Food, the Real New Economy and the Small City Renaissance
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ERIK CURREN CITY COUNCIL STAUNTON, VA
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The real new economy is not about personal jet packs and vacations on Mars. It's about finding a way to live prosperously in a future where energy will be more expensive as world demand for energy spikes while supplies of fossil fuels continue to deplete. And since expensive energy will raise the price of all of life's necessities, from clean air and water to food and transportation, today's trend towards people crowding into bigger and bigger urban areas will reverse. The 20th century was about the growth of the megapolis based on cheap energy, abundant consumer goods and global trade. We all became consumers, letting someone else, often half a world away, make most of our stuff. The 21st century will be about local everything. Prosperity will be found in satisfaction rather than conspicuous consumption. It'll be less about buying and more about making, making do or doing without. We will all be producers. And when it comes to food, families will grow, cook and preserve more of it themselves. In the real new economy, where local agriculture helps America make an agrarian comeback, small cities will be the best places to live. Presented at Virginia Urban Agriculture Summit held in Lynchburg, VA in April, 2014 by Erik Curren, city councilman in Staunton, VA.
Transcript of Food, the Real New Economy and the Small City Renaissance
ERIK CURRENCITY COUNCIL
STAUNTON, VA
FOOD,THE REAL NEW ECONOMY & THE SMALL CITY
RENAISSANCE
FIRST, A NATION OF
FARMERS
THE IDEAL
AGRARIANCOMMONWEALTH
FARMS, TOWNS &
SMALL CITIES
IT NEVER REACHED ITS
POTENTIAL
THEN CAME
FACTORIES
AND FINALLY, THE
SERVICE ECONOMY
PROSPERITY CAME TO
URBAN AREAS
BUSINESS LEFT
RURAL TOWNS
HAVE WE NOW REACHED
PEAK BIG CITY?
MEGACITIES WILL NEED
LOTS OF FOOD
COULD URBAN AGRICULTURE LET CITIES
GROW FOREVER?
ARE YOU WILLING TO
BET ON IT?
IN THE REAL NEW ECONOMY
ENERGYWILL MATTER
SMALL CITIES NEED
LESS ENERGY
SMALL CITIES WILL HAVE
MORE FOOD
BUT THEY NEED TO CONQUER THEIR
FEAR OF FARMING
SMALL CITIES CAN BE
AMERICA’S FUTURE
CULTIVATORS OF THE EARTH ARE THE MOST VIRTUOUS AND
INDEPENDENT CITIZENS.
— THOMAS JEFFERSON
