Review of 2015.
Here is a short contents of the 2015 review. Fotos with captions and more detail for each topic are further below.
Home
2015 was mostly a stay at home year. I put a lot of time into the garden, a great enjoyment to produce almost all the fruit and vegetables I need. Great to have several visitors this year. The place is looking better than ever.
Neighborhood
Its great to see more properties in our neighborhood going green. Each year I see more front yard gardens, would love to see more and more. Its a blessing to have friends and neighbors with similar interests helping to make this a more green and resilient neighborhood.
2015 Northwest Permaculture Convergence
Certainly, the most unusual experience this year was being the coordinator of the 2015 Northwest Permaculture Convergence. This year's theme was "Greening Our Neighborhoods With Permaculture." This was the first permaculture convergence I know of that took place in a suburban neighborhood.
Day Trips
There are lots of great destinations for day trips near Eugene. The coast, the mountains, even nearby Corvallis is a very green town, especially when you have friends to show you around and interesting people to visit.
Out of Town
The only multi day trips this year were two to California. One was only for the weekend and I rode with others, the second trip I drove my truck and meandered, in both directions, among the red woods and northern California coast. These trips were to attend and make presentations at both the Soil Not OIl Conference and the Northern Califormia Permaculture Convergence. See below for fotos and description.
Topical Interests
Taking care of human needs is a primary action to everyone going back to pre history. I have developed a great interest in how people make use of what is available for taking care of their needs. Humans are endlessly clever and adaptable. Thats both a blessing and a problem.
Book Review
The most thought provoking book I have read in 2015 [one of the best ever] is titled "The Shock Doctrine." The book impressively documents the numerous examples, world wide for the past 40 or so years, of what has happened to countries and even a US city and the US military when important community or national assets become prey to the Schock Doctrine. Civil society takes a hit. That's the intention. Key words - privatize, structural adjustment, concentrate financial and political power, disaster capitalism. See further below.
Comments on current conditions
Given the state of the world, what are some of the most sensible and humane actions a person can take? See further below.
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Home
2015 was mostly a stay at home year. I put a lot of time into the garden. Its a great enjoyment to produce almost all the fruit and vegetables I need. The place is looking better than ever. I enjoy simply looking out the window.
I enjoyed several visitors this year. Nephew Scott and Niece in Law Molly were here for several days from Denver. Love to see them. Larry, a pal from college days, visited. Best pal Paul and girlfriend Kelly were here, thinking about returning to the Mainland from Hawaii.
The year was good for home food production. Good year for peaches, apples, veggies. Recovering from years of club root [a virus that disfigures brassica roots], I had a lot of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussel sprouts. I processed 7 gallons of grape juice - one of my favorite projects - just add a lot of fusion jazz in the kitchen. Pal Teresa and I made enough bramble jam to last me and her family all year. I rarely buy fruit or veggies. Its mid December and I have lots of beets, leeks and a cabbage in the ground. The lemon tree is loaded.
The freezers are full of food grown at home.
I am taking more initiative to build my soil with lots of leaves composting this fall and a big load of llama poop. Always something that needs to be done. Housemates have been a huge part of living here. An interesting way to become acquainted with people, to share a house. Its a wonderful experience to transform a suburban property. If I was a suburban house and property, this is what I would be.
2015 was mostly a stay at home year. I put a lot of time into the garden. Its a great enjoyment to produce almost all the fruit and vegetables I need. The place is looking better than ever. I enjoy simply looking out the window.
I enjoyed several visitors this year. Nephew Scott and Niece in Law Molly were here for several days from Denver. Love to see them. Larry, a pal from college days, visited. Best pal Paul and girlfriend Kelly were here, thinking about returning to the Mainland from Hawaii.
The year was good for home food production. Good year for peaches, apples, veggies. Recovering from years of club root [a virus that disfigures brassica roots], I had a lot of broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussel sprouts. I processed 7 gallons of grape juice - one of my favorite projects - just add a lot of fusion jazz in the kitchen. Pal Teresa and I made enough bramble jam to last me and her family all year. I rarely buy fruit or veggies. Its mid December and I have lots of beets, leeks and a cabbage in the ground. The lemon tree is loaded.
The freezers are full of food grown at home.
I am taking more initiative to build my soil with lots of leaves composting this fall and a big load of llama poop. Always something that needs to be done. Housemates have been a huge part of living here. An interesting way to become acquainted with people, to share a house. Its a wonderful experience to transform a suburban property. If I was a suburban house and property, this is what I would be.
The neighborhood.
I feel very fortunate to live in a neighborhood with so many great people and assets, with so much potential. Here is a short look at some neighborhood images.
I feel very fortunate to live in a neighborhood with so many great people and assets, with so much potential. Here is a short look at some neighborhood images.
In Eugene
Eugene is better than average. Here are several events and occasions.
Sunday Streets is a city event. A neighborhood collaborates with the city to close several streets to cars for a Sunday afternoon. This event was in Friendly Neighborhood. Great to see everyone come out and not have cars.
Eugene is better than average. Here are several events and occasions.
Sunday Streets is a city event. A neighborhood collaborates with the city to close several streets to cars for a Sunday afternoon. This event was in Friendly Neighborhood. Great to see everyone come out and not have cars.
2015 Northwest Permaculture Convergence
Certainly, the most unusual experience this year was being the coordinator of the 2015 Northwest Permaculture Convergence. The Convergence was hosted here in River Road with the theme "Greening Our Neighborhoods With Permaculture." This was the first permaculture convergence I know of that took place in a suburban neighborhood. See further below for more about the Convergence.
This task become a full time job for months and required working with literally dozens of others from the neighborhood, Eugene and elsewhere in the Northwest.
I had helped with other Convergences so knew a good bit of what goes on but taking on the coordinator's role was easily the most ambitious organizing project ever for me. The event had a budget of $15,000 with sponsors, staff, contracts.
A convergence is simply a conference. People, presentations, plenary sessions. There are other permaculture convergences here and there around the country – northeast, midwest, south, a couple in California and others. The event was at our neighborhood recreation center and most out of town participants camped out in back yards in the neighborhood.
What is permaculture? A short description – permaculture is a set of values, ideals, principles and actions for designing systems for taking care of human needs in ways that are friendly to people and planet. It is a global sub culture with enthusiasts and practitioners all over the world. Permaculture is the most hopeful and holistic approach to addressing humanity's many challenges I know of – culture, economy, environment, food, social.
This was an expansive convergence. We planned a good part of it to be free and open to the public. The free part included 7 different site tours to see examples of a green future today – residential, business, shared housing, block planning, food growing on public property. Over 60 people were on the River Road tour. Two of the tours were at rural environmental education centers outside of Eugene.
We also had a one day Expo, similar to Earth Day with educational groups tabling, book store, plants for sale, Kid Zone, green business show and tell. [we attracted over $4000 in business support and grants]. The Expo included 20 skill share sessions where people learned about composting, mushrooms, food preservation, solar energy, herbs, chickens, food forests, seed saving and a lot more.
Indoors, there were over 40 panels and presentations, plenary sessions in the evenings, meals provided. Also first ever to my knowledge was the Green Neighborhood Summit. The Summit attracted over 20 people from over 7 different towns and cities in the NW to talk specifically about greening their neighborhoods. Many people had involvement with their neighborhood associations and other city programs.
By all accounts, the Convergence went really well. Food was great [vegetarian, lots of donated food, we had a professional cook] Info dense presentations. Registration went well. Volunteers did well. Over 300 people registered for the indoor part, 300 attended the Expo and another 200 people on the various tours. Over 60 people from out of town camped out. We paid our bills.
By mid December, I am working with several people on three media projects that are based on the convergence. They will be posted on you tube, stay tuned.
Certainly, the most unusual experience this year was being the coordinator of the 2015 Northwest Permaculture Convergence. The Convergence was hosted here in River Road with the theme "Greening Our Neighborhoods With Permaculture." This was the first permaculture convergence I know of that took place in a suburban neighborhood. See further below for more about the Convergence.
This task become a full time job for months and required working with literally dozens of others from the neighborhood, Eugene and elsewhere in the Northwest.
I had helped with other Convergences so knew a good bit of what goes on but taking on the coordinator's role was easily the most ambitious organizing project ever for me. The event had a budget of $15,000 with sponsors, staff, contracts.
A convergence is simply a conference. People, presentations, plenary sessions. There are other permaculture convergences here and there around the country – northeast, midwest, south, a couple in California and others. The event was at our neighborhood recreation center and most out of town participants camped out in back yards in the neighborhood.
What is permaculture? A short description – permaculture is a set of values, ideals, principles and actions for designing systems for taking care of human needs in ways that are friendly to people and planet. It is a global sub culture with enthusiasts and practitioners all over the world. Permaculture is the most hopeful and holistic approach to addressing humanity's many challenges I know of – culture, economy, environment, food, social.
This was an expansive convergence. We planned a good part of it to be free and open to the public. The free part included 7 different site tours to see examples of a green future today – residential, business, shared housing, block planning, food growing on public property. Over 60 people were on the River Road tour. Two of the tours were at rural environmental education centers outside of Eugene.
We also had a one day Expo, similar to Earth Day with educational groups tabling, book store, plants for sale, Kid Zone, green business show and tell. [we attracted over $4000 in business support and grants]. The Expo included 20 skill share sessions where people learned about composting, mushrooms, food preservation, solar energy, herbs, chickens, food forests, seed saving and a lot more.
Indoors, there were over 40 panels and presentations, plenary sessions in the evenings, meals provided. Also first ever to my knowledge was the Green Neighborhood Summit. The Summit attracted over 20 people from over 7 different towns and cities in the NW to talk specifically about greening their neighborhoods. Many people had involvement with their neighborhood associations and other city programs.
By all accounts, the Convergence went really well. Food was great [vegetarian, lots of donated food, we had a professional cook] Info dense presentations. Registration went well. Volunteers did well. Over 300 people registered for the indoor part, 300 attended the Expo and another 200 people on the various tours. Over 60 people from out of town camped out. We paid our bills.
By mid December, I am working with several people on three media projects that are based on the convergence. They will be posted on you tube, stay tuned.
Day Trips
I also did a few day hikes at the coast and in the nearby mountains with friends. Belknap Crater was a great hike over a lava field at the crest of the Cascades. I love to hike from the Hobbit Trail to Haceta Lighthouse. The Tahkenitch Trail on the coast passes from thick coastal forest to dunes to a beach almost deserted for miles. Friend Sandra and I spent a day in Corvallis to visit permaculture friend Andrew; pal from years in Arkansas, Bruce and popular writer Carol Deppe. Paul, Kelly and I had a nice visit to Approvecho Education Center in Cottage Grove.
I also did a few day hikes at the coast and in the nearby mountains with friends. Belknap Crater was a great hike over a lava field at the crest of the Cascades. I love to hike from the Hobbit Trail to Haceta Lighthouse. The Tahkenitch Trail on the coast passes from thick coastal forest to dunes to a beach almost deserted for miles. Friend Sandra and I spent a day in Corvallis to visit permaculture friend Andrew; pal from years in Arkansas, Bruce and popular writer Carol Deppe. Paul, Kelly and I had a nice visit to Approvecho Education Center in Cottage Grove.
Out of Town
Best out of town trip was to the Northern California Permaculture Convergence. I drove and took my bike. The convergence was very good. New friends and new appreciation for how permaculture is helping to empower inner city young people and greening cities like Sacramento and Petaluma. California definitely has a good deal more flash. This convergence was half party, half education. All good.
Other highlights of the 8 day trip included hiking and biking in the redwoods and seeing a fair amount of new northern California coastline. Some wonderful ocean side bike rides, one of my favorite enjoyments in life. On the return, I made a presentation at Humboldt State University about transforming suburbia.
Best out of town trip was to the Northern California Permaculture Convergence. I drove and took my bike. The convergence was very good. New friends and new appreciation for how permaculture is helping to empower inner city young people and greening cities like Sacramento and Petaluma. California definitely has a good deal more flash. This convergence was half party, half education. All good.
Other highlights of the 8 day trip included hiking and biking in the redwoods and seeing a fair amount of new northern California coastline. Some wonderful ocean side bike rides, one of my favorite enjoyments in life. On the return, I made a presentation at Humboldt State University about transforming suburbia.
Soil Not Oil Conference
This was a weekend conference in the Bay Area, in Richmond. It was mostly about reducing dependence on oil and localizing food production. I made a presentation about transforming suburbia. After the conference, we stayed another night and went to a party at place with acres of derelict green houses that the owner was allowing people to use best they could, given their somewhat broken down condition. The place would be a great set for a post apocalypse movie.
This was a weekend conference in the Bay Area, in Richmond. It was mostly about reducing dependence on oil and localizing food production. I made a presentation about transforming suburbia. After the conference, we stayed another night and went to a party at place with acres of derelict green houses that the owner was allowing people to use best they could, given their somewhat broken down condition. The place would be a great set for a post apocalypse movie.
Topical Interests
I just bought a book titled The History of Urban Form – Before the Industrial Revolution. Searching on line using key words from the book lead to an unbelieveable amount of info about urban areas all thru history. I was up to 3 one night reading about the food shed of medieval cities in England, France and Italy. Even in the 8th century, there were well established food networks. If there were local crop failures, grain for Paris might come from as far away as North Africa. Imagine the moving thousands of tons of grain 800 miles over sea and land over 1000 years ago.
London, Paris, Milano were some of the largest cities in the middle ages, with population even up to 100,000. Most of their food shed was within 100 miles or so. Its fascinating to read about diets for different social classes. Lots of porridge for the less well off. Many homes didnt even have a kitchen as we know it. Poorer people ate out all the time. Some people rarely had a hot meal – gruel and ale.
Even in the middle ages, towns and cities had environmental regulations to keep pollution, like pollution from leather making and livestock butchering, out of the public water supply. People have been dealing with issues of staying alive and trying to be healthy for eons. Its really interesting. We are descendants of those times of history.
I just bought a book titled The History of Urban Form – Before the Industrial Revolution. Searching on line using key words from the book lead to an unbelieveable amount of info about urban areas all thru history. I was up to 3 one night reading about the food shed of medieval cities in England, France and Italy. Even in the 8th century, there were well established food networks. If there were local crop failures, grain for Paris might come from as far away as North Africa. Imagine the moving thousands of tons of grain 800 miles over sea and land over 1000 years ago.
London, Paris, Milano were some of the largest cities in the middle ages, with population even up to 100,000. Most of their food shed was within 100 miles or so. Its fascinating to read about diets for different social classes. Lots of porridge for the less well off. Many homes didnt even have a kitchen as we know it. Poorer people ate out all the time. Some people rarely had a hot meal – gruel and ale.
Even in the middle ages, towns and cities had environmental regulations to keep pollution, like pollution from leather making and livestock butchering, out of the public water supply. People have been dealing with issues of staying alive and trying to be healthy for eons. Its really interesting. We are descendants of those times of history.
Book Review
Comments "The Shock Doctrine." A book by Naomi Klein. Published 2007.
Within the modern world, vital assets to people and countries include natural resources, communications, utilities, water, transportation, education, defense and more. Who is the best owner?
Key words are free enterprise, capitalism, socialism, democracy, public good, IMF, Structural adjustment.
Shock Doctrine has put a lot into context for me. I knew some about various crises and conditions all over the world over the past 20 or 30 years but Shock Doctrine does a fascinating job of putting much of that in context – Reagan/Thatcher, IMF, World Bank, WTO, structural adjustment, Argentina's early 90's financial crisis, Pinochet installed in Chile, tsunami in Sri Lanka, Freedom Charter in South Africa, Katrina and New Orleans, contras in Nicaragua, death squads in El Salvador, the "poaching" of the Asian Tigers, Russian oligarchs, Iraq and more. I can better extrapolate now what Ukraine will have to do for a bail out – privatize and slash government social programs. Greece was confronted with these kinds of demands in exchange for a bail out.
Shock Doctrine explains these and many other historical circumstances in terms of the conflict between public and private ownership and what happens when much of the world's money supply is controlled by institutions – the IMF and World Bank – that have virtually dictated the once sovereign financial policies of deep in debt countries all over the world, overwhelmingly on the side of privatization. Small numbers of people and corporations have come to own and control assets that have an enormous affect on large numbers of people.
The book impressively documents the casualties of imposed privatization - millions of people end up in poverty, deprivation, disadvantage. Even worse, people who have actively disagreed in many countries have often disappeared. The book documents how the US Government has participated in many examples of "shock therapy." The health and well being of people and planet are not priorities of shock/structural adjustment/privatization.
The ideal of public ownership over important common assets, imperfect as we know, is that those assets can be managed with integrity, for the greatest good. The private ownership and control of important public assets is expressly for the benefit of share holders and owners. Frequently short on accountability with many people adversely affected. There is an impressive record of abuse of that private power already and people should be actively engaged in resistance.
The seeming goal of the shock doctrine is at odds with democracy and peace on earth. Verily, the well established "disaster capitalism" industry depends on disaster and war to insure profits. Shock Doctrine explains Iraq and New Orleans after Katrina of the emerging growth industry of disaster capital.
This is not a struggle between capitalism and socialism or communism. The shock doctrine makes clear the need for economic and social structures that are not vulnerable to shock therapy. That means decentralized, down sized, cooperative and able to live within our eco logical and financial means. What is called for is economics that is neither dominated by capitalism or socialism,,, take the best of both and discard what does not serve the public and planet interest.
Verily, more and more people are already making those healthier choices – to downsize, simplify, take care of more needs closer to home. The more people making these choices, the better.
The coming year. Final comments.
Like everyone, I am appalled by the spreading violence world wide. We should not forget the spreading violence brought to the world by our own government. Often in the name of peace and stability. There are no simple explanations of why the world is becoming more violent although its important to know there are people and entities that have a vested interest to make enormous amounts of money in conflict, disaster and disruption. There is already a track record that makes this clear. Even Eisenhower warned about the military industrial complex. To that complex, we can add the disaster complex - privatized enrichment for the elite by way of disaster management services for both natural and man made disruptions.
There are no simple solutions to creating a peaceful and equitable world. That said, I am certain our own lifestyles affect the well being of people, planet and ourselves. Its rational and compassionate to downsize our own material and resource needs to help mitigate the larger issues challenging the world - poverty, climate change, refugees,,,,, All those issues boil down to business and economics. The current set up entrenches privilege and excess while far more people do not even have enough.
The US adds to global violence simply because its resource intensive economy and culture and privileged position in the world requires aggression to stay "on top." Affluence is a patron and sponsor of US aggresion on a global scale and the shock doctrine is one of its tools.
Our national mythologies based on "American Exceptionalism" and the "Magic of the Market Place" have seduced many into believing the people and entities in control are looking out for our best interests. Market capitalism does not equal democracy. Verily, it is contrary to democracy.
In the name of protecting us, we are already seeing the erosion of civil liberties, privacy, security and other indicators of a healthy society. We, ourselves, everyday people in the affluent countries, not to mention those less fortunate, are on the receiving end of low grade shock doctrine.
Best to reduce dependency on those macro economic and culture systems and create social, economic and cultural alternatives based on living within our financial, economic and ethical means. Reducing our personal material and resource demands, taking care of more needs closer to home with friends and neighbors is one empowering way to resist today's down ward trends and create alternatives to the main stream economic and social system as we know it.
Fascinating times!
Best wishes! Jan
Comments "The Shock Doctrine." A book by Naomi Klein. Published 2007.
Within the modern world, vital assets to people and countries include natural resources, communications, utilities, water, transportation, education, defense and more. Who is the best owner?
Key words are free enterprise, capitalism, socialism, democracy, public good, IMF, Structural adjustment.
Shock Doctrine has put a lot into context for me. I knew some about various crises and conditions all over the world over the past 20 or 30 years but Shock Doctrine does a fascinating job of putting much of that in context – Reagan/Thatcher, IMF, World Bank, WTO, structural adjustment, Argentina's early 90's financial crisis, Pinochet installed in Chile, tsunami in Sri Lanka, Freedom Charter in South Africa, Katrina and New Orleans, contras in Nicaragua, death squads in El Salvador, the "poaching" of the Asian Tigers, Russian oligarchs, Iraq and more. I can better extrapolate now what Ukraine will have to do for a bail out – privatize and slash government social programs. Greece was confronted with these kinds of demands in exchange for a bail out.
Shock Doctrine explains these and many other historical circumstances in terms of the conflict between public and private ownership and what happens when much of the world's money supply is controlled by institutions – the IMF and World Bank – that have virtually dictated the once sovereign financial policies of deep in debt countries all over the world, overwhelmingly on the side of privatization. Small numbers of people and corporations have come to own and control assets that have an enormous affect on large numbers of people.
The book impressively documents the casualties of imposed privatization - millions of people end up in poverty, deprivation, disadvantage. Even worse, people who have actively disagreed in many countries have often disappeared. The book documents how the US Government has participated in many examples of "shock therapy." The health and well being of people and planet are not priorities of shock/structural adjustment/privatization.
The ideal of public ownership over important common assets, imperfect as we know, is that those assets can be managed with integrity, for the greatest good. The private ownership and control of important public assets is expressly for the benefit of share holders and owners. Frequently short on accountability with many people adversely affected. There is an impressive record of abuse of that private power already and people should be actively engaged in resistance.
The seeming goal of the shock doctrine is at odds with democracy and peace on earth. Verily, the well established "disaster capitalism" industry depends on disaster and war to insure profits. Shock Doctrine explains Iraq and New Orleans after Katrina of the emerging growth industry of disaster capital.
This is not a struggle between capitalism and socialism or communism. The shock doctrine makes clear the need for economic and social structures that are not vulnerable to shock therapy. That means decentralized, down sized, cooperative and able to live within our eco logical and financial means. What is called for is economics that is neither dominated by capitalism or socialism,,, take the best of both and discard what does not serve the public and planet interest.
Verily, more and more people are already making those healthier choices – to downsize, simplify, take care of more needs closer to home. The more people making these choices, the better.
The coming year. Final comments.
Like everyone, I am appalled by the spreading violence world wide. We should not forget the spreading violence brought to the world by our own government. Often in the name of peace and stability. There are no simple explanations of why the world is becoming more violent although its important to know there are people and entities that have a vested interest to make enormous amounts of money in conflict, disaster and disruption. There is already a track record that makes this clear. Even Eisenhower warned about the military industrial complex. To that complex, we can add the disaster complex - privatized enrichment for the elite by way of disaster management services for both natural and man made disruptions.
There are no simple solutions to creating a peaceful and equitable world. That said, I am certain our own lifestyles affect the well being of people, planet and ourselves. Its rational and compassionate to downsize our own material and resource needs to help mitigate the larger issues challenging the world - poverty, climate change, refugees,,,,, All those issues boil down to business and economics. The current set up entrenches privilege and excess while far more people do not even have enough.
The US adds to global violence simply because its resource intensive economy and culture and privileged position in the world requires aggression to stay "on top." Affluence is a patron and sponsor of US aggresion on a global scale and the shock doctrine is one of its tools.
Our national mythologies based on "American Exceptionalism" and the "Magic of the Market Place" have seduced many into believing the people and entities in control are looking out for our best interests. Market capitalism does not equal democracy. Verily, it is contrary to democracy.
In the name of protecting us, we are already seeing the erosion of civil liberties, privacy, security and other indicators of a healthy society. We, ourselves, everyday people in the affluent countries, not to mention those less fortunate, are on the receiving end of low grade shock doctrine.
Best to reduce dependency on those macro economic and culture systems and create social, economic and cultural alternatives based on living within our financial, economic and ethical means. Reducing our personal material and resource demands, taking care of more needs closer to home with friends and neighbors is one empowering way to resist today's down ward trends and create alternatives to the main stream economic and social system as we know it.
Fascinating times!
Best wishes! Jan