It is so inspiring to learn how hundreds of
community initiatives and experiments for social and environmental
sustainability are being carried out today by many people and activists around
the world. It is important to learn not only about this, but also about the many
projects that support and advance people’s rights and humane and ethical
development, meaning not oppressive and destructive to humans and nature. I
think working or being involved with this can be very empowering knowing your
every step is an important phase not only for your personal growth but also for
others as well. Having initiatives like this is the most visible and realistic
of all ideals we have. For decades, successful partnership of honest NGO’s and
sincere individuals/community, committed to actualize the project and see it’s
‘fruit’ all through the years, thrived and spread through many generations. Alliances
like these serve as a model community or program for the people to explore many
possibilities of acting in many choices (unlike in the mainstream that is very
limited to voting, paying taxes and dealing with petty crimes) for the things
essential to our individual and collective well-being. Some examples here are
community gardens, CSA’s, low-cost housing, alternative energy, natural
housing, permaculture farms/sites, free schools, community centers, etc. Anyway, here are some interesting websites to look if you want to learn about some of the projects that I'm telling here.
THE TRANSITION NETWORK
http://www.transitionnetwork.org
NAVDANYA MOVEMENT
http://www.navdanya.org
GRASSROOTS INTERNATIONAL
http://www.grassrootsonline.org
As
part of the SG vision, we are trying to connect globally especially to those
who are doing these kinds of project in order to: further possibilities of
communal transition, expand the horizon of our place in the global natural
system, increase the chance or opportunity of getting financial support, help
others get more perspectives regarding organic gardening, community
initiatives, and environmental sustainability, encourage more volunteers and
promote the vision to a wider arena, strengthen the capacity by getting more
allies in combating global scarcity and socio-political crises, learn many
different methods of organic gardening, alternative energy, and community improvement,
and help establish a global community that will dismantle the concept of
national borders. So up to this moment, our group is still looking for ways to
continue the social center/community library project as we see that it is one
of the most effective ways to connect to people. In addition, as we still don’t
have a final area suited for long-term community gardening project so what we
are doing basically is preparing ourselves and learning many different aspects
regarding these initiatives. Again, aside from teaching ourselves, we also
educate others about important issues such as food, land, community, human
rights, and other things related to our vision.
Speaking
of food, one of our programs is to spread awareness and start a campaign against
GMO and the companies that perpetrate this kind of hazardous biotech invention.
One of the most popular of this is Monsanto, the giant transnational biotech
company that is undeniably responsible for many atrocities happening around the
world since almost the beginning of industrial revolution. This company is one
of the biggest producers of chemicals (such as Round Up, etc.) and other synthetic pesticides that destroyed many farm lands around the world. Not only this, Monsanto
also helped in the production of DDT and other poisonous pesticides used in the
war on Vietnam in the 60’s. Up to now, with their bio-engineering, genetic
experiments and political influence, Monsanto is still ruthlessly committing ecological
and biological terrorism all over the globe. The company that is rampantly
abusing farmers and perpetuating violence against nature is also the company
that is influencing policies and laws regarding agriculture and food
production. To give you more ideas and options on how to help, please check these
links:
MONSANTO'S HISTORY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsanto
OR THIS:
http://www.gmwatch.org/gm-firms/10595-monsanto-a-history
CAMPAIGNS:
MILLIONS AGAINST
MONSATO
http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/
CAMPAIGN MATERIALS:
http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/materials.cfm
OCCUPY MONSANTO
http://occupy-monsanto.com/
COMMUNITY LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CAMPAIGNS
So
as a response to this problem, our group is committed to initiate public
awareness about this issue. We produced informational videos, posters, and text
in local dialects. Every now and then, we organize film screening, discussions
and leafleting regarding this issue because we strongly believe that it is very
important to educate the public first about this ‘crisis’ for them to take
action sincerely. Last May in this year, we organized a public demonstration
against Monsanto and GMO and although there were not so many people who
participated, it was a successful action in terms of spreading public
awareness.
In
connection to this campaign, we are also currently doing a school to school awareness
exhibition. In this, we exhibit posters and artworks that depict issues about
GMO/biotech, health, organic gardening, natural lifestyle, and community
actions. This month-long school to school program is entitled: Sustainable Social Paradigm: Organic
Gardening, Natural Health, and Intentional Communities. Along with photo
exhibition, we do film screening and discussion to educate the students and
teachers about these matters. As a result, we got connected to the teachers
that are also into these kinds of interest and plan to work together in the
future. As part of their ‘Sustainable School’ initiative, they want to incorporate
some of their strategies to our programs since they are closely related.
ABOUT THE GARDEN...
Regarding
our garden, we will put here some photos we’ve taken some months ago.
Obviously, sharing garden here in Bread Homes is almost coming to an end since
there is not enough community support and the land in the area is very poor. As
you can see, we can plant some things but it doesn’t produce enough that is at
least fair to the effort we are giving. The solution is to find another area
especially permanent so that it will be assuring for all the people who want to
get involved.
Anyway,
thanks to our new friend Clarke, he sometimes helps us in our projects and it
is quite inspiring to learn about his visions and ideals too. We enjoy being with
his company so much since he is one of the few people here in Bread Homes that
think about things essential to community.
Bread Homes Volunteer
Action Day and Ecological Camping
Last
August 8, Organic Minds organized a community gathering and volunteer day to
get help from volunteers and friends. It was also a great opportunity to
evaluate some of our projects. It was also a half-day event of book and poster
covering, film viewing and musical performances. Participants contributed to
the event and brought food for everybody. It was a great day since many of our
friends came to enjoy the day and share different things. On August 31,
together with other members of CGINET (Common Ground Initiative Network), we
helped organized an ecological awareness camp some kilometers away from the
city.
With almost fifty participants, students and out-of-school youth, the
event ran smoothly for two days full of meaningful workshops and discussions
about the various projects of the network including the Sharing Garden, KU Free
School, Food Freedom, Organic Minds Community Library and others. Not only
about the projects but it was also a perfect opportunity to educate the
community (mostly youth that are protecting the Davao City watershed area in
Tawan-tawan, Calinan) about other important issues related to the environmental
and social problems we all are facing.
That area is the only community who
refused to use the non-organic method of farming since companies like DOLE
entered this area. It was amazing to learn about the effort that this community
does to protect their environment and also the ideas some of the young children
has regarding the situation of their natural habitat.
During the evening of
that camp, we exchanged presentations that made the night very exciting and
unforgettable. Some performed their traditional dances and their own musical
compositions that tell about living and working for the natural world. On the
second day, they brought us to the nearby river where we enjoyed swimming and
hiking. As a result also, we exchanged contacts to plan the next actions.
So
to update you about the garden again, we are very sad to tell you that there is
a very serious problem right now. First is that the former caretaker of the
area wants to use half of the area again (after we installed fences!) and has
burned huge part of the garden as his method of getting rid of the grasses.
Before that, he sprayed Round Up without our consent; he did this during our
camping activity so we obviously didn’t have the chance to say no. This man is
known in the community of Bread Village as a greedy and selfish idiot who
sometimes harvest other people’s fruits. When we arrived from the camping, we
were surprised and disappointed with the news.
After few days, he burned the
area and now, he doesn’t want us to plant on that area anymore! As we are
having an argument, he threatened me stay off of that part or else he will hurt
me. To prevent things from getting worst, I left him screaming in frustration
and anger. As what we’ve thought before, this will be very problematic since we
don’t have a tangible support from other people and also from the owners.
We
used to send them (the owners) emails and updates about the project but up to
now we don’t get any response that would at least encourage us to continue
using that area. Well, as for Organic Minds, this will not stop us from
continuing our plans since we can do this in other area. Hopefully next year,
we can finally get a financial support that would enable us to get a permanent
land so that this dream of having a successful community garden project will
happen.
