permaculture

[swrpi@igc.apc.org]

>
>Ain't it wonderful, I find that I am part of a conspiracy to bring down the
>purity of permaculture a serious notch or two and I thought I was doing good!
>
>Bill Mollison and I have been discussing the need for an Institute in the
>U.S. for several years now.  There were several reasons that we thought it
>would be useful.  1. To take some of the load off of the Permaculture
>Institute in Australia which for years has been burdened with the job of
>registry, giving out diplomas, keeping track of all the international work,
>networking with teachers and students around the world, and in general
>keeping track of  a very fast growing presence.  All of this, I might add,
>has been pro bono and primarily comes out of the pocket of Bill Mollison via
>royalties on his books.  2. To OFFER (note emphasis)  a central clearing
>house for course offerings, grant making, and internships.    3. To sponsor
>the Permaculture Credit Union, which is well on the way to being a reality.
>(for more information: PC Credit Union, PO Box 1812, Santa FE, NM 87504  4.
>To sponsor the development of a large PC Village.  5. To research and
>develop models for a PC Buying Club, a PC health insurance plan, and other
>vehicles where our numbers could combine in creating better deals for us in
>the commercial world.  6. To continue networking with our neighbors in the
>north and south and helping them access funding through Permaculture
>Institute as a umbrella organization.  
>
>The list is fairly endless and perhaps a little overwhelming but all of the
>work needs to be done.  I personally don't see anyone doing any of the
>things above in any meaningful way.  If no one is doing a job and a job
>needs to be done what is the bitch?  I personally would be glad to turn over
>any or all of the above to anyone who was seriously going to pursue it, I
>have a full plate as it is.
>
>This whole brouhaha is a little premature as we just got our 501c3 status
>from the fed. last month.  So to be defending something that was just born
>borders on the ridiculous.  Like all things if the PCI fills a niche and is
>useful it will be successful, if it is a bad idea then, most likely, it will
>fail.
>
>The real question is where is the threat?  To my thinking some pc graduates
>get the notion that somehow they have a franchise on a geographic area, a
>particular area of expertise, a certain calendar date, or by dent of being
>at it longer than anyone else.  I don't buy it!  If anyone is asked to teach
>anywhere, anytime then they are perfectly justified in taking that task.
>We're dealing with 250 million (+ -) people just in the good ol' USA so we
>are a little way from saturation of the market!  And keep in mind
>participation in the PCI is not mandatory if you don't believe me check the
>bylaws they are recorded in the office of the New Mexico Corporation
Commission.
>
>I would also like to state that our poor overworked secretary of the PCI is
>a male not a female even though the name is Francis.  Wouldn't want people
>to get the wrong idea.
>
>Some of us have the role, I suppose, of jumping into other peoples bidness,
>but it would be so much more constructive, if that is the intent, if those
>jumpers checked out the information with the jumpees, if you know what I 
>mean.
>
>There is plenty of work out there as far as I can tell, Bill and I both
>thought we had identified some areas that needed work and which if
>successful would benefit all of us in the PC movement.  I have found nothing
>in the conversation about the pc institute which would lead me to change my
>mind.
>
>Scott Pittman
>   
>
>