Carolyn Baker: Preparing Emotionally for the Coming Chaos

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peakmoment·Jan 1, 2013

“The external growth of a budding economy is over. The focus on growth now needs to be on the inner world.” Carolyn Baker’s Navigating the Coming Chaos is a toolkit to prepare emotionally and spiritually for the collapse of industrial civilization now underway. First build an “internal bunker,” she suggests, to begin healing the fear, grief and despair that immobilize many people in our “culture of numbness.” From that foundation, she invites us to look at who our allies are ? people, places, possessions. Carolyn observes that many people experience a level of joy by doing this work (Episode 225).

The Quiet Revolution: Combating Climate Change by Lesley Docksey

by Lesley Docksey
Guest Writer
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originally published on dissidentvoice.org, Dec. 2, 2012
Nov. 28, 2012

Image by Ray Janus @ 350.org via Flickr

While the great and the not so good were preparing to jet to Doha to disagree over what, if anything, they were going to do about climate change (and indigenous people everywhere wring their hands), and the British government was preparing to allow a possible 60% of the UK to be affected by shale gas exploration, Crisis Forum was presenting the last in a series of workshops on Climate Change and Violence.  We tried to remain positive, but…  To help prepare us the organiser, Dr Mark Levene, asked us to consider these deliberately provocative questions:

Peak Moment: Cecile Andrews on Community, Simplicity, Joy and Social Change

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Image by Melissa Wall via Flickr

Sep 30, 2012 by peakmoment

Peak Moment 220: When Cecile Andrews asked herself, “What matters?” the answer popped up: “Having time to do the things you want to do.” She simplified her life, quit her full-time job, and started simplicity circles to support others in savoring life. Now she has expanded into neighborhood stop-and-chats and a Gross National Happiness movement. Her latest book advocates broadening the joy in our lives, Less is More: Embracing Simplicity for a Healthy Planet, A Caring Economy, and Lasting Happiness.

The CEB Story: The Liberator — Open Source Brick Press

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Image by Sean Church via Flickr

by Open Source Ecology

This story traces the evolution of the Liberator, OSE’s open source compressed earth brick press, from 2007 to 2012. If you’re interested in our CEB press, you can find our information and designs at opensourceecology.org/

The Collision Course Is Set, by Chris Hedges

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by Chris Hedges
Featured Writer
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Truthdig
September 10, 2012

Dirt! The Movie

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Jamie Simko

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DIRT! THE MOVIE is an astonishing, humorous and substantial look at the glorious and unappreciated ground beneath our feet. Dirt feeds us and gives us shelter. Dirt holds and cleans our water. Dirt heals us and makes us beautiful. Dirt regulates the earth’s climate. Why do we humans ignore, abuse, and destroy our most precious living natural resource? Consider the results of such behavior: mass starvation, drought, floods and global warming.

Green-washing “Sustainability” by Shepherd Bliss

by Shepherd Bliss
Guest Writer
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August 31, 2012

Image by melihaik via Flickr

“Sustainability” has become a buzzword. But what does “sustainability” really mean? One definition is that it requires a triple-E bottom line—economics, the environment and equity. However, this word sometimes is used to “green-wash” and promote things that are not sustainable. Genuine sustainability must be evidence-based. But language can be used to conceal rather than reveal.

Edible City: The Movie

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Oct 17, 2012 by ediblecitythemovie

Dig in and Grow the Revolution at www.ediblecity.net

Edible City is a fun, fast-paced journey through the Local Good Food movement that’s taking root in the San Francisco Bay Area, across the nation and around the world.

Introducing a diverse cast of extraordinary and eccentric characters who are challenging the paradigm of our broken food system, Edible City digs into their unique perspectives and transformative work, finding hopeful solutions to monumental problems.

Inspirational, down-to-earth and a little bit quirky, Edible City captures the spirit of a movement that’s making real change and doing something truly revolutionary: growing the model for a healthy, sustainable local food system.

“Quaquaponics” – How to set up Aquaponics with Ducks! + Art Garden: Backyard Aeroponics: Self-sustaining Farm in the City

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Image by Andwar via Flickr

Aug 20, 2012 by yardboidoroony

You don’t need to eat fish to set up a backyard aquaponics system! Ducks are a great alternative and produce a huge amount of nutrient for growing veggies (not to mention eggs, meat and snail & slug control!) and they’re generally good friends to have around. At the Farm of Fluff, Chris and James set up this “quaquaponics” system with a few bits and pieces we’d collected from the side of the road and so far it’s doing brilliantly! You need a strong pump and good filtration to cope with the large particles coming through, though! (We found a whole tomato blocking the drain one day, so check and clean regularly!)

Detroit: Urban Farming Revolution

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http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/earthrise/2012/08/2012817102031778843.html

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Jul 2, 2012 – Al Jazeera English

In the early 20th century the American city of Detroit was a booming industrial powerhouse and world leader in car manufacturing. But since the major car companies closed their factories, more than a million taxpayers have moved out of Detroit, leaving behind more than 100 square kilometers of vacant land, and nearly 40,000 abandoned houses. A group of visionary residents are now sowing the seeds of an urban farming revolution.

Pam Warhurst: How We Can Eat Our Landscapes + Stephen Ritz: Green Walls Feeding the Bronx

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Aug 9, 2012 by TEDtalksDirector

What should a community do with its unused land? Plant food, of course. With energy and humor, Pam Warhurst tells at the TEDSalon the story of how she and a growing team of volunteers came together to turn plots of unused land into communal vegetable gardens, and to change the narrative of food in their community.

Earthrise: Urban Farming + Haiti’s Reefs + Sustainable Energy in India

Image by Scrap Pile via Flickr

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Aug 3, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish

Growing fish and vegetables symbiotically in the Mid West; training young Haitians to help protect their reefs; an Indian city embraces sustainable energy.

Earthrise: Earthships + North Aral Sea Revival

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Image by Tweaver via Flickr

Jul 21, 2012 by AlJazeeraEnglish

The arid New Mexico desert is home to a cluster of unusual buildings called ‘Earthships’ — environmentally-sustainable, self-sufficient homes made using recycled and natural materials. Plus, the revival of the North Aral sea, thanks to more efficient irrigation to increase in the inflow of the Syr Darya river, endangered fish reintroduction programmes and the 13-kilometre Kok-Aral dam.

Ian Angus: How to make an Ecosocialist Revolution (2011)

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by Jill Hickson

At the October 2011 Climate Change Social Change conference held in Melbourne, Ian Angus, editor, climateandcapitalism.com and co-author of the book, Too Many People?, explains the concept of ecosocialism and how we can struggle for a better future.

Geoff Lawton: Permaculture

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Jul 3, 2012 by TEDxTalks

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Geoff Lawton is an internationally – renowned permaculture educator, consultant and practitioner. He emigrated from England to Australia and later studied permaculture with Bill Mollison in Tasmania. He established the Permaculture Research Institute at Tagari Farm in New South Wales, Australia, a 147 acre farmstead previously developed by Mollison. PRI was eventually moved to Zaytuna Farm, in The Channon, where it continues today.

Since 1985, Geoff has designed and implemented permaculture projects in 30 countries for private individuals and groups, communities, governments, aid organizations, & multinational corporations. He has taught the Permaculture Design Certificate course and designed permaculture projects in 30 countries. The Permaculture Research Institute supports the establishments of Permaculture Master Plan sites worldwide as demonstration sites and education centers that network their research

[…] This event was held in Ajman, UAE on 31st of March, 2012.