Fwd: Newsletter of the Ecovillage Network of the Americas (ENA) #0009

ENA eNews
Date: April 2005
Issue # 0009
Editor: Giovanni Ciarlo: giovanni-WF638kYi/[email protected]

This is a free Newsletter of the Ecovillage=20
Network of the Americas (ENA)=20
http://ena.ecovillage.org

You can read previous editions of this newsletter in four languages on-line:

    For English and French, go to: http://ena.ecovillage.org/English
    Click on the News button in the sidebar and follow the link to
    eNewsletters.


    For Castellano/Portuguese, go to: http://ena.ecovillage.org/Espanol

    Click on the Noticias in the sidebar and follow the link to Boletin-e.


ENA's mission is: To engage the peoples of the=20
Americas in common effort to join the global=20
transformation towards ecologically, economically=20
and culturally sustainable human settlement.

Our goals are to demonstrate how to meet the=20
needs of present and future generations for a=20
safe and healthy planet to inhabit, and to link=20
like-minded projects in the Americas.

If you find this eNews and other ENA services=20
useful and interesting, please consider=20
contributing to their support. Go to:=20
http://ena.ecovillage.org/English/
Then click on Get Involved! You can print out a=20
donor form to contribute by regular mail OR=20
DONATE ON-LINE BY CREDIT CARD. ENA is a 501(c)(3)=20
nonprofit organization.
A receipt will be sent for tax deduction in the U.S.

~ Visit the Ecovillage eStore on ENA's web pages:=20
http://ena.ecovillage.org/store/index.html
The EV Store offers selected books on Ecovillages and sustainable practices.
~~~~~
NETWORK NEWS

~ The Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) team,=20
prepared and submitted a comprehensive EDE=20
Curriculum to UNITAR and UNESCO for revision and=20
official endorsement in its training programs=20
worldwide. Upon receipt of the second version of=20
the EDE, UNITAR has now written an official=20
endorsement letter. There will be a think thank=20
meeting in late May in Geneva where we will be=20
designing an urban version of the curriculum to=20
be delivered in the UNITAR-CIFAL Training=20
Centers- Kuala Lumpur, Ouagadougou, Durban,=20
Curitiba, Shangai, Lyon. May East and the=20
education team plan a test run of the EDE in=20
conjunction with the spring launching of the=20
Decade of Education for Sustainable Development=20
(DESD) 2005-2014.

~The Urban Ecovillage Network has a steering=20
committee, web pages and a public discussion=20
listserv for people interested in urban=20
sustainability.
To subscribe to this list go to=20
http://urban.ecovillage.org/join/discussion.shtml

~ GEN IS (Information Service) received a grant=20
from Gaia Trust, Denmark to continue to develop=20
the web site and database and to support all of=20
you in using it!
http://gen.ecovillage.org/iservices/

You can register in the GEN database and then=20
post your activities in the Calendar of Events,=20
and the Information and/or Human Resource=20
Directory. We are seeking donations to match the=20
Gaia Trust grant in order to continue development=20
of this database, and decentralize its management=20
to volunteers throughout the Americas. Please=20
support our efforts to link ecovillages,=20
organizations and individuals, and to facilitate=20
the flow of information and camaraderie for those=20
with the common goal of living sustainably.

~~~~~
REGIONAL NEWS
=46or full contact information of regional representatives go to:
http://ena.ecovillage.org/English
Click on the Regional Contacts button in the sidebar.

BRAZIL
Contact: Vanessa Marinho <vanessa-ql8j3wW/[email protected]>

~ Visit the new website of the Brazilian=20
Ecovillage Network -=20
http://geocities.yahoo.com.br/ecovila/

~ The PAN Amazonia Social Forum, which took place=20
in Brazil in January of this year, was a regional=20
version of the World Social Forum in Porto=20
Alegre, Brasil. Diverse social movements came=20
together in search of solutions to the challenges=20
imposed on us by globalization and private=20
agreements among the world's governments, with=20
emphasis on development initiatives and projects=20
that disrespect traditional cultures and the=20
life-style of local societies.

~ ABRA144 is an ecovillage training center with 5=20
years of experience, entering a new phase of=20
growth into a demonstration/learning center for=20
the creation of other ecovillages.

Coming events at Ecovila ABRA144 - Brazil -=20
Introduction to Permaculture in Amazonia - March=20
25 to 27
- 2nd Bioregional Gathering of Amazonia - July 25 to 31
- Yoga Practice for Professionals - September 05 to October 05
- Ecovillage Training - November 01 to 15

Contact:
ABRA144
KM 144 BR Manaus/Boa Vista
Manaus, Brazil
Email: comunidade-ql8j3wW/[email protected]
See - http://www.abra144.org/

=46or the latest from IPEC - Instituto de=20
Permacultura e Ecovilas do Cerrado, see -=20
http://www.ecocentro.org/pdc/
~~~~~

CANADA
Contact: Lee Davies <[email protected]>

Ecovillage Network of Canada (ENC)
OUR VISION: a world of diverse human communities=20
living in a vibrant, balanced and sustainable=20
relationship with each other and all forms of=20
life.

OUR MISSION: to support the development of=20
ecovillages in Canada and provide practical=20
networking between them.

=46or more about ENC, see - http://enc.ecovillage.org
~~~~~

CARIBBEAN
Contacts: Felipe Berm=FAdez <[email protected]>=20
and Liora Adler <[email protected]>

An Update from Cuba: "We have been working a lot=20
here in Cuba and have achieved positive results.=20
We continue to give courses in Permaculture and=20
to promote urban gardens. We now have a new=20
nucleus, which is very strong in Sancti Spiritus.=20
We are preparing a manual of Native Permaculture=20
that will serve as a guide for training and will=20
highlight some of the Cuban experiences."

"We continue to support the Ecovillage project El=20
Jobero and they have made great progress. For the=20
first time we have been able to support them with=20
funding, not a lot, but they have been able to=20
build some basic infrastructure. We are thinking=20
of planning an Ecovillage or Permaculture meeting=20
for 2006 in Cuba. We would like to do this in the=20
Ecovillage el Jobero."
Roberto Sanchez - Ecovillage Network of Cuba
~~~~~

EAST USA
Contacts: Dan Greenberg <[email protected]>=20
and Manda Gillespe <manda-kPat17s6hsgbxOQFlhZDjFaTQe2KTcn/@public.gmane.org>

~ The board of Global Village Institute met in=20
Mazatlan, Mexico in late February to begin=20
planning for the launch later this year of Gaia=20
University. GVI supports the Ecovillage Training=20
Center at The Farm in Summertown Tennessee, and=20
will be the fiscal umbrella for the new Gaia=20
University (GU) project - an innovative,=20
decentralized, accredited educational institution=20
based on hands-on action learning. Founders Liora=20
Adler, of the GEN International Advisory Board,=20
and Andy Langford, a well known Permaculture=20
instructor, anticipate the debut of the GU=20
website in April 2005 at=20
http://www.gaiauniversity.org/

~ The Ecovillage Training Center at The Farm in=20
Summertown, TN has a continuous schedule of=20
courses on how to build ecovillages, and the use=20
of appropriate technology. To see a schedule of=20
the full list of courses offered at the EVTC go=20
to their web site at: http://www.thefarm.org/etc/

~ Earthaven Ecovillage in North Carolina offers a=20
wide variety of training courses on ecovillages,=20
permaculture and sustainability.
Contact: Kimchi
Phone: 866-666-9935
Email: info-2qMXety6I7SzU/N8/[email protected]
Course schedule at: http://www.earthaven.org
Living Routes education initiatives offer college=20
credit courses in ecovillages around the world.=20
See - http://www.LivingRoutes.org
~~~~~

MESOAMERICA
Contacts: Giovanni Ciarlo=20
<giovanni-WF638kYi/[email protected]> and Laura Kuri=20
<lakuri-U3l52lz/[email protected]>

~ The emerging ecovillage at Huehuecoyotl in=20
Tepoztlan, Mexico in partnership with the=20
International Institute for Facilitation and=20
Consensus http://www.iifac.org just completed its=20
first ecovillage immersion course with Living=20
Routes <http://www.LivingRoutes.org> During the=20
first 3 weeks of January, 12 Students from 3=20
universities, and a professor from University of=20
Massachusetts took a course on "Participatory=20
Leadership for Social Change," earning 4 credits=20
towards their undergraduate degree and=20
experiencing ecovillage life firsthand.

Another partnership with Goddard Collage's Health=20
Arts Studies and the Ayotl Bioregional office=20
offered a course entitled "Wisdom of the Elders:=20
Traditional and Alternative Healing Practices of=20
Mexico" See -=20
http://www.goddard.edu/academic/mexico.html
A group of 12 students and professors attended=20
this February course on traditional Healing Arts=20
in an ecovillage setting. Both courses were in=20
English and Spanish.

Watch for upcoming courses and programs at=20
Huehuecoyotl - http://www.huehuecoyote.org
~~~~~

MOBILE
Contacts: Alberto Ruz=20
<subcoyotealberto-/[email protected] > and Pen=E9lope=20
Baquero <laranarcoiris-/[email protected]>

~ After the Call of the Condor gathering in Peru=20
(late 2003), the Rainbow Peace Caravan moved=20
south through Bolivia and into Chile where they=20
are at the moment recovering lost equipment and=20
making modifications to the caravan. Their plan=20
is to continue the journey south, cross the=20
Argentinean border, take the rainbow flag to=20
Tierra del Fuego, winter permitting, and then=20
start moving back to Brasil, to participate in=20
another large international Vision Council for=20
Bioregional Action (Chamado do Beija Flor), to=20
take place September 17-31 near Alto Paraiso in=20
the heart of Brazil. See -=20
http://www.lacaravana.org

Alberto is also promoting his book of Caravana=20
stories: "Hay Tantos Caminos (So Many Roads)" in=20
Spanish only.
~~~~~

NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA
Contacts: Enrique Hidalgo <=20
[email protected] > and Carlos G=F3mez=20
(Pato) <pato-WF638kYi/[email protected]>

~ People interested in receiving the "barter"=20
newsletter "No Nos Llamamos Plata" (Our Name Is=20
Not Money), which is now in its thirtieth=20
edition, please write to: <laplatasel-ffYwq3mnmPKIwRZHo2/[email protected]>=20
where you can also find more information on=20
setting up a barter system and about barter=20
festivals in South America.

~Two emerging ecovillages in Colombia are now=20
registered with the EV online directory. They are=20
Ecoaldea Atl=E1ntida and Ecoaldea Villa Maga. The=20
later will host a Permaculture certification=20
course in November 2005. Write to Pato for more=20
information: <pato-WF638kYi/[email protected]>

~ For the latest news on "El Poncho Ecocenter"=20
and the "Quilla Tunari" Ecovillage in Marquina-=20
Bolivia, see-=20
http://groups.msn.com/ilppictures/_homepage.msnw?pgmarket=3Den-us
~~~~~

SOUTHERN SOUTH AMERICA
Contacts: Lucia Battegazzore <=20
7generaciones-WF638kYi/[email protected]> Silvia Balado=20
<[email protected]>

~Salvadores De Semillas (Seed Savers) Asociaci=F3n=20
Gaia-Argentina has been offering within its=20
Ecovillage project a series of intensive courses=20
on Organic Open Pollination Seed Production,=20
attended by small growers, from various places=20
throughout Latin America. This initiative led to=20
the formation of the Latin American Network of=20
Seed Savers with the goal of maintaining and=20
exchanging genetic materials from=20
non-conventional varieties and species of plants.=20
All interested in participating are welcomed.

Education Progarms at the Gaia-Argentina Living and Learning Center:
"Learning and Exploring the Sustainable Life" April 1 to 10, 2005
Many opportunities to observe the functioning of=20
Permaculture systems at various stages of=20
development: Permaculture principles - Design=20
strategies; Forest Gardens - Wind screens;=20
Nurseries - Seed production and conservation;=20
Pond building and maintenance; Natural Building;=20
Appropriate Technologies: wood efficient clay=20
ovens, thermal mass and solar power,
wind energy systems; Gray water treatment - Dry=20
toilets; Natural kitchen, bread and fruit-jam=20
making; Community organization - Consensus=20
decision makingS
=46or More information contact: Asociaci=F3n Gaia -=20
Instituto Argentino de Permacultura
Tel: (+54-2272) 492072 - Mobile (+54-2227) 15552554
http://www.gaia.org.ar / Email: [email protected]

WEST USA
Contacts: Lois Arkin <[email protected] > and Jeff=20
Clearwater <[email protected]>

~ Laughing Planet Ecovillage seeks new members!=20
We are a fun-loving group of lively, passionate=20
individuals who will be moving to 26 beautiful=20
acres on Vashon Island, WA. We are offering=20
affordable cohousing for families, couples and=20
singles. Art and music play major roles in our=20
community. We see our move to community and to=20
living cooperatively as a positive step we can=20
take to promote change. Our Mission Statement and=20
Communication Guidelines generate a respectful,=20
creative environment that will help us thrive.=20
See - http://www.laughingplanet.net For more=20
information call Joy (206) 547-4167 or Margaret=20
(206) 525-0630.

~ ECOVILLAGE NETWORK OF LOS ANGELES Although very=20
embryonic, a half dozen small groups interested=20
in beginning ecovillage processes in various=20
neighborhoods around Los Angeles have begun to=20
meet and talk about their mutual interests,=20
resources and needs. The initial talks are being=20
sponsored by CRSP Institute for Urban=20
Ecovillages. Watch for updates.

~ Portland Oregon's City Repair Project=20
http://www.cityrepair.org made its debut with a=20
splash in Los Angeles. Dozens of Intersection=20
Repair projects in Portland are already forming=20
the foundation for a network of urban=20
ecovillages. One Portland project, Dignity=20
Village, is quite advanced as an ecovillage=20
developed by a group of homeless persons with=20
help from City Repair Portland. See=20
http://www.outofthedoorways.org/

The basic concept of City Repair work asks=20
neighbors to look at the intersection of their=20
streets as a way to consider the intersection of=20
their lives. With neighbors working together to=20
transform the street intersections into public=20
plazas, the lives of people in a neighborhood=20
come together in creative and supportive ways=20
that increase the quality of neighborhood life=20
while reducing environmental impacts.
~~~

RESOURCES and CALENDAR
=46or extensive listings, see: http://ena.ecovillage.org/English
Click on Resources or Calendar

~ Action in Place: Promoting Community and Environmental Sustainability
October 6-9, 2005 Goddard College, Plainfield, Vermont
Call for Presentations.
Join us to celebrate and learn from the=20
experiences of those involved in community-based=20
initiatives to promote environmental, economic,=20
and community sustainability. For more=20
information, see -=20
http://www.goddard.edu/academic/actioninplace.html

~ Books: Alternative Urban Futures: Planning for=20
Sustainable Development in Cities Throughout the=20
World, Rowman and Littlefield Inc. February/March=20
2004. The book's focus is on ecologically and=20
socially responsible planning and management of=20
the urban infrastructure in five critical areas:=20
water supply and management, waste minimization=20
and management, energy production and use,=20
transportation, and food systems. Each chapter=20
includes examples of ecologically and socially=20
responsible planning and policy approaches that=20
have been successfully implemented in cities=20
throughout the world. One of the book's important=20
contributions is its focus on sustainable=20
development planning in cities in Eastern Europe,=20
Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
~ The Fellowship for Intentional Community is=20
publishing a new version of the Communities=20
Directory in the summer of 2005, with over 500=20
communities updated and ready to
be listed. Visit - http://www.ic.org
~ Organic Volunteers is a network of internships=20
and educational opportunities in sustainability.=20
Currently the network contains over 700=20
opportunities in the USA and 9000 volunteers. The=20
website averages 17,000 hits a day. Now the=20
network is expanding to Latin America. In=20
addition to providing volunteers this program can=20
help Latin American sustainability projects by=20
providing paying students and guests. See -=20
http://www.GrowFood.org
~~~~~

Special thanks to Stephan and Chris Wik of ANU=20
Internet Services, web host for the Global=20
Ecovillage Network. See - http://anu.net
Distributed without profit for research,=20
networking and educational purposes, ENA offers=20
this eNews free of charge. If you enjoy this=20
newsletter, please forward it to friends and=20
associates and suggest they subscribe. Copyright=20
2005 - if you plan to publish this information=20
elsewhere please notify us. Contact:=20
ena-WF638kYi/[email protected]
Thank you!


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