Peak Oil Task Force Report - City of Bloomington - State of Indiana

Be Neighborly
• Get to know your neighbors.
Close groups of neighbors can really strengthen a neighborhood. It is generally
unrealistic to assume that any individual or family can become skilled in every
vocation needed to be completely self sufficient. Getting to know your neighbors
helps you to find out what they know how to do. Exchange your services. Pool your
resources. 251
• Build a Neighborhood Skills Database
Compile a database of who has what practical skills in your neighborhood. You may
be surprised at the talents your neighbors have, from general skills like carpentry
and gardening to very specific skills like computer repair. A skills database is a great
way to start relocalizing because it helps everyone access the resources that are
right in their own neighborhood. 252
Buy Local!
The average food item travels more than 1,500 miles before it ends up on your kitchen
table. Each consumed product that comes from a non‐local source requires a lot of oil to
transport it while our hard‐earned dollars are exported to other communities, instead of
strengthening our own local economy.
Plant an edible garden.
Plant your own garden or work with your neighbors to plant a community garden. Study
bio‐intensive organic gardening techniques – a way of dramatically increasing the yields
from your backyard garden. Plant vegetables as landscaping features – a bed of cabbages,
onions, broccoli and carrots for example. Learn how to save seeds for the next season.
Create compost out of your kitchen and yard waste. Use drip irrigation to save water. The
Monroe County Extension Office is a good resource for home gardeners.
Create a Neighborhood Garden Tool Pool. Read How To Grow More Vegetables (and Fruit,
Nuts, Berries, Grains and Other Crops) Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than
You Can Imagine by John Jeavons. This book describes biointensive approaches to
vegetable gardening.
251 Ibid.
252 The Relocalization Network, Build a Neighborhood Skills Database,
http://www.relocalize.net/guide/skillsdatabase
Report of the Bloomington Peak Oil Task Force 217