Contact: David Kahn
Sustainable Habitats
(323) 667-1330 , email:
info@sustainablehabitats.org
Sustainable Habitats, Westside Permaculture
Gatherings and Santa Barbara Permaculture Network
~Permaculture Around the World Series~
Bustan Sustainable Community
Action for Land & People
Working at the Nexus of Social and
Environmental Justice in the Negev Region of Israel
with
Michal Vital
Monday, October 27, 7-9pm 2008
Fundraiser Donation $10
Santa Monica Public Library
Sustainable Habitats
hosts the second in the series “Permaculture Around the World”
on Monday, October 27 with Michal Vital, Israeli Architect and
Eco-builder, speaking about her involvement with the non-profit
BUSTAN, in the Negev Desert of Israel.
The word "bustan"
refers to a fruit-yielding orchard in both Hebrew and Arabic and
symbolizes the work of Bustan
(www.bustan.org ). It is a
partnership of Jewish and Arab eco-builders, architects, academics, and
farmers promoting social and environmental justice in Israel/Palestine
with a focus on the Bedouin villages of the Negev Desert. BUSTAN
utilizes the principles of permaculture and non-violent direct action
across ethnic divides.
Founded in 1999, Bustan's
first project was a two day festival in the "unrecognized"
village of Dreijatt, bringing together hundreds of Bedouin and Jewish
Israelis, celebrating cultural diversity, mutual education on history and
environmental issues, and collecting signatures for a petition to
recognize the village with legal status. Two months later the
village was formerly recognized. In 2003 Bustan organized five
hundred Jewish and Bedouin volunteers to build an entirely sustainable
medical clinic in the village of Wadi el Na'am. This
strawbale solar powered structure is featured in the book, "Build
Like You Give A Damn", and was nominated for the Aga Khan Award,
one of the most prestigious architecture prizes in the world. At
another village a school dump was transformed into a water conserving
orchard, while teaching children about local ecology In 2007 Bustan
moved to Beersheva and opened the Green Center and began teaching ongoing
permaculture workshops and trainings. Bustan views sustainability in both
political and environmental terms and works for common Jewish and Bedouin
interests.
The Negev is a rocky desert
region with dusty mountain ranges, dry riverbeds (wadis) and unique deep
craters imprinted on the landscape. It is the largest, yet
most peripheral region of the country, located in southern Israel, and
makes up 60% of Israel's land, but only 8% of Israel's population live
there. A fragile environment, it hosts Israel's largest toxic waste
dump Romat Hovav, a nuclear power plant, petro-chemical factories, a
waste incinerator and other environmental hazards. Local populations
already marginalized are particularly vulnerable to health hazards caused
by these. Romat Hovav is located near Beersheva, the main city of Negev,
and since its opening has had a history of leakages, overflows, and
failures.
Michal Vital is a nationally
renowned planner and green building consultant and volunteer with BUSTAN
since its inception. Michal was one of the team leaders that built
BUSTAN's strawbale medical clinic, and has planned numerous ecologically
friendly buildings throughout the country. She was the lead teacher
of BUSTAN'S first permaculture course. She will be speaking in Santa
Monica, Santa Barbara and San Francisco area as part of her Bustan
Speaking Tour titled "Permaculture for Justice".
The event takes place at the Santa Monica Public Library, 601
Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica , on Monday, October 27, 7-9pm,
2008. No reservations are required, fundraiser donation for
BUSTAN $10. For more information please call (323) 667-1330, or
email David Kahn <info@sustainablehabitats.org> Sponsored by
Sustainable Habitats.
www.sustainablehabitats.org , Westside Permaculture Gatherings
and the Santa Barbara Permaculture Network
www.sbpermaculture.org
Permaculture (PERMAnent agriCULTURE) is a design system based on
ecological principles for creating sustainable human
environments.
-end-
Bustan Speaking Tour "Permaculture for Justice". Santa Monica,
Santa Barbara and Walnut Creek Oct 27-Oct 29 2008
Oct 27, 7pm Santa Monica Public Library, 601
Santa Monica Blvd, Santa Monica , on Monday, October 27, 7-9pm,
2008. No reservations are required, fundraiser donation for
BUSTAN $10. For more information please call (323) 667-1330, or
email David Kahn <info@sustainablehabitats.org> Sponsored by
Sustainable Habitats.
www.sustainablehabitats.org and the Santa Barbara Permaculture
Network
www.sbpermaculture.org
Oct 28 , 7pm Santa Barbara Public Library, Faulkner Gallery,
40 East Anapamu St, in downtown Santa Barbara, on Tuesday, October
28, 7-9pm, 2008. No reservations are required, fundraiser
donation for BUSTAN $10. For more information please call (805) 962-2571,
or email
margie@sbpermaculture.org;
www.sbpermaculture.org. Sponsored by the Santa Barbara Permaculture
Network and Sustainable Habitats.
October 29th, 6 PM , Walnut Creek. CA (near San
Francisco) The home of Sergio Lub, Please email Sergio
(sergio@sergiolub.com ) to RSVP
and for specific directions$20 and an item for a potluck meal, all
proceeds benefit BUSTAN.
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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