Chile Update – Permaculture: Designing a Healthy Building with Principles in Mind
Aid Projects, Building, Community Projects, Demonstration Sites, Developments, Eco-Villages, Education Centers, Village Development — by Grifen Hope July 1, 2010
Editor’s Note: Below, Grifen Hope gives us an excellent update on progress since my recent trip to Chile to profile and promote the excellent work under way there.
It’s the shortest day of the year in Chile and the rain is coming down. It is cold and wet. As we celebrate the new year and the return of the sun, thousands of people in the surrounding region are living in government supplied shacks… affectionately termed "Mediagua" or half water. Most of them are leaking with the rain, and the wind is coming in. You can find photos here.
The government has not yet started the reconstruction effort. We imagine they are trying to get through the winter with temporary emergency housing, and to begin construction in the spring, when the dust settles a little. Here in El Manzano we are doing our best to inject common sense into the debate. Many are listening. Small strategic actions can have wide repercussions, and though we cannot take the credit for the actions of others, we can be sure that our voice has resounded widely in Chile and many are following the lead.
Comments (0)Letters from Chile – Eco Escuela El Manzano, a Nice Place to Learn
Aid Projects, Community Projects, Courses/Workshops, Demonstration Sites, Eco-Villages, Education Centers, Peak Oil, People Systems, Society, Urban Projects, Village Development — by Craig Mackintosh May 22, 2010
Editor’s Note: This is Part X of a series. If you haven’t already, be sure to catch Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII, Part VIII, and Part IX!
All photographs copyright © Craig Mackintosh
My time in Chile was encouraging. It gives me some hope in mankind to see a community rallying together to meet present historical realities. Not all is perfect of course. Not all are fully lucid and fully engaged, and whipping up enthusiasm, ethically, in a way that respects individual choice, is a challenge in leadership and patience (sometimes the shock of an earthquake or other disaster can help a little here…), but the good news is that the needed work at El Manzano has more than begun, and it should beget hope for the rest of us – that it is possible to awaken the people around us to unite around intelligent, historically appropriate plans for transition.
Comments (0)Letters from Chile – Building Community Around a Permaculture University
Aid Projects, Building, Community Projects, Demonstration Sites, Development & Property Trusts, Developments, Eco-Villages, Education Centers, Ethical Investment, Financial Management, Peak Oil, People Systems, Society, Urban Projects, Village Development — by Craig Mackintosh May 19, 2010
Editor’s Note: This is Part IX of a series. If you haven’t already, be sure to catch Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII and Part VIII!
My time in Chile is almost at an end. But, before I go, I want to share with you the present and future plans for transitioning the community here in El Manzano. They are not insignificant.
Letters from Chile – a Little Historical Context
Aid Projects, Alternatives to Political Systems, Commercial Farm Projects, Community Projects, Consumerism, Demonstration Sites, Development & Property Trusts, Eco-Villages, Economics, Education Centers, Ethical Investment, Networking Sites, People Systems, Society, Village Development — by Craig Mackintosh May 15, 2010
Editor’s Note: This is Part VIII of a series. If you haven’t already, be sure to catch Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI and Part VII.
Contemplating the past, present and future – and land redistribution – in the middle of nowhere somewhere in Chile.
All photos © copyright Craig Mackintosh
He stares back at us from the t-shirts of millions of youths worldwide. Che Guevara’s face has become one of the most recognisable counter-cultural and political symbols ever known. The history books tell us the man was famously sympathetic to the lot of the poor, and that his overriding passion was to fight against inequality, oppression, control. Che comes to my mind as I write this article from South America, because, in his rise to power, one of his driving ambitions, and which became one of his key responsibilities under Castro, was land redistribution – where he sought to break the stranglehold that was keeping the masses impoverished and robbing them of their potential. I bring this topic up, as, when I look at what’s happening in the world, and the radical changes needed to put us onto a sustainable path, the issue keeps coming back to my mind. These two words – land redistribution – strike fear into the hearts of the rich, and feelings of ambition and even violent revolution in those of the poor, yet, if we’re to stake a claim on the future, I feel we must, both rich and poor, come to terms with them.
Comments (0)Letters from Chile – the House Building Gets Underway
Aid Projects, Building, Community Projects, Demonstration Sites, Education Centers, Urban Projects, Village Development — by Craig Mackintosh May 13, 2010
Editor’s Note: This is Part VII of a series. If you haven’t already, be sure to catch Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V and Part VI.
The site awaits workers in the early morning
The building stage of Miguel’s house has been underway for a few days now, so I figured it’s time to let you all have a peek. I’ll make this post mostly pictorial – but if you have questions or suggestions, feel free to comment/discuss.
Comments (0)Letters from Chile – Increasing Water Security
Aid Projects, Community Projects, Demonstration Sites, Eco-Villages, Economics, Education Centers, Food Shortages, Peak Oil, Potable Water, Social Gatherings, Society, Urban Projects, Village Development — by Craig Mackintosh May 12, 2010
Editor’s Note: This is Part VI of a series. If you haven’t already, be sure to catch Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, and Part V.
The El Manzano community hold their finished hand pumps
Over the course of my short visit here the power has gone out, for one reason or another, multiple times, and when it happens the taps totally refuse to surrender their precious charge. I thus find myself almost compulsively filling my stainless steel water bottle at every opportunity.
Our dependency on electricity is great enough without exacerbating the problem manyfold by having that vulnerability daisy-chain on to such a basic human need as water.
Comments (0)Letters from Chile – the Design Stage
Aid Projects, Building, Community Projects, Demonstration Sites, Education Centers, Urban Projects, Village Development — by Craig Mackintosh May 11, 2010
Editor’s Note: This is Part V of a series. If you haven’t already, be sure to catch Part I, Part II, Part III and Part IV.
Meet Angel Carrillo (left) and Santiago Naudon (right). Angel and Santiago are both architects – architects with a major green bent. After the meeting last week these two likeable and enthusiastic fellows have been drawing up design plans to create the two new demonstration homes for the El Manzano community.
Miguel (again, see last week’s post) will be first to see his house get built. Rather than dictate design ideas to Miguel, Angel and Santiago worked with him over a few days, showing drafts and making recommendations, until a final design plan emerged.
Comments (0)Letters from Chile – The Adobe House and Potty Training
Aid Projects, Biological Cleaning, Building, Community Projects, Conservation, Demonstration Sites, Education Centers, Land, Potable Water, Rehabilitation, Retrofitting, Urban Projects, Village Development, Waste Systems & Recycling, Waste Water, Water Contamination — by Craig Mackintosh May 8, 2010
Editor’s Note: This is Part IV of a series. Be sure to catch Part I, Part II, and Part III.
The ‘Adobe House’, El Manzano’s ecological demonstration house.
All photos © copyright Craig Mackintosh
In the middle of the little El Manzano village, on display to all in the community, is the ‘Adobe House’. This demonstration house is a project by Eco Escuela El Manzano to demonstrate to the community several low-tech but effective techniques for improving quality of life whilst reducing a home’s impact on the environment.
Comments (0)Letters from Chile – Doris Speaks
Aid Projects, Community Projects, Demonstration Sites, Education Centers, Energy Systems, Peak Oil, Potable Water, Village Development — by Craig Mackintosh May 6, 2010
To follow is a short video clip I’ve just added into Part I of the Chile series, after the fact. I’ll embed it here as well, for those who’ve already read that post and may miss this otherwise. Be sure to read Part I if you haven’t already, else you won’t understand the context for this video.
Meet Doris. Prior to the quake, before the little El Manzano community decided it was pertinent to seriously consider things they could do to build resiliency into their village, Doris was already paying attention. She took the advice of the Eco Escuela El Manzano team and got herself a hand pump, so if the lights went out, it didn’t have to mean she and her family would be without water as well. Hence her describing the fact that the community had TWO hand pumps to supply water after the quake hit.
Now the whole village wants to get a hand pump. Imagine that.
I’m uploading this after 15 hours without power. Some mischievous people nearby cut cables during the ‘wee hours of the night’ – taking a good length of them so they could sell the copper wire they contain. Quakes, cable theft, energy crisis – whatever. Low tech hand pumps are saviours here where all water must otherwise come via electricity powered pumps.
Comments (0)Letters from Chile – Who Gets the New House?
Aid Projects, Building, Community Projects, Demonstration Sites, Education Centers, People Systems, Village Development — by Craig Mackintosh May 4, 2010
Editor’s Note: This is Part III of a series. Be sure to catch Part I and Part II.
The chicken/egg argument comes into play here – as a community builds new homes, while the new homes build the community.
Miguel Louis Suazo looks forward to moving out of his shed
[Picture taken with ultra wide angle lens - room is much smaller than it appears]
The night of my arrival almost two weeks ago, I was invited to an El Manzano village meeting. Being dog tired, I wondered if I shouldn’t skip it so I could work more efficiently the next day, but, nevertheless, asked what would be on the table for discussion. It was being held to discuss who, amongst the many poor in the community, should receive the new earthquake-resistant, eco-friendly demonstration homes Grifen, Javiera and team were busy trying to secure funding for.
Comments (0)Homeschool Permaculture – Living the Solution
Community Projects, Demonstration Sites, Education Centers, Urban Projects — by Nichole Ross May 3, 2010
As Permaculture awareness continues to expand, more and more people are seeing it as a valuable teaching tool for children. Public school systems are even catching the bug, with interest growing in starting farm-to-school programs in major cities like Detroit and Minneapolis. What makes Permaculture so ideal for K-12 educational curriculum is that it is not only an integrative science (combines many disciplines such as ecology, biology, physics, math), but also gives kids an opportunity to see it in action, to live the solution.
Comments (2)Letters from Chile: Visiting Dichato – the Town That Was
Aid Projects, Building, Community Projects, Demonstration Sites, Developments, Education Centers, News, Retrofitting, Society, Urban Projects, Village Development, Waste Systems & Recycling — by Craig Mackintosh April 29, 2010
Editor’s Note: This is Part II of a series. Read Part I here.
A former beautiful, bustling and touristy coastal town in Chile clings to an uncertain future after being engulfed by the 2010 tsunami.
A Dichato fishing boat scene, in waning evening light, exudes a serenity that
belies the realities of the almost complete destruction behind.
All photos © copyright Craig Mackintosh
Up to 90% of the buildings of Dichato were destroyed, creating a graveyard
of rubble, peppered with dilapidated buildings – many of which may soon end
up the same way.
Yesterday I visited the little coastal town of Dichato. A few months ago, such a trip might have included a bare-footed wade along the town’s tranquil beach, and, depending on the time of day, could have included a friendly wave or greater interaction with some of the smiling local fishermen bringing in their hauls. Afterwards I might have had a nice meal at one of the sun-drenched seaside restaurants or a coffee break in one of the town’s modest cafes, frequented by sea-loving tourists from near and far. It’s the kind of place many could envision themselves retiring in, or where you might establish a small business to accommodate a more leisurely lifestyle choice. Framed by green hills and groves, lined by a long sandy beach, and embraced by a beautiful natural cove that passively calms the restless South Pacific ocean, Dichato was, simply put, a very nice place to be.
Comments (0)Letters from Chile – Shaken Awake
Aid Projects, Building, Community Projects, Demonstration Sites, Eco-Villages, Education Centers, Food Shortages, Networking Sites, News, Peak Oil, People Systems, Society, Village Development — by Craig Mackintosh April 28, 2010
The February 27 Chile earthquake moved cities, destroyed buildings and cost lives, but, for one small community, it also shifted priorities….
What’s left of a small house in the El Manzano village, Bio Bio region, Chile
All photos © copyright Craig Mackintosh
Señora Nadia makes the best of the situation
I awoke suddenly this morning at 6:03am. Despite being jet-lagged, my deep sleep quickly gave way to alarm as I felt the bed sway violently and heard the walls creak. I groped around in the darkness for some clothes, whilst wondering, drowsily, in the style that’s typical of my weird sense of humour, how many people die whilst delaying their exit in this way – just so they can look half-decent as they watch their world collapse around them?
Comments (0)Wanted: Two Permaculture Interns in Chile!
Aid Projects, Community Projects, Demonstration Sites, Education Centers, Project Positions — by Grifen Hope April 3, 2010
Please forward widely. The Apple Tree Eco School in the BíoBío region of Chile is looking for two experienced entrepreneurial permaculture interns starting May 2010. We need: 1) an experienced administrator proficient in English and Spanish to help manage a busy permie office, planning and promotions, and 2) an experienced gardener to assist in production, processing and distribution of organic food. This is an unprecedented opportunity to work in Permaculture centre connected to Gaia University, Transition Towns and the Permaculture Research Institute. Get hands on experience in the management of Permaculture projects, relief work, design consultancy, teacher training, transition training and much, much more. All food and board provided. Successful applicants will also have opportunities to self-generate income. Start your Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design, on the edge, working where it counts. Contact Grifen Hope or Javiera Carrión with a detailed CV and a letter of application through our website www.ecoescuela.cl
People interested in this opportunity should contact me on grifenhope (at) gmail.com
Gracias,
Grifen Hope
The Calgary Permaculture Community Group Presents, An Evening of Permaculture with Geoff Lawton
Community Projects, Conferences, Courses/Workshops, DVDs/Books, Social Gatherings — by Rob Avis March 31, 2010
The newly formed Calgary Permaculture Community group is proud to be screening Geoff Lawton’s Introduction to Permaculture DVD followed by a Q&A session with Geoff Lawton of the Permaculture Research Institute of Australia. The event will be held on April 17th at 6:00pm at the John Dutton Theatre. After the screening of Introduction to Permaculture, Geoff Lawton will be skyping in from Australia to answer all of your permaculture related questions.
Click here to open a 390kb PDF of details.
For more information please contact calgarypermaculture (at) gmail.com
Permaculture Calgary website: www.permaculturecalgary.org
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