From Local to Global: Is Simplicity a Thing of the Past?

Adventures in Sustainable Living Podcast
 
Episode 87
 
From Local to Global: Is Simplicity a Thing of the Past? 
 
 
Truly there are few things simpler and more satisfying than walking out to your garden to pick the fresh produce that will be a part of your dinner. What is even better is picking fresh herbs from your garden that are packed with a tremendous flavor that you never get from store bought products. These are only a few of the advantages of going local because it doesn’t get more local than your own backyard. 
 
But our backyard now consists of the entire planet thanks to the affects of globalization. And while this has obvious advantages it has also robbed us of one of the best things in life, which is simplicity. This is the topic I want to discuss in this week’s episode. Due to globalization, is simplicity a thing of the past? 
 
Welcome back everyone to the Adventures in Sustainable Living podcast. This is your host Patrick and this is E87 which is called From Local to Global: Is Simplicity a Thing of the Past? 
 
Before we get started with this weeks episode I would like to remind everyone that if you would like to contact me with questions, comments, or even suggestions of topics that you would like to hear about, then feel free to contact me at adventuresinsustainableliving@gmail.com. Repeat
 
That said, let’s get right down to this weeks topic of discussion because I think this is something we need to think about very carefully. What I am talking about is globalization. The first thing I want to discuss in this episode is how globalization got started and the obvious benefits to humanity due to that trend. Then I want to discuss the disadvantages to globalization and how this affects each and every one of us. Then I want to show you how this globalization is truly detrimental from a sustainable perspective. Then I want to finish by posing the question of whether or not this is even beneficial any more. 
 
Like it or not, globalization touches every aspect of our lives. If you do not believe that then take a few minutes and look at all the products in your home. Read the labels. You will easily find products made in China, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, Canada, Peru, Central America, Germany, as well as others.  
 
Now, there is nothing inherently wrong with this. I happen to enjoy the Quinoa that comes from Peru and organic Chia seeds from Central America. In fact, globalization is why we have such a variety of products that we can enjoy not to mention significant variety in the food we eat day to day. 
 
But like most people I used to think that globalization was a modern phenomenon. Even though there is considerable debate  over when globalization truly started, it is agreed upon that this term is used to describe how trade and technology has turned us into a highly connected and interdependent society. Many would argue that this trend started when Columbus made it across the ocean to the New World. Others would argue that globalization started well before that. 
 
The best known example is the Silk Road, which is a network of routes spanning approximately 6,400 kilometers, or a little less that 4,000 miles, and went across Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, and Europe. As with today, new technologies played an important role in trade along the Silk Road. Improvements in transportation lead to the construction of new roads. Increased agricultural production resulted in more food being transported and marketed. Advances in metallurgy lead to the production of coins. Things such as Arabian spices, Roman glass, Chinese silk, tea, ivory, cotton, wool, and precious metals were common trade goods. And it was not only trade goods that spread but also a sharing of beliefs and philosophies. The secrets of how to make paper also aided in the spread of briefs and knowledge. 
 
The Age of Exploration, which lasted from the 1400s through the 1600s substantially accelerated globalization. Europeans began exploring the world and found new routes to India, much of the Far East and the Americas. Again technology played an important role. New ship design and the invention of the magnetic compass were key advances that allowed this to happen. Trade goods, ideas, new philosophies and religious beliefs now spread to parts of the world that were previously disconnected. 
 
The Age of Revolution which lasted from the late 18th century to the mid 19th century brought significant changes to the world. The American Revolutionary War happened during this time. On the European continent it was the French Revolution followed by WWI. During this time frame there were a number of basic cultural trends that spread, international relationships changed, and the ideas of political liberalization spread quickly. 
 
Ideas of freedom, equality, and individual liberty spread like wildfire and all of this was further powered by industrialization, the invention of cars, steamboats, planes, railways, factories, and war after war. People, money, merchandise, new ideas and philosophies, and even disease spread more quickly as a result of new discoveries and technology. 
 
We even see that now in our Age of Information. Advances in computer and communication technologies has completely redefined what it means to be “connected.” The digital revolution has had a dramatic impact on international economies and we have become more information based and independent. We have easy access to hundreds of years of information at the tips of our fingers. 
 
Even international financial markets are now strongly  interconnected. Truly we are at the point where an environmental crisis, financial collapse, natural disaster, or even foreign invasion of one country has a significant impact on the global economy. And no where is this more evident than the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 
 
It is quite obvious that globalization has had a dramatic impact on how we live. It has many advantages. We have easy access to new cultures. In general we have access to new products and foods at a lower cost. We have access to new technology, information, and even higher standards of living for many people across the globe. In the end we also see an increase in open-mindedness, tolerance for new ideas and beliefs through cross cultural exchange and collaboration. 
 
Despite all of these obvious advantages, in my opinion there are some obvious and significant disadvantages to globalization. We now live in a world where big business focuses more on profits rather than purpose. The global movement of goods and commodities has a detrimental impact on the environment and simplicity has gone out the window. 
 
The United States is by far the largest exporter of agricultural products in the world. We export approximately $150 billion annually and we import about $146 billion annually. And all of this is focused simply on meeting the needs of the consumer. We are now at the point where 53% of our fresh fruit and 33% of our fresh vegetables are now imported. In 2020 the UK imported 46% of the food consumed. Australia on the other hand exports 60% of the food it produces and is therefore very self sufficient with their national food supply.   
 
But despite all the advantages of globalization, I would contend that it does nothing but add yet another layer of complexity to our lives. 
 
For example with increased conflict in our global community a significant source of wheat was taken off the global market. Climate change and water scarcity has produced a significant reduction in staple crops such as corn and wheat. The disappearance of a variety of agricultural plant species produces even more food insecurity. The global pandemic severely affected supplies chains around the world. For example, many smart devices these days use microchips. When materials are short then fabrication and assembly slows down. Now there is a shortage of chips to go into computers, things that control automobile production, home appliances and many other things we use everyday. 
 
When something happens that affects the availability of labor, cargo ships cannot be unloaded. The shortage of drivers for transportation vehicles means food does not get distributed across the country. Global fuel prices sky rocket so the price of all the goods we are so accustomed to using also goes up. There is a shortage of labor to produce automobile parts so it takes weeks to get your automobile repaired when before it would have been just a few days if that.  
 
It is at the point where our lives rest precariously on vast interconnected systems that have become so complex that no one understands it all. And we have yielded control to technologies and autonomous people that no one thing or person actually controls anything. In other words, no one’s driving. Yet all the things needed to make it possible to perform all the mundane acts in our daily lives are somewhat automated, most likely algorithmically calibrated, and partly sweatshop-labor-dependent all mixed up in a highly sophisticated global supply chain. 
 
At any one time over 17 million shipping containers are circling the globe and 5 to 6 million of those are constantly crossing the ocean. And these containers are packed with paper, bedsheets, 
frozen food, fruits, vegetables, socks, pharmaceuticals, and a whole plethora of other products that we use day to day. 
 
Yet this sort of conversation doesn’t even account for another vast, interconnected, mostly invisible , sprawling system that touches our lives everyday, that being the global financial markets. It used to be that such a market was dependent on individual traders that could manage 5 or 6 major trades a day. But in the global finance industry, which is of course preoccupied with growth, software with high-frequency trading algorithms can now make 10,000 trades per second. 
 
There is now a relentless adoption to automation of a highly technical network of banks, regulatory bodies, exchanges, news services, hedge funds, stock markets, government agencies, and millions of individual traders and analysts. Even ship captains receive automated email updates on course corrections, and when to slow down and speed up never knowing the reason why. 
 
And this does not even begin to touch on the one resource that each and every one of us reaches for numbers times a day, even me. That being the internet. The complex system that makes up the internet is a vast array of networks. In fact it is a network of networks that consists of private, public, academic, business, and government networks globally linked by a broad array of electronic, wireless, and optical technologies. It is made up of data centers, datasets, exchanges, vast companies, information platforms, social media platforms, as well as billions of individual users connected to the very devices we hold in our hands everyday. 
 
Furthermore, this does not take into account huge swings in supply and demand that affects us everyday. Sudden decreases in consumer demand for a particular product means production is dramatically decreased or even shut down. Then when there is an increase in demand, you cannot instantly start up production on a massive scale so there is a shortage and prices go up. 
 
A perfect example is gasoline prices. During the massive shut downs during the pandemic, there was a 14% drop in the demand for gasoline and an 8% drop in demand for diesel. Consequently, five domestic refineries, with a total production capacity of over 800,000 barrels per day were permanently shut down. Now with an enormous energy transition looming in the future, major investors are hesitant to increase production by building new facilities. Now everyone decides to go back to commuting and take driving vacations, there is a shortage of gasoline and prices go up. And all of this was before Russian crude oil supplies were taken off the market. 
 
So, over time what we have ended up with an enormously complex system that no one completely understands, which is now influenced by climate change, technology failures, shortages, and even ransomware hacks. 
 
And I have not even begun to talk about the environmental impact of globalization. Things such as increased green house gas emissions due to global transportation. Deforestation and loss of biodiversity. Ocean acidification and the introduction of invasive species.
 
And one often overlooked side effect of globalization is economic specialization. What this means is that smaller nations and even entire geographical regions can focus on their economic strengths. This economic specialization boosts productivity and efficiency and smaller nations always know they can acquire needed goods from their trading partners that they cannot produce themselves. Unfortunately this trend toward specialization often leads to serious environmental issues. 
 
For example:
 
-Illegal deforestation in order to increase ranching operation. Brazil is a perfect example. 
 
-Over fishing in coastal regions especially Southeast Asia, which resulted in significant reduction of fish populations and more ocean pollution. 
 
-Strong dependence on cash crops such as fruits, vegetables, coffee, palm oil, which all contribute to habitat loss mostly in tropical climates. 
 
-Some nations are even able to specialize in energy commodities such as natural gas, oil, and timber. These nations depend on energy sales to fund a large portion of their national budgets. Furthermore, those nations that focus on “energy security” are far more motivated to form subsidies and laws that protect their financial interests and further hinder the transition to renewables. 
 
And one other thing to consider is the fact that our global food system is the primary driver of a planet wide loss of biodiversity. And unless we change the way we produce our food, there will come at time when continued destruction of the natural world will threaten human populations. 
 
The reason this is happening is that our global food system is focused on producing more food at a lower cost. This results in the increased use of fertilizers, pesticides, energy, land, and water. As a result, the lower cost of food production creates a bigger demand for food which must also be produced at a lower cost which in turn requires more intensified production methods which of course results in more environmental degradation. 
 
And this of course is all connected to globalization. Obviously simplicity has been thrown right out the window. On a personal level, I even wonder about that in my own life sometimes whenever I feel the effects of all the changes going on in our world right now. And of course my first reaction is to make further attempts to minimize the impact on my personal life, which usually consists of decreasing my dependence on this vast infrastructure that seems to run our lives.  
 
Obviously I am a huge proponent of simplicity. I remember times in my life when I truly had few things to worry about. And in our modern world that is far more complex than it needs to be I tend to reflect on times in my life where simplicity merged with happiness.  If I needed something from the supermarket I either walked or rode my bicycle. While living in Ecuador I never even owned a vehicle. Public transportation was well established and very inexpensive. 
 
While spending time in a small community in the Amazon, there were specific days set aside for the farmers market. You simply walked down to the center of the village and waited for the trucks to show up with vegetables that had literally just been pulled out of the ground. It was much the same when I was living and working in Mexico. 
 
My point being is that there are plenty of places on this planet where life is still simple. That being said, you do not have to uproot your life in order to appreciate the value of simplicity. 
 
The challenge we now face on a daily basis is that a multitude of big business has out sourced production on numerous consumer goods for decades now.  In fact it started in the 1970s. There are multiple reasons for that. Reduced labor cost meant more competitive pricing. Manufacturing was more efficient, increased flexibility in commercial markets, faster pace during production. All of this of course means lower consumer prices. But, as is now painfully obvious, such a rapid move to globalization brings increased risk. Local events in one country now cascade beyond national borders and the fallout of a financial meltdown or environmental disaster now affects everyone on the planet.  
 
One thing is for certain, globalization is not going to stop and it cannot be reversed. You cannot argue against the many benefits but you also cannot deny the negative impact. On a personal note, I can only make adjustments to my lifestyle to minimize the impact on my personal and financial life.  
 
But I also think that this is yet another argument to be as self sufficient and sustainable as possible. What if we all were able to obtain everything we needed for our daily lives from local sources? What if we all had a garden at home and produced much of our own food? What if we only ate seasonal vegetables and fruit instead of demanding we have this vast variety so we always get what we want when we want. What if we only purchased clothes from manufacturers within the borders of our home country? What if we had local power stations to supply our homes with renewable energy? 
 
Don’t you think it is time we started thinking more local instead of global? Don’t you think it is time we walked into a local business instead of an online store? Do you think it is time we patronized a local farmer instead of a big chain supermarket? If we all did this, we could dramatically reduce the impact of globalization on our lives and take yet another step toward being more sustainable. 
 
When I was a kid there is something my father used to say to me on a regular basis that I never truly understood. I would make a statement or ask some obtuse question and he would often say “What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?” 
 
Now it is believed that this phrase began in 19th century England when the actual price of tea in China was in fact something of interest. For example, if someone in the British House of Commons said something that others felt was completely irrelevant to the topic at hand, repeating this phrase was used as a retort emphasizing the irrelevance because the price of tea in Chinas was actually a valid topic. 
 
But even today, I look at much of what is going on in our world and I want to ask the same question. What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? And yet it does because everything is so highly interconnected and big business is focused on profits which in many ways turns out to be to the detriment of each and every one of us as well as the environment. 
 
These days you do not have to look very hard to find communities that are not only off grid but self sustaining. Places such as Finca Bellavista in Costa Rica, Freedom Cove in Canada, Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage in Missouri, Tinkers Bubble in England, ReGen Village in the Netherlands, and EcoVillage at Ithaca in New York. Although Annette, her son and I live somewhat isolated, I could easily imagine myself living in a small, self sustaining community. 
 
And if we did, I could also imagine us sitting around a warm wood stove on a cold, windy night, drinking coffee or a cup of my favorite tea.  And if someone dared to make a comment on the the high price of gasoline, I could actually repeat what was said to me many times in my younger years. What does that have to do with the price of tea in China? 
 
And why should we have to fight government and big business in order to save the environment? You don’t have to is you just take the time and effort to be more sustainable 
 
Go local not global and you just may experience a little more peace, tranquility, and personal security.  
 
This is your host Patrick signing off until next week. Always remember to live sustainably because this is how we build a better future.
  
 
Resources
 
 
 
Four Steps Toward a More Stable Global Economy 
 
 
Our Global Food Systems is the Primary Driver of Biodiversity Loss 
Patrick