David Holmgren and the Birth of Permaculture
Born in 1955 in Western Australia, David Holmgren is a writer and ecological design engineer, and ecologist as well. He studied at the College of Advanced Education in Hobart, Tasmania. This was where he met Bill Mollison, a lecturer at the University of Tasmania, and the idea of Premaculture was born. Holmgren and Mollison...
Hassan Fathy: An Early Visionary of Sustainable Architecture
Born in Alexandra on the 23rd of March, 1900, Hassan Fathy passed away in 1989, but not before leaving his mark on the world. Fathy was an architect and the very first Egyptian that did not incorporate western ideologies into his architectural techniques. Instead he dug into the past and brought back old techniques...
The History of Bartering: Still Has A Place Today
Barter is a method of exchange by which goods or services are directly exchanged for other goods or services without using a medium of exchange, such as money. Although many economists and anthropologists have spent their entire careers documenting and explaining the history and significance of the bartering system the fact of the matter is...
The African Development Bank Help Leads Change
Building today, a better Africa Tomorrow – tagline of the African Development Bank. The African Development Bank (AfDB) was founded in 1964 and its goal is one is of the utmost importance – reduce poverty in African countries. The AfDB strives to improve the living conditions of all Africans as well as assemble resources that...
Occupy Wall Street: Supply 99% of the Solutions
Nearly a month into the OWS protests, what remains clear about the largely decentralized movement is that the abuse of power and money is NOT the position of humanity, or the “99%.” Not having a position also turns out to be a good thing. Do everything! Former Tea Party founder, Karl Denninger, indicates that not...
Survival Gardening for Hard Times
It seems that many families that have never been interested in a home or kitchen garden are now becoming avid gardeners; many of these new aficionados attribute their interest in gardening to the rising prices of food and other commodities and the poor economic conditions of the global economy. Others are transitioning into modern homesteading...
The Echo Park Time Bank, Leading Change With Time, Not Money
The Echo Park Time Bank (EPTB) located in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California was started in March of 2008 and is a volunteer run project. The idea spawned from a Permaculture course, taught locally by designer and educator Larry Santoyo. Co-founder, Autumn Rooney, once skeptical about the practicality of a local time...
Sustainable Development in South Africa
South Africa is still a young country and falls within the category of a developing country. It is no longer a third world country and has taken great strides in terms of democracy, economy and development. As all nations, South Africa is committed to sustainable development and the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism...
The Ancient Mayans, A Lesson on Sustainability
The ancient pre-Columbian Maya culture was one of the great and flourishing civilizations. Mayans used their traditional ecological knowledge to modify their landscape in stable and resilient ways; in essence, they were early practitioners of ecological engineering. One example of ecological engineering is their method of rainwater collection. The Maya could not use groundwater, such...
Becoming Self Sufficient And How You Can Make A Difference
In terms of environmental responsibility and the carbon footprint we leave behind when engaging in our daily activities, becoming self sufficient can help alleviate the strains we put onto our planet. How to Be Self Sufficient 101 Becoming self sufficient has to do with how you go about your daily activities and how you use...
The David Suzuki Foundation
On September 14th, 1990, David Suzuki and a group of activists started the David Suzuki Foundation as a solution based organization looking out for the environment. The David Suzuki Foundation is a non-profit organization and their head offices are located in Vancouver, Canada. Other offices are also well established in Toronto, Ottawa and Montreal....
Sustainable Banking: What It Means for Society
Money, whether we like it or not, is the lifeblood of society. No matter what our values are we need money to get by, for a roof over our heads and food on the table. Banking is a relatively modern creation that has evolved to become a necessary part of our lives in developing and...
