I don't find myself agreeing with Nicole Foss quite so much these days (especially about rapid climate change) - but I'm as pleased as punch that she has joined Atamai.
I would love to have her comments on New Zealand's housing bubble.
Nicole
Foss at Atamai
Ecovillage, New Zealand
13
May, 2014
Atamai
Village in New Zealand is an ambitious project aimed at providing its
villagers’ basic needs, food, water, shelter, once the global
economy and its energy resources start running dry. Changes to the
climate are also on many people’s minds. The idea is to build a
community that has an internal economy, with people buying each
other’s products, in which permaculture plays a major role, while
others work outside the village as long as that is viable. Since it’s
expensive to set up a project of this scale, we’re talking a few
hundred people, it’s not cheap to purchase a plot of land and/or a
home. That is a problem in and of itself, because it selects for
those with a certain amount of wealth, who will on average be
“older”, while a good age balance is vital. It’ll be
interesting to see how Atamai, and other projects of its kind, deal
with that issue. Still, you have to start somewhere.
Atamai
director Ben van der Wijngaart speaks with Nicole Foss, renowned
expert on financial instability and limits to growth. They discuss
some of the features and benefits of living in Atamai, and the best
responses to the coming uncertainty.
Atamai
is actively searching for new people to join. If a project such as
this appeals to you, and you possess a skill set that you think would
fit in with what’s required to make it run well – or better -, do
read through the info provided at the Atamai site and contact the
village.
NB:
As you can see in the video, Nicole has joined Atamai and moved from
Canada to New Zealand. That does not mean that she’s bought land or
a home there. In fact, The Automatic Earth is on the verge of
bankruptcy, we’re awfully underfunded. Nicole provides advice and
skills for Atamai, in exchange for which she receives lodging. But
the work for Atamai also means that you have seen less of her here at
The Automatic Earth lately (though she’ll be back soon, don’t
worry). That’s a vicious circle that only you can break by funding
us through donations and purchases. Nicole and I don’t mind
surviving on little, in fact that’s exactly what we signed up for,
but we do still need to survive.
For
more info on Atamai Village, visit: atamaivillage.com
See also this ad that we have been running for a while now in our right hand sidebar:
HERE she is interviewed on her 2012 visit to New Zealand
You're right that we don't agree on rapid climate change, and especially not on the NTE interpretation. I'd stake my life on that not happening, unless we have an accident with too many fingers on too many buttons that is. It's not going to happen as a result of climate change IMO. In any case there's nothing we can do about it, so there's no point in losing sleep over it. I prefer to concentrate on things we can hope to do something about, as I find that far more productive. There are lots of things in that category.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I have a huge issue with Guy McPherson, as he has a long history of maliciously misrepresenting my work and engaging in character assassination. I am by no means the only other writer in this field who has experienced this unprofessional approach to disagreement.