Survival in Port Burwell: (and Bayham)

The future for Port burwell looks rather grim concerning employment especially for those that drive long distances from Port Burwell. The affordable energy for transportation, heating, electricity and manufacturing is bleak, and if businesses are not turning a profit then jobs are lost and the economy goes into recession. And if fossil fuels are in short supply then it becomes a chronic recession or depression. This I predict is our future.

The only solution I foresee is that we must adopt a local economy based on a community working together that support small businesses with a growing basis in barter. This will not put millions of dollars into the all ready rich but it may insure that a community that will have the greatest possibility of surviving not only the impending fossil fuel crisis but the adverse effects of climate change.

Surprisingly, we already have many small hidden businesses in many garages in Port Burwell, some are probably classed as illegal operations perhaps even run by those people on disability pensions, welfare, or unemployment benefits in order to meet their monthly expenses. People are generally quiet about them but this may be a great resource that needs to be encouraged. A small amount of money spent on these and other small developing businesses could greatly enhance the economy and survivability of those living in Port Burwell. Diversity and local initiatives is probably the key to the future of Port Burwell rather than putting all of our eggs in one basket for something as grandiose as a ferry service.

If we where looking for a profitable business to enhance our investment portfolios back in the 1980's then a top pick might be tourism and perhaps a cross border ferry but in the reality of diminishing cheap fossil fuels, Americas economic decline, and world global warming we may need to drastically rethink our needs and resources so that they do not rely on fossil fuels but rely instead on a local economy that is not affected by large industry located in far away places and reliant on scarce fossil fuels.

One way to solve this by having a number of small businesses owned by the residents of Port Burwell that are not based on fossil fuels that also provide for the needs of the local community . This is the only viable long term solution for Port Burwell if not most of the world in the foreseeable future. Another way to help Bayham is the creation of Co-ops.

Once one realizes that fossil fuels are going to be very scarce in the near future one then hasto think of alternatives to our supply of electricity, water, gasoline, natural gas and a source of heat for our homes. Thinking ahead to any kind of sustainable future makes one think twice about our goals in life and the direction we should be heading and where our time and money should be invested.

The basics of food, warmth and shelter for everyone are worth thinking about in a sustainable way so that we preserve what is left of this once glorious world for those who are to follow.

The most reliable source of energy would be electricity from windmills in Port Burwell but at present this commodity is owned by businesses outside Port Burwell is sold to Hydro who sells it back to us at market prices. It is financially possible and especially morally correct to build and own small scale windmills rather than relying on Coal and Nuclear electricity generation for our future? Global warming is real!

Businesses that will not make a good investment:

Tourism: I would not bet on this being a valid method of making a business in the long term. It is highly seasonal, perhaps just supplying enough work for employees to claim unemployment at the end of the season. While it provides a few unskilled jobs it does not produce much of worth for the community and none of the participants develop skills such as woodworking, carpentry, farming etc. that are vital to the local good and economy. And in reality this only enhances those that are already financially well off.

Cross Border Ferry: This idea it holds no future since it is predicated on truck traffic which will be greatly diminished in the years to come with fossil fuel depletion and is far too energy dependant on heavy dredging of the harbour and once it becomes unprofitable then everything leaves Port Burwell and we are right back with no industries and a lot of municipal debt.

Marina: The future of fossil fueled pleasure boats is dismal with the rising cost of fuel. The cost of building a harbour may be prohibitive and will prove unattractive to any investor.

Stores: Vendors that rely on products manufactured more than 200 miles from Port Burwell may not do well in the long run. This is such a hard thing to do just now with the inexpensive selection of products from China. The hardware run by Ian Almond and his wife is a real benefit to Port Burwell and I hope he can morph it into something with a future selling locally made items.
Viable businesses:

Businesses that might do well in the next 5 years:

A Sustainable Energy Co -op. Members own the co-op. Together they pay for staff and reap the benefits of any sales. Nearly every household in Bayham needs vapour barriers and insulation and a source of inexpensive heat. Spreadsheets could be developed to show the benefit of energy conservation. A co-op could purchase insulation and vapour barrier and sell it at cost plus office costs. The Co op could also install it (you help me I help you) . After the insulation and vapour barrier, one should then calculate the heating needs in a season and could then be concerned with alternative heat such as solar air heater, solar water heater, wood stove etc.

Call centre: Many Banks and businesses have call centers where inquiries are answered. Port Burwell with its relatively inexpensive real estate would make a good call center. In a call center there are all kinds of people hired. Power for the electronics could be derived from local wind. I power all of my computers in my office with solar cells and wind turbines.

Woodworking to provide refinishing, furniture, Shelving, boat building for fishermen that can operate in the shallows of the Big Otter. Wood is still available and in the past a lot of machinery was made from wood. Skills in woodworking needs to be honed over time. Most people cannot just pick up a hand saw and cut a straight line, or sharpen a plane. These skills need to be learned from local trades persons and studied and applied over the course of a few years.

Carpentry to make and repair buildings. Working with an experienced carpenter is a very worthwhile education. Knowing how to read plans and organize ones work takes time to understand. Carpenters who know a lot about insulation will be most valuable in the next 5 -10 years. Paying apprentices to learn these skills will prove very beneficial to the community.

Home heating fuel: Heating ones home could be most difficult if the electricity or the Natural gas either was disconnected or was no longer affordable. When exploring alternate heating there is wood, various grasses, coal, wood pellets, various grains, corn, biodiesel and alcohol. Consider also various heating systems that employ heat extraction from the ground. My bet would be to harness some of the sunshine to offset the heating costs. My solar heater cost less than $25 and has been producing heat every day there is sunshine. A local supplier of any one of these would be good but first one must insulate and conserve to the highest degree.

Recycle and repair shop: A store that specializes in recycled articles such as clothing, tools, furniture, etc. Repairs of appliances may be very important if money is scarce.

Limited manufacturing would be possible with power from a windmill or the use of manpower.
Ideas such as:
composting toilets from buckets
tables from local wood
Chairs from local wood
small wooden boats or canoes
Biodiesel from used oil from restaurants or canola oil from the fields.

Stores that sell locally made goods.

Canoe maker.-make canoes from wood as fossil fuel gets a lot more costly. Canoes can be used on the Big Otter river for fishing and pleasure.

Skills exchange -a business that taps the local talent. People pay a small fee to apprentice with a local expert or craftsperson. Since schools do not teach survival skills such as canning, knitting, gardening, repairing things children could learn some of these skills from the grandparents of our society who knew how to survive without television and supermarket food supplies. This is vital to the community to share knowledge. It is especially important to get the older folks to share their knowledge of things before modern times.

Fishing:
. Fishing is a ready source of food... it does not take time to nurture plants or animals over the course of many months. This is fairly instant and while there are still a quantity of fish in the lakes this may be the best source of food to feed us. Boats can be made much smaller to accommodate the Big Otter harbour.

Businesses that might do well 10 years down the road:

An economy based on the skills of self sufficiency will be the wise investment in Port Burwell appropriate for the year 2016 just ten years away.

Farming done organically, will provide the community with nutritious food. Each resident can also be involved in their own organic gardening to supplement fresh foods and vegetables not available in stores. Suggestions for investment -maple syrup, pigs, chickens, cows, ducks, vegetables, fruit trees. Organic farming needs well trained leaders and a lot of physical hand work. It would be well advised to have these skills when fossil fuels depletion becomes more apparent. These skills cannot be learned in one season.

Blacksmithing providing the community with impliments such as garden tools, woodworking tools. Welding and fabrication. Old metal objects recycled into useful tools. One needs the specialized skill and tools for this. WE have in Port Burwell someone who is versed in the these skills and a learning sessions with him would be well spent.

Lumber mill for timber, powered by wood gas or biodiesel. Knowing how to cut down a tree and make it into timber is skilled trade. It may also rely on horses to harvest the logs, and a mechanics skill to work with machinery.

Ice cutters: Hopefully global warming does not affect us in such a way that we no longer have ice on the lake. If electricity gets scarce because we cannot afford it or the system is down ice would be a good commodity in the hot summers to keep food fresh. Knowing how to cut the ice and how to store it for the summers use will take time to learn.

Work Horse farms and trainers : If the automobile is no longer available to the general public short distance hauling would have to be done by horse. The only ones that know how to train horses today are the Amish and Mennonite communities.

Fishing to provide food and smoking and salting of fish for the winter. Woodworkers could build boats could be made from wood that can cope with the low levels of the otter river.

Repair men for the many machines and appliances that are in existence. These skills need to be learned and cannot be put into practice from book reading.

Alternative energy providers. Solar heaters for water and home heating, electricity from solar cells and windmills, efficient stoves, insulation, etc. Pellet fuels, stoves,.

Energy conservers : Our many homes here are very deficient in insulation and energy conserving materials. This is one area that will reduce our dependency on energy use. Knowing that ones energy use is very small will certainly help financially and make alternate energy use practical.

Seamstress -person who does sewing for the village, repairing cloths that need mending.

Windmill owners: Those people who invest in windmills not connected to the grid will be assuring that electricity will be available locally. I wonder if those farmers already leasing land to windmills will actually be able to get electricity from them? It would be rather ironic that those who leased land to windmill operators could not afford to purchase electricity.

What do we do today ot meet the needs of tomorrow?

The idea of village zoning is inconsistent with village life and especially our survival. We need businesses intermingled with homes so that one can walk to work, trade with a neighbour and get to know everyone just as it was 80 years ago.

The council needs to promote business here by attracting attention in offering a tax free period of five years to any business who builds a new building along with power from already approved wind turbines. Council needs to fast track at no cost for building permits and various approvals required in putting up a new building.

Lastly what we need are individuals that have focus and commitment not willing to be subject to the committee mentality.

-mat