NEWS: Young adults want way out of poverty

What do climate change, peak oil, failed harvests and the high cost of housing in Gimli have in common? Everything if you're trying to get by on service sector wages in a town that caters to tourists, cottagers and affluent retirees.

According to the most recent edition of Mother Earth News, the world pumped 31 billion barrels of oil in 2008 but discovered fewer than 9 billion new barrels, pushing up the cost of oil intensive agriculture as the price of gas rose 6.8%. During that same period, Statistics Canada reported a rise in the cost of fresh vegetables (26.5%), fruit (19.3%), cereal products (11.0%) and potatoes (54.9%) due to poor harvests and the increased cost of production. If you didn't notice the added cost of living, then you're obviously not part of that very necessary, poorly compensated, primarily young and/or female segment of Gimli's population who are struggling to feed their families and keep some sort of roof over their heads. They live here for the same reasons everyone else does — because it's safer, cleaner and quieter than the city — but they'll never be able to afford a home of their own, much less an over-priced cottage, and when the law of supply and demand pushes the price of food into another double-digit increase, they may not be able to afford the too expensive roof they currently have over their heads.

Last week, I listened to some of those young people talk about the anger, frustration and fear they live with every day because, unlike previous generations, they crave a diet of environmental awareness and the science that goes with it. They know what human activity has done to the planet, that oil intensive factory farms aren't just poisoning the food they produce, they're also depleting resources that can't be replaced at an alarming rate. They believe that, not too far in the future, things are going to get worse before they get better — if they ever do; that food grown by your own hands is healthier and safer for a variety of reasons; that spending time with family is important and intentional communities of like minded people living closer to the Earth may be the last, best hope for the human race.
August 6, 2010
Interlake Spectator

This might all sound like the back to the land movement of the '60s, but don't ever call these young people hippies, because they'll give you good reasons why you're wrong. First of all, they are not naïve children rebelling against the establishment — these are responsible, hard working and knowledgeable young adults who are about to meet one of the greatest challenges humanity has ever faced head on; if they don't make a go of it there won't be a safe place to run back to and they know it. Add to that, the fact that they're not walking into this believing that it will be easy; that they're asking for all the advice and assistance the establishment can give them to make their ideas work; and that they're hoping their community will include struggling people of all ages who share their ideals and maybe, just maybe, they'll make believers of us all. And just in case you need more convincing look up transition towns, ecovillages and intentional communities on the web; you might be surprised by what you find.

If you are interested in learning more about the ecovillage co-op coming soon to a community near you or if you have a question or comment regarding this column, the earthsavvy@mts.net e-mail is now up and running and waiting for your input.

Hillier-Bradley is a Gimli writer

 

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