Opting Out

How can one person have any effect on changing the world? Would you like to end war, stop the corporate take-over of America, or something less grandioise? One person can't have much effect but a LOT of people doing the same thing can have a BIG effect. It is called "leaderless resistance" and it doesn't involve anything illegal or destructive. It is just a lot of people, taking a particular action whose cumulative total can be devasting to the powers-that-be.

Opting out is simply saying that, "I am not going to be part of the problem" or at least, "I am going to be less a part of the problem." Becoming more sustainable is one way of opting out. Having a garden and growing some of your own food means that you spend less buying corporate food and feeding the coffers of companies like Archer-Daniels Midland (genetically modified foods). Reducing your income and relying more on your own resources and bartering for other stuff means that you are sending fewer tax dollars to Washington DC to be used to kill women and children in Iraq.

The following lists some of the possible things that you, as an individual, can do. Please feel free to send in your suggestions and ideas that could be added to this page.

Don't Use Credit Cards. Can you imagine what would happen if half of the people in this country simply stopped using credit cards? This would make a huge dent in the outrageous profits that the banks are making off of credit cards and would also decrease the cost of things you buy by at least 3%. As the credit card system is structured, each transaction carries a fee which is usually around 25 cents. That is why many merchants have a minimum amount you can charge. Each transaction also has a percentage charge, typically 2.5% to 5%, on top of the 25 cent per transaction fee. Thus, a $10 charge costs the merchant 25 cents plus 35 cents (assuming a 3.5% fee) or 60 cents. You are paying that 60 cents extra since the merchant has had to raise his/her prices to account for these charges.

Then, even assuming that you pay off your credit cards every month and so avoid interest and penalties, the money that you have charged is actually a loan. For you, it is a zero interest loan (assuming you pay it off with the next statement and you get the payment in before their very short deadline) however, it is money that has been created (out of thin air) under fractional reserve banking (FRB). In other words, the bank created this $10 out of nothing and has already earned 60 cents on thin air. Then, the $10 that you charged goes into another bank's Federal Reserve account where that bank can lend out $8.50 which again, is created out of nothing and interest is charged (and/or fees collected). Under FRB, this process cascades until ultimately, as much as $70 has been lent out based on your $10 charge. The banks are making money three-ways from Sunday off of you using your credit card, even if you don't see it. No wonder the banks are pushing credit cards so hard.

Buy Locally. What does it mean to buy locally? It doesn't mean buying something made in China at the local store. It means buying something that was produced locally. Buying locally keeps money in the local economy. The net wealth of a community depends on the money coming in, the money going out, and the wealth created or destroyed locally. Hence, buying locally reduces the money going out and increases the net wealth of the community which means we all benefit.

But right here in the Mattole, we don't produce very many things that we need and want. Sure, we have produce and some crafts, and there are various services that we can hire local workers to perform, but we don't produce milk, cheese, and butter (yet) for example. However, we can buy dairy products that were produced in Humboldt county. In other words, if you can't buy something produced in the Mattole, go to the next larger entity, i.e., Humboldt county. If what you need (or want) is not produced in Humboldt county, then go to northern California, etc etc.

Buy from locally owned businesses rather than from franchises. It is better to buy a hamburger from the No Brand hamburger stand in Ferndale than from the McDonalds in Eureka. The simple reason is that McDonalds wouldn't have a franchise here if they weren't making money from it. Some of that money they make in Eureka goes off to some corporate headquarters somewhere else, i.e., it is money that goes out of the economy of Humboldt county and that makes all of us here in Humboldt county just a little bit less well off. Similarly, buying hardware from Pierson's is preferable to buying from Home Depot if the minority pushing for that have their way in getting a Home Depot in Eureka. Pierson's has been a good neighbor and the family contributes to many worthwhile projects in Humboldt county. Do you think Home Depot would do the same? Not very likely.

It is very difficult to follow this strategy for each and every purchase that we make. However, we can all be aware of the choices that we make and how they affect our community, either beneficially or adversely. Consider also the company or corporation that made the product you wish to buy. Is this a company that is a good corporate neighbor or are they one of the minority of corporations that are corrupting our political process, exploiting their workers, outsourcing jobs, polluting the environment, and otherwise being part of the problem rather than part of the solution.

Reduce or Eliminate Debt. If you can't pay cash, don't buy it. Practice being mindful about what you buy and why. When you buy on credit, that money is created thru fractional reserve banking and that money carries an interest charge that accrues to the bank that created that money out of thin air. Even if you don't directly pay the interest, somebody does, and that makes all of us just a little bit more poor.

Do It Yourself. Grow food, pick berries, can and preserve food, make wine, bake bread,. Make or mend clothes, make or repair furniture. Create your own entertainment. Set a goal as to the percentage of the food you eat that is produced thru your own efforts. Reaching a goal of 35% is quite attainable with a modest garden. Grow some surplus and bring it to the Farmer's Market to exchange or sell. Save seeds or buy locally produced seeds at the Farmer's Market.

Share and Exchange. Take care of neighbor's kids and elders. Play music, sing, and/or act at local shows (cabarets). Write poems, hold art shows. Exchange hair cuts for applesauce, bike repair for massage, etc etc etc.

Reduce Waste and Pollution. Weatherize your home. This will save you money as well as reducing your dependence on non-sustainable sources of energy. Even the production of firewood requires gasoline for the chain saw and wood splitter. Storm shutters can be used over jalousies and similar poorly fitting windows. Reduce vehicle use and keep your vehicle maintained.

Start a New Local Business. Check out the results of the "Not Too Nosy Questionaire" to see what people make town trips for and come up with an idea for a service or product that would save town trips. This would not only reduce CO2 emissions but would save people money, and keep money otherwise spent outside the Mattole, here at home.

Be part of the solution and not part of the problem.