Why are we operating in a system that no longer serves us?

There are better ways of changing things than putting a person in power to force rules upon people who do not want them.

We all have forgotten that it is us, the individuals, who are in power.

We make the rules for ourselves.

One way to take back our power, that we have so willingly given away; start in our neighborhoods.

The idea is simple.

Have a block/neighborhood party and see what skills, passions, or hidden talents everyone has.

Many of these will be suppressed or looked down upon, by the person who has the skill, because people aren’t able to see themselves making money with that skill. So it goes neglected or rarely used.

You’ll be surprised by the skills the people next door have.

Take this knowledge and formulate a plan with your neighbors.

A plan to take back your power.

Calm down. I’m not talking about armed rebellion.

The exact opposite actually.

A plan to make your neighborhood self-sustaining.

The Plan, Part 1

The first thing to figure out is food and water. Can’t be sustainable if you can’t feed and hydrate yourselves.

A community garden is a good start. Not one giant plot for everyone to plant in though.
Grow what you can in your back/front yard or your window sills.
Each person can have a different variety of things to grow depending on their confidence and skill level.
Many plants produce far more than one family can eat.
The excess you share with your neighbors. Trading seeds, fruit and veggies or even growing knowledge can be a weekly neighborhood meetup.
Does your municipality allow for chickens or goats?
Work together to build animal areas in each others yards and cycle the animals around to help with lawn/garden care. Example: Make a chicken tractor for the neighborhood and move the chickens to where they are needed for clearing weeds and fertilizing. Plus there’s eggs, milk and meat just from those two kinds animals.

Part 2

Water is the next important thing. Read, How Did We Fuck Up Water?, for reasons and ideas to get your neighborhood started.

Basically, each house in the neighborhood should have a rainwater harvesting system (as long as it is legal and follows local codes concerning collection practices).

Each household can take this system to whatever level they wish to. Collect just for the garden, just for emergency drinking water, to become completely independent of the municipal supply or even be a large community collection area that people can come and take from as they wish.

Regardless of the route you go, do follow municipality codes concerning rainwater collection and please filter the water if you are going to use it beyond just gardening purposes.

Part 3

Now that you have the basics down, lets get back to all of those skills people have.

Someone grew up on a farm and wants to put that skill to use? Let them be the resident “expert” on livestock care and growing techniques.
Someone know electrical systems? Let them come up with ideas on how to integrate alternative power within the community.
Someone like numbers and organization? Let them track community resources and scheduling meetings or external needs.

This can go on and on of course. Let people decide what it is that they would enjoy doing for the community and let them define the terms of how far they are willing to go with it.

All of this is about respect for your neighbors and whatever boundaries they wish to have.

One aspect of this, though, would be teaching your fellow neighbors about the basics of the skills you have and are willing to share.
This way everyone can have an understanding of what it takes to make the neighborhood run and can step in to help if the resident expert is off on a trip, sick or decides to move.

Share your knowledge and empower each other.
Teach your skills and learn new ones.
You never stop learning, school only changes form.

This is how we thrive.

Part 4

This is no mandatory thing. There are no contracts in this (unless parties involved decide there needs to be one).

If a neighbor doesn’t wish to participate, don’t force them. Even if they have a much needed skill.
Respect the wishes and boundaries of those around you.

This is where it can get tricky though.

My philosophy with this plan is that if you do not participate in some part of it in some way, then you get no benefits that come from it.

This is merely my philosophy and can be changed by whoever decides to implement this.

Since, though, this is all using the free time of those who are willing to participate, it would seem extremely unfair to have someone benefit from these endeavors who is unwilling to use some of their own free time to participate.

Of course those with physical or mental handicaps shouldn’t be forced into doing something they cannot. They can always participate in ways that work best for them, if they are willing and able.
If someone with a handicap is unable to do anything and wants the benefit of the neighborhood, my philosophy would be to, help them to the best of our ability without sacrificing the stability of the neighborhood.
Something like this would have to have the input and agreement from everyone else participating in the neighborhood. If not, this could lead to some extremely unwanted drama.

Last Thoughts

This whole plan is just one way to find an alternative to the current system we are all living in.
Some of us like to complain about it, but then do nothing to change it.
The only thing stopping you from this is talking to your neighbors.

The era that we live in now makes it far more easier to become suppliers of our own needs.
Small scale manufacturing via 3D printers and different technologies shrinking in size makes this more accessible for the garage workshop tinkerers.

We can all become self reliant if we reach out to our own community nearby, instead of waiting for change and handouts from political leaders.

This is the time to empower ourselves and change our situation.

Urban Farming Guys are a great example of what can be achieved in a neighborhood that is willing to work together.

Don’t forget to reach out to other neighborhoods for help or collaboration.
Competition is not the answer to make this work.
Forming councils and electing leaders isn’t needed either. Doing that will just take us back to where we already are.

Keep things small and manageable within one neighborhood.
Collaborate with other neighborhoods for bigger endeavors.
Ask for help from the larger community if it is needed.

We are the only ones who have the power to change things.