June 30th, 2009 at 6:47 am

The case has already been made for revolution; our systems of policy, public administration, self-defense, agriculture...all corrupted and bankrupt.  Is an apolitical, non-violent revolution possible?  We do not know if the culprit is a system based on false premises or if the culprit is human nature itself.  The former leaves space for optimism, the latter is the choice of cynics.

If, indeed, false premises are the culprit, then there is room for reform through radical transformation.  But transformation is dangerous, for it implies by its nature first principles that are anathema to the super-elites: equitable distribution of wealth, a willingness to sacrifice self to the service of community, and a shift of power from the global super rich to locally aware community leaders.  

The revolution, then, is post-ideological.  This is best expressed in the Gandhian principle of seva, translated as service, but implying devotion; a commitment not to change the world, but to serve others, and a humble recognition that we do not have the capacity or the wisdom to shape the world to our own ends.

In fomenting a post-ideological revolution, we must ask: is it possible to do so and maintain domestic tranquility?  Clearly, in some places it is already to late to ask this question: Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe.  In Iran, shootings, disappearings, beatings, raids...these have become the norm.  As our own "leadership" denounces the Iranian regime, they conveniently forget the events of last summer at the Republican National Convention.

Non-violent protest may be necessary, but it remains easy to infiltrate, sabotage, and disrupt, and it subjects people to the risk of violent retaliation, torture, and even death.

Is unified, non-organizational civil disobedience possible?  Will we be able to quietly seize the means of production? Create a a parallel system of governance and economics as the old one collapses?  Permaculture, trusteeship, distributed fabrication....a silent revolution. 

February 23rd, 2009 at 9:18 am

If you are interested in learning about the perspective of farmers who are on the frontlines of the battle for sustainable food production, then listen to this recently published podcast over at Agroinnovations.  This is an interview with Eric Herm of Sonofafarmer.com.

January 14th, 2009 at 8:56 am

As our markets implode and wave after wave of bad financial news hits the wire, wild-eyed investors search in vain for a "safe haven" from risky, highly leveraged investments; high risk investing started with complex investment instruments like credit default swaps and mortgage-backed securities, but has now filtered throughout the marketplace, moving to equities, and now to the dollar and treasury bonds.  Physical gold, showing extreme volatility and bankster manipulation, is also considered a safe haven by many.

But, just as these safe havens for fictitious capital appear, they rapidly dissolve back into the nebulous world of fake money and paper pushing that now characterizes our over-leveraged capital markets.  Capital markets, it seems, offer very few safe havens for the investor.  Even commodities markets are shrouded in uncertainty, as the dual specter of deflation-inflation threatens to shift the value of goods and money, respectively, to nearly nothing.  Our inability to predict the future makes investing difficult indeed.

Investments in soil health, however, always yield returns for communities, governments, and nations as a whole.  Healthy, active soil is the key to producing all of the things which a strong economy, and ultimately a thriving civilization, depend: fiber for fabric, wood for building materials and fuel, vegetables, oil, meat, milk, and eggs.

Capital investment in soils does not mandate the use of chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and other toxins that will, sooner or later, destroy the living web of organisms within the soil profile.  Instead, investing in soils is about management.  And the important questions are: What management practices promote a dynamic biological community within the soil?  How can we promote mineral cycling and effective water infiltration, especially in degraded and eroded lands?  What is the economic return on investment of one practice versus another, and what is the shortest path to adoption?

Those managing the enormous chunks of money floating around in the ether of the financial markets should take note: soils are our past, present and future.  An investment in sustainable soil management (notwithstanding the smoke and mirrors of the carbon credit market) is a direct investment into the well-being of our planet.  My own intuition, however, tells me that governments and even less so investors, are incapable of either understanding or acting upon the soils mandate.  It is incumbent upon a community-based movement to mobilize the social and economic capital ourselves, in whatever way we can.  For those of us in developed countries, this may be a possibility; for those in under-developed nations, it certainly stretches the imagination as to how this could possibly be achieved.

January 13th, 2009 at 6:07 pm

If you've been eagerly awaiting the publication of part II of the Reprap machine podcast, it's been published here.  So, what are you waiting for, go listen.  

January 7th, 2009 at 3:41 pm

Agroinnovations has published a new OSAT poll via the podcast page. Here it is:

What will push Open Source Appropriate Technology forward most quickly:

• More and better online documentation
• Deeper engagement with local communities
• Getting a reprap machine in as many hands as possible
• More open licensing from tech developers

Take your pick, and go vote. You can vote by visiting the Agroinnovations Podcast. The poll is on the right hand side of the page.