Living the Change: Inspiring Stories for a Sustainable Future (Free Full Documentary)

The current system is growth dependent and will collapse due to over-consumption, deforestation, waste streams, and climate change. The ecological crisis stems from treating the Earth as just a bunch of stuff. If changes are not made soon, the wild world will consume us.

Crisis in Meaning-Making Every culture has a mythology that answers deep questions about identity, reality, and change. The dominant culture's traditional answers are no longer working due to environmental degradation and unsustainable growth caused by the money system.

Energy Dependency on Fossil Fuels The current economic system demands endless growth, leading to overconsumption of natural resources. Fossil fuel energy is essential for various processes like extraction, manufacturing, transportation but it is finite and its depletion will have severe implications.

Vulnerability of Food System & Technological Illusions The food production system heavily relies on fossil fuels which makes it vulnerable to major upsets. There's an increasing focus on technological solutions for climate change but the speaker emphasizes the need for deeper changes beyond technology as our current technologies haven't solved fundamental problems.

The Importance of Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is essential for solving health, food quality, and economic issues by changing the system and creating infrastructure. Sustainable farming systems offer easy solutions to grow high-quality food with environmental care.

Stability and Prevention of Food Waste through CSA Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) allows farmers to have stability in selling their produce while ensuring that members receive healthy fresh foods every week. It also prevents food waste by providing an outlet for all harvested items.

Promoting Sustainability Through Closed-Loop Farming Creating a closed-loop system in farming promotes sustainability by incorporating diverse elements such as plants, animals, insects, tree crops, nuts, fruits which support a healthy ecosystem without relying on external inputs like fertilizers. The interaction between plants and animals plays a crucial role in maintaining resilient food production systems.

Regenerative Agriculture and Holistic Grazing Regenerative agriculture involves holistic grazing, inspired by Allan Savory's observation of large herds of buffalo in Africa. The technique uses electric fences to shift cattle onto fresh grass daily, allowing trampled grass and dung to form compost on the ground. This method helps build soil fertility and sequester carbon, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional farming practices.

The Power of Regenerative Agriculture Regenerative agriculture goes beyond food production; it aims to regenerate the land, replenish aquifers, sequester carbon, and support biodiversity. It is based on sound science and an ecosystem-wide perspective that considers the entire environment rather than individual aspects.

Creating a Food Forest Ecosystem Managing land as an ecosystem, the food forest system involves diverse plant species and layers that work together to create resilience. The process of restoring degraded land into a thriving food forest is highlighted, emphasizing the importance of diversity and interconnectedness.

The Role of Wildness in Forest Gardening In a forest garden, wildness plays a major role in creating an interconnected natural world. The speaker emphasizes the need for humans to integrate fully with the wild world rather than trying to separate from it.

Interconnectedness in Indigenous Societies People in indigenous societies were deeply connected to their community and the land, creating a strong sense of identity. They knew every aspect of the environment and felt at home in the universe. In contrast, modern society is surrounded by strangers, lacking deep connections.

Biological Bond with Land For Maori people and many others around the world, there's an inseparable bond between humans and land that shapes their identity. This connection is likened to a biological bond like that between a mother and her child.

Understanding Interbeing 'Interbeing' goes beyond interconnection or interdependency; it emphasizes that our existence depends on each other. It highlights how our wellbeing is intimately linked to others', nature's, or even global wellbeing because we are not separate entities but part of one totality.

Escaping Materialism The speaker was drawn into a materialistic world due to the influence of people around him. He studied business and finance, managing millions of dollars for wealthy clients. However, he felt overwhelmed by the excessive lifestyle and realized the trap of consumerism.

Discovering Permaculture After moving to New Zealand with his wife, the speaker researched extensively on environmental issues like climate change and resource depletion. This led him to discover permaculture as an integrated approach that addresses broader societal problems. Embracing permaculture has brought a sense of fulfillment through sustainable living and connection with nature.

Simplifying Life for Better Wellbeing The speaker shares their experience of feeling out of balance and depressed while living a regular life. They decided to radically rethink their lifestyle, downsizing to a 20-square meter house with minimal amenities. Living in this small space has brought them emotional health, reduced stress about money, and allowed them to be more connected with nature.

Economy Operating Within Ecological Limits The discussion focuses on the need for an economy that operates within ecological limits to avoid eroding the resource base until collapse. The concept of alternative currencies is introduced as a way to address post-collapse scenarios where traditional currency supply diminishes. It emphasizes the importance of quick government action or local/regional currencies filling the void.

Local Currency - LOAVES A local currency called LOAVES was created to promote community exchange and support local businesses. It circulates in Ashhurst and the Pohangina Valley, with a focus on building relationships rather than just the currency itself. The wealth generated stays within the community, complementing national money and strengthening local connections.

TimeBanking for Community Support TimeBanking is based on an egalitarian principle where everyone's time is considered equal regardless of skills or qualifications. It supports programs like Te Mahi Kai at Diamond Harbour School, which teaches children gardening and cooking using TimeBank volunteers who are paid one credit per hour for their help.

The notion of waste is a modern concept, as historically items were reformed or repurposed rather than discarded. The Repair Cafe brings together local experts to offer free repair services, reducing the amount of stuff sent to landfills and fostering community connections.

Living Zero Waste In 2007, the challenge to make no rubbish for an entire year led to a focus on reducing waste and living with less than a City Council rubbish bag. Dealing with organics and recycling materials were key strategies in achieving this goal. Consumers are often misled by marketing claims about compostable packaging, which requires commercial composting to be effective.

The Power of Individual Actions Individual actions such as using reusable containers, combining composting and recycling efforts, and making conscious choices while shopping have significant impact on waste reduction. Every purchase is like casting a vote that holds power in influencing positive change despite feeling overwhelmed by global issues.

Processing toilet waste through composting is a fundamental practice that demonstrates self-responsibility and sustainability. Unlike flush toilets, composting toilets capture and treat human waste to create a valuable resource while removing pathogens.

Creating Sustainable Change Through Compost Pickup The speaker is passionate about using everyday choices to create a cultural shift towards sustainability. They have started an organic waste collection from local businesses, diverting 2 1/2 tons of waste per week from landfills and returning it back to the soil through composting. The focus is on regenerative work that minimizes landfill waste and promotes conscious eating.

The Impact of Composting on Waste Reduction Composting food scraps and biodegradable waste can significantly reduce methane production in landfills, which contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. The speaker emphasizes the importance of compost as fertility for growing more food and promoting conscious eating habits. By focusing on better eating habits, less landfill waste is produced while creating more biodegradable material for increased fertility.

Embracing Opportunity in the Face of Devastation Many people are paralyzed by the devastation and damage they see, but there's an opportunity to give more life and create a winnable game. Restoring ecosystems while finding harmony for humans within them is crucial before it's too late.

Creating Positive Change Through Action Individuals can make a difference by growing food, voting with their wallets for ecologically healthy products, and reducing meat consumption. Taking action on urgent issues like climate change can lead to positive community impact and contribute to a vision of renewable energy shaping the future.