permaculture

[Keith Johnson <keithdj@mindspring.com>]

Dear Planet Drum Foundation Supporter,

The PULSE for Fall 2003 will tackle challenges to
bioregionalism as a model for political action and
its relevance for social change. We want to address
three obstacles to broader acceptance of bioregional principles:
1. "real-world" economic and political boundaries;
2. bioregions in a changing biosphere;
3. urban living.
These "Hard Questions for Bioregionalism" are
intended as areas for "edgy" thought-provoking discussion
to prime further thought and action.

PULSE is published for its members and relies on their initiative and
creativity for its content.  (See our web site www.planetdrum.org for
Yearly Membership details.) Your submission can be any of the following:
personal account, interview with a remarkable individual, report on an
organization, announcement of an upcoming event or conference, book or video
review, recommended reading, suggested course of action, manifestos,
diatribes, stories, artwork, photos. Submissions should not exceed 2500
words. Deadlines for submission is August 1, 2003. Please send submissions
or direct any question via email or post:

Planet Drum Foundation
PO Box 31251
San Francisco, CA 94131
planetdrum@igc.org

Please read below for more detailed descriptions of the "Hard Questions for
Bioregionalism." We look forward to receiving your contribution to the next
edition of the PULSE.

Sincerely,
Patrick Landewe


"Hard Questions for Bioregionalism"

1.  "Real-world" economic and political boundaries: Bioregionalism implies
that historically arbitrary political boundaries should be replaced by
demarcations such as watershed, mountain range, and biotic community.
Presumably, that means challenging power structures and states. What are
ways that you confront the political impositions of county, state and
federal jurisdictions and economic pressures of multi-national corporate
rule? How are these political boundaries made visible on the landscape? Are
you taking action that directly challenges political boundaries that disrupt
or divide natural systems? How does bioregionalism affect political practice
and discourses of power? Are there pragmatic actions that can actually alter
bureaucratic structures to facilitate feedback on the bioregional level?

2.  Bioregions in a changing biosphere: The debate among climatologists is
no longer whether or not the climate is changing, but what will be the 
eventual
effects of global warming.  The questions faced by bioregionalists
in regards to global warming are not only about how to decrease levels of
greenhouse emissions but also about how to respond to long-term climatic
changes that are already underway.  Beyond Kyoto Protocols and
alternative energy, what does bioregionalism have to say about a changing
biosphere? How are you facing the realities of global warming and how do
bring a bioregional perspective to these global changes? What are the
changes you are witnessing in your local bioregion as a result of global
warming and climatic change?  Are you noticing shifts in the biotic
community where you live? Are you seeing new species migrating from
neighboring bioregions as rainfall patterns, sea levels, and growing seasons
change?  How does a changing biosphere affect our conceptual understanding
of the bioregion? As people begin to migrate/relocate in response to
climatic changes such as increased frequency of droughts or floods, what
will happen to our understanding of community and local culture?

3.  Urban living: Call it bio-urbanity or eco-hip,  there are a growing
number of city-dwellers who are applying notions of reinhabitation,
sustainability, and permaculture to the urban centers they've chosen to
reinhabit. The relevance of bioregionalism to urban living is continuously
called into question. Are you living bioregionally in the city? Are you an
urban pioneer or urban neohomesteader?  What is your style of
"reinhabitation" in the city? How do you bring a bioregional sensibility to
an urban setting? How can it be made more relevant to city-dwellers? Where
do you find "wildness"? What is the relationship of the city to the
bioregion where it is located? What does the bioregional principle of "local
culture" mean in terms of a cosmopolitan city? What are ways that
you celebrate the emerging biourbanism? What is the bioregional role of
indy-media websites, community radio, zines, alternative newspapers,
community event/art spaces, etc?