Santa Barbara Permaculture Network Monthly Events Announcement JUNE/JULY
2006
Hi Everyone-
Well our
big fundraising event for 2006 is almost here. Last year we had
Permaculture co-founder David Holmgren
speaking about
Energy Descent
and the end of cheap fossil fuels as an
energy source. This year we are very excited to have
Geoff
Lawton, Director of the Permaculture
Research Institute at Tagari Farms in New South Wales, Australia,
speaking about "Permaculture &
Sustainable Aid in the 21st Century; How to Change the Paradigm of
Emergency Disaster Relief & Development to a Model of Life Affirming
Assistance".
Geoff
is one of the most accomplished permaculture teachers and designers in
the world, often working in ecologically
degraded areas, sometimes those experiencing extreme cultural conflicts.
Today we are faced with the additional
knowledge that the Earth's ecosystems are
in crisis, Geoff shares Permaculture's
practical, positive solutions and asks us to be a part of an exciting
future of positive world change. We met Geoff at a conference in
2000, where he talked of his work with CARE International in Macedonia,
at one of the largest refugee camps since World War Two, created as a
result of the war in the Balkans. We were amazed at the large scale
restoration & repair work he did, not only for the damage done by the
refugee camp itself, but also helping to mitigate hundreds of years of
extreme erosion in that area. Present at the conference were a
group of young Macedonians who had taken a PC design course taught by
Geoff, and very much inspired by him and his work, only a year later had
fanned out to teach courses in their own region of the world.
After Hurricane Katrina last summer, will we ever view emergency relief
in the same way? If we experience more natural or man made
disasters, will we find a better way to respond to each others needs,
which might be our own? How can care be designed into a system that
best serves the people? Katrina also showed us how many people
wanted
to help, but couldn't, faced with many, many obstacles.
Geoff will be joined by Nadia Abu Yahia and Andrew Jones for the 2 day workshop as they talk about their aid work around the world, with exploration of ideas that include not only temporary emergency measures, but long term development, land care restoration strategies, and ecological design. Also discussed will be plans to develop an International Permaculture Aid training center. For an example of Geoff's work, please go to www.permaculture.org.au, to see the web video Greening of the Desert documenting a project in Jordan.
The conference begins with an evening lecture on June 30, followed by a two day workshop on July 1 & 2. Both will be held at the Santa Barbara City College West Campus, in the Fe Bland Auditorium. Please see below for more details. We would love to have members offer places to stay for those coming from out of town to attend this event, it is on the holiday weekend before July 4th, making it difficult to find accommodations. Please contact us if you would like to take advantage of this opportunity to meet and share with other permaculture folks. One of our long time members says sharing her house is her favorite way to give back to us and the community!
Sustainable World Radio on public radio station KCSB 91.9fm continues to interview lot's of permaculture people, they will have Geoff, Nadia & Andrew on for a special two hour show on Friday June 30, from 9-11am, please tune in, also streaming live at www.kcsb.org. They welcome calls and questions during the show.
We are also hoping people are staying alert to what is happening in Los Angeles with the South Central Farm (www.southcentralfarmers.org) which was raided last week by LAPD and the LA Sherriff's Dept., helicopters and bulldozers. This was a lush 14 acre oasis in the middle of concrete jungle, growing food and feeding many families, and was in the process of raising funds to purchase the property through a landtrust. Visit their website to decide whether you feel worth supporting, they can use donations large and small. Originally they asked everyone to just send a dollar, always powerful to have all the people pitch in, but $10, $20,$100 would be great!
Hope to see you at one of these events soon-
Margie Bushman
Santa Barbara Permaculture Network
Schedule & Events/ Info JUNE/JULY 2006:
1) KCSB Sustainable World Radio: Interview with Geoff Lawton, Nadia Abu Yahia, & Andrew Young on Sustainable Aid in the 21st Century
2) Permaculture & Sustainable Aid 3 Day Conference
<<<<
Event Details:
1). June 30, Friday, 9-11am Sustainable World Radio
Sustainable World Radio on public radio KCSB 91.9 fm special two hour interview with the keynote speakers for the 3 day conference Permaculture & Sustainable Aid for the 21st Century.
Also streaming live on www.kcsb.org.
2). June 30th, July 1 & 2 Permaculture & Sustainable Aid 3 Day Conference:
Santa Barbara City College West Campus, Fe Bland Auditorium, 721 Cliff Dr, Santa Barbara, CA
Permaculture & Sustainable Aid for the 21st Century:
How to Change the Paradigm of Emergency Disaster Relief & Development
to a Model of Life Affirming Assistance
Evening Lecture with Geoff Lawton, Friday, June 30, 7pm,
$15 (Seniors, Students $10)
(Fundraiser for Santa Barbara Permaculture Network & Education Programs)
No reservations required, pay at the door
2 day Workshop July 1 & July 2, 2006
$120 pre-registered, $140 at the door, Seniors/Students $100, scholarships available for students
Send & make out checks to SB Permaculture Network, PO Box 92156, SB, CA 93190
(cost is to pay for 3 speaker fees and their flights (Australia) members who want to help with additional tax deductable donations to help fund this program, please contact us. All of our programs are volunteer organized and paid for by the program itself, i.e., attendee fees)
<<<<
Press Release:
As Americans we have often thought of emergency disaster relief in terms of sending aid to other countries, after Hurricane Katrina we also see a need to know how to respond in a better way to our own natural disasters. Natural disasters, wars, famines, how does the human family respond to each other’s needs during these overwhelmingly stressful times? What new models can we create to assist each other better?
Join renowned permaculture teachers and designers Geoff Lawton, Nadia Abu Yahia, and international aid worker Andrew Jones, on July 1 and July 2, 2006, as they share their experiences working around the globe in recent disaster zones and longer term refugee camps, existing from circumstances the world may have already forgotten.
The model of aid permaculture has to offer is vastly different from conventional aid, it includes long term development, land care strategies, and allies itself strongly with the eco-village movement, which incorporates ecological design and natural building techniques for even temporary structures. Permaculture recognizes that most people have an innate need to help when disaster strikes, and a huge cost to cultures if systems aren't designed with viable ways to both assist and be assisted whenever a need might arise.
Permaculture is a design system based on ecological principles for creating sustainable human environments, and is one of the most holistic, integrated systems analysis and design methodologies found in the world. Originally coined from the words PERMAnent agriCULTURE, it has evolved to one of permanent or sustainable culture with consciously designed landscapes that mimic the patterns of nature.
Geoff Lawton is the Director of the Permaculture Research Institute in Australia, assuming the position from Permaculture founder Bill Mollison. Lawton has worked for clients that include communities, governments, aid organizations, non-government organizations and multi-national companies. Lawton has served clients in 17 different countries, including Jordan, Iraq, Egypt , USA, Mexico, Macedonia,Vietnam, Costa Rica, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, England, Denmark, Australia and the South Pacific. A recent project in Jordan is documented on a video called Greening the Desert available for viewing on his website (www.permaculture.org.au).
Nadia Abu Yahia (Lawton) was born in the Dead Sea Valley in Jordan. She learned traditional ways of land use from her father, an expert farmer and herbal healer of Palestinian, Bedouin descent. She later went on to complete her permaculture diploma in design, education and site development and has recently become a registered permaculture teacher.
Andrew Jones has 10 years of international experience in emergency response, post conflict
development and rehabilitation, working extensively for CARE International, the United Nations, and various NGO’s such as SurfAid International. Jones is a board member of the Permaculture Research Institute in Australia and Director of the consulting firm, Full Circle (www.fullcirclellc.com). He has worked in the Middle East, South Pacific, Asia, Europe and the United States, most recently in Indonesia in a post-tsunami recovery context.
The conference takes place at the Santa Barbara City College West Campus, Fe Bland Auditorium, 721 Cliff Drive. The lecture is on Friday, June 30, 7pm, cost $15, pay at the door, no reservations required. Workshop, Saturday, July 1, 9-5pm, and Sunday, July 2, 9-4pm. Workshop cost is $120 with pre-registration, $140 at the door, Students $100, student scholarships available. The Santa Barbara Permaculture Network, SBCC Environmental Studies Program, Nutiva, and Hopedance Media sponsor the event. For more info and registration, contact: Santa Barbara Permaculture Network, margie@sbpermaculture.org; 805-962-2571; www.sbpermaculture.org .
Send checks for the workshop made out to: SB Permaculture Network, PO Box 92156, Santa Barbara, CA 93190.
-end-
Santa Barbara Permaculture Network
(805) 962-2571
sbpcnet@silcom.com
www.sbpermaculture.org
"We are like trees, we must create new leaves, in new directions, in order to grow." - Anonymous