5 Nov 2013
Permaculture and Transition – shared challenges, shared possibilities: a talk in Northern California
The talk on my recent US tour that I enjoyed most was the one I gave at the ‘Building Resilient Communities’ conference at the Solar Living Institute in Hopland in Northern California. It was the first gathering I know of that drew together the Transition and permaculture communities in a single event and it was great fun, speaking to a couple of hundred people under the stars at the end of a great day of workshops, talks and music.
I was one of the evening’s keynote speakers, along with Richard Heinberg and Doria Robinson, and the evening was facilitated by Trathen Heckman (see photo above). Here is my talk, which begins with a very flattering introduction by Richard. It is also the first (and last!) talk I have ever done in which I quote George W Bush. So, settle back, imagine the starry sky, the expectant audience, the distant noise of traffic, and the plumetting temperature as the talk progresses …
It was a real joy to be able to reflect on my relationship with permaculture, how Transition and permaculture overlap, that strengths and weaknesses of both, and that challenges and opportunities of scaling both up. I really enjoyed it. By half way through though it was also freezing cold, and you will note in the recording that I get colder and colder until someone in the audience lends me a silly hat.
I hope you enjoy it.