Contact: Margie Bushman
Santa Barbara Permaculture Network
(805) 962-2571, email:
margie@sbpermaculture.org
Santa Barbara
Permaculture Network
~Permaculture Around the World Series~
Bustan Sustainable Community
Action for Land & People
Working at the Nexus of Social and
Environmental Justice in the Negev Region of Israel
with
Michal Vital
Tuesday, October 28, 7-9pm 2008
Fundraiser Donation $10
Santa Barbara Central Library, Faulkner Gallery
Santa Barbara
Permaculture Network hosts the second in the series “Permaculture
Around the World” on Tuesday, October 28 with Michal Vital,
Israeli Architect and Eco-builder, speaking about her involvement
with the non-profit BUSTAN, in the Negev Desert of Israel.
The word
"bustan" refers to a fruit-yielding orchard in both Hebrew
and Arabic and symbolizes the work of Bustan
(www.bustan.org
). It is a partnership of Jewish and Arab eco-builders, architects,
academics, and farmers promoting social and environmental justice in
Israel/Palestine with a focus on the Bedouin villages of the Negev
Desert. BUSTAN utilizes the principles of permaculture and
non-violent direct action across ethnic divides.
Founded in
1999, Bustan's first project was a two day festival in the
"unrecognized" village of Dreijatt, bringing together hundreds
of Bedouin and Jewish Israelis, celebrating cultural diversity, mutual
education on history and environmental issues, and collecting signatures
for a petition to recognize the village with legal status. Two
months later the village was formerly recognized. In 2003 Bustan
organized five hundred Jewish and Bedouin volunteers to build an
entirely sustainable medical clinic in the village of Wadi el
Na'am. This strawbale solar powered structure is featured in the
book, "Build Like You Give A Damn", and was nominated for
the Aga Khan Award, one of the most prestigious architecture prizes in
the world. At another village a school dump was transformed into a
water conserving orchard, while teaching children about local
ecology In 2007 Bustan moved to Beersheva and opened the Green
Center and began teaching ongoing permaculture workshops and trainings.
Bustan views sustainability in both political and environmental terms and
works for common Jewish and Bedouin interests.
The Negev
is a rocky desert region with dusty mountain ranges, dry riverbeds
(wadis) and unique deep craters imprinted on the landscape. It is
the largest, yet most peripheral region of the country, located in
southern Israel, and makes up 60% of Israel's land, but only 8% of
Israel's population live there. A fragile environment, it hosts
Israel's largest toxic waste dump Romat Hovav, a nuclear power plant,
petro-chemical factories, a waste incinerator and other environmental
hazards. Local populations already marginalized are particularly
vulnerable to health hazards caused by these. Romat Hovav is located near
Beersheva, the main city of Negev, and since its opening has had a
history of leakages, overflows, and failures.
Michal
Vital is a nationally renowned planner and green building consultant and
volunteer with BUSTAN since its inception. Michal was one of the
team leaders that built BUSTAN's strawbale medical clinic, and has
planned numerous ecologically friendly buildings throughout the
country. She was the lead teacher of BUSTAN'S first permaculture
course. She will be speaking in Santa Monica, Santa Barbara and San
Francisco area as part of her Bustan Speaking Tour titled
"Permaculture for Justice".
The event takes place at the Santa Barbara Public Library, Faulkner
Gallery, 40 East Anapamu St, in downtown Santa Barbara, on
Tuesday, October 28, 7-9pm, 2008. No reservations are required,
fundraiser donation for BUSTAN $10. For more information please call
(805) 962-2571, or email
margie@sbpermaculture.org;
www.sbpermaculture.org. Sponsored by the Santa Barbara Permaculture
Network and Sustainable Habitats.
Permaculture (PERMAnent agriCULTURE) is a design
system based on ecological principles for creating sustainable human
environments.
-end-
Santa Barbara Permaculture Network
an educational
non-profit since 2000
(805) 962-2571
P.O. Box 92156, Santa Barbara, CA 93190
margie@sbpermaculture.org
www.sbpermaculture.org
"We are like trees,
we must create new leaves, in new directions, in order to grow." -
Anonymous