Re: [pf] _very_ plain living.

· In adjusting our choices and actions towards being more sustainable,
there are at least 3 dimensions (in addition to changing what goes on in
our heads) where we can make changes: space, time, and number.

At 12:01 3/5/2001 +1200 {in:
http://csf.colorado.edu/mail/pfvs/2001II/msg00765.html }, I quoted tully,
who wrote {in:
http://csf.colorado.edu/mail/pfvs/2001II/msg00692.html } :-
>I don't like most houses. Most have far too many rooms that tend to be
unused for most of the day and that is a waste of materials and energy IMO.
> I think that the truck example shows that living can be done well in a
much smaller space.
>

· I agree with tully within the assumption of small numbers, one to three,
for example. For low numbers, the space dimension /should/ be small (as in
the house-truck).

· But if you already have a large space, another option besides selling it
is to increase the number.
  There are various (fairly obvious) ways: adopt or foster children;
block-off one or more parts into self-contained apartments, and bring in
other members of the extended family (so they no longer need their own
house), or rent the apartment to like-minded people or strangers. Nan did
this a few years ago.

· The third dimension is time. Various versions come to mind.
(1) The whole house could be swapped with another (extended) family
regularly, for weeks or up to 6 months, somewhere else in the nation or the
world.
(2) The facilities of the house (space, computers, quietness /
not-being-interrupted, kitchen etc.) can be used more efficiently (tully's
point, I think) by using them throughout most of the 24 hours. That's what
we do here. I got up at 3:45 AM, as I have been for a couple of weeks now,
and found our 27yo son had been up through the night, and was just going to
bed. Likewise, when one of the younger ones are on the phone with a friend,
the rest of us find something to do (usually with books or writing) in a
different room. Making full use of the space and time.
(3) And there's the old "day-shift-night-shift" split, with a studio or
single-bedroom apartment being "owned" by two people, only one of whom is
there at any one time - perhaps leaveing-and-entering at 6 AM and 6 PM.

· A little imagination will be needed, not getting-stuck-in-a-rut, as most
people are.

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