Introduction to Permaculture at BedZED
by Treehugger Interns on 10.14.06
Regular readers will be familiar with BedZED, the innovative London housing project pioneered by the Bioregional Development Group which we have covered here and here. Many will also be familiar with the concept of permaculture, which we posted on here. Now there is an opportunity to learn more about both, as BedZED will be playing host to an Introduction to Permaculture weekend course this autumn. Led by permaculture teacher and activist Sarah Pugh, the course will run on the 11th and 12th of November and will feature talks, walks, workshops, slide shows and practical activities. There will be a particular focus on how permaculture has been used in the UK to create productive, sustainable urban communities.
Sarah describes permaculture as “an ethical, practical and common sense response to climate change and peak oil, exploring ways to reduce your ecological footprint and work towards a sustainable future. It is for anyone who wants to be part of the solution.”
The course also promises to provide plenty of opportunity to learn about the BedZED housing development, a pioneering eco-friendly design inspired by permaculture principles. BedZed is a development of 100 houses and offices. It harvests rainwater, is designed to use 90% less energy for heating, has an on-site natural sewerage system, was built using local and recycled materials and is experimenting with producing its own energy from London's wood waste.
Sarah has been teaching permaculture and developing urban community garden projects in Bristol since 1999 and teaches with Patrick Whitefield at Ragmans Lane Farm. For more information, or to book your place, contact Sarah on 0117 9027913 or email bedzed_permaculture@yahoo.co.uk
[Written by: Sami Grover]
"create productive, sustainable urban communities."
We are talking about people here, not gardens. Liberty, the free market, and the environment can all exist together. We don't need control freaks socially engineering us and treating us like cattle. If you wish to live in some eco-commune, go right ahead. I'm not stopping you!
We don't need control freaks socially engineering us and treating us like cattle.
Couldn't agree more David, whose doing that? I don't think applying sound ecological design principles to how we organise our built environment and our communities is contol freakery or social engineering. Certainly no more so than the present application of poor, non-ecological design principles in our towns, cities and housing developments.
Yeah....I guess these guys are almost....communists!
I love the idea of Bedzed--andwish them good luck. Affordable eco-friendly housing is so hard to find and in London, I hear it is next to impossible. I wish them well.