9th Congress Proceedings

Earthaven Ecovillage, July 2005

First day's report

On Saturday, July 9, people began arriving from all over the continent, finding their way to the Southern Appalachian - Katuah Bioregion and Earthaven Ecovillage. At registration, everyone was assigned to a "clan," covering everything from child care to kitchen help, with names like Crows, Spiders, Snakes, Butterflies, Coyotes, Deer. These clans had the added purpose of providing small group support. Tours were given of the village's many natural buildings (cob, adobe brick, straw-bale, and timber-frame), hydroelectric plant, composting toilets, graywater systems, the Council Hall, and White Owl Café. Adults and children of all ages, many speaking Spanish, were introduced to this unique village of 60 people. Many tents and canopies were set up in anticipation of the frequent rains (and sweltering sun) in this bioregion. One was designated as a "Healing Tent" and several healers and herbalists were available to help anyone in need.

The formal ceremonial opening of the Congress began at Hidden Valley on Saturday evening. Chanting "Earth my body, water my blood, air my breath and fire my spirit" in English and Spanish, we hiked the path magically lit with candle luminaria prepared by the "Butterfly Clan." Participants eloquently invited the spirits of the 4 directions, of the sky and of Mother Earth, of the water, the trees, the future generations, the children, Thomas Berry, Stephanie Mills, and others to be present with us. Everything was translated into Spanish. Each of about 200 people gave their names and bioregions, and each offered a silent prayer or intention while tossing a stick into the fire. Then came drumming, flute playing, dancing and celebration late into the night!

On Sunday morning, everyone gathered on the Village Green, where on the previous day the outlines of the continent had been traced in cornmeal and oat bran. Everyone went to their respective bioregion. It was so impressive to see that people had come from as far north as British Columbia and Ontario, Canada; and from the south, Mexico, Guatemala, Argentina, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico. There were people from the Ozarks, Chesapeake Bay, Minnesota, the Great Lakes, Florida, California, Puget Sound, Texas, Mississippi, and Maine. The Katuah (Southern Appalachian) bioregion then began a spiral to visit each other bioregion and we chanted, "We are a circle within a circle." Gene and Joyce Marshall of Texas were the only participants to have attended all nine Continental Bioregional Congresses, and they were honored, as well as everyone else who had attended a previous Congress.

Inside Earthaven's earth-plastered straw-bale Council Hall, a huge patchwork turtle created by a previous year's Continental Bioregional Congress graced one wall. A team of some ten facilitators were prepared to lead the week's activities. Besides the scheduled speakers and workshops for Sunday and Monday, and the Council of All Beings to be led by John Seed on Thursday, a lot of time was left open for participants to structure as they pleased through "Open Space." A full schedule of activities for the children included plant walks, making a plant poultice, puppet making, qi gong, looking at creek critters, nature awareness activities, a visit to Rod Rylander's "Hobbit House" up the hill, peace crane origami, and singing.

A parallel schedule of healing and creative arts, largely organized by Zev Friedman, began taking shape. Offerings included yoga, massage, music jamming, tai chi, wood-fired pottery making, and plant walks and fermentation with charismatic local herbalist Frank Cook.

Sunday, July 10 - workshops

Peak Oil - Tad Montgomery
The term "peak oil" means we've used half, not that we've run out; but, the low-hanging fruit has already been picked and the remaining oil will get more and more costly to extract. China has increased its oil consumption 30% last year. Demand worldwide continues to increase, while supply has now peaked or is close to peaking. In the 1950's, M. King Hubbert charted a bell curve of oil extraction. He worked for Shell Oil and predicted that the US oil production would peak in the 1970's; he wasn't believed in 1962, but the real peak in US production was about 1974. An Exxon CEO says 90% of all oil has been discovered. Some say the peak won't come til 2040, but OPEC and especially the Saudis have been known to overstate their reserves. Dick Cheney estimates a 2% annual growth in oil demand and a 3% decline in production, hence by 2010 a 50 million barrel/day shortfall. Optimists point to Canadian tar sands, oil shale, and coal liquification, and reserves in Turkmenistan, etc.

There is resistance to developing alternative technologies, of course, from those who gain big wealth from existing technologies. Oil is very energy dense, versatile, and easily transported compared to alternatives. Supply and demand rose together, now they are diverging.

Energy ratio (net energy) is ratio of energy returned to energy invested. (If ratio is 1, there is no net energy). In the 1940's, oil and gas had an energy ratio of over 100; in the `70's, less than 30, and now, it's 7.5. Coal in the 1950;s: 80, in the `70's, 30. Tar sands require not only energy to heat them but huge quantities of water to melt the tars, and has an energy ratio less than 2. Coal liquification is expensive but has an energy ratio around 7.5. For renewables: Tidal: 15, hydro: 11, wind: 2-90, depending on location; geothermal: 2-13, photovoltaics: 2-10, biodiesel : 3.2 (10-15 if recycled grease is used); ethanol: 1.3 if corn is used, up to 7.5 with other feedstocks; fuel cells: less than 1 (more like a battery). Conservation dwarfs them all.

Implications for food supply: Costs will go up. The average food item in the US travels 1400 miles to table. There is 10 x food's caloric value in embodied fossil fuels (fertilizers, pesticides, trucks, tractors, refrigeration, etc.) = 1 quart of oil per American dinner or 5 barrels per person per year. Opportunity: buy local, organic, seasonal food, permaculture.

Housing, industry: In the northeast, the cost of home heating is already more than is spent on transportation. Suburban commutes and single occupancy vehicles will be obsolete. Energy intensive industries like aluminum, ceramics, paper, may close down.

Transportation: Gas is already $6/gallon in Germany and costs will rise here; public transit yields 250 passenger miles per gallon, cf. 25 for the average U.S. car. Carpools, vanpools, rain, bicycling, walking can catch on. Biofuels will increase. It's better to buy an old car than a new hybrid in terms of embodied energy.

Other implications: every $1 per gallon increase cost Massachusetts $5 billion a year. Electric rates and fertilizer rise with the cost of natural gas. There will be pressure to use coal & nuclear. Wood stoves will increase in Northeast.

Cuba had to decrease petroleum use by 75% when the Soviets cut off their supply; now they have the most sustainable food production system in the world, the best healthcare.

Ecotheater with Joyce Marshall (who has attended all 9 CBC's)
Report by Alex Adleson

The "eco" part of this theatrical form springs from the Greek word for"home." Joyce shared with us her many years of experience in this both theatrical and healing form, originally developed by Maryat Lee. Ecotheater reflects the community in which it is performed and so offers deeper insight into ourselves. This is a true theater for the people, Joyce insisted, because it uses what the community presents and individual stories of people's lives, rather than promoting an agenda. The most important tool for the playwright-director is an audio recorder to capture live dialogue. As a warmup exercise, to activate our sense of spontaneity and story-making, we wove a tapestry made up of additions offered by each person in the circle to a story we all co-created. Our story was about interspecies communication and the creation of an imaginary bioregion of many colors called "Love." In the next exercise, we all wrote spontaneous scenes and elected several of them to enact. The playwright-director was responsible for casting the scene, having those actors read the lines, then to own the characters, abandon the script, and allow a dialogue to emerge naturally. Of course, in the final situation the director switched on the tape recorder and the actors were encouraged to be themselves as these characters. My own script wa selected; it was about a man and a dog having a conversation on a roof. As an ecotheater director, it was a challenge indeed to simply let my wishes go, but I appreciated the opportunity for those castred to explore themselves through the characters. No doubt, from a bioregional perspective, ecotheater could be useful as a tool for reinforcing community by connecting the stories of people's lives in a common forum-also an opportunity for healing.

The view of one EcoTheater Playwright/Director: Joyce Marshall

The fundamental role of EcoTheater is to encourage the development and performance of original theater created by local people. This includes the understanding that theater is a natural, simple and universal ability in everyone and that the telling of your own story has a powerful and life changing impact.

1. EcoTheater is committed to a theater stripped down to its essentials, to what is basic and real, even if crude. This means it does not try to imitate the gloss and polish of professional productions. It is a theater from the bottom up, which can operate on low budget or no budget.

2. EcoTheater is committed to bringing theater back home, honoring local speech and idiom. This means trusting the power of that local voice which does not 'talk down' to its audience.

3. EcoTheater is committed to protecting the authenticity of its productions by not using them to 'grind axes', 'further a cause', or as a tool of propaganda. This means that EcoTheater is art--a purposeful concentrated communication that reveals the mystery of our connectedness.

4. EcoTheater is committed to the role of playwright/director who co-creates scenes with the performers. This means the necessity of learning to take authority as a whole and to ³flip² it. authority is not cut up in little pieces and shared. As seasoned company will, to the untutored eye, flip authority back and forth so rapidly it cannot be seen. This means that the scripts are made to fit the performers, not the other way around.

Bioregional meetings took place for an hour. The Katuah bioregion discussed some of the history. Rob Messick, a volunteer with the Katuah Journal for years, mentioned that the Katuah Bioregional Gathering of 2003 made a lot of plans, but it was too far for the Cumberland and other provinces to travel, so it made more sense for the Blue Ridge Province to have its own meetings and stay in touch with the other provinces via Internet. (All of those present at this gathering were from Blue Ridge.)

Recap of 2003's goals:
Bioregional label for sustainably, locally produced goods -has not happened yet
WNC-barter.net (online barter network; this was established)
Connect with alternative building people
Potlucks to share goods and services (some were held)
Other developments: Jeannie Martin offering "Discovering a Sense of Place," a yearlong class on bioregional flora & fauna, etc. at the UNCA Center for Creative Retirement.

We agreed that bioregionalism has several aspects:
- supporting the local economy
- protecting natural resources, e.g., conservation easements
- greenbelts, not subdivisions, or emulate developments like Davis, CA
- political activism

Several people expressed the desire for more activism, such as talking about our concerns with developers (esp. ridgetop developers); Rob reminded us that of 9 million acres, 1/3 is public land, a great achievement. There is also a need for more education. We need to reframe the debate as the future life of our children and grandchildren.

On Sunday evening, we were greatly entertained by talented Katuah bioregionalists, with Doug Elliott regaling the group with local lore from catfish to groundhogs to dandelions; many talented musicians, storytellers, and singers performed, but many people agreed that 6-year old Mira Tieman was the star of the evening. After dancing exuberantly during many of the musical performances, when the program had formally ended, she urgently asked her mother if she could sing; and then sang "What can one little person do?"

Words to “What Can One Little Person Do?” sung by Mira Tieman:

What can one little person do?
What can one little me or you do?
What can one little person do,
To help this world go ‘round?
One can help another one
And together we can get the job done.
What can one little person do to help this world?

Harriet Tubman was alone
On the darkened road to freedom
But she couldn’t leave her people far behind.
Moses stretched out his hand
She led them to the promised land
‘Cause she knew she had justice on her side.

CHORUS (1st 7 lines)

When Sojourner Truth was free
She got down on her knees
Prayed to God to help her on her way
With her voice and with her might
She fought for what was right
‘Cause she knew she had justice on her side.

CHORUS

Rosa Parks sat on the bus
And the driver said you must
Move to the back of the bus
Or else be thrown in jail
But she stayed and stood her ground
She brought that old law down
‘Cause she knew she had justice on her side.

CHORUS

Brother Martin Luther King
He told the world, “I have a dream”
He led this country’s fight for human rights
We must fight for liberty
Until all of us are free
To know we have justice on our side.

CHORUS

Monday
At the opening on Monday morning, Angelica Flores, a traditional healer from Mexico, smudged everyone with sacred copal smoke and shared an intention setting process. Intentions: "That every day, we care for ourselves and others; let go of egotism we bring from outside; join hearts and will as one being--with the permission of the guardians of the sacred, all the elemental beings and the force of the Spirit who lived here long ago. Breathing deeply, let's inhale the energy and blessings of Great Spirit, fill us with love. Exhaling, let's release our limitations and doubts, let's speak more English and more Spanish. Thanks to all who have given, in organizing this event-giving without expecting anything in return."

Workshops:

Ecovillages - Albert Bates, of The Farm, and co-founder of Ecovillage Network of the Americas, gave a PowerPoint presentation. Wealthy people are imprisoned in their cars and the poor live in the shadow of great wealth. Ecovillages represent another way. Robert and Diane Gilman's definition: "An Ecovillage is a fully featured human settlement in which human activities are integrated into the natural environment in a way that is sustainable into the indefinite future."

In 1991-94, the first international meetings were held of representatives of ecovillages in Denmark, Germany, and Scotland, forming the GEN (Global Ecovillage Network).

Ecovillages are driven by:
1) Social egalitarianism
2) Economic and land use efficiency
3) Spirituality, eco-idealism
4) Now, peak oil (by 2007, $60 a barrel projected)

Monday, 1 PM Speaker's sessions
Subject: Gaia University
Speaker: Liora Adler, Mexico

Liora began with a short history of Gaia University, its origins in the Permaculture, Ecovillage, Co-Housing, Bioregional, Holistic Health, Spirituality and Indigenous support movements and the desire
to provide a "liberating structure" that would link the vision, knowledge and expertise shared while allowing for autonomous action and divergent focus. Gaia University (GU) builds on the the PC Diploma WorkNet system originated by Andy Langford of the UK in 1982 and uses its Action Learning methodology to encourage and support emergent Regional Centers throughout the world to develop accredited degree programs in curriculum related to the Earth's Regeneration.

Through several serendipitous meetings and events, Gaia University received its international accreditation in Novemenber of 2004 even before it was ready to receive any students! GU is accredited through Revans University and the International Management Centres Association through the British Accreditation Council. This international accreditation allows GU to offer degree programs through its Regional affiliate Centers world-wide.

So now, Andy and Liora are in the process of helping the Farm in Tennessee to become a Regional Center. This center, named the Cumberland Bioregion Campus of Gaia U plans to offer degrees in Permaculture Design, Midwifery and Natural Building for 2006 with additional degree programs to follow in 2007.

In August Andy and Liora will take 5 weeks off from traveling to define the first International Programs that Gaia U will offer for 2006. Contemplated are Masters degrees in Permaculture Design, Life Transitions, the Strategic Development of Gaia U at Regional levels, an Open Masters degree (pathway determined by associate with tutor support) and eventually in Bioregionalism, Ecovillage Design, and many others. An update to the website www.gaiauniversity.org should be available by Sept 7, 2005 though much useful information is available now and interested people are invited to write directly to liora@gaiau.org or to sign up on the website under Get Involved.

There are many centers already giving workshops and courses worldwide who are interested to "upgrade" to be able to offer these advanced degree programs Among them are Los Angeles Ecovillage which is creating an Urban Design program, Earthaven which is exploring Permaculture Design, Social Communication, Bioregionalism and other fields of study, Zenergy in New Zealand which is exploring Life Coaching and Facilitation programs. Mexico, South Africa, Australia and China are other countries where interest has been expressed as well as in European Ecovillages: Tamera, Findhorn, Damanhur, Zegg and others.

An advisory board of illustrious professors from many countries is being put together, led by Declan Kennedy, founder of the PC and EV movement in Western European and this is building much support and enthusiasm for Gaia U amongst their associates.

Liora finished by answering the many questions people had and showed slides to illustrate the organizational structures and other aspects of Gaia University. Looks like Gaia U is off to a robust start. www.gaiauniversity.org

______________________
Alejandra Liora Adler
Gaia University Founder and President www.gaiauniversity.org
Global Ecovillage Network International Advisory Council and UN Representative www.ecovillage.org
Global Village Institute Vice-President www.i4at.org

Peak oil: Economic dislocations are expected since we haven't done mitigation. The U.S. Dept. of Energy recommended "mitigation should take place more than 10 years in advance of the peak." According to Matt Simmons (Cheney's energy task force vice chair, member of Council on Foreign Relations, and author of Twilight in the Desert), Saudi oil reserves are vastly overestimated. Richard Heinberg, author of Power Down and The Party's Over, suggests that there are 4 possible responses to peak oil: "last one standing" (fight over dwindling reserves), "magic elixir" (dreams of a hydrogen economy or other fix),"power down" (world wide rationing and sharing), or "build lifeboats" (community solidarity, preservation, and ecovillages).

"Compost Modernism" is the era in which we re-use all our junk in a more sustainable way.

Iceland has an Ecovillage which is 75 years old, completely off grid, with greenhouse gardens, and responsible for planting a million trees on land which was deforested in the 17th century. They use geothermal energy.

Berea College Ecovillage in Kentucky is one of 20 or so colleges where, driven by student demand, courses in sustainable living are offered and the school itself has aspects of an Ecovillage, such as growing some of their own food. Gaia University gives course credit for students visiting and working at any Ecovillage in the world.

Any Ecovillage must fulfill its members' needs for food, water, medicine, sanitation, energy, buildings, waste treatment, local employment, civil order, communication, governance.. The Farm in Tennessee needed to make soil for its depleted 200 acres; in 3 years they became agriculturally self-sufficient (for 300-500 people); however, they decided later to buy their soybeans from the Mississippi Delta rather than grow them in their own environment.

At Crystal Waters in Australia, a dry environment became so rich in water, through cisterns and dams, that 200 species returned to their land.

Rural access to medical services is needed; The Farm trained many midwives. Many ecovillages grow medicinal herbs, as Cubans do now. The Gesundheit Institute started by Patch Adams is a 40 bed facility in rural W. Virginia, where doctors can rotate in for their own rejuvenation and provide free care for patients.

Sanitation: the Dowmus Biolytic Toilet has won an award. It uses both wet anaerobic composting and dry composting with the help of earthworms. Blackwater goes to subsurface drip irrigation for fruit tree roots. Camphill (Steiner) communities for the developmentally disabled do good wastewater management. Reeds growing in gravel beds clean gray or black water, plus cat tail stalks are a great ethanol source.

Cooking: Inexpensive Fresnel lenses concentrate sunlight tenfold; vegetable oil can be run through tubes, heated to 200 degrees C (twice boiling temperature) with the lenses, then stored in a tank; this superheated oil can boil 5 gallons of water in 5 minutes, and can also be used for heating and cooling buildings.

Building: natural building uses local materials which are abundant, creativity, and is sensitive to the local ecology. Terra Viva uses tires and cans to make Earthships; in Peru, they build with stone. Invite the local code officials to a tuition free class! Dignity Village in Portland is a settlement for the homeless built with strawbale, cob, etc. where the homeless work alongside volunteers. In Mexico, woodfired bricks. In Auroville, India, a giant parabolic mirror for ovens. At Twin Oaks, VA, solar heated water. In Gaviotas, Colombia, discarded fluorescent tubes were converted into solar water heaters. In Israel, sewage sludge is used to fertilize date trees.

Local economy: The standard of living is not a function of the total amount of wealth but how many times money cycles within a community.

Civil order: Christiania, Denmark has a common law contract.

Communications: The Farm has its own printing press. The methodology for successful meetings and consensus is crucial.

The Chinese government now wants to build ecovillages; with 60,000 births per day there will be a need for 150 new cities a year. To minimize resource use, ecovillages are a great idea.

The Farm hopes to acquire a watershed. It now has a land trust; there is a goal of 25,000 acres (10 square miles). Where timber companies have clearcut, they will reforest with native species.

Challenges faced by ecovillages:
- financing (especially startup)
- community "glue" and vision
- business support
- whole systems need to be put in place
- disincentives (financial, cultural, government)
- living on the edge.

It helps to network with others! Hence, Ecovillage Network of the Americas.

Watershed Organizing with Barbara Harmony.
Barbara Harmony showed National Water Center Publications:
The National Water Center has published, "We All Live Downstream A Guide to Waste Treament that Stops Water Pollution " promoting composting toilets; Aqua Terra Water Concepts for the Ecological Society and Aqua Terra Meta-ecology and Culture. The National Water Center began in 1979 when a group of concerned citizens helped stop a sewage treatment plant from going into a wildlife area. Also, at Eureka Springs, Arkansas, home of the National Water Center, dowsers were inviteded to bring clean water to the springs. Details of this are described in "Aqua Terra". Water Blessings thanking the water were done at a spring at the new and full moon for two and one-half years.

The Water Committee of the Bioregional Movement has met since 1984 and passed resolutions at each Congress. See www.nationalwatercenter.org. Barbara read each of these resolutions to the group. Summary: In 1984, water was declared the basis of life, and the resolution was to protect its quality. In 1986, water was called “the living blood of the Earth.” Human waste must be kept out of the water, water should not be used as a waste carrier, dilution is not the solution. Industry should recycle water, wetlands should be protected, and transport of water between watersheds should be prohibited. In 1988: No inter-basin transfer of water, urge participation in watershed organizing, don't pump faster than groundwater can recharge, no pollution of aquifers, clean toxified aquifers, form a water workers network. In 1990: Give thanks to the water. 1992: Trips to the headwaters of the Guadalupe River. In 1994: Thank water whenever we drink. 1996 (no resolutions, but a workshop on restoring the watershed) In 2002: ratification of the Cochabamba Declaration.

Others present shared: Juan Tomas works with water utility in San Francisco; he is associated with Planet Drum(.org) and Peter Berg, who are creating a "Green City Program" near Guayacil, Ecuador, an area devastated by quakes and El Nino. Hills have been re-vegetated, small bioregional businesses begun including a recycling industry, with mayor's blessing.

Resources: There is a rainwater harvesting listserv. Write to peace@ipa.net, Barbara Harmony. The National Water Center has a good web page and links. See www.planetaryhealer.net for prayer. Videos:"Thirst" covers privatization in Cochabamba, Bolivia and Stockton, CA."Mother Water" by Luann Lucero tells the story of Peabody Coal using Hopi water for slurry. Books by Masaru Emoto (website: www.hado.net) for images of water crystals and how we influence water. See Maude Barlow's book Blue Gold and Vandana Shiva's Water Wars to learn about water privatization.

The World Water Forum (privatizers) is coming to Mexico City in March, 2006. What should be done? In Mexico City, many residents have no water but rainwater to drink. Arnold Ricalde (attending the Congress), formerly a Green Party member of Parliament, is now directly helping people create ferro-cement cisterns and biological filters. Their bioregion including Mexico City, was once a lake in Aztec times, but the Spanish drained the water, calling it an "enemy of progress." Now, aquifers have been so overpumped that sections of the city have collapsed; pipes have broken, leading to 30% water loss. Rivers are now underground sewer systems; only one is alive and well. People are forced to pay for trucked or bottled water. 30% of all garbage is plastic bottles, and 50% of illnesses are due to bad water quality. The Water Act for Mexico, passed in 2002, is based on respect for the water cycle; it should protect watersheds from logging and building, but the law is not enforced. Coca Cola is buying springs in Mexico. Now Coca Cola is often cheaper than water. The Rio Grande and Colorado rivers are very polluted, yet the US demands the Mexico should provide fresh water to it.

Resolutions for this Congress: Suggestions were made.
Affirm the rights of water to flow in its own natural ways as a living being, and to be recharged naturally. Affirm the rights of all creatures to water. Take active steps for water conservation and protection: collect rainwater, recycle graywater and blackwater after appropriate treatment; promote composting toilets; oppose large hydroelectric systems, promote small; stop pollution of water by industry and agriculture; avoid buying bottled water.

Bless the water. Make the link between fossil fuel and water: one drop of oil contaminates 300 gallons of water; many rivers in Ecuador are no longer usable by indigenous peoples due to the oil pipes (delivering oil to the US) which have broken. Hopi water is diverted for coal slurry. The group made plans to meet again to work more on a resolution.

Los Angeles - Urban Ecovillages with Lois Arkin
Lois founded the LAEV in 1980. A small group wanted to found an ecologically co-operative neighborhood with urban fruit trees, co-housing, LETS (local currency), solar energy, living machines, composting, etc. to demonstrate lower impact living patterns. At first they considered an 11-acre site of "surplus land" (class 3 landfill). They found an ally in the Director of City Planning, a visionary who wrote the demonstration urban ecological village into the city's general plan and got support from the Redevelopment agency, Housing Department, and Mayor's office. Then, in 1992 came the Rodney King incident and Lois' own neighborhood was up in flames. The group decided to forget the 11 acre landfill and focus on the 2 blocks around Lois' home, which was full of gangs, prostitution, racism, drugs, crime, but was also walkable to public transportation, churches, supermarkets, and shopping. Lois had lived there for 13 years and knew a lot of her neighbors. She started a drop-in center in her home, and a newsletter, went canvassing door to door, and held meetings for neighbors. People wanted to discuss crime at the first meeting. Lois asked people to do just a small thing, like ask a neighbor's name and then start to greet that neighbor by name. She also spread "good gossip," telling people good things about their neighbors. Potlucks were held. Soon the fear level went down and at the next meeting, crime was much lower on the list of concerns. For the children, an outdoor lunch of fruit was served, and then each child was given a tree of their favorite fruit, to plant in the neighborhood. A ritual was performed for each tree, with talk about gratitude for the gifts of the tree, as well as education on what the tree needed from people. These trees were well cared for.

To make things happen, says Lois, you need vision, good planning, perseverance, and groundedness.

In 1996, the men with suits and clipboards came, selling buildings. Lois knew who the owners of all 13 buildings in the area were. Property values were low. A 40-unit building was for sale. Their nonprofit organization had by that time a $20K nest egg and a lot of credibility; the purchase price was $500K. They had created a business plan with 15 year projections. They borrowed money from a community revolving loan fund, rather than banks. It took 9 months to raise the $500K, and 3 years later they were able to purchase their second building. Some folks came back to offer a second loan! There are now 500 Ecovillage members in the 2-block area. In their first building, the lobby is used for community dinners, a message center, and a place where agenda items are posted for weekly community meetings. Upstairs, a community room overlooks the whole neighborhood, there's a TV/VCR, kids come there to do homework, and meetings or workshops are held. The people rent apartments at 1/3 to ½ below market cost, and receive a monthly discount of $20 for not owning a car. Affordability of housing is achieved through a community land trust, limited equity housing co-ops, mutual housing association or a nonprofit housing association. One woman has a weaving studio. Food grown in the 200 sq. ft. courtyard includes 50 varieties of fruits and vegetables and rabbits for pets and manure (not currently chickens). The building is 50/50 white and people of color. Nearby buildings include a 40% Asian/Filipino building and a 65% Latino building. In the whole neighborhood there are 100 fruit trees and 6 gardens; a garden co-ordinator helps people get a plot and offers lessons. All are permaculture gardens. Four Farmers' Markets come in on various days of the week.

They created an Eco-park next to the Youth Center. Instead of just grass & trees, they managed to divert some storm water from the drains to create a 500-foot stream bed, with native grasses. Overflow goes back to the storm drain.

One woman secured a $250K grant to make Bimini a traffic-calmed street. Plans are to narrow the street, add cob benches and fruit trees. Mark Lapin from Portland City Repair helped create a plaza, painted, with other pedestrian features. There is a hope to create a demonstration car-free neighborhood. Mass transit is 2 blocks away; the new mayor is very supportive, wanting to compete with Chicago for"greenest city" title, and create a network of Ecovillages in L.A. By forming good relationships with the owners and managers of all buildings, and asking them to rent whenever possible to car-less people, gradually fewer people own cars (now 50%).

Many Asians spoke no English. Lois found out about an illegal rent increase and helped them find a Filipino-speaking lawyer to advocate for their rights; when they won, Lois had a lot of new friends.

The LA County Bike Coalition works with the alternative transportation group. There is a thriving bike repair business.

Los Angeles has gone from being one of the least sustainable cities in the world to one of the most sustainable. The next step is the Ecovillage Network of Los Angeles!

On Tuesday, the opening circle began with Angelica's invocation to come with a high intention to join as one body, to come in balance, full of love and harmonized.

Some announcements: A vendor space will be set up in front of the White Owl Café where goods from Mexico will be available for purchase (purchase helps defray travel expenses for those attending). There is a free seed exchange in the White Owl. Stilt practice today! Today's plenary will decide about Open Space topics. "Clans" will meet during lunches.

In the morning plenary, we heard from our Bioregional elders and leaders. The first speaker was Gene Marshall, who has been a bioregionalist for 21 years. His complete speech follows:

Sharing our Bioregional Vision
Gene Marshall July 2005

This is a talk about sharing our bioregional vision. It is also a personal talk on why I became a bioregionalist and why I have remained one for 21 years. This is also a summation of bioregional traditions that may remind others of you why bioregionalism has held you for a decade or longer. For those of you who are newer to bioregionalism and wondering why you should make this a core movement in your lives, perhaps this overview will help.

I want to begin by reading a poem. This poem was written by Gary Snyder, who provided part of the early inspiration for this movement. Poetry like this has been one thing that has attracted me to bioregionalism.

Selected verses from “Mother Earth: Her Whales” in Turtle Island page 47

I was also attracted to bioregionalism because it has some BIG IDEAS.

One of them is Reinhabitation, a big word which I read in an essay by Peter Berg, an idea which I believe Berg got from Gary Snyder.

1. Reinhabitation

Reinhabitation is a wonderfully profound notion. It means transforming our sense of “home.” Here is how you become a bioregionalist. You leap up into the air and come down at the same place. You reinhabit your same place. I become a bioregionalist when I leap up out of zip code district 75418, out of Fannin County Texas, out of Texas and the US and then come back down to the same place which I now see differently: The Red River Flats; The Blackland Prairie; The Great Prairie extending from the Mexican border into Manitoba, Canada; the continent of Turtle Island; and the planet Earth. These are now my home regions.

Anyone can make this leap. When they do they are bioregionalists. This is how we spread the bioregional movement. We just get everyone on Earth to jump up in the air and come back down to the very same place but changed.

Our new home is discerned by humans as a gift from the planet. It is a region of geographical features, flora, fauna, and also humans.

Perhaps we have known all along that this was our home, but have been confused by neighbors who told us that we were Texans or Canadians or Mexicans or Southerners or New Englanders.

All along we may have felt bonded with a particular set of animals, trees, grasses, flowers, birds, geographical features, weather patterns, seasons, and other humans who notice and revere these special gifts. But until we make the reinhabitation leap, we may not have seen clearly that this region of natural reality is our home.

We may, of course, move to another place, another region, but when we get there that region is our home. Even if we are a modern nomad who travels widely, we travel from region to region of this planet. Even if we journey into outer space, we must take a piece of our planet with us.

THIS PLANET AND ITS REGIONS IS OUR HOME.

Here is a second BIG IDEA that won me to bioregionalism. At the first North American Bioregional Congress, I attended a workshop led by David Haenke in which he introduced the phrases “Legitimate Governance” and “Illegitimate Governance.”

2. Legitimate Governance

The current nation states of industrial civilization are illegitimate governance because they do not obey the law. They do not obey the natural law, the fundamental limits and possibilities of planet Earth.

The planet Earth has its own governing rules built into its very rocks, oceans, atmosphere, life processes, and human interactions. But industrial civilization has been built on the premise that humanity can get away with disregarding these rules. Illegitimate human governance is governance that only pays attention to economic growth, the well-being of the biggest and strongest corporations, the competitive advantage of a particular group of people, the cost of living, the development of jobs, and the widespread availability of ever cheaper necessities and luxuries.

A society cannot get away with this narrow focus indefinitely. We are driving off the ecological cliff. This is why our current industrial nations are illegitimate governance.

The term “congressing,” as we use it here, is about legitimate governance. Congressing means coming together. We come together to govern our lives and our planet differently. We have talked about this movement being a shadow government – an unauthorized quest for governing legitimately. Some people have not liked the word “congress.” It reminds them too much of the travesties that go on in Washington D.C. But “congress” is a good word; it simply means genuine meeting, genuine coming together. We might give the framers of the US Constitution credit for choosing this good word, even if US congresspersons have not lived up to it. Anyhow, we are here to congress as legitimate government of the planet and all its regions.

Most of the tribal societies of antiquity had legitimate governance; they honored and obeyed their surroundings. But the large classical civilizations that began about 6000 years ago fell into illegitimate governance. First of all, civilizations were hierarchical structures -- Kings aristocracy, peasants slaves, and, last of all, nature.

Civilizations were built on the principle of human rule over nature. The all-out use of nature was standard operating procedure. Some civilizations have cared for the Earth better than others. On the other hand, many destroyed themselves with their anti-ecological practices. Civilizations have been illegitimate governance from the beginning. They were constructed to obey the laws of a king not the laws of a natural place.

The Great religions that began coming into being about 3000 years ago moderated these illegitimate governments somewhat. They obeyed a Reality larger than their society.

Democratic revolutions of the 18th century also moderated civilization. They did away with complete topdown governance and began to empower individual persons and their home places. The full development of the ecological revolution means more than moderating civilization. It means doing away with civilization as our basic mode of governance. Top-down aristocratic governance employing all-out use of the Earth and all-out war with every other civilization is not a viable social vehicle to travel in. Civilization is not legitimate governance.

So as bioregionalists, we need not talk proudly of ourselves as being civilized. We must be post-civilized. We must be more than civilized. We are for legitimate governance that conducts a mutually enhancing relation with the planet.

While we may have many disagreements about what this means, I believe that we can agree on this much: the future we envision does not mean returning to the mode of tribal society. We must create a third mode of social organization that has never existed before.

And we are not talking about complete anarchy. There must be governance, but it needs to be legitimate governance -- governance that obeys the law – that is, the limits and possibilities of the planet Earth.

Governance is a natural social process, like education, music performance, dancing, nursing, and child rearing. Governing is an essential social process. No human society has ever been without it. No human society can ever be without it. The issue is not doing away with human governance, but saying clearly what we mean by legitimate governance.

However controversial legitimate governance may be, I believe it is a core theme of the bioregional movement and one of the reasons why I am a bioregionalist.

* * * * * * *
Here is a third BIG IDEA of bioregionalism: Human Scale. This idea was first introduced to me by E .F. Schumacher in his book Small is Beautiful. Later, I read all the way through a big thick book by Kirkpatrick Sale entitled Human Scale. Another way we have talked about this idea is with the term “decentralization.”

3. Human Scale

“Human scale” is probably a more accurate way of talking about what E. F. Schumacher was saying in his classic book Small is Beautiful. Social institutions are not beautiful because they are small. Small institutions can even be ugly because they are too small. A beautiful social institution is beautiful because it fits the human beings for whom it is designed. A beautiful society is an appropriate servant designed to serve humans and the planet of which humans are part.

The notion of human scale opposes the notion that bigger is always better. Growth is not always a good thing. Physical growth for a child is quite appropriate. But for an adult further physical growth can become a disease. It is not human scale to grow to ten feet tall. It is not human scale to grow to 850 pounds. Such growth is clearly counterproductive and destructive of our optimal living. Endless growth is also destructive in the area of economic structures. The notion that an economy can simply grow its way out of every difficulty is bad medicine from a malpracticing social doctor.

There are obviously limits to growth in every natural system. If we only look at numbers on a corporation spreadsheet, growth may seem to be good, especially to a stockholder or an executive hoping for a still bigger salary. But growth of human economies within natural environments has limits.

“Decentralization” is a companion idea with “human scale.” Decentralization need not mean ignoring planetary scopes of decision making. We need the confederation of decision making from local to global. We need to make every decision we can locally, then regionally, then continentally, then planetarily.

* * * * * * *
So here are three BIG IDEAS that characterize bioregionalism: Reinhabitation, Legitimate Governance in accord with Nature, and Human Scale or decentralization. These are basic themes and commitments of the bioregional movement.

* * * * * *
In addition to these three BIG IDEAS, I want to talk about three social processes:
Consensus Processing, Ecofeminism, and Ceremonial Companionship.

Consensus processing was introduced at the very first bioregional congress. Caroline Estes taught us how and helped us for years afterward. In more recent times Bea Briggs and her crew have enriched this theme and trained hundreds in it. My wife Joyce and a number of others have also contributed to this important heritage of our movement.

Ecofeminism was strongly introduced at the third congress by Judith Plant. Starhawk also gave it a big push. And others have led many committees on this topic.

By Ceremonial companionship I am think ing of many things – everything from Caryn Goldberg's poetry to Alberto Ruz and his Mexican pageantry crew. I also think of a tall pole at the center of the meeting area at NABC two; Native American drums at congress three; cultural sharing evenings; spiral dances, pipe ceremonies, and the list goes on. I believe that this is an important element of our movement.

I will look first at Consensus Processing

4. Consensus Processing

Bioregionalism has emphasized consensus processing in all our congresses. Sitting in a circle and simply listening to one another speak is the foundational aspect of consensus building. It is a deep honoring of one another to truly listen without flitting away into planning what we want to say or what we think or don’t think. And it is an honoring of ourselves to truly speak from the heart to those who honor us with their listening.

Consensus building includes conflicts and disagreements, but it is different from a debate in which one team wins and another team loses. Consensus building is a mutually enhancing quest for the truth, the practical truth about what is called for in action by all of us participating in this consensus-building process.

Consensus decision making may include vast disagreements, hot passions, deep arguments, and perpetual conflicts. But in good consensus building, people transcend these conflicts by their continued listening and by the willingness to remember that none of us has the whole truth in our pockets.

Consensus building can seem strange to some people, but it is a natural process like gravity, like evolution.

Ancient tribal societies did not use the words “consensus,” or “congressing,” but many of them manifested what we are pointing to with our bioregional terms “consensus-building congressing.” They gathered around and talked things through.

Most civilizations attempted to do away with consensus building through the establishment of a royalty who made all the big decisions and a peasantry and slaves who did what they were ordered to do. Yet even in those thoroughly hierarchical societies, consensus processing kept cropping up.

Representative democracy came into being as an attempt to move toward consensus processing once again. This was far from perfect consensus building, but it did demote the kings, or at least replace them with “wannabe” kings who have had to appeal to voters from time to time. Nevertheless, the natural process of consensus processing still cries out to express itself more fully in every society.

In 1984 this cry for consensus building manifested in a radical and satisfying manner in the meeting we remember as the First North American Bioregional Congress. Concensus builiding was discussed and practiced at that meeting and some of our lives have never been the same since.

Many of us have had our doubts about the need for consensus building. And our doubts are understandable, for consensus building is a very deep dynamic, not easily understood. Even people who understand it pretty well for small groups do not see how it applies to large groups, whole regions, whole movements, whole continents, or to the planetary decision making of the entire human species.

In small groups consensus building can be done informally and relatively easily if everyone there is willing to use this method. In large groups more formal means are needed. And on a national or planetary scale, we need to invent social devices that we do not now have.

One interesting suggestion in this regard is Jim Rough’s idea of Wisdom Councils which he describes in his book Society’s Breakthrough!. I will summarize his insights briefly. He recommends that each political body select at random 24 registered voters who are then paid to meet together for a month and build consensus papers for that scope of governance. Then these papers are published to all citizens, and they are expected to provide context for the formal legislative bodies. Rough sees this as the development of a fourth branch of government that provides another check and balance, a check and balance than honors consensus processing and citizen participation. Rough’s vision may be long-range, but it is a promising design.

Meanwhile, we who are the bioregional movement have the historical assignment to keep consensus-building congressing alive and evolving toward its full realization.

5. Ecofeminism

Next, let us look at ecofeminism. While ecofeminism developed out of many sources besides bioregionalism, it found a deep home in bioregionalism. Bioregionalism would not be the culture it has become without ecofeminism. It is a foundational understanding within bioregional culture that male prerogatives need to be set aside, and feminine energies in both males and females released.

In our early congresses we took pains to make sure that men did not do all the talking while women sat quietly by. This is no longer a problem. But in those early days we alternated men and women speaking to assure feminine participation in our meetings.

We have also had men and women meeting separately and exploring in those groups what is happening to each of the genders in these times.

Still more profoundly, we have understood that the same oppressive patterns that are oppressing women are also the patterns that are oppressing the planet. Just as men have demeaned women by consciously or unconsciously using them as mere resources for their “grand” aims, so human society has demeaned the claims of the natural planet in favor of humanly constructed uses of the natural world.

Some of our bioregional men have resisted the ecofeminist emphasis, but we need to understand that true feminism is not about the defeat of maleness. It is about the recovery of a dimension of humanness that has been culturally suppressed in both men and women.

The issues here are very complex and still deeply controversial. Nevertheless, the bioregional vision includes a full commitment to ecofeminism. Furthermore, ecofeminism opens up new depths in our ability to overcome racism, homophobia, and religious bigotries. Our picture of the bioregional vision is incomplete without including these culturally progressive elements.

6. Ceremonial Companionship

Finally, I want to speak of Ceremonial Companionship. This includes a very long list of things: pageantry, cultural sharings, singing, dancing, poetry readings, poetry composition, animal costumes, circles, simple rituals, sunrise and sunset ceremonies, fireside chats, go rounds, talking circles, drumming, celebrations, EcoTheater, peer counseling, representation of animal species, sweat lodges, Native American lore, and many other efforts to recover our deep connections with nature.

None of us do all these things. But all of us do some of them. These practices are not unique to the bioregional movement. So why are such ceremonies a core theme of the bioregional movement?

Because the bioregional movement is basically a cultural movement and only secondarily an economic and political force. It is a core aspect of our vision that the transformation called for by the outward sweep of our era is also a profound revolution in the inner beings of those who are responding to these vast challenges.

Specifically, bioregionalists assume that there is more mystery in a spoonful of soil than there is wisdom in all the libraries of humanity. Bioregionalists affirm what our best scientists realize – namely, that the more we know about nature, the more we know we don’t know. Good science is an exploration into the sheer mystery of reality. Good art and good religion is also an exploration into the sheer mystery of reality.

Being open to the ever-deepening mystery of everything is part of what it means to bond with nature in a bioregional sense.

Also, massive social transitions begin with spirit awakenings and with the cultural expression of new and deeper consciousness. Then that new cultural formation undergirds the political and economic transformations that are so obviously needed.

Understanding and embodying this theme is one of the strengths of bioregionalism. And it is one of the themes that draws me to bioregionalism. I would not want to be without it. And this theme is important for drawing others to this movement.

Underneath these ceremonial practices is the reality that bioregionalism is a Spirit movement. It touches into our essential human nature. It touches our awareness of Mystery and authenticity. It touches our awareness of sacrificial calling to bring justice and ecological health to the planet.

But Bioregionalism is not a religious movement and not a religion. It is an umbrella movement of people doing many religious practices: Native American, Christian, Jewish, Pagan, Taoist, Buddhist, Hindu. Deep ecology is a sort of religion for some people. Permaculture is a sort of religion for some people. Some people even make bioregionalism itself their religion.

We have a mutual agreement to not force our specific religious practice on each other. We do not claim that every bioregionalist needs to handle their Spirit journey in the same way. We are an umbrella movement containing a vast variety of eco-philosophies and Spirit disciplines.

Nevertheless, we can talk with one another about Spirit matters and seek to work together to make the culture of bioregionalism a rich Sprit experience. This is important for our local organizing. We are tolerant, welcoming all. At the same time we want our meetings to have Spirit depth.

People come again and again to meetings that are nurturing to them. If they are not nurturing, they do not find them important enough to attend. Boring, arid, overly intellectual meetings can drive many people away.

Here are six reasons why I am a bioregionalist and have remained a bioregionalist for 21 years:

Reinhabitation of the natural planet
Legitimate Government that obeys natural reality
Human Scale or the Decentralization of Power
Consensus Processing
Ecofeminism
and Ceremonial Companionship

There are other bioregional themes that are also important to me:

Environmental Restoration
Economic Innovations
Eco-Politics is an especially wonderful and controversial area.

Each of these additional themes is important, but I will not delve into them this morning. We want to spend the rest of our time in this session hearing from a few others. Ken is going to lead that conversation.
***

Other veteran bioregionalists then gave short talks.

Bea Briggs: "I can't help it. It makes the most sense." Through this movement, she found her life work, and a new home (Mexico), then, if that wasn't enough transformation, she discovered the South American continent!

Ken: Being of the land, peeling away layers that hid it; the seasons enrich him.

Laura Kuri: The bioregional movement is networking with allies of many places, to care for the land; find relationships within nature.

Glen Makepeace: CBCs are a re-emergence of the ancient tradition of ceremonial village, with purpose of occasional gathering to re-inspire each other with vision of how the universe works (very different from empire). The circle is the central metaphor; every voice is equal. The visionary function is healing. "Civilization is an auto-immune disease on the planet," he said. Our vision is a healing vision.

Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg: “The reason I am a bioregionalist is the same as the reason I am a poet. It's about opening our senses to the planet and learning what it is to live in this body and on this body, stripping away the language that harms, finding our true voice and vision, learning to love better --ourselves, each other, the Earth. Like Beatrice Briggs, bioregionalism brought me to another land from where I grew up - Kansas, where I found my community, my husband, and my children. I thank all of you for coming back to this circle that I dream of and am healed by.”

Rudolfo Gonzalez: Living on an island (Dominican Republic) that was once part of the continent. Finding his place is a reason to reinhabit Earth. "Coming here inspires me a lot."

The plenaries were set up to decide our themes. The rules were: consensus, help the facilitator, raise hands, no speech longer than 2 minutes, everyone participates. Bea Briggs briefly described the consensus process. The planners of the Congress wanted a strong emphasis on creating "Tool kits" for local bioregional organizing. A tool kit could be resources, websites, books, organizing tips, bibliographies, updates, etc. A tool kit could also be a series of questions. "Breakout groups" were planned to generate these tool kits. These toolkits might then be distributed via the website. Katherine Adams has a bibliography on bioregionalism, there is also a bioregional reader and a "Sense of Place" course on bioregionalism from the NorthWest Earth Institute. Many felt the need to have more action orientation, more grassroots work, more emphasis on fulfilling basic human needs within each bioregion. Some felt that people who are comfortable are less likely to embrace change, and that it made sense to go to places like Mexico where there is a desperate need for water and for permaculture solutions. Others felt that our role is to inspire others to see the value of our place in nature. "The function of a ceremonial village is to inspire so we can become agents of transformation," said Gene Marshall.

For the two Open Space sessions, a huge variety of topics were proposed. Here are summaries of two of them:

GATT, NAFTA, CAFTA and "afta" - led by David Wheeler of North Carolina. These organizations of corporate globalization are forcing everything into corporate hands, destroying environmental regulations, labor unions, and democracy. The World Trade Organization can override environmental laws and safety regulations of any country if a company challenges them. Suits can impose economic sanctions for "barriers to free trade." There are no democratic controls. The World Bank sets rules about trade, NAFTA brings rules to the WTO to decide. CAFTA and FTAA are not yet fully created.

Many jobs have been exported to countries like Mexico for the cheaper labor and fewer environmental regulations. The popular belief is that jobs leave "because unions are rotten and environmentalists pass unreasonable laws that force corporations to move overseas." How do we respond? In Seattle and Cancun at least, meetings got stopped by the huge demonstrations. We need to educate people re: why Bolton is being pushed for a UN post (to "reform" the UN by making it less democratic). The WTO is behind putting holistic health purveyors out of business, making herbs illegal to grow: the "criminalization of alternative medicine." Instead, we need to criminalize corporate greed!

Small local alternative movements are not enough, we need grassroots political action as well. We can educate people by showing videos like "The End of Suburbia," "The Corporation," "The Future of Food" (by Jerry Garcia's widow) etc. Let's reclaim our language, such as the word"conservative," which originally meant to conserve what is of value (such as our democracy, ecosystems, local economies). The neo-cons are radical in their plan to demolish all of these. The Bioregional agenda of building strong local economies and local businesses can appeal to many Republicans who are not convinced of the Bush agenda. The other way, giving huge tax breaks to large businesses to lure them to areas like N.C., is less effective in job creation or building the economy than micro-enterprise projects. "Sustainable Martha's Vineyard" promotes the local farmers' market and CSAs. Shares of wind power can be sold to residents of Cape Cod and the islands. The Farm & Food project in Albany, NY, brings farmers into the city and inner city so people can develop personal relationships with farmers. Windmills in N. Dakota are helping to save farms by providing their own power and some to sell.

As people lose their faith in collapsing systems, there is opportunity. Some talk radio stations can help educate people. Replacing centralized energy and power with wind and solar and conservation is a trend toward decentralization. Energy price increases can be good in that they make alternatives look better, but we must remember that the poor are usually hurt most. We need to help low-income communities become more energy self-sufficient.

Some churches are adopting environmental ethics. Ask people: "Who owns your food? What's source of your food?" "Who owns the electric power/gas/oil and where does it come from?" "Who owns your water and what is its source?" "What goods are manufactured in your locality?"

There was some disagreement within the group concerning the efficacy of visualizing sending love to those WTO leaders who are determining what happens to our food (irradiation, etc.) Gene Marshall did not want the Bioregional movement to be seen as "superstitious." Others felt that this was an experiment worth trying. Gene saw the need for more education; too many people believe the media. Arnold Ricalde of Mexico City urged northerners to come help Mexico City residents work on specific project, help build demonstration centers, rainwater catchment systems and dry toilets at this time of water scarcity. Improving conditions in Mexico affects everyone in NAFTA, he said, and will benefit all of us; Mexicans will be very receptive. Others agreed that this might be doing the most with the least effort, and helping stop the globalization of water by giving control back to the people.

In the evening, a group led by Angelica Flores and Ullrich and Ted came together to appeal to the higher nature of WTO members, sending focused loving energy. We meditated together to send our intention of love and opening their minds to seeing in a different way.

Wednesday: "We'll conserve what we love, we'll love what we understand, we'll understand what we are taught. So, teach each other what we love."

How can we best inspire and educate our local community? What is the contribution bioregionalism can make on each issue we are passionate about? Out of a sharing of our passionate issues, some themes emerged and were grouped in order to organize the break-out groups for the rest of the week. Themes were: health & healing; art & culture; spirituality & eco-spirituality; activism; energy; food & agriculture; systems thinking & permaculture; water; peak oil & economics; urban issues; intentional communities; bioregional organizing; local bioregional organizing; inclusiveness; and education.

Passions:

Comunicacion: Los instrumentos en las diferentes escalas (inside and outside)
- Maria Susana

Positive connection with others;I want support and tools/suggestions for how to bring
the "bioregional conversation" to the greater community.
- Monica

Finding universally acceptable language to communicate "outside the choir" what we already know/what needs to be done.
- Julie Clark

Eco-Spirituality-- As a means to help us learn the importance of living sustainably.
- Mary Armstrong

Divertirnos bailar salsa. Enjoy ourselves dancing salsa
- Fabiola (bebé)

Creating art and design projects that inspire ecological transformation.
- Nelson

Art-Music-Sharing Eco-awareness with mainstream culture – spirituality and meditation; inspiring each other.
- Vedanta

Spirituality; Tools to connect with one another more deeply
- Alex Edleson

Healing -- using personal health as a means to heal the earth
- Adam

Health care: I want to learn, to integrate, and to access resources available here.
- Rafael Comp.

Ceremonial village in which we inspire ourselves with visionary rituals, stories, ceremonies, etc.
- Glen Makepeace

Nurturing connection with the life we are all part of – that’s inside ourselves and in our larger self – the one.
- Jacob Zammito (A&A)

To learn the skills necessary to magically empower, heal, & manifest divine will
- Darren

Community creates Community
- Michael

Internalizing the bioregion (feeling at home)
- Jane Schroeder

Terrorism & war
- Dennis Hoffarth

Raising consciousness -- love for the earth, care for each other, regeneration.
- Tad Montgomery

Symbiosis between the communities/ecovillages movements and the bioregionalism movement
- Josh Lockyer

Busco inspiracion para transcender la cultura predominante. "Civilizacion." Inspiracion - fuerza - Energia – Herramientas. Aqui he encontrado algunas . (I'm looking for inspiration to transcend the predominant culture. "Civilization." Inspiration - strength - energy - tools. Here I have found some.)
- Rodolfo

To connect with people in my geographic bioregion and my "heart/soul bioregion"* who are working on projects I can help with. (*"heart/soul bioregion": folks who may be geographically far away but are working on the same stuff as I am (humanure composting, microdwelling, etc.)
- Dragonfly Jenny

***
Attending the "water" breakout group were Chris Ricci, Fabio Manzini of Mexico, Barbara Harmony, Robert Eidus, and Cathy Holt. We thought it would be great to have a statement (resolutions on water) for the Congress to send out as a press release at the time of the 3/06 World Water Forum in Mexico City. There will be a group of "Hopi runners" going to Mexico City, and many environmentalists, a Citizens' Tribunal on Water, as well as the water privatizers (WWF). Fabio suggested we excerpt from the Kyoto resolution on water. Other ideas for resolutions: that all land owners with springs be given a tax break to help care for the spring. Permaculture has a set of ethical practices concerning care for water such as catchment and storage of water (on an appropriate scale), cleaning and reusing water with biological methods, and release of water gently and without damage to the environment. Small dams are viewed as appropriate for flood prevention, water retention in the landscape, agriculture, and small hydro. Water is to be preserved at the source (watersheds, springs); hence the need for conservation easements and restoration. Rainwater catchment from roofs is illegal in Colorado; it should be a mandate on all new buildings. We need to oppose privatization in every form, including purchase of bottled water. It's important to make the connection between oil and water. Fortune Magazine says that what oil was to the 20th century, water will be to the 21st. Now, while water is still seen as cheap and plentiful, it is used as a way to clean and transport coal; water pollution by oil and its many products is viewed as an inevitable side effect. Yet bottled water is already more expensive than oil. Humanity has lived without oil, but never without clean water.

***
The bioregional groups were to meet nearly every afternoon for an hour. The Katuah bioregion (Southern Appalachians) discussed the idea of creating an inventory of skills and services available locally, as a first step in contingency planning for the coming energy crunch. Such an inventory could be "a Master's thesis project for a Gaia University student." All attending but Rob Messick were from Earthaven Ecovillage. Peter Bane, fresh from the breakout group on peak oil and economics, introduced the group to some new information. Much of it came from Jeff Clearwater, a local person who sells solar and renewable technologies. Conservation should be #1; electric use should be cut and replaced where possible with locally produced gases, e.g., stoves and refrigerators can both be run on gas rather than electricity. Methane can be produced from landfills and many types of wastes. Stirling engines are highly efficient for electricity production, and also their waste heat can be captured for other uses. The best storage for excess electricity may be hydrogen, locally produced from many sources. Bacteria can convert swamp biomass to create hydrogen; wind power can be stored via hydrogen. Iceland is now doing hydrogen production on a large scale. The latest small hydroelectric technology allows for a better intake design so that 50-100 kw can be generated with small streams with quite minimal environmental impact (good news for our bioregion, with its myriad streams and elevation drops)! Neodamium (sp?) batteries are a new highly efficient battery.

One way to reach out and begin to bring in others to a local network of resources would be the Black Mountain Fire Hall potluck dinners. Also, Earthaven could offer free workshops to bring people in. We can start with existing networks such as SEEE (Southern Energy & Environment Expo, Ned Doyle's annual event). The Long Branch Environment Center (from Leicester?) promotes solar cars. A problem we have is that our bioregion is too large; even just our own Blue Ridge province is 9,400,000 acres and stretches from Georgia to Virginia. It's not just one watershed but contains the Eastern Continental Divide. Let's start from a controlled front, get to know and influence local landholders.

***
In the evening, the men and women met separately. The men went up to Hidden Valley, and I'm told that they all walked back in a line holding hands, eyes closed except for the leader, practicing trust of one another. They returned to the Council Hall just as the women were finishing their spiral dance, singing "Mother, sister, daughter, friend." and embracing with moist eyes.

"Circle of Woman-Time" by Fifty-six in Katuah

Human females, four months to seventy-one years, assembled in chronological spiral, filling the great Council Hall at Earthaven. Then we told our stories, starting with the eldest. What it's like to be where we are in our lives' journeys.

Some were brief and poignant. Some long and sweet. Speaking and moving eloquently. All beautiful. How different. How much in common. The sweep, the continuity. Grateful for each other. Young ones, listening intently, with shining faces. What a blessing to hear that growing"old" is not the curse we have been warned of. The illusions of age. But sixty ain't what it used to be. "How did I get to be sixty? My body looks fifty, but I feel twenty inside." So much still to do. Mentoring. Living without the restraints of "what others think." Letting go: of young bodies; of children; of dear friends; of leadership. Anticipating letting go of life itself.

The challenges for youth: So many ways to go. What is my work? Taking care of others. How to take care of myself? What about children, and when?

And the in-between times. The vagaries of hormones and relationships.

There is a strong line. Behind us, ahead of us. Very young ones, crawling and sleeping in our midst. And probably invisible ones, listening in.

We are in awesomely good hands.

Thursday - Deep Ecology

John Seed, deep ecologist from Australia, led us in a Truth Mandala and a Council of All Beings. He spoke of how the trees first called him to save the rainforests in Australia in the late 1970's, leading to the founding of the Rainforest Action Network in 1984. "We can't save the forests one at a time," he said, and asked, "What makes people think we can benefit by destroying our own life support system? It's as if the brain decided to mine the liver." The illusion of separation between humans and nature can be overcome by holding our breaths for a few minutes, he said. We need to trade in our view of humans as the top of the pyramid, to just a strand in the web of life; we need an ecological identity that goes beyond ideas. All indigenous communities have ceremonies to re-connect with the Earth, similar to our Council of All Beings. First we milled about the room and connected briefly with a partner, sharing an experience of connection with nature, then looking into another partner's eyes and seeing a person who loves the earth, or one who might die of cancer due to environmental pollution. In the Truth Mandala, we sat in small groups and heard each other's despair, fear, sadness, anger, and confusion. The Council of All Beings allowed each person to temporarily speak as another life form, sharing the unique viewpoints of fireflies, coyotes, streams, trees, cougars about the predicament of living in these times.

After lunch, "the work that reconnects": people did various work projects to help Earthaven, although the usual afternoon thundershowers curtailed some of the work and many folks caught up on their sleep, laundry, or quiet time instead.

Thursday evening was a huge high point of the Congress as the Central and South American bioregions put on a cultural presentation that included songs about opposing genetically modified crops and how cheap corn for export is killing small farmers, an amazing shamanic trickster rap by John from Trinidad, power point presentations about Chichinautzin's Vision Council and the Tierra Viva punk-youth movement to plant gardens in Mexico City. These counter-culture young people teach permaculture, composting techniques, container gardening; there is a strong "do it yourself" ethic. Kids love to work with them. (see www.tierraviva.org.)

"Our mission is to unify diverse groups of people with different lifestyles and share our connection with Mother Earth," said Arnold Ricalde of Organi-K, where they have created a healing center, permaculture gardens with fruit trees and medicinal plants, and a multimedia production center. "Sacred spaces bring people together; when surrounded by beautiful nature, it's easier." They are also working to help thirsty Mexico City residents capture their rainwater. Urban kids are taken out to do reforestation projects.

In a village on the island in Lake Nicaragua, activists are introducing composting toilets, graywater systems, shade grown coffee, and tree crops. They taught us this song: Amada Tonantzin, Te vengo a decir Que tea mo de versa, Soy parte de ti. Gracias te doy por el maiz, el agua, la fruta, y todo de ti! (Beloved Mother, I came to say that I truly love you, I am part of you. I give thanks to you for the corn, water, fruit, and all from you!)

From the Colombian contingent we learned about the "Mama" (shamans of the Kogi tribe) who believe that whatever happens in the sacred peaks of the Sierra Nevada will happen all over the world and that they are the protectors of all humanity. "The Younger Brothers don't understand the Spirit, they think of economics only, so they cut and burn."

Another wonderful song: Spirita de Agua, Spirita de Fuego, Grande Spiritu, Limpia el alma. (Spirit of water, spirit of fire, great spirit, cleanse our soul. And another: La pachamama te calienta, te alimenta, Pachamama, Madre Tierra. (Mother Earth warms you, feeds you, Mother Earth.)

Then there were special sweets and drinks, and drumming and salsa dancing late into the night!

Friday
Plenary meeting minutes
Facilitator: Bea Briggs
Proposal by Ken & Caryn Lassman - Coordinating Council for next
Bioregion Congress

1. Kimchi Rylander - Earthaven
2. Ken Lassman & Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg - Kansas
3. Laura Kuri & Fabio - Mexico
4. Liora Adler - Mexico
5. Mary Meyer - Indiana, also Richard Cartwright
6. Barbara Harmony - Arkansas, Ozarks
7. Bob Randell - Houston

Proposal for Council Duties: Continuation of ties and business working group, not policy. Conduct email, conferences by phone. Regional phone sessions and conferencing. Commit to three face-to-face meetings before next Congress. Motion to adopt duties - full consensus by all.
Motion to adopt Coordinating Council persons till next Congress - full consensus by all.

More tours were announced for Earthaven and for Village Terrace Cohousing.

Bioregional groups are also meeting.

Small groups then developed the following recommendations for the Coordinating Council:
- Go to regional Congresses - hold yearly or bi-yearly. Hold Continental Congresses every 5 years?
- Have a separate track for newcomers
- Create this as a resource
- Train organizers for local groups
- Develop a more formal focus for elders
- Have space in Congress to integrate play, intimacy, music
- Road teams of experienced bioregionalists to educate groups who want
inspiration/direction
- Have maps available
- Local food for events
- Clarify our image/media
- Bioregional office/media center
- Master program
- Cuba as a role model
- Presentations to local groups

The afternoon was devoted to breakout groups.

Bioregional breakout groups
- Local organizing/communication/activism
- Education
- Bioregional organizing
- Permaculture/urban food
- Intentional communities
- Water
- Peak oil/energy/economics
- Eco-spirituality & MAGIC

Saturday’s afternoon plenary
Notes: Cathy Holt

Co-ordinating Council: Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, Ken Lassman, Laura Kuri, Barbara Harmony, Mary Meyer, Bob Randall, Fabio Manzini, Liora Adler, Kimchi Rylander (Notes: Liora Adler)

1. BioRegional Congress could meet every 5 years. Others expressed need for more frequent meetings, every 2-3 years.

2. Support undeveloped bioregional groups to set up weekend workshops and events

3. Develop a more formal role for Elders

4. Have a space in the next congress to integrate (play, intimacy, music)

5. Road teams of experienced Bioregionalists to educate groups who want inspiration/direction

6. Liked food from local area (organic too)

7. Clarify our image/outreach to mainstream

8. Bioresource Center with office- Fundraising/archives

9. Master’s program in Bioregional Organizing through Gaia U

10. Cuba as a role model
video- Green Cuba
Community Services Inc. website

11. Presentations to local groups, e.g., Sustainable Pittsburgh

12. Next Congress at another Eco-Village or similar kind of site would be ideal.

Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg spoke about fundraising. $12,000 was raised over the past three years, largely to help our Central and South American friends get to Earthaven this year. $3000 was raised pretty much at the last minute, by Caryn and others. It isn’t easy, we’ve relied on a few foundations and individuals. However, if 40 people would tithe even $10 or $5 a month, we could raise thousands of dollars which could allow for more scholarships, travel expenses, and youth to be funded. The KAW Council (Kansas) is a 501(c ) (3) nonprofit which will serve as intermediary, so all donations will b tax-deductible. Caryn handed out blue pledge sheets to help people make a monthly donation by check or credit card/Paypal (or one-time contribution). Please send checks payable to KAW Council, P.O. Box 1512, Lawrence, KS 66044.

Bioregional Resource Center – a small center with large scope for networking, a staff specializing in fundraising and gaining logistical support for organizations, archiving, and developing the website.

Youth - One weakness of the CBC this year was the relative absence of a youth group: there were only three teenagers and no programming for them. The next Congress needs more of a focus on youth.

Next CBC and site – have not been chosen yet. Many spoke in favor of meeting at another Ecovillage, thus supporting that movement, rather than giving our funds to a kids’ camp. However, Ecovillages have size restrictions. Another possibility is to have a permaculture group go create the infrastructure needed in advance, in a National Forest type place. Several felt that 5-6 years between Congresses is too long and we should plan for 2-3 years out maximum. The idea that local groups would meet more if we