[Pil-pc-oceania] Relocalisation article- lets discuss?

[timwinton]

Hi Dick,

Permaculture and relocalization do seem like a natural fit in the new 
'climate change aware' mainstream.

I think you are dead right in your observation of the genius of how the 
ethics of permaculture can function so effectively. Perhaps though the focus 
has been on earth care for the first twenty five years or so. Not 
exclusively and I think this may be changing, but more than one commentator 
has noted the recurring pattern of personal burnout and community 
disintegration that has plagued some permaculture activity. As I mentioned 
to Russ, I think the success of the community garden network is because of 
the 'community' part. I think some of us in permaculture could shift our 
focus or enhance our activity with a strengthening of people care in 
developing work in the area of community facilitation, especially at the 
local level.

The APT Diploma, being essentially a project management/community 
development qualification, if very well suited to training relocalization 
advocates, activists and professionals.

As permaculturists there is definitely an opening to move into this area and 
provide some leadership (and training) as post carbon 
transition/relocalization starts to gain traction in the main stream. But as 
you say, this time around it may be much more effective for us to engage 
more with other organizations and in the wider debate.

Cheers,

Tim




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dick Copeman" <dcopeman at powerup.com.au>
To: "timwinton" <timwinton at internode.on.net>
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2007 9:43 PM
Subject: RE: [Pil-pc-oceania] Relocalisation article- lets discuss?


> G'day Tim and Russ,
>
> I agree that relocalisation should be, and already is, a major focus of
> permaculture activity. Thanks, Russ, for a clear exposition of an emerging
> trend.
>
> The sustainability message is too often perceived as being one of fear and
> negativity and a list of all the things people have to stop doing.
> Relocalisation, on the other hand, can emphasise the positive and the joy 
> of
> discovering great people, food, heritage and nature in the local
> neighbourhood.
>
> The genius of permaculture is its equal focus on Care of the People and 
> Care
> of the Earth. Community gardens, in particular, are well situated to 
> develop
> and teach permaculture practice that integrates these two key ethics, and,
> indeed, the third ethic of Sharing Resources. Caring for ourselves through
> linking with our families, neighbours and friends in our local communities
> is a key permaculture strategy that creates a society that is more
> sustainable, ecologically as well as socially and economically.
>
> The recent dramatic increase in public awareness of global warming and
> greenhouse emissions and their link to water shortages is heartening.
> However there is not yet the same general recognition of the fact that 
> food
> production and distribution is the biggest single contributor to 
> greenhouse
> emissions. Building this recognition and promoting sustainable local food
> systems are key priorities for permaculture and other like-minded 
> movements
> such as organic agriculture, slow food and anti-GE.
>
> Permaculture's great strength has been that we get out and try to practice
> what we preach. But as John Champagne and others have said on this list, 
> we
> have been a bit insular when it comes to networking and getting involved 
> in
> the broader policy debate. Perhaps we do need to work more closely with
> other groups in local Food Alliances. I was involved in this sort of work
> some years ago, during the Hawke Keating years, but a lot of it stopped
> after the advent of the Howard govt. I notice that a Food Fairness 
> Alliance
> has resurfaced in Sydney, Russ, and would be interested to hear how it is
> going.
>
> Cheers
>
> Dick
>
> Dick Copeman
> 17 Lindon St, Dutton Park  4102
> Ph 07 3255 0731, Mob 0439 728 992, Fx 07 3411 5530
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pil-pc-oceania-bounces at lists.permacultureinternational.org
> [mailto:pil-pc-oceania-bounces at lists.permacultureinternational.org]On 
> Behalf
> Of timwinton
> Sent: Thursday, 8 March 2007 9:10 AM
> To: pacific-edge; pil
> Subject: Re: [Pil-pc-oceania] Relocalisation article- lets discuss?
>
> Hi Russ,
>
> Very insightful article on a topic which resonates deeply with the
> permaculture ethos. My own thinking is that relocalization and
> community/bioregional post carbon transition strategies should become a
> major focus of permaculture activity. I think with the rise of the 
> community
> garden network and various relocalization initiatives we are really 
> starting
> to see the emergence of a whole new or renewed area of sustainability
> activism.
>
> The Permaforest Trust is changing direction to focus on community 
> strategies
> for post carbon transition- more on that later. We are on the cusp of 
> large
> scale mainstream adoption of sustainability as a cultural priority.
> Permaculture has the opportunity here to reinvent itself to some degree 
> and
> become a major force in local transition initiatives.
>
> This will require a new thinking, to some degree, of how we apply
> permaculture in this emerging 'market'. I'm very interested in this
> development and would like to initiate a discussion on this list about 
> what
> this may mean for permaculture in the immediate future and how 
> permaculture
> can be applied effectively in this context.
>
> Regards,
>
> Tim
>
> --
> Tim Winton
> Permaforest Trust
> Lot 3 Hidden Valley Rd
> Barkers Vale, NSW
> Australia 2474
> phone +61 02 6689 7579
> fax +61 02 9225 9536
>
> www.permaforesttrust.org.au
>
> Offering Certificate 4 and Diploma
> in Accredited Permaculture Training
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "pacific-edge" <info at pacific-edge.info>
> To: "pil" <pil-pc-oceania at lists.permacultureinternational.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2007 8:47 PM
> Subject: [Pil-pc-oceania] Relocalisation article
>
>
>> An article of mine on relocalisation published in my Online Opinion
>> column:
>> http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=5538
>>
>> ...Russ Grayson
>>
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