How to Survive the Market Meltdown by Organic Consumer Association

Organic Bytes by Organic Consumers Association

Quotes of the Week

"We're literally maybe days away from a complete meltdown of our financial system, with all the implications here at home and globally." *Senator Christopher J. Dodd - Chairman of the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee

"This financial crisis has exposed the right-wing's anti-regulation philosophy as an abject failure. Their hands-off approach... has resulted in greedy corporate titans getting rich on the backs of working people... and is causing irreparable harm to the planet. And now we face a trillion-dollar taxpayer-funded bailout. Enough is enough. We oppose the Bush administration's... blank-check bailout... What is needed is truly fundamental reform, not this no-strings-attached proposal. The government must impose oversight and re-regulation... The days of the fox guarding the henhouse, with corporate lobbyists writing the laws that regulate their industries, must end."

*Brent Blackwelder, Friends of the Earth, Sept. 22, 2008

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Consumer Tip of the Week:

How to Survive the Market Meltdown
The headlines are ablaze with news of an impending global financial catastrophe. While the U.S. federal government, which is already in the throes of the largest national deficit in history, piles nearly a trillion additional tax-payer dollars at the floodwalls of Wall Street to avoid certain collapse, the U.S. dollar teeters on the threshold of one of the greatest inflationary periods in history. Nothing destroys investments or savings like inflation. So how is the every day organic consumer supposed to respond to this? Hopefully, the recent bailouts although so far severely misguided, in terms of giving Wall Street speculators a blank check give consumers a little more time to prepare. Here are some quick tips:

Food: As noted in previous issues of Organic Bytes, it's a good time to learn how to grow and preserve your own food, and cook healthy organic meals from scratch. Peak oil and inflation will cause food prices, especially processed food and meat, to go through the roof. The sooner you relearn the cooking, canning, and gardening skills of your grandparents, the sooner you'll have stability on your food shelf.

Finances: If you have notable amounts of cash in a savings account, consider paying down debt, investing in "green' survival-oriented products, or purchasing real assets. The value of the dollar is plummeting, so a $10k bank account doesn't mean as much if the dollar is worth half that.

Home: There's no better time than the present to look for ways to make your home more energy efficient. Energy costs are going to escalate. The energy use in the average American home can be cut in half with some fairly simple conservation measures.

Transportation: What do you drive? Resale value of fuel efficient cars is increasing as fuel prices go up. If you drive, consider trading your current car for a used fuel efficient vehicle. You'll likely be able to sell it for more than you purchased it for, if you buy it used and in decent condition (for our urban readers, we don't need to tell you how far bicycles and mass transportation can take you).

Lifestyle: Redefine what you consider to be "desirable". Instead of the newest flat-screen television, start doing some research into items like pressure cookers, homesteading books, electricity backup devices, etc. Refine your diet, eat less (or no) meat and animal products, and eat more whole grains, beans, and vegetables.

Politics: Call Congress now and urge your representatives to require those who profited from three decades of reckless finance to be required to pay for the bailout. Call 202-224-3121.

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