Upcoming Events at Los Angeles Eco-Village
OCTOBER - NOVEMBER 2001

The Los Angeles Eco-Village and CRSP sponsor 7 public events in October and November (4 slide
show talks, 2 workshops and 1 tour).  All events are held at Los Angeles Eco-Village (see directions at end of this notice).  A summary of each event follows with event details below each summary.  Please RSVP for these events as space is limited in every case.  Let me know if you'd like to be
removed from this list.  Thanks, Lois (213/738-1254 or <crsp@igc.org>).

Tue. Oct 30th, 7:30 pm
Slide Show & Talk on Permaculture:
Toby Hemengway gives a book talk on his recently released book "Gaia's Garden:  A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture" <www.chelseagreen.com/Garden/GaiasGarden.htm>)

$10 donation requested (sliding scale ok).  Reservations please at 213/738-1254.  See location & directions at bottom of notice.

About Toby Hemengway and Gaia's Garden.  Creating a garden paradise is no dream, but rather an ecological garden, which takes the principles of permaculture and applies them on a home-scale.  There is nothing technical, intrusive, secretive, or expensive about this form of gardening.  All that is required is some botanical knowledge (which is in this book) and a mindset that defines a backyard paradise as something other than a carpet of grass fed by chemicals.

Author Toby Hemenway is one of America’s best known permaculture experts, a former geneticist, and associate editor of The Permaculture Activist <www.permacultureactivist.net>, North America’s leading journal of ecological design.  He teaches and consults throughout the continent, and he lives in the midst of an ever-evolving ecological garden in southern Oregon.

Here's what's being said about "Gaia's Garden":
"Outlines a revolutionary course for the future of gardening and agriculture." --John Todd, founder of The New Alchemy Institute.

"Takes the native plants and organic gardening movement to the next level."  --Joel M. Lerner, The Washington Post

"Practical science for making your yard produce food and beauty." --Rose O'Donnell, The Seattle Times.

Toby's book talk and the following workshop are also co-sponsored by the South Coast Permaculture Guild, Santa Barbara Permaculture Network, Central Coast Permaculture Guild, Ojai Permaculture Guild, Santa Cruz Permaculture, San Diego Permaculture Center, Permaculture Institute of Southern California, Hopedance Magazine <www.hopedance.org> and Permaculture Activist Magazine  <www.permacultureactivist.net>

Wed.  Oct 31st, 9:30 am - 4:30 pm -Workshop
Toby Hemengway gives a hands-on permaculture workshop on Forest Gardening at Los Angeles Eco-Village.

$50-$75 workshop fee (sliding scale).  Make checks out to CRSP.  Send to CRSP, 3551 White House Place, LA CA 90004 by 10/27/01.  Space is limited.  Attendance at booktalk recommended (see above notice for Tue 10/30).  Bring your own brown bag lunch.  Wear gardening clothes.  Bring hats.  More info?  Call  213/738-1254 or email to <crsp@igc.org>.

Summary of workshop:  What are the basic elements of forest garden design?  How do you recognize and apply these concepts to existing gardens?   How can you use your own senses to test the soil?  What types of soils are best for forest gardening and how can you create them?  Simple steps toward water catchment.  What are foundation plantings?  Starting where you're at:  What's working and what's not.  The L.A. Eco-Village courtyard and school gardens will be used for this workshop.  (See more about Toby Hemengway in preceding event description.)

Sat., Nov. 3rd, 7:30 pm - Slide Show & Talk on Ecovillages & the Ecovillage Movement in Latin America with Alejandra Liora Adler of the Ecovillage Network of the Americas

$10 donation requested (sliding scale ok).
Please RSVP to: 213/738-1254 or <crsp@igc.org>.  See location and directions below.

About Alejandra Liora Adler.  Born in Kibbutz a half century ago, Liora is one of the original founders of the Illuminated Elephants, and traveling gypsy band of entertrainers (environmental education in puppet shows, dance, music, mime and street  theater) that wandered the southwest USA, Europe and Latin America in the 70s and eventually settled in Tepozltlan Mexico to form the first Mexican ecoaldea (or ecovillge) at Huehuecoytl.  In the mid-90s, a core of them set out again on the road, taking their solar-equipped buses and sound stages a circuitous route to Tierra del Fuego, stopping in whatever indigenous reservations, peace encampments, squatter villages, and experimental communes they could identify en route (see: http://www.lacaravana.org).

It is now 2001.  Ecuador is the current focus of La Caravana where its "Women's Leadership Training" project will culminate in a Women's Peace Village <http://www.i4at.org/peacevillage>.  Liora is the road manager for La Caravana.  Along the way, she also teaches Consensus Decision Making, Conflict Resolution and Holistic Nutrition, as well as organizing conferences and slide shows on the diverse aspects of ecovillage life.  She is the elected council delegate from the Ecovillage Network of the Americas to the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN), and sits on the board of the
Institute for Appropriate Technolgy, which is the parent organization of the Ecovillage Training Center in Tennessee.  Liora's photography has been published in several magazines.  Her presentations are exciting, fun and full of hope.

Note: Alejandra will also have available for sale several unique arts and crafts from some of the rural and indigenous villages she works with.

Sat., Nov. 10th, 11 am - 1 pm - Los Angeles Eco-Village Tour
$10 donation requested (sliding scale ok).  Please RSVP to: 213/738-1254 or <crsp@igc.org>.

The tour covers introductions and interests among members of tour group; history and context for the L.A. Eco-Village; definition of an ecovillage and our place in the the international movement for more sustainable communities; walking tour to observe actual conditions, actual and planned changes to
the neighborhood as well as visionary concepts and possibilities; on-going questions and answers throughout the tour, including problems and progress in healthy development of an intentional community; and issues of concern if you are considering living in an existing ecovillage or starting new ecovillage processes.  This tour is  provided by L.A. Eco-Village founder Lois Arkin and other Eco-Villagers encountered along the tour, including unique off-the-grid Eco-Villager T.H. Culhane.

Sat. Nov 17, 7:30 pm - Slide Show & Talk on Ecovillages in Europe, Asia and Africa with Albert Bates
$10 donation requested (sliding scale ok). Please RSVP to: 213/738-1254 or <crsp@igc.org>

About Albert Bates.   Albert is founder of the Ecovillage Training Center in Tennesee, The Global Village Institute for Appropriate Technology, and is a co-founder of the  Ecovillage Network of the Americas.  Since 1995, he has been the  Regional Secretary for the Americas, Global Ecovillage Network and a board member of the Global Ecovillage Network (GEN).  A long time social and environmental activist-attorney, Albert has authored nearly a dozen books on a variety of topics, including global climate change, the perils of nuclear power, and the benefits of vegetarian cooking.  He has also authored many hundreds of articles.  Albert has helped to organize and teach permaculture design courses throughout the world and is a frequent speaker and workshop trainer on a variety of natural building and other permaculture topics.  He is a walking encyclopedia--and one of the world's great networkers--on all aspects of ecovillage systems.  His talks are comprehensive, visually exciting and stunning in the breath and depth of the information provided.  See next calendar item for a hands-on workshop with Albert.

Sun. Nov 18, 10 am - 4:30 pm.  How to make beautiful neighborhood benches out of straw bale with permaculture and natural building designer Albert Bates.
$50-$75 workshop fee (sliding scale ok). Reservations required.  Space is limited.  Please send your check to CRSP, 3551 White House Place, LA CA 90004 by Nov. 15 to reserve your spot.  More info?  Call:  213/738-1254 or <crsp@igc.org>.  This is a hands-on workshop, so please wear old clothes and a sun hat.

The Ecovillage Training Center at The Farm in Tennessee is a demonstration center for many different types of natural building.  Albert has coordinated and taught many of the village design and building courses that have generated the buildings and furniture at the EVTC.  In today's workshop, you will learn the simple  recipe and hands-on techniques for building beautiful benches together, whether for your garden, school, apartment complex, community center or  your neighborhood streets and sidewalks.

DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED
Comunidad Ecologica Social Tierra Viva, a video work-in-process and talk about urban
ecovillage development work among inner city youth in Mexico City.  This talk and early video work
will be presented by two young men who have been working with Huehuecotyl Ecovillager Helen
Samuels for the past five years in Mexico City.  The talk will be in Spanish with English translation.

This presentation will be held in November at Los Angeles Eco-Village.  We do not yet have the
exact date of this presentation, so please call or email me if you would like a special notification.
Thanks, Lois <crsp@igc.org>

DIRECTIONS TO LOS ANGELES ECO-VILLAGE
These directions are from the intersection of First Street and Vermont Ave. in Los Angeles.  This
First/Vermont intersection is 1/4 mile south of the 101 Hollywood Freeway and approx. 4 miles
north of the 10 Santa Monica Freeway):
1.  Go one block east on First Street
2.  Turn right on Bimini Place
3.  Go one block
4.  Events are held or start at 117 Bimini Place unless otherwise noted.

Need more info: Call 213/738-1254

A note about transportation to Eco-Village. People are encouraged to walk, bike, use public transit (Metro Redline at Beverly/Vermont, #204 on Vermont or #16 on Third or #14 on Beverly) or car pool.  If you are driving and would like to try to carpool, please let me know where you are coming from (or going home to after), and I will try to connect you with ride-sharing.  Note that on Tue, Oct. 30th, parking will be difficult, and if you are driving, you may want to park at Vons on Third and Vermont.

Thanks,
Lois
213/738-1254