As I write this, the stock markets are in free-fall, with the Dow down 2000 points this week. Wherever the bottom is, all agree the outlook is bleak for years out; the rebound after the dot-com crash was quick enough so that we didn't have to change our basic habits of consumption, energy, debt, and wealth inflation. This time the story is very different, and it is likely that by the time things stabilize for a return to growth we won't be back to "normal", but will be in a new world.
This fall, Ecoversity is focussing on two essential elements of the next world, local food and energy production, most particularly at home on the Ecoversity 'campus' in Santa Fe. Our alternative energy park has expanded over the summer. We have some new wind turbines set up, and we have solar installations as well, for solar heating, solar photovoltaics, and solar mirror. And we have our micro and macro demonstration setups for algae-culture- the biological production of food and fuel from sunlight and CO2.
On Oct 19th, we have two "mammoth" mules coming to turn the big field (bring your kids to see!). We'll be planting winter wheat, and also testing the local potential of some promising bioremediation techniques. By next summer we expect to be demonstrating soil development and remediation, and micro-agro strategies which are appropriate for Northern New Mexico.
The economic ride might get rough, but keep this in mind: the basics - food and fuel. We hope that Ecoversity's demonstration sites will help you and our community feel confident of our ability to ultimately supply ourselves with food and fuel during changing times.
