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  • From: "Michael Kramer" <MKramer@hawaii.rr.com>
  • To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] [permalearnersuk] IPC8
  • Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2005 15:55:46 -1000

I'm please that Ali is wishing to focus on green economics at the next IPC, as it's been something I've been focused in recent years. The failings of the World Bank have been noted by the leaders of that institution now, and we in the social investment community have been meeting with them to examine ways to fund microcredit and community development financial institutions rather than governments (which have obviously mismanaged many loan programs). In addition, there is a new global currency beginning to be developed by Bernard Litaer (who invented the Euro) - it's called the Terra, and it will be a global parallel currency tied to specific hard assets, which means it's a long-term currency which people would desire to hold long-term rather than trade against other artificial (and essentially valueless) currencies. Currency is one thing which pits nations against one another and has led to tremendous inequities and exploitive practices. While the social investment movement attempts to hold corporations accountable, it is critical that the banks, credit unions, loan funds, and such be empowered to put real cash in the hands of real local people so they may build local economies from the inside out. It's fine for outsiders to support these institutions financially by loaning them money (something one can do through the stock market now), but ultimately what's happening (amazingly enough) is that the IMF and World Bank are realizing the poor return on their investments, and with so much foreigh debt recently being forgiven by the G8, they are essentially starting over and looking for good local economic initiatives to support. I agree with Ali that the ethical imperatives of permaculture are slowly inflitrating the mainstream, and this is something I've been actively involved in. Last year at the annual Social Responsible Investment conference in Keystone, Gil Friend of the Natural Step brought up permaculture and even showed some slides of Vint Lawrence's Apache Creek Ranch outside Santa Fe (Vint, if you're reading, I wonder if you knew this!). It was an amazing experience for Christopher Peck, Jonathan Scharfman, and myself (3 longtime permaculture teachers from the Southwest) to witness 500 financial professionals from around the world getting excited about permaculture, and I have followed up and tried to build on this introduction. I have been plugging the Permaculture Credit Union quite a lot over the years to this group, despite my inability to persuade the Permaculture Credit Union that they absolutely must be at these annual events because it's a great way to get depositors, as this is a group managing $2.3 trillion.

Anyway, I've been intrigued by the recent thread on money and am aware of how angry people are at how money has been used on this planet for 170 years by Western societies. As a recovering anti-capitalist, however, I can tell you that things are slowly changing, and it's because eco-people are getting into mainstream institutions and movements and starting to build awareness, and they are being far more welcomed than ever before. It would be nice if we could direct investment towards the hybrid or solar divisions of multinational companies in order to support only their regenerative activities (but then, it would also be nice if we could decide which part of the budget our taxes could be directed to). Remember, money has no value, only that which we ascribe to it; it can be used for tremendously positive things, and we mustn't let our cynicism interfere with our capacity to use it wisely to reinvest surplus towards the permaculture ethics.

-----
Michael Kramer, M.Ed., AIF (Accredited Investment Fiduciary)
Natural Investment Services
P.O. Box 390595
Keauhou, HI 96739

Michael@NaturalInvesting.com
www.NaturalInvesting.com
808-331-0910
Toll-free: 888-779-1500

Socially Conscious Portfolio Management & Hourly Consulting
Sustainability Strategic Planning and Education

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."
------------------------------------------------------------------------

----- Original Message ----- From: "William Genest" <genest@pivot.net>
To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, September 22, 2005 1:14 PM
Subject: Re: [permaculture] [permalearnersuk] IPC8


Yeah good point Graham but maybe it's like Bill says about using
heavy machinery - it is worth it if you will end up creating more
energy than you use although how you'd quantify that I have no
idea.... I'm getting a Prius - does that count ? :-)
On Sep 22, 2005, at 6:46 PM, Graham wrote:

How do we get there without using up our lifetimes supply of carbon
points????

Andy Langford wrote:


IPC 8 Invitation letter

Boa Vista do Ramos, Amazonas, Brazil
September 8th 2005

To the many members of the world Permaculture community

I would like to honor and thank the members of both the Danish and
Croatian Permaculture Associations and the larger European
Permaculture community that made IPC 7 such a wonderful gathering. In
particular I would like to salute the venerable Tony Anderson whose
strength of purpose and generalship reincarnated the IPC event after
so many years of dormancy.

The traditional rotation between continents has positioned South
America as next in line for hosting IPC 8. During plenary vote in
Croatia in June 2005, Brazil was officially selected as its next
venue. The event, as decided, will be held in May of 2007.

As the international project coordinator for Permacultura America
Latina (PAL), which is the coordinating body for the Rede
Permacultura do Brazil (RPB), I will be assuming the role of IPC 8
coordinator. Permit me to confirm that this event will be held as
stated and I look to your help and experience for guidance.

During the last two months, and aside from the standard Convergence
program, various themes for the Conference have been bandied around
and one that has been consistently responded to has been the issue of
Green Economics. With the condition of the world monetary system
increasingly uncertain the opportunity to devote several days to the
full array of topics represented by this theme, has, arguably,
arisen. In short, we have before us the opportunity to hoist the
banner of Permaculture on an International Economics Conference.

Green Economics also represents an opportunity to engage the Latin
American private sector, particularly in light of so much of the
planet’s remaining natural resources concentrated on this continent.
With so many sustainable development plans already being assembled to
plunder these irreplaceable resources, it hardly needs explaining the
urgency to clarify green economic misconceptions and clarify
inevitable possibilities. After all, at present, the bankers have
most of us by the balls.

Australian permaculturists have offered to set up an IPC website as
the technological mechanism for communications. The US Credit Union
has offered its service and even possible funding. Previous IPC event
organizers have likewise confirmed promises to provide whatever
information and assistance may be available.

For my part I am poised to begin the proposal and fundraising process
and other foundations have offered to participate. Specifically the
Swiss based Avina Foundation has offered to convene a pre conference
gathering in early 2006 to articulate the final Conference agenda.

Thus my friends I leave it to you to provide some feedback as soon as
possible to justify both my personal and institutional resolve and
reach that point of no return.

I remain, as always, moist and tropically yours

Ali Sharif

ahmadalisharif@yahoo.com










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Best Regards,

William Genest

- Founder Green Mountain Permaculture Institute of Vermont
Solutions, Sustenance, Sustainability
www.greenmountainpermaculture.com

- Creator "Regeneration - The Art of Sustainable Living"
From "Something-Must-be-Done" to Something we can do !
www.regenerationshow.com

- Ecological Coordinator
Club St.Paul Ecological Golf Course

- Vice-President Green Party of Quebec "pour nous et nos enfants"
www.pvq.qc.ca

- National Spokesperson Green Party of Canada
"The Future is Now ! "
www.greenparty.ca



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