permaculture

["D.A. Riley" <permascape@yahoo.com>]

These are complex issues for the ego to deal with for sure. I wouldn't say asking for grant money is "begging", that's a start.

Could grants be seen as a way for wealthy folks to offer their Fairshare (or, a philanthropic attempt to do so); towards Peoplecare & Earthcare...?  I can see how THIS idea would be seen as simplistic and idealistic as well.

As Michele said in her post; choose from whom you ask for money.

Julia "Butterfly" Hill once said to an audience; "Money is green energy" ...refering to the color of USA dollar, and how it energizes movements forward.

The idea of putting effort towards a grant lends credibility to one's project. We have to justify our request and ideas. Fine-tuning our mix of intelligent idealism and raising the energy for doing good. 

That's my two cents donation

DA

From: "Graham Burnett"
Subject: Re: [Re: [RE: [permaculture] Money from Gates]]


Eh? I didn't make any jokes about pocketing money for vacations. Just
raising the issue of how ethical is it to accept or ask for funding from
organisations that make their profits from raping the earth and the
communities that exist upon it. On permaculture courses we teach about
community economics and how we should spend locally (including LETS, time
banks, barter, skills sharing, gift relationships, etc) to keep money
(energy) cycling within our communties and how the big
corporations/transantionals etc are an 'energy sink', syphoning money
(energy) out of our communities. The next thing we are begging for these
same corporations for grants amd funding, complete with kudos for them and
strings attached, to finance permaculture projects! wheres the Earthcare,
Peoplecare, Fairshares in that?

I realsise this may be simplistic and idealistic, and it's a complex issue,
but it doesn't do any harm to be reminded of some of these points, like I
say I'm just chucking into the pot of what intelegent people are able to
make up their own minds about. I'm sure the final decision won't be based on
my simplistic and biased ranting.

Second point, the whole 'funding' issue is a double edged sword, it may
ostensibly enable the realisation of big dreams, but can also foster the
false illusion that money is the answer to all our problems, whilst causing
us to neglect the very real value of human capital and creative thinking.
Personally i think much more creatively when I'm skint and have to make do
with not much at all than when I'm (comparitively) well off. I'm also far
less inclined to waste resources & energy.

Cheers Graham (more thoughts on money at
http://www.gb0063551.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/money/index.htm)
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