will be enjoyable, satisfying, something to look forward to and work towards. That isn't part of my purpose in listing the minima above.
The list can easily be the basis for enjoyable, sustainable living, when you add (for example) visits with friends and to local performances, expanding your education, doing a craft or supplying a community service, time spent outdoors or in other wonderful places easily reached, maybe gardening, and so on. Those would be up to the individual.

David.
(David MacClement) davd @ ihug.co.nz
http://www.geocities.com/davdd.geo/index.html

    Source: geocities.com/davd.geo