Sustainabilty & Permaculture

There has been a big buzz in our home lately. Why? I think I have finally sorted out a great location as a home base for our Permaculture courses!

My brain has been running overtime planning bits and pieces - where would we go for site visits, who would be our guest tutors, can we get funding to subsidise places for low income earners, the design of our certificates (Bill Mollison used to issue the certificates but no longer does it so it is up to individual educators to take care of this), what little extras can be included in the course cost (text book/s, course notes, Permaculture Melbourne membership, beverages, snacks, etc).

What is "Permaculture" I hear you ask - well it is jsut the most suitable and practical philosophy and methodology to live a truly sustainable life. It can be applied to a household, a suburb, a town, a farm, a country, the entire globe!

"Permaculture is sustainability in action." Josh Byrne, Gardening Australia



We want to spread this knowledge far and wide to anyone who is willing to learn. Please join us - tell others about it. This planet will not have a healthy future if we don't take action and change the way we do things.

Please see the sustainability page of our website for more details -

http://betweenskyandearth.com.au/store/pc/viewContent.asp?idpage=14

You can also join us on Facebook -

https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/PermacultureAust.NZ/

We look forward to chatting with you soon.


PEACE to all,
KISS for life,
Miriam.

Ego Lemos talks about Permaculture in East Timor

Ego Lemos speaking on permaculture in East Timor
A meeting of Permaculture Melbourne's South Eastern Suburbs Group
Wednesday 10th March 7-9pm
Venue Coatesville Church,
corner North & Mackie Rds, Bentleigh East.

To RSVP contact Miriam Baxt on tel; 9578 7237
Or email; permaculture@betweenskyandearth.com.au


Ego is an East Timorese and in November 1999 he together with Steve Cran, a permaculture volunteer from Australia, started developing permaculture in Timor Leste. What started as 2 people developed into the local NGO called Permatill (Permaculture Timor Leste).
Permatil's work has been to strengthen and promote permanent and sustainable agriculture and culture, helping to provide independence, food security, sustainable incomes, cultural strength and environment protection to local communities.

After many years working with communities Permatill published a book - the "Permaculture Guidebook from Timor Leste." some copies of this book will be available at the meeting for $20, and other publications developed in conjunction with IDEP in Indonesia can be seen online at http://www.idepfoundation.org/ptl.html

For the past two years Ego has been in Australia studying community development at Victoria University. He's also been playing and singing at various folk festivals and recently recorded a CD "O Hele Le" with Skinny Fish, and in November 2009 he won the 2009 APRA Screen Music Award winner for "Best Original Song Composed for the Screen" - for the song "Balibo" used in the film of the same name.
http://www.skinnyfishmusic.com.au/site/ego-lemos/106-ego/278-egolemos.html

Ego has finished his studies and is heading back to Dili in the next couple of weeks to resume work with Permatill. This may be the last chance to see him for some time so please come and hear his story. Join us in congratulating him on his work so far and in offering support for his work in the future work.

Some topics to be covered;
What issues are people faced with in Timor Leste. What ideas have proved most useful in assisting people, what process of engagement with the community has proved most useful
The talk will offer an example of Permaculture as a set of ideas and skills for supporting development assistance and community development projects.

Tea and refreshments will be available. Entry by donation is requested to cover costs: $2 members/$5 non-members.