Please Get Behind Our Efforts to Demonstrate Sustainable Development and Relief for Chile Quake/Tsunami Victims
Aid Projects, Building, Community Projects, Conservation, Demonstration Sites, Developments, Eco-Villages, Education Centers, Energy Systems, Networking Sites, News, People Systems, Rehabilitation, Society, Village Development, Waste Systems & Recycling, Water Harvesting — by Grifen Hope
Editor’s Preamble: Permaculturists famously endeavour to ‘turn the problem into a solution’. At the moment we have a tremendous opportunity to apply this principle in wonderful, productive ways in disaster-hit Chile. The quake-tsunami combo that hit on February 27, 2010 has created a void just begging for sustainable relief and re-development. Grifen Hope, who writes below and who leads out at Ecoescuela El Manzano, a partner organisation to the Permaculture Research Institute, is well positioned to fill that void with all kinds of permaculture goodness – in the form of low-cost environmentally friendly buildings, improved sanitation and nutrient cycling through construction of composting toilets, water harvesting systems and in education in home garden design, etc. Grifen’s already established and successful project and his national contacts make this a particularly significant opportunity, to not only directly help people in great need at this time, but to also offer more holistic and community centred alternatives to local and national government – alternatives with far greater short and long term potential than those offered by the scores of contractors seeking to cash in on misery. PRI Australia feels so strongly about assisting Grifen with his noble ambitions, that we’re putting forward the first AU$1,000 donation. Both PRI Australia and PRI USA are taking donations for this cause (people in the U.S. will want to donate through PRI USA, to take advantage of their tax-exampt non-profit status). In the interests of transparency, PRI USA will take 5 percent of donations to cover administration and the work that had to be done to facilitate the legal aspects of sponsoring this project – but that 5% will help PRI USA develop its own projects). PRI Australia will pass 100% of donations to the project in Chile. Additionally, as we feel this work deserves significant exposure, and as we seek to ensure that valuable permaculture relief work gets noticed at the highest levels, to attract further governmental support for future disasters worldwide, PRI Australia and myself (Craig Mackintosh) will share the costs for myself to go to Chile to cover and report on Grifen’s work via photographs, writing and video. I would like to take this opportunity to ask people to get behind this in whatever way they can. Donations, large or small, will all assist in what is the very best form of aid work. Perhaps ask your employer to match your donation – many will. Additionally, people with contacts in government, aid agencies and other NGOs are invited to share this page with them. Thanks in advance to the worldwide permaculture community for getting behind this work. You never know – in the future you may be the recipient of such assistance.
| Donate via PRI USA (USA residents)* Other non-paypal methods of donating here |
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| Donate via PRI Australia (rest of world)* Other non-paypal methods of donating here |
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| *Please be sure to click on the ‘Add special instructions to seller’ link, and then type ‘CHILE’ in the field provided, to ensure these fund are correctly diverted. | |
El Manzano in Transition – Towards Community Resilience, by Design
by Grifen Hope of Ecoescuela El Manzano
Comments (0)Posted on: March 19, 2010
How to Mix Plaster or Cob Efficiently Without a Tarp
Building — by Scott Howard
by Scott Howard, Earthen Hand Natural Building
Why, you might ask, would anyone want to mix material without a strong tarp? In Mali, where I worked recently, there are actually no good tarps at all. The best ones will rip in a day, so we have to use the ‘old’ way of mixing cob and plaster. This is a step by step explanation of how to do this.
Comments (0)Posted on: March 18, 2010
Earthbag Dome Intensive Course, April 10-20th, Puerto Rico
Building, Courses/Workshops — by Scott Howard
Come learn Earthbag Dome building in only ten days at Las Casas de la Selva, a biological research site in Patillas, Puerto Rico. We will build a small, 13 foot dome and begin plastering it. This course is hosted by Patty Boyko of Las Casas, who is an activist and researcher. Scott Howard, of Earthen Hand Natural Building, will be the instructor.
A 10% discount is available to anyone who brings another person to the workshop. Group discounts are 20% per person for groups of four or more.
Also, please let us know if you are interested in working for us and we might be able to find some way for you to trade your skills.
Scott Howard has taught Cob and Earthbag building since 1999 and 2003 respectively. His experience with diverse climates such as Thailand, Africa, and the US gives great perspective for education in permaculture building methods.
An intensive course like this one is the best way to get your hands in the dirt and see how it is done. Participants will be able to build their own domes after this workshop.
Click here to find out more and to book!
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Live Small, Walk Tall
Building — by Craig Mackintosh
My name is Jay Shafer and since 1997 I have been living in a house smaller than some people’s closets. I call the first of my little hand built houses Tumbleweed. My decision to inhabit just 89 square feet arose from some concerns I had about the impact a larger house would have on the environment, and because I do not want to maintain a lot of unused or unusable space. My houses have met all of my domestic needs without demanding much in return. The simple, slower lifestyle my homes have afforded is a luxury for which I am continually grateful.
So begins the main page on tumbleweedhouses.com. Jay has created an ultra-cool portfolio of tiny house designs – some are even on wheels, and none look too hard to transport!
Jay raises a good point above – in regards to maintaining "a lot of unused or unusable space". If you’re considering a serious carbon footprint reduction, swing over to Jay’s site for a look. Amongst other things, he’s put together a great resources section with links to other sites – with all you’d ever want to know about living small.
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Posted on: January 12, 2010
Greening the Desert II – Final
Aid Projects, Animal Forage, Biological Cleaning, Building, Compost, Conservation, DVDs/Books, Demonstration Sites, Education Centers, Food Forests, Food Plants - Perennial, Fungi, Irrigation, Land, Plant Systems, Rehabilitation, Salination, Soil Biology, Swales, Trees, Water Harvesting — by Craig Mackintosh
The Greening the Desert II video I shared with you recently was edited in Jordan. Now that I’m back at my desk again I’ve had time to edit it slightly. I’ve added the original five-minute Greening the Desert clip in to the front of it, to ensure viewers have context for Part II (and we’ve also had requests for both to be made available together), as well as cut a few minutes out of Part II to keep it flowing a little better. You can not only watch online below and embed on your own websites (click for embed code at top right of video screen), but it’s also available for download, so those who’d like to have a ‘hard copy’ to circulate are welcome to download, burn to disk or transfer to USB key, etc., and circulate freely.
Download: You’ll see the option to download the 913 megabyte MP4 file at bottom right side of this page.
YouTube: The video can also be watched on YouTube, in four segments, here, here, here and here.
Greening the Desert II (including Part I) – Greening the Middle East
(Duration: 36 mins)
Tips for playing: If it’s slow to load, turn off High Definition (HD) on the player.
If you still have problems, click play (on low or high def) and then after it’s started,
click on pause. The video will then continue to buffer into your computer.
Play once fully loaded.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank Kelly Kellogg at this juncture. Kelly donated initial funding that enabled the purchase of the land for the Jordan Valley Permaculture Project site (aka ‘Greening the Desert – the Sequel’). But, upon watching the Greening the Desert Part II video, Kelly was inspired to donate an additional $20,000. These gifts are very encouraging to us as we try to solve problems at source (teach a man to fish…). Others who may feel inspired to donate to help us move this work forward faster can do so here.
A little background on the video follows:
Comments (0)Posted on: December 11, 2009
Natural Construction in Argentina – Trends of an Emerging Permacultural Area
Building, Community Projects, Courses/Workshops, Demonstration Sites, Education Centers — by Mariano Anastassiades
The small city of El Bolsón is located in the southwest of the Río Negro Province, right in the angle formed by the Andes Mountain Range and the 42nd parallel (provincial border with Chubut).
It is a place known internationally by its people and its wonderful natural beauty. People from all over the world have come to this region that lies under the magnificence of the Piltriquitrón mountain – finding a fertile land for their dreams of living an alternative experience to the city kind of life.
Since the 70s long haired Argentines from the big cities as well as foreigners came to experience the hippie way of life and their influence is still present. El Bolsón is well known for the organic production of home brewed beer, fruit, bread, jams, milk, yoghurt, cheese, ice cream, cosmetic products and other items that visitors love to find. It has also become the site to celebrate the National Hops Festival and international events such as the Moonbow Festival (a kind of electronic Woodstock party) and the Jazz Festival that takes place every December.
Comments (0)Posted on: November 19, 2009
Post-Tsunami Bamboo Housing Solutions
Aid Projects, Building — by Tamlyn Magee
Village of Lepa following the tsunami
Photo: Skye Turner
 The water is usually that light aqua colour all the way to the shore. Photo: Durnford Dart |
A full two weeks after the tsunami, the ocean and the sky still retained a turbulent quality reminiscent of an unimaginably intense energy phenomenon.
I write this article about a month after a severe earthquake/tsunami struck southern Upolu (the main island of Western Samoa). With respectful remembrance of all those who lost their lives, and with prayers for the strength of survivors, I will make no attempt to report about the actual event, or the emotive aspects of disaster aftermath, or the political issues related to disaster aid. I will describe only a small contribution to what is now being practically done in response to this phenomenon.
Comments (0)Posted on: November 5, 2009
World Geothermal Power Generation Nearing Eruption
Building, Energy Systems, Global Warming/Climate Change, Peak Oil — by Earth Policy Institute
by Jonathan G. Dorn, Earth Policy Institute
With fossil fuel prices escalating and countries searching for ways to reduce oil dependence and greenhouse gas emissions, capturing the earth’s heat for power generation is garnering new attention. First begun in Larderello, Italy, in 1904, electricity generation using geothermal energy is now taking place in 24 countries, 5 of which use it to produce 15 percent or more of their total electricity. In the first half of 2008, total world installed geothermal power capacity passed 10,000 megawatts and now produces enough electricity to meet the needs of 60 million people, roughly the population of the United Kingdom. In 2010, capacity could increase to 13,500 megawatts across 46 countries–equivalent to 27 coal-fired power plants.
Posted on: May 25, 2009
Open Source Humanity?
Building, Eco-Villages — by Lost Chief
This journey started when my search for the most cost effective ECO friendly building technique ended. After looking deeply into Cobb, Straw Bale, Rammed Earth, Poured Earth and many others I came across CEB Bricks. What is a CEB Brick you ask? Well it’s a brick made out of Compressed Earth. Don’t get all excited because the dirt cheap, super fast process of CEB is not what this story is about.
When I finally decided that CEB was the way to go I began my search for manufacturers. I had found what was the best deal and had made plans to stop by and check one out to see if it’s really what I wanted. So while I was waiting for my trip to go check the machine out I got to looking on YouTube for CEB presses.
This is when the real magic happened.
The next thing you know I found Open Source Ecology! What is Open Source Ecology you ask? Well it’s a group of people (you can join in online or in person) who are building the world’s first Global Village Construction Set! Wow does that sound as tasty to you as it does to me? Well why not let them explain it to you in their Weblog & Videos.
Comments (0)Posted on: April 24, 2009
Cal Earth Sustainable Village – Nepal
Building — by Craig Mackintosh
These are very cool! (in summer, and warm in winter).
You’ve gotta love mortgage-free, location appropriate housing – particularly when they look as cool as these.
Comments (0)Posted on: January 22, 2009
Building Biology – The Third Skin
Building, Health & Disease — by Alanna Moore
Extracted from: ‘Third Skin’ A. Vasella, Dip Arch., P.I.J. #14. ‘Biotechture’ S.Lesiuk, P.I.J.#8. ‘Biotectual Systems’ R. Doernach P.I.J. #7. International Institute for Building Biology and Ecology PO Box 387 Clearwater FL 34615 USA.
Edited by Alanna Moore
In the western, urban world the average person spends around 90% of their time indoors. Evidence is mounting to show that such prolonged exposure to modern building materials and architecture can be detrimental to health. There is now a growing ‘bio-house’ movement where only natural and renewable resources are used in building people friendly homes.
Biological architecture, originating from the German ‘baubiologie’ movement, addresses the ecological nature of building and the integral relationships between people and their built environment. Building biology makes for good preventative medicine. It aims to re-establish the lost balance between technology, culture and biology. The three should play an equal role in the building activity.
Comments (0)Posted on: November 25, 2008
Design with Energy in Mind
Building, Energy Systems, Waste Systems & Recycling, Waste Water — by Robyn Francis
Permaculture designer, Robyn Francis (see also) looks at a variety of design strategies for using energy responsibly and sustainably.
The practical ‘down-to-earth’ farmer, gardener and layperson will often find the theories surrounding ecology and energy very heavy going, if not downright confusing. What I would like to do is offer some practical perspectives on how we can use resources responsibly.
Energy, in a holistic sense, involves much more than electricity and the use of fossil fuels, although these are certainly central to the energy issue. In permaculture design, energy and resource management are virtually synonymous and it is often difficult, if not impossible, to separate the two.
Comments (0)Posted on: November 17, 2008
Design for the Human Life Cycle
Building, Eco-Villages, Energy Systems, Land, People Systems — by Robyn Francis
by Permaculture designer, Robyn Francis (see also).
 Photo: Craig Mackintosh |
It seems to be a common failing in a society that is so peer-oriented, that people rarely seem to design and plan for the changing needs of the full human life cycle. It is easy to relate to the here and now, and the needs of our immediate, short-term future. As permaculture designers we need to consciously develop our awareness of the needs of the full human life cycle so we can plan systems that will be socially as well as environmentally sustainable.
Comments (0)Posted on: November 9, 2008
What is ‘Zone Zero’?
Building, Energy Systems, General, Land — by PIJ
Zone planning in permaculture design means placing elements according to how often we need to visit them. Areas that need to be visited every day (e.g. the glasshouse, chicken pen, herb garden) are located nearby, while places visited less frequently (grazing area, orchard, woodlot) are located further away.
In Bill Mollison’s book ‘Introduction to Permaculture’, zone zero is defined as being the centre of activity in a design. This may be the house, or in the case of a large scale design may be a village centre.
However some permaculturists have used the term ‘zone zero’ to describe the human element in permaculture design, claiming that the most important part of a design, the people, often receive little attention during the design process.
So how do we define zone zero in permaculture design?
Four experienced designers gave their opinion…
Comments (0)Posted on: November 8, 2008
Letters from Vietnam – Ke Village
Aid Projects, Building, Community Projects, Village Development — by Craig Mackintosh
The trip to meet the Ma Lieng people at Ke Village, Vietnam, was a bit like a chapter out of a Brothers Grimm fairy tale. For starters, to reach the village I had to get ferried across a chocolate river in something resembling a dugout canoe. And, when I got there, I was met with a tribe of villagers who were almost supernaturally tiny.
The river’s chocolate hue was due to heavy rains flushing the nation’s soil to the sea – also making the river abnormally swollen and swift. Carrying expensive camera equipment in a very suspect-looking vessel, with a freeboard of only a few inches, was disconcerting to say the least – every person’s slightest movement rang alarm bells, and I had to work hard not to overcompensate in our bid to keep the canoe upright.
We made it to the other side, though, our gear dry, albeit with our nerves a little jangled.
Entryway to the Ke Village, home to the Ma Lieng people
So, whew, welcome to the Ke Village. This visit was in stark contrast to our trip to see the Black Thai, at Na Sai, only a few days earlier, as you shall see.
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