Greenologist and Permaculturist Claude William Genest hosts Regeneration: The Art of Sustainable Living on PBS.
http://www.youtube.com/user/RegenerationClaude

The Pitch
http://www.claudegenest.com/

From “something-must-be-done” to something you can do !
Optimism for our ecological future ? Bank on it !

Meet the bioneers, visionary business leaders, and eco-logical designers turning wastes into resources, problems into solutions and mindsets around. Get set to do well by doing good because ecological is economical.

From chemical-free swimming pools to a Ford plant’s living roof, from George Sr.’s pond restorer to the Mars Corporation’s Living Machines, Regeneration is how to rebuild, repair and restore our world - naturally. Beyond the usual rhetoric - beyond left or right, it’s way out in front where an emerging international culture is redefining how we’ll think, do business and live. For a half-hour each week, visit the people, places and things making sustainability an everyday, elegant and profitable reality and see how-to apply them to your home, yard and life.

The show’s creator and host, Claude William Genest is a sustainability specialist who combines years of rich on-camera experience to his expertise in ecological design. He’s crisscrossed the globe to study Permaculture, what David Suzuki calls “the most important work being done by any group on the planet”.

Claude’s passionate enthusiasm is contagious, his knowledge encyclopedic and his positive outlook refreshing.

From your neighbor to the future King of England, people are innovating positive solutions that are inspirational and innovative; practical and profitable.

Regeneration brings it home today to assure all our tomorrows.

Whole-Systems Thinking

Whole-Systems Thinking

... Optimizing elements in isolation Pessimizes Whole -Systems

 

By: Claude William Genest - Green Party Candidate for Ver(T)dun and Permaculture Designer

That everything in life is connected is almost cliché, though evidence of this

truism remains scarce in our culture’s thoughts and actions.

Considering our education, this is not surprising. As cultural descendants of René

“I think therefore I am” Descartes, our Cartesian way of thinking and talent for

separating elements and components provides us with enormous power and

success - from atom-splitting and microchips to assembly-line production and

microwave ovens.

The ability to reduce concepts (“reductionism) to their smallest components

( “atomism”) is precisely what defines our current mental paradigm.

Ecological thinking on the other hand, which many now perceive as being essential to

our continued success, and possibly survival, requires that we stop seeing things as

fragmented, isolated and separate, and begin seeing them as they truly are -

connected and interdependent.

“The same thinking that created the problem” wrote Albert Einstein, “can never

find the solution.”

The Green Party and it’s platform are derived from the principles of ecology - a

person’s interaction with their environment.

As illustrated below, in whole-systems or “ecological “ thinking, it is impossible to

discuss one element without considering its effect on the whole - which is of course

exactly what our leaders stubbornly continue to do, with visibly detrimental

effects.

By treating the economy as separate and isolated from the environment and

social justice; or health care as separate from agriculture and energy use, we are,

quite literally shooting ourselves in the foot.

Similarly, when political parties artificially treat their time in power as separate from

the long-term needs of a society, ill-conceived, poorly designed and ineffective

“mega-projects ” too often result.... (New roads and bridges will do no more to relieve

traffic than past attempts).

Investments not Costs

When Brian Mulroney’s Conservatives were in power, studies were undertaken

to examine the true costs of implementing Kyoto style energy reforms and emissions

reductions.

What came back was that, far from being an expense, these measure were instead a

clear investment, in that they were projected to yield tripled returns in a mere twenty

years (not including the externalized costs of lowered air pollution ... There are today

three times as many deaths from respiratory disease as there are from car

accidents).

So why weren’t these measures enacted ? Because, from the short-term point of

view, why take unpopular actions today if another party might benefit from them

tomorrow?

Everything is connected to everything else. By governing ecologically, we can avoid all

manner of problem, including environmental ones, and best of all economically

benefit the whole.

Doing more of the same, conversely, will undoubtedly get us more of the same

results, something we simply can no longer afford.

For a long-term, whole-systems, ecologically beneficial and financially profitable

quality of life..... Vote Green.

Elizabeth May Announces Prominent Greens Adriane Carr and Claude William Genest as Deputy Leaders of federal Green Party Canada

London, Ont. (21 November 2006) – With the London North Centre by-election in full swing, Federal Green Party leader Elizabeth May took time out from her busy campaign to appoint two Deputy Leaders to the federal party: Adriane Carr, the high-profile BC Green Party leader who is leaving her provincial post on November 30th, and Claude William Genest, popular TV host and former Vice-President of the Quebec Green Party. Both deputies bring considerable experience and credibility to the federal party, which is now polling at just above 10%, up from 7% just 4 months ago.

Carr, the first Green Party leader in North America to participate in televised leaders’ debates, led the BC party to one of the highest electoral results of any Green Party planet-wide (12.4% in the 2001 election). “I selected Adriane for her obvious leadership ability and experience in the political arena. She will co-chair the party’s Shadow Cabinet with me, critique national policies, offer pragmatic solutions and lead the development of our party’s platform,” said May. Carr says her move to the national level is a natural step, in line with her passion for action on issues like global warming. “I believe in Elizabeth May’s ability to take the Green Party of Canada to new heights and electoral success. I’m thrilled to be part of the team that will help her do it,” said Carr.

May also appointed popular Quebec TV personality and political pundit Claude William Genest as the party’s other national Deputy Leader. Genest, who hosts the upcoming PBS television show “Regeneration: the Art of Sustainable Living”, will focus on developing the Green Party’s media profile in Quebec. “I trust Claude to use his considerable communication skills to heighten the Green Party’s outreach to people in Quebec as well as serve as the party’s francophone media spokesperson, said May. “It’s an honour to work alongside May and Carr, two forces of nature,” said Genest, adding, “the environment is polling as Canadians primary concern for the first time ever and they trust Greens to champion this issue for them. It’s a great time to put more effort into the Green Party.”

Carr and Genest, who co-nominated May for the position of leader at the party’s convention in Ottawa in August, will both help May identify stellar candidates to run in the next federal election and with national fundraising campaigns. They join May and Senior Deputy to the Leader, David Chernushenko, in working to win their seats and bring the federal Greens to parliament.

The GPC constitution allows for two Deputy Leaders to work alongside the party leader.
“Today is a momentous occasion for Greens across the country. To have two deputies of this calibre in our party is a giant step forward and speaks volumes to the renewal and momentum of our party. Claude and Adriane both represent the very best in political and community leadership. I couldn’t be more excited to have them at my side,” said May.


Santa Barbara Permaculture Network
   an educational non-profit since 2000
(805) 962-2571
P.O. Box 92156, Santa Barbara, CA 93190
margie@sbpermaculture.org
 www.sbpermaculture.org

"We are like trees, we must create new leaves, in new directions, in order to grow." - Anonymous