[permaculture-oceania] the cultural climate

[Champagne]

Thanks David,

I think your right in suggesting theres no better time to mix it within 
our communities. Suddenly ideas some of us have held for decades are 
emerging to the surface rapidly as real solutions and whats interesting 
is that its mainly coming from the bottom- up.

The BEND project in Bega has gained an enormous amount of credibility 
locally because being developers, we had to mix it. We mixed it with 
councilors, town planners, engineers, newspaper editors, our neighbors 
and the public. As we all know as permaculturalists, its just plain 
common sense and very difficult to argue against.

Its a time to become active in Zone 3 - Our Community. Important to be 
strategic as to where your energy goes and lend support to grassoots 
groups with good intentions. Starting a community forest, becoming 
developers, setting up a CSA, a local seedsavers chapter or helping the 
LETS group function well are important contributions to regions 
searching for a soft landing from energy descent.

In our area at least, theres no doubt the concept of Peak Oil is 
beginning to filter into the mainstream. It took 'Principles and 
Pathways beyond Sustainability' by our own David Holmgren to help me 
focus on the issue and David deserves credit for raising the current 
awareness in general.

He mentions in the book its not that important good change happens under 
the banner of permaculture, as long as it happens and we lend support.

kind regards
John Champagne
Mumbulla Bioregion

David Arnold wrote:

>I am presently involved in a series of small meetings in which we are discussing the 
>future of our small Australian country town - 600 people, 1500 in the local district.  
>These meetings bring together representatives of diverse interests who would not 
>otherwise meet.  It is very interesting to hear of the concepts that non-permies are 
>thinking about these days.
>
>
>For example, a gung-ho young cropping farmer - very conservative, pro GM, and 
>former Special Adviser to the Prime Minister on agribusiness - said he sees cars 
>leaving this town each day to travel to work in regional centres.  He said that with peak 
>oil, and petrol getting to $2 - $3 a litre, it may become too expensive for people to live 
>in our town and travel elsewhere to work.
>
>This was the first time I had met him.  I was rapt that he had the concept of peak oil.  
>OK, maybe it is not too surprising since they use so much of it and the price is going 
>up, but 10 years ago if you talked of finite fossil fuel resources in that sort of forum I 
>think eyes would have glazed over.  And "peak oil" works as a concise concept, save  
>having to try to explain the whole thing from first principles.
>
>The generally increasing proportion of older people in country towns was discussed.  
>The CEO and Director of Nursing at the aged care facility - the biggest local employer 
>with 38 full-time equivalent staff - said that it seems that it is really the "counter-culture" 
>activities that attract younger generations.  He suggested we need organic and Bd 
>food for sale in the main street, and the rural supplies shop needs to advertise organic 
>fertiliser for sale.
>
>Our working Pc design examples are still very important of course.  Now the cultural 
>climate might be more open to our permaculture thinking.  It is a good time for us 
>permies to get out there and mix, to engage with the broader community.
>
>By the way, it has been very helpful in the context of development in a country town, to 
>be able to refer people to the BEND project in Bega, and to their web-site at 
>www.bend.org.au  	The idea and example of people from the local community 
>becoming the developer that they wanted to have has generated some interest.
>
>Dave
>
>
>David Arnold			
> Permaculture Designer
>
>davidarnold at iinet.net.au
>
>4446 Murchison Rd, Violet Town  VIC  3669
>
>ph. 03 5798 1679		
>
>mob. 0428 981 679
>
>
>
>  
>