[Oe List ...] Response to Del

Wed Jan 9 13:51:45 PST 2013

Sounds like a great future Supreme Court case (among many related others!).

From: oe-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net
[mailto:oe-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of Marianna Bailey
Sent: Wednesday, January 9, 2013 2:08 PM
To: Order Ecumenical Community
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Response to Del

I hope the following is not a portent of the future. In this case they need
water for fracking. Needless to say the Republicans won big in 2010 and we
are beginning to see the results.

Marianna

North Carolina's General Assembly is about to take the unprecedented step of
seizing a municipal-run water system from a city, which in this case has
owned and operated it for over 100 years. Members of the NCGA have signaled
their intention to introduce legislation in early 2013 that would force the
city of Asheville to turn over not only its water distribution system, but
control of its pristine 20,000 acre watershed, to the Metropolitan Sewerage
District of Buncombe County (MSD). Indications are that the city of
Asheville will likely receive no compensation for the taking of these
assets. 

On Jan 9, 2013, at 12:03 PM, R Williams wrote:

George,

A point Paul Hawken makes (Natural Capitalism) is that we currently
determine the worth of natural resources based on what it costs to extract
and process them, rather than for the value they add to standard of living
and quality of life.  I dare say if water in your area, or ours, were to be
valued based on the quality of life it brings, and the deterioration of
quality of life in its absence, then your friend's estimate that you're
paying only a fourth what it's worth wouldn't even be close.  Maybe one
onehundredth.

Randy

"Whatever the problem, community is the answer.  There is no power greater
than a community discovering what it cares about."  Margaret Wheatley

From: George Holcombe <geowanda at earthlink.net>
To: Order Ecumenical Community <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net>; ICA LIST SERVE
<dialogue at wedgeblade.net> 
Sent: Wednesday, January 9, 2013 10:52 AM
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] Response to Del

Yes, everything seems to be in contention.  From gun control to how do we
address the rapidly growing inequity between rich and poor, but the matter
that will put all of this as secondary is global climate change.  What is
happening in Australia, the island nations, rise of seas, the Arctic melt
and increasing acidity of the oceans, the violent weather, Sandy in the
U.S., Cyclone season in other parts of the world and last years Tornado
season, expanding desertification and loss of potable water is going to
change everything very quickly.  

Last night at our community meeting the question of water rates came up and
the resident who serves on several state and federal water regulation and
study groups, jumped to his feet and announced that what we are paying for
water is a 4th of what it's worth and the cost will rise rapidly in the
coming year,  He also pleaded for everyone to stop watering their lawns,
saying that's our drinking water. I'd never seen such passion coming from
this cool, reasonable mediator type before.   It is more than likely that
the water sold to rice farmers in South Texas will be cut off because the
lakes and aquifers around Austin are at historic lows and even if there were
sustained heavy rains it would not fill the lakes or recharge the aquifers.

In as much as the wealthy and corporate interests have large stakes in
keeping the exploitation of natural resources and pollution levels as they
are, or even increasing them, what is unfolding is breaking all of the
models of sustainability and, in proportion,  governance and life style.  It
is likely that, in my thinking, that locality will become more contentious
and some of the questions that will be driving things will be how can I
protect what I have.  Facilitators might want to consider how to implement
ways to aid the wealthy and the corporate world in how to step back from
exploiting consumerism and become expert in conservation and slimming down
as a way to profitability.  Just as a way was found to eliminate CFCs for
the most part and other chemicals creating the Ozone hole, I imagine
something similar may begin to occupy the powers that have ignored climate
change so far, which will have an enormous effect on how business and
governance is done, and will effect everyone's life style and economics,
particularly if these measures do not work.  Some of the climatologist feel
we passed the tipping point.  If this be true, what are the models for
living on the other side of that?  Maybe some of our young folk are already
working on that.

George Holcombe
14900 Yellowleaf Tr.
Austin, TX 78728
Mobile 512/252-2756
geowanda at earthlink.net

Hope appeareth, but it is not your Hope-you do not have anything to do with
it. It just appeareth. It comes as a stranger, as an alien-it just
appeareth! You do not even know why you hope. How in the world could you
hope when there is absolutely nothing to justify any hope?    ~Joseph W.
Mathews

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