Wanted - Financial assistance to seed a permaculture village

Discussion in 'Jobs, projects, courses, training, WWOOFing, volun' started by ecodharmamark, Jun 18, 2006.

  1. PULSE

    PULSE Junior Member

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    G'day Mark. I was just wondering if you'd any joy in your search for finance.
    I've thought alot about trying to get finacial assitance for some kind of lifeboat/sustainable community. I have a few schemes like approaching big business for sponsorship to protect and rejuvinate land so I can live there as well :lol:
    If I dont manage to set up my dream lifeboat before shit really hits the fan, I am just making good friends with people who do have large amounts of land and resources so I can join them.
    I do get a bit hung up on wanting 'my own land' as i'm renting, there are lots of people with lots of good land that dont have a clue what to do ,or the energy to do it. I'm young fit and am building my skills so I know when the time comes I'll be a useful asset.
     
  2. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day PULSE :)

    Nah, no joy, but then we havn't really been out there flogging it yet. The initial post was written with the intention of 'flushing out' similar-minded folk, rather than securing finance, and it's certainly achieving that goal.

    Like you (perhaps) I have no desire to 'own' land. There is plenty of 'pre-owned' real estate sitting idle out there right now, just waiting for the right 'caretakers' to come along and turn it in to fully functioning, self-suficient living spaces.

    And like wise, in the event that the poo does hit the fan in the big way, then I have built up a great network of friends over the years whom all offer their 'shack in the hills' as a potential place of refuge.

    Keep in touch. Let us know how you fair, and I'll endevour to keep you in the loop from this end.

    Cheerio, Mark.
     
  3. Richard on Maui

    Richard on Maui Junior Member

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    That's nice, I agree. But take away the economy and most people would starve. This is the challenge, to develop an economy that is not at odds with the ecology. This is where building strong communities is so important, isn't it?
     
  4. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day Richard :)

    Exactly! What I believe we need to do is to 'swap' our current, mainstream (false) economy - the one that doesn't work - for another, more naturally-aligned (true) economy - one that does work! Living life according to the principles of permaculture is one way to do this. Now all we need to do is 'sell it' to the people.

    Cheerio, Mark.
     
  5. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

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    Interesting,

    I am not playing 'devils advocate' or anything like that.

    I would like to know how this new economy would be different to a subsistence lifestyle and do you have any examples or ideas on this?

    I wonder if we just banned most forms of credit would this be enough?

    I certainly do not like our current economic model.

    Aimed at mark and richard.

    cheers

    floot
     
  6. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day floot :)

    Prohibition (banning) does not work - never has. I don't know of one case in the entire history of humankind where a 'ban' on something has ever stopped absolutely everyone from carrying out the prohibited practice. If we try to ban credit (or transactions incuring a debt) transfers, people will still 'borrow' and people will still 'owe'.

    What we need is an entire re-jigging of the global human psyche. The concept that one person can 'own' something of a material nature and therefore has the right to 'lend' it to someone else, albiet with provisio that when it (whatever 'it' is) is returned it comes back 'with interest' is preposterous - indeed deserving of the title 'false economy'.

    Anyway, who was it that said "All property is theft"? Surely that person was a permaculturalist...

    A system that operates outside of the mainstream, socially-constructed (false) and capitalist economy does exist, floot, and has done so since we come down from the trees. It's called 'bartering'.

    In an anarchist society, all forms of capital expansion that create disproportionate levels of 'power' within community cease to exist. An anarchist society develops sustainably by utilising the principle of 'cooperation' rather than 'competition' (see link below).

    Modern society has been at war with itself for the past 10,000-years, or ever since the great agrarian revolution. This was when the previously sustainable and stable levels of human population began to expand. It was also the same period that saw the many working for the betterment of the few. Class divisions started, and the rest is (war) history :lol:.

    I'm sorry I don't have either the time nor the energy to continue with this rave, floot. However I suspect I'm preaching to the 'partially-converted' anyway :), and possibly boring others to death.

    Further reading on this enormous topic can be found in any library throughout Australia, and indeed in most countries throughout the world. However, as good as place as any to start is here (an excerpt from an old copy of the Anarchist's Age Weekly Review):

    ANARCHIST QUESTION AND ANSWER

    Q. ANARCHISM - ONE SIZE FITS ALL?

    A. I´m afraid not, Anarchism isn´t a philosophy that claims it has all the answers. It isn´t a religion or a political philosophy that both asks the questions and gives you the answers. There is no anarchist commandments, follow the 10 commandments and you´ll achieve eternal life. Anarchism doesn´t provide the certainties that people find in the Bible and the Koran. Anarchism has no gurus or holy places you can worship at and gain enlightenment. Anarchism is a great disappointment to people who are looking for ready made answers, instant solutions and a way to make sense about the vagaries of being.

    Anarchism is a mechanism by which people can regain practical control of their lives. It is a philosophy that places the individual at the centre of existence. It is a philosophy that recognises an individual´s freedom is intertwined with the freedom of those around them. It is a philosophy that recognises that both individual and collective freedom is dependent on people having access to common resources to make dreams a reality.

    Anarchism is rooted in the here and now. An anarchist´s common bond lies in their recognition that in order to be free, we need to develop ourselves as autonomous independent human beings. We recognise that what stands between us and this brave new world, are the institutions and structures that ruling elites have created to justify and maintain the power they are able to exercise over millions of people.

    Anarchists challenge the right of those elements in society that exercise power by creating structures and institutions that allow people to individually and collectively make decisions about their lives and which allows them to use the common wealth to make their decisions a reality.


    The Anarchist Age
    https://home.vicnet.net.au/~anarch/mainindex.html

    Cheerio, and may peace and happiness be the final outcome for all of our lives of suffering,

    Mark.
     
  7. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

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    Mark,

    Thanks very much for your writings and time. Just as a heads up to you.. have you ever run across the concept of Georgism by Henry George. A surprising amount have not.

    It would appear to fit many of your ideals and perhaps offer a solution.

    I have read a bit on this man and ''georgism'' but have yet to really get my head across it.

    https://www.wordwebonline.com/search.pl?w=georgism

    This is a wiki on him but much much more is written...

    cheers

    floot
     
  8. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day floot :)

    Yeah, thanks for that. I come across Georgism quite a few years ago during my more political-phase of life, and yes it does fit very closely with my current personal ideal. However the latter is a fluid thing, and remains in a constant state of flux, and as such it pretty hard to align it with anything :lol:.

    Interestingly, both Walter Burley Griffin (1876-1937) and his wife Marion Mahony Griffin (1871-1961) were Georgists, among other things (members of the Theosophical Society comes to mind). Many of the politicians in Canberra today could learn a great deal about creating a sustainable community by studying the very people who initially designed the basis for the modern Canberra planning strategy. Kind of ironic, don't you think?

    Anyway, must get back to the books, exams are only a bit over 3-months away :lol:.

    As always, it's been a pleasure, floot. Keep up the great work!

    Cheerio, Mark.

    PS: A great read by an Australian academic that explores a possible alternative to the present economic-rationalist, just-left-of-and-just-right-of-centre government: Beyond Right and Left: New Politics and Culture Wars by Prof David McKnight:
    https://beyondrightandleft.com.au/archiv ... _beyo.html
     
  9. Jez

    Jez Junior Member

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    I don't have time to add anything to this thread (despite my temptations... :lol:), but I've been meaning for some time to wish you the best of luck with your endeavours Mark, both academically and community wise...I hope it all bears fruit for all your effort mate. :thumbright:
     
  10. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day Jez :)

    Thanks for the encouragement. It's a fact that I know via this forum (and other mediums) that there are others out there working just as hard, if not harder to get the message out to the masses that keeps me going. Thanks for all your hard work. Keep it coming!

    Cheerio, Mark.
     
  11. ho-hum

    ho-hum New Member

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  12. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day floot :)

    "Greedy Buggers" - yep, they exist at all levels of society. Thanks for the pointer to the latest news at Rosneath.

    Hooroo, Mark.
     
  13. russellberry

    russellberry New Member

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    seed funding for permaculture village

    Paul Antonelli (cofounder of Somerville Ecovillage (https://www.somervilleecovillage.com.au/) is setting up a public fund specifically for funding ecovillage projects.

    A well-planned permaculture village development may well attract his attention... you can contact Paul or other members of the Green Edge team at this address: https://www.greenedge.org/contact_us.htm.

    good luck...
    Russell.
     
  14. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    G'day Russell :)

    Thank you very much for the links to both Somerville and Greenedge. Both websites have proved to contain a mountain of information that is extremely valuable to us.

    Cheerio, Mark.
     
  15. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Re: Wanted - Financial assistance to seed a permaculture village

    G'day All :D

    Thought it was about time I gave you an update:

    Have almost completed the 2nd year at La Trobe (probably going to do five years now, and leave with an MA):

    https://www.latrobe.edu.au/planning/

    Been working in local government for about 14-months now:

    https://www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/Page/page ... Id=110&h=0

    Volunteering with Landcare, our local Community Planning Action Group, and the Bendigo Sustainability Group, all combine to keep me busy when I'm not at uni or work:

    https://www.bendigosustainability.org.au/

    The above three allow me the opportunity to meet with hundreds of likeminded (not to mention, thousands of un-likeminded) individuals; all good when it comes to expanding my own thoughts and dreams...

    Still working at retrofitting .4 ha here in dry and dusty Bendigo town. Hard work, but we are making some good inroads towards creating a decent (sustainabilty-orientated) place for someone to take over when the time comes to move on to the next BIG project (see: below).

    Still working at expanding the original idea. Have decided to forego the MC2 website as a means of communicating, and instead we are working as a group of dedicated individuals at the local level.

    Scoping a local (urban) site; lots of preliminary issues - heritage constraints and ground contamination are the two biggies, but hoping to be able to spend a bit more time on this project to expand on the opportunities that the site presents - walkability, amenity, public transport at the 'gate' (yes, it has a beautiful old red brick wall along one boundary).

    Still have very little money, but looking at a range of funding options at present. Could even go down the path of creating a PPP...

    Given that Peak Oil, Climate Change, and the 'False' (Wall Street) Economy are all practically MSM articles these days, it will only be a matter of time before some enterprising philanthropist comes our way (nudge, nudge, wink, wink to all you 'rich' people out there).

    Personally, I get tired (16-hour days tend to do that). But every now and then I jump on a bus/train (and/or hitch) to urban locals throughout Australia to scope out ideas from other urban-orientated, eco-communities - thus giving me the opportunity to relax and recharge at the same time.

    I trust that you are all well and as happy as you can be in your respective endeavours.

    Cheerio, maintain the dream, Mark.
     
  16. ozneil

    ozneil Junior Member

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    Re: Greenedge Ethical Investments Limited

    As per Russell's post earlier, the fund has been launched. A prospectus was lodged with ASIC this month and we are aiming to raise a minimum of $8 million before November 14th so that Greenedge Ethical Investments Limited can be floated on the ASX.

    This has been a marathon effort and a number of years in the making.

    In order for the float to succeed, we need some grass roots investors to step up! The minimum investment is $2000 and you can find out more on the web site at https://www.greenedgeethical.com.au.

    The fund will invest in ecovillages such as the SomerVille Ecovillage project and other sustainable developments.

    Neil Robertson
    Greenedge Projects
     
  17. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Re: Wanted - Financial assistance to seed a permaculture village

    G'day Neil :)

    Thanks for the post.

    Greenedge (in its many facets) is something that we are very keen to explore further. My intitial reading leads me to believe that Prof. Peter Newman has a seat on the Greenedge Ethical Investment (GEI) board. This is great news! I have followed Prof. Newman's path for some time, and believe him to be a person of great character.

    We are carefully weighing up our options (given the current economic climate) before exploring further an investment in the ASX.

    I'm personally in the process of reading the GEI prospectus, and will probably not make the closing offer deadline.

    So much to do, so little time...

    Regards, Mark.
     
  18. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Re: Wanted - Financial assistance to seed a permaculture village

    G'day All

    Time flies when you are having fun. Hard to believe it has been nearly 12-months since I gave this ol's baby a 'bump'.

    Time for an update:

    Work: I am no longer employed with the City. After a marathon 2-years of juggling that position, along with a full-time study load, and together with all the other commitments that one acrues in one's life, I have decided it is time to give one of my fellow students a go 'at the coal face'. It was fun, often frustrating, but in the end I learnt so much. All the better for working with the system when the time comes to hang out my own shingle.

    Study: Getting to the pointy end of the third year. Bloody tired of learning about how grim things appear, and have resorted to allowing myself a few brief daydreams of living in utopia, just to get me through the days...

    Subjects covered thus far:

    Year One

    Introduction to Planning and Design
    Reading the Australian Landscape
    Introduction to Sociology and Politics 101
    Principles of Sustainable Development
    Introduction to Statutory Planning
    Globalisation: The Rise of the Modern World
    Introduction to Sociology and Politics 102
    Society, People and Place

    Year Two

    Planning Practice A
    Local and Regional Economic Development
    Rural and Regional Communities
    Asian and Pacific Cities
    Landscape and Humanworld
    Electives

    Year Three

    Planning Practice B
    Australian Cities and Regions
    Climate Futures – Water Land Use and Development
    Electives


    And next year... (final year as an undergrad, or first year of the Master's, depending on which way I hold my tongue...)

    Year Four

    Negotiation, Mediation and Community Consultation
    Principles of Strategic Planning
    Research Methods for Planners
    Statutory and Environmental Planning
    Project Management and Professional Ethics
    Elective


    Homefront: Not a great deal of progress with regards to the retrofit, although I have put a lot of work into developing permeable, yet robust 'universal access' surfaces in and around Zone One in preparation for mobility aides -one family member is starting to get a bit 'wobbly'. Oh, and have spread close to 30 sqaure cubic metres of mulch on the companion gardens and onto a new 15x3x1.5 mt bushfire/flood berm, the inspiration for which came when the local 'roadies' decided to clean out the spoon drains in the street, and I just could'nt bring myself to see all that silt/humus get dumped as useless fill somewhere (a carton of VB is all 5 truckloads 'cost') .

    I've been lending a lot of support these past 12-months to quite a few individuals/collectives with regards to their own projects - everything from doing a few simple designs for chooksheds and mandalas, right through to consulting with a couple of groups who are in the process of implementing eco-village plans. All this has meant that our own plans for developing a village have not progressed very far, although we have decided that location wise, an urban/peri-urban layout will be for the best given that peak oil and CC make it extremely difficult to continue and justify the development of an isolated village, far from essentials such as uni, public transport, schools, hospital, etc.

    On top of reams of papers/journals, and about 20-plus text books, I have been reading a lot from the Collected Works of Murrary Bookchin. I can no longer myself work/study 16-hours plus per day, but I still like to read at least 2-hours of Bookchin per night - and at this rate, I plan to have read his entire life's work by the end of the year.

    After 2-plus-years at the helm of our local Landcare Group, I have reluctantly let go of the tiller and we now have a couple of new and (energetic) individuals heading up that team. I haven't been able to get to the Sustainablity Group for a while, but they are pluggin' along just fine.

    Well, that's enough banter from me. And, just to keep on topic, if there is a wealthy person/organisation out there somewhere who is feeling a little guilty about where their capital may have been 'extracted' from, and they would like to 'put a little back' in order to assuage that guilt, well our urban eco-village group would be only too happy to give you a $5 million 'tax offset' - saw a great site today, would make an excellent village...

    Night all, pleasant dreams, may all of your permaculture endeavours come true, Mark.
     
  19. purplepear

    purplepear Junior Member

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    Re: Wanted - Financial assistance to seed a permaculture village

    Very interesting Mark - I will read the whole post when I have time but consider the posibilities of converting existing ownership into an eco village. Zoning aside, what would it take to turn Purple Pear into an integrated farm- education-village :?:
     
  20. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

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    Re: Wanted - Financial assistance to seed a permaculture village

    G'day Mark (PP)

    All statutory planning issues aside, just like it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a community to build a village. Gather together enough like-minded individuals, then plan, design and build your village. You can't raise a child overnight, likewise it takes time to find enough community members in order to begin the process of building a village. I've been working at the latter for over 10-years now, and slowly (but very surely) I'm building a network of people committed to the vision - to build a village where I can die in peace, and a village where children can grow in peace - cradle to cradle - learning from the distant past, working toward the distant future, living in the moment in peace and harmony.

    Peace, Mark.
     

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