Surviving a Trade War

Well fellow Vocaltites in Canada and the USA, everything that was already expensive is about to get a whole lot worse next week. It's hard reading the news everyday and knowing that it's the innocent people caught up in the political drama on both sides of the border who will quite literally be "paying the price" while the powers that be clash as titans.

But you know me, I'm the silver lining lady. And while it is hard to see a silver lining here, as a history buff and gal with a geography degree I can see some ways we can better survive this — together.

~*~

Here's what I've got so far. By all means add your own ideas in the comments or write a similar article (or just do what we do best and cheer each other on).

Starting with a golden oldie:

1. Plant Victory Gardens.

For those that don't know, these gardens were popular during WWI & WWII. The basic idea involves planting your own produce to avoid straining rations and wallets. Many plants can be easily recycled indefinitely or stretched a long way. Think sour dough yeast, or carrot tops saved and replanted. (Aren't you glad now someone you know learned how to make sourdough during covid??)

If you don't have a backyard, you could do window boxes or participate in a neighbourhood garden or perhaps trade some labour with your neighbour or relative who does have a backyard but is too senior/or unable to make the time to tend it and then split the produce. Maybe even try your hand at canning later to get through winter months.

Info on Victory Gardens: Click here

Info on home produce growing from Canadian scientist David Suzuki: Click here

Info on canning: Click here

Please do share more websites in the comments OR if you're already a home gardening/canning pro, consider writing your own article to share with us your personal tips and tricks and hacks. They can take our pennies but they can't take our sunshine! Treat yourself to some vitamin D while filling your belly.

2. Stretch the Pantry and Eat the Scraps.

I will never forget my mom telling me how during the great depression, my nana's parents saved their barest minimum of table scraps (think vegetable peels and whatever little milk could be spared etc.) to feed to their pig in the hope they could get it fat enough to butcher it and survive their winter. Or how when she was very poor herself as a child, they were forced to trap rabbits.

And while I'm not suggesting going hunting or adding chickens & livestock (unless these are something you can and want to pursue then by all means!), I am saying don't ditch those leftovers. Freeze them or eat them up or stretch them in soups!

I'm reminded of this excellent article by Caroline Jane:

Part of the Vocal Cooks Collaborate by Judey Kalchik.

There are plenty of great recipes in there already.

3. Start Pursuing Human to Human Donation.

If you can afford to skip making a profit of 4$ on those pair of Charlie's grade 4 shoes in a yard-sale, why not just go ahead and give them to Becky and her single mom down the street? Donating for free to used sales stores that are going to SELL them back to the community is not as helpful right now, not even if they donate to a charity instead of lining their own pockets.

So please, just give it away hand to hand when possible? Police stations here are happy to offer a safe space to swap or better yet maybe you could host a big swap in your local school's gymnasium a couple times a year? And on the topic of swapping in general...

4. Trade Without Getting Money Involved.

Are you a senior in need of snow shovelling or grass cutting or a busy professional in need of petsitting or dogwalking? Can you organize to trade your time with your neighbours in exchange instead of cash? Is it possible you could provide math/ English tutoring or piano or guitar lessons to the child willing to cut your grass or walk your dog instead? These extras strain a budget for seniors and families but are often necessary for physical and mental health or school help.

Then there is the overwhelming feeling of doom to fight back against, too. But I've got another idea! Could you offer to host a rotating religious study group, book club or other social event where participants help the host by bringing an item off a prepared list of needed food/needed items for the family that week? It would be a chance to get creative AND have some fun, too!

Fight back against loneliness and despair by hanging tight together, And avoid the cash. Speaking of cash...

5. Stop Buying Gifts! Give Experiences Instead.

Grandma does not need another bubble bath set. Grandpa doesn't need another bad tie and neither does dad. Mom for sure doesn't need another eternity necklace right now.

But you know what might be better? A staged photo-op taken on your cellphone with the grandparents and their grandkids followed by a game night. Teens might love a driving lesson over another gift card. (OK, they might only tolerate it but hey, you can't ever completely please them anyway.) But, they might truly like playing around with old records, or being given the freedom to go on a semi-private camping trip where you camp a couple sites down just in case.

Dad probably would love a chance to have a fishing day with his buddies uninterrupted and mom could certainly use some me time to get her hair done at her friend's place without carrying the emotional labour of cleaning up, planning the weekly shop and helping with homework that Saturday.

Heck maybe parents could just swap date nights at restaurants for individual protected nap times through the week while the other handles things solo. Extra sleep does give you boosted energy for down the road...

There are a lot of ways to skip out on materialism and maybe this is the push we all need to divest ourselves of our physical gift giving frenzy.

In summary,

We have been a peaceful international community here a long time now and as writers, we are the vectors of communication and thought. It is why I've kept my membership here despite cancelling all my other American subscriptions until the trade war ends.

Let's use our voice to fight back in friendship and creativity.

Maybe Vocal might even consider making a contest about these positive ideas?? (hint hint).

Heads high, or elbows up depending on your side of the border and hugs to whoever needs one today.

Because when life gives us dandelions, make lemonade!

Cheers, Les xx