Internet notebook about my work: deep listening to facilitate positive change

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Monday 10 March 2008

Communication residue of a fridge broken down

Experiential learning goes deeper than knowledge transmission. After twenty years of service, the fridge in our kitchen broke down. Somehow it must have had a peculiar seize. New models did not fit in the same place. It took us three weeks to find, order and get the right one installed. Three weeks without a fridge looked like a disaster: spoilt milk, rotten vegetables etc. But the second day without a fridge I realized that the cellar is a perfect alternative. And buying less also reduces the risk of food and drinks getting spoilt. In stead of once a week going by car to buy a week’s supply, I cycled every day the 30 minutes back and forth to the shop where we buy our biological products. True it costs more time and energy (sweat – no gas or electricity). But the ride through the park and the old 19 century extension of the city is nice. I almost regretted the arrival of the new fridge. Of course I had known that muscle power has no CO2 footprint, but now it really hit me that part of the energy debate should be reduced to the question to what extent we can substitute electricity again with our own or paid for muscle power?

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