It seems that the news these days is dominated by story after story about the impending economic recession. The stories generally fall into two categories. Most are just plain bad news with no analysis of the problem and no suggested solution. Even worse, the rest are denial that there really is any serious problem, and what little there might be will “correct itself” quickly with a few tweaks of the economic and monetary tools at our disposal.

As both of these approaches are seriously flawed, I’ve decided to bring some light to the issue from my gathered understanding of the situation over a number of years. Yes, the situation has been developing for a number of years; many in fact, and the refusal of mainstream economists and politicians to admit it will soon be seen as opportunism at it’s worst. To be fair, it is also part stupidity. After all, how can we expect politicians trained by the Fraser Institute to even remotely understand how to reform economics to the service of people, or even understand that there is a need to?

Over the next several weeks I will be posting a series of articles on the current economic downturn. I will investigate what it means to local Bruce-Grey citizens and and how we might turn this challenge into an opportunity.

Warning; this will not be an encouraging series for those who base their sense of well being on material possessions and their status on financial wealth. It will however, be enlightening for those who wish to understand how we got here and how we can move forward to a much better society based on community, responsibility, and quality over quantity.

This series will roughly cover the following topics:

1. Current economic foundations & why they no longer work.
2. Peak oil and resource limits.
3. The steady state economy and political implications.
4. Re-localization and global economics.
5. What we must do now.

I will attempt to maintain a balance between layman's terms and concepts that the average person will understand, while presenting some new ideas that may challenge even the most seasoned economic theorist.

I will use a format that focuses on brevity, referencing links that you can follow to research more details.

While I have alluded to the subject at hand a number of times over the years, I have admittedly procrastinated about writing on the specifics. This is not a comfortable subject to write about and no doubt some will immediately write me off as extremist. I suppose that is your choice, but as I have watched the economic events of the past few years unfold generally as I expected and predicted, I think I have earned a hearing.

It is interesting that I’m beginning this process the day before three significant events in Grey County. All three events are related to the topic at hand, but they approach it from distinctly different angles. One is about “talking”, one about “promoting”, and the other about “doing”. The “talking” event is the Go Green at Blue Environmental Forum which I hope will turn talk into action in a way that few forums do. Judging by the quality of people involved, this is distinctly possible. The “promoting” event is a 100-mile business showcase at Bootjack Ranch near Durham. Here you will be able to see and purchase from a number of 100-mile vendors who are already becoming part of the economic solution. The “doing” event is the Kimbercote Fall Workshop Weekend in the Beaver Valley. This is a decidedly hands-on event featuring activities ranging from food to social justice. I must say that I am partial to the “doing” (a preference that has landed me in trouble on at least one occasion) as the time for talk is running short.

And that is why I’m breaking the silence on the difficult times ahead, because we must start doing; and doing very differently if we are to avoid some of the pain ahead.

Stay tuned...more to come shortly. In the meantime, check out this closely related posting by Rural: The Five Stages of Collapse, http://www.shanejolley.com/2008/11/13/five-stages-collapse .