Shortage of Raw Materials is one of Money's best friends
How did we get a shortage of raw materials?
Our shortage of raw materials has been caused by one of Money’s best friends: the pipeline thinking. We can’t recycle, can we? It’s much cheaper to buy new stuff and get rid of the old, ugly ones. These products have not been designed to be recycled at all, so it’s hard to take them apart, or even, repair.
So for every new product we definitely need brand new raw materials, just because our production processes have not been designed to include recycling and easy repair. Because we want to sell new products, because that’s what companies are for.
Note for the novice reader: the above is strictly sarcastic.
What are the consequences of this imagined shortage?
In this short overview, we identify 6 consequences. They may apply to any part of the population or its businesses.
There really is scarcity
We think we are running out of resources and indeed we are, because we are not recycling any. Let’s say food. That’s our major concern isn’t it? Are you recycling your own excrements and producing new foods using them? Maybe something easier then. Are you recycling any of your own food scraps to produce fresh food? No? That’s why Pipeline Thinking, Raw Materials Shortage and Scarcity are indeed connected. Look around and create your own examples and solutions.
Are we really depending on imports?
To maintain our consumptive lifestyle, we need imports. Lots of them. Not just the food, but also anything manufactured in China. Our factories have been shut down and moved abroad. Of course it’s wonderful that the Chinese produce our goods much cheaper (at least if you still believe in money at all) but does it mean that we can’t even create our own toothbrushes? Without container shipments we would feel like a child on Chistmas Eve and Santa is not coming this year. We are not even taking care of our own basic needs. Of course, who cares if a 12-blade razor is not available, but there are things we need to take our own responsibility for. Even if it’s just the diapers.
Okay, but what does this have to do with the presumed shortage of raw materials? As long as we depend on imports,we are not producing our own goods and we are also not using the resources which we do have. Which we could have had, if we had taken care. Of course, our world has so many potential, but we are too blind to see and just buy Chinese.
Prices are going up
If you still believe in economic theory, you might easily believe that most prices should rise if we deplete our minerals and metals and waste them in landfills and incinerators. If we slowly but surely run out of freshly mined supplies. But indeed, please start questioning that economic theory quickly.
Fear of it all
Fear is the driving force behind consumerism. Everything you need eliminates one of those fears. Personally, I fear the cold. I fear the shortage of natural gas from – as I fear – we will suffer in 2040. The winter central heating ran empty.
Every person has hos own fears. My claim is that we need to consume because we fear to run out. I go shopping because I fear there is nobody to feed me otherwise. And guess, indeed, there is nobody to feed me if the shopping mall had not. But, what would happen if I stopped consuming today? There must be ways to survive anyway. Well, let me try that in another life and let me keep my fears for now!
Shopping Addiction
Okay, I admit it. I like valuable products. I love techno gadgets, the features, especially when they fit into my open-source world view. I have a fear of losing control of my webservers, miss incoming emails and other important stuff -which is not important.
Here, with all my electronics, I find happiness. Yes, another email came in. A cup of coffee… happiness is awaiting me!
Every one has his own weaknesses. Some have an addiction to look very well dressed, so they need new, proper clothes. Or do you say you look like a meat ball on purpose with old and rugged clothes? We need a car to arrive at our client’s office, because it’s not done to arrive all sweaty on a bike. Not okay to arrive late due to public transport jams. What might they think?
We need to consume just to forget our fears for an instant and gain some artificial happiness.
Anyone blind for the abundance of nature?
The previous owners of our house never tried an apple growing on the apple tree in the back yard. No. Not even tried. Can you really eat those apples? I tried them immediately, on the first day we got there. And they were superb. Tasted better than any apple from the supermarket. Duh.
A couple of years ago we started a kitchen garden to grow some food. Funny thing is, we left all “voluntary” plants in the garden. Most of which are edible, by coincidence. Maybe not the entire plant, but just leaves, roots, flowers or turnips.
I wonder how long we would survive by eating plants which grow in cities, parks and weedy bushes. I wonder what we could produce from natural products alone. What crafts could be regained. What art might be in hanging out under a tree. Can we reactivate our connection with nature, by daring to see its abundance?
