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Japan in Transition: Free Money Systems Create Social Sustainability in Post-Tsunami Relief
In 2011, Japan experienced a mega-earthquake with a resulting tsunami in the vast northeastern area of the country. Hiroko Katayama from the urban ecovillage, As-One, reports on the observation that the mutual support among victims is more sustainable when they can maintain money-free exchanges. In March 2011, the nuclear power plants on the seashore of Fukushima experienced a meltdown. Since that time, large amounts of radiation have been leaking from the sites into the atmosphere, the ocean … Read more
Ecovillages North America: The ABC of a Community’s Garden Orchestra
In the modern world, many people generate music by flicking a switch, pressing a button, turning a dial, or tapping a keypad or touchscreen. And many of us obtain food by swiping a card or lightening a wallet. Others, however, create music by picking up instruments or using their own voices. And some people grow at least a portion of their own food too, participating intimately with its creation in a garden or on a farm. Chris Roth, former gardener and now editor of Communities Magazine, names … Read more
Gaia Education in Bangladesh: Community Leaders Engage in a 10 day Climate-smart Agriculture Programme
In May, Gaia Education, together with CIFAL Scotland and Bangladesh Association for Sustainable Development, conducted a 10 day Permaculture Design Course to 23 community leaders from the Banishanta, Sutarkhali and Mongla region of Southern Bangladesh. Led by Pradyut Nayek, permaculture practitioner and sustainable village design expert from West Bengal, the aim of the training was to introduce economic and social approaches to ecovillage design while transferring practical skills to improve … Read more
Learning Village Suomenlinna Finland:
The purpose of the experimental Learning Village in April was to bring people together who are committed to practices such as facilitation, storytelling, improvisation, visual and other art forms, all combining the multilevel aspects of participatory tools. Kirsi Joenpolvi, GEN-Ambassador for Finland reports. The concept of community has many facets and its meaning is constantly broadening. New kinds of leadership skills, learning environments, the use of collective potential and creativity … Read more
Ecovillages Responding on Crisis What is EmerGENcies Protocol?
The initiative, called the EmerGENcies Protocol, is in its third year of ideation continuing to explore its form. These include members from all regions and the GEN network, blueprint representatives, GAIA Education, and other independent projects unrelated to our networks. The complexity of what is at stake (to design an innovative and holistic response to the growing number of emergency situations), explains the diversity of the projects that make up the EmerGENcies Protocol. Initiator … Read more
Strand Report Deep Exchange Among Communities
Our strand was about deep sharing among communities. Elders of three lively, important communities held it: Sabine Lichtenfels from Tamera, Achim Ecker from Zegg, and Craig Gibsone from Findhorn. It is also worth remarking the presence of Vera Kleinhammes, from Tamera, and Ina Meyer-Stoll, from Zegg, who also brought their experience to the circle. Report by Filipe Freitas and Karsten Petersen We started around the fire, sharing a strong field of energy nourished by ancestors’ presence, in … Read more
Chile Disaster Relief / Part 2 Bio-Constructors of Dreams
After the flood in Atacama, the ecovillage helpers came up with a prototype for comprehensive reconstruction, called SRI. Alberto Alfaro Keim and Javier Fuentes share about their work and plans and tell us how you can help. We are a team of humanitarian experts working with sustainable solutions that advises, supports and empowers communities living in an emergency situation, in the realization of their project-dream, to rebuild their lives in a sustainable way. The focus of our work is … Read more
Desaster Relief in Chile: When Mother Earth Speaks
After a flood in the Atacama desert in March 2015, a huge area was covered with poisonous mud produced by the mining industry. The Aldea Domo community could help with geodesic domes. Carolina Miranda and Felipe Baltra found out that a disaster is a huge lesson from Mother Earth. The Region of Atacama is the driest desert in the world. In this arid and sparsely vegetated place in view of the Andes Mountains, it never rains; or only a few millimeters per year. This year in the month of March … Read more
Blueprint Initiative Being Able to Respond to Crisis
As Thomas Hübl expressed in his Skype transmitted talk during the GEN conference: Responsibility is the ability to respond. Paulo Mellett was an activist and visionary for ecological crisis intervention throughout the world. With his expertise in permaculture and other sustainability techniques he was constantly travelling around the planet to support projects in the Global South, fund them and share skills. Tragically, he passed away in 2014. During his funeral, his wife Ruth Andrade gathered … Read more
October 8-11, 2015. Youth Ecovillage Summit North America!
Join us for the 2nd annual Youth Ecovillage Summit North America! October 8-11, 2015. Communitarians, students, sustainability enthusiasts, and anyone seeking to live a more connected and conscious life, come and join us! This year’s gathering will be held at Earthaven Ecovillage, a community of eighty residents living close to the land in the beautiful Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Over three days we will immerse ourselves in community life at Earthaven, sharing meals and … Read more
