One of the least recognised consequences of a shrinking economy is that human energy becomes as valuable as financial energy. Every hour spent, every physical effort made, every journey undertaken, has to produce genuine value.

For decades we have built a society that consumes enormous quantities of human effort simply to maintain systems that have become increasingly complex. Endless commuting, administration, shopping, maintenance and bureaucracy all absorb time and strength that could be used to improve our own lives and those of our neighbours.

The recent idea of “slow gardening” illustrates an important principle. Rather than constantly battling nature, the aim is to design gardens that largely look after themselves. By choosing appropriate plants, allowing natural processes to operate and accepting that perfection is neither possible nor desirable, far less human effort is required while producing healthier and more attractive spaces.

Localism applies exactly the same principle to society itself.

Instead of requiring people to spend large amounts of time travelling, dealing with distant organisations and maintaining complicated supply chains, localism designs society so that much of everyday life happens close to home. Food is grown locally. Skills are shared locally. Care is provided locally. Decisions are made locally. Problems are solved before they grow into major crises.

This is not about making people work harder. Quite the opposite. It is about using human energy far more intelligently.

Every unnecessary journey eliminated saves fuel and time. Every locally repaired item avoids replacement. Every neighbour helping another reduces the need for expensive professional services. Every local enterprise reduces dependence upon distant systems.

As economic contraction continues, conserving human energy will become just as important as conserving fuel or materials. People will simply no longer have the surplus time or physical capacity to support highly centralised systems that demand constant travel, administration and consumption.

Like the slow garden, a localist society works with natural human relationships instead of against them. It creates communities that are resilient because they require less effort to sustain.

The future may not belong to those who can command the greatest resources. It may belong to those who can achieve the greatest quality of life with the least expenditure of human energy.