Comments on: Permaculture Relief Corps Forming For Haiti Earthquake Response?

By: Lynda Chick

Lynda Chick — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 21:32:01 +0000

Thank you, Evan, for your call for a Permaculture Relief Corps. I recently returned from a medical relief mission in Haiti, and I am convinced of the potential of permaculture providing systemic solutions and opportunities for Haitians to rebuild their country. My optimism may be far too abundant, but I believe with integrated permaculture strategies that touch all intersecting aspects of reconstruction, i.e. health, nutrition, sustainable agriculture, reforestation, sanitation, and education, Haiti has the potential to become a template for sustainable living for other degraded, post-disaster, and war-torn areas of the world. And who knows, Haitians, with their incredible strength and resilience, may one day show us in the “developed” world how to live a sustainable life in harmony with nature.

I am definitely interested in the formation of a permaculture relief corps. I am a nurse, and I have completed a permaculture design certification course. Please keep me posted, as I am continuing my commitment to Haiti.

By: Cory Brennan

Cory Brennan — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:56:10 +0000

Marcel, We have some teachers in Haiti now in the main city areas setting up classes. There is also a project in Limbe with permaculture teachers and designers – more info at http://www.herbnwisdom.com/HaitiDonation.php

Here’s an update on what the permaculturists we got down there via the Scientology Volunteer Minister charter planes are doing. They were first responders and definitely saved lives by being in the thick of things early on. They put in very badly needed sanitation in the main hospital in Port Au Prince, have done sanitation in camps and have been teaching Haitians how to create their own sanitation and clean water. They are now hooked up with major points of the Haitian government and major NGO’s such as UNICEF and negotiating larger projects. They are also setting up to teach permaculture via several venues. They can definitely use funding to expand their efforts (donations accepted by permacultureguild.org/donations). I’ll submit a full article on it soon and we continue to update our blog at permacultureguild.us

They have learned a lot about first responding – it can be very intense and chaotic – and one volunteer who has returned is writing up his recommendations which he will share once he is completed.

By: Marcel Susko

Marcel Susko — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:21:09 +0000

Going to area Leogane and Petit Goave for 6-8 months (mid March). Wish to get in touch with all other teachers and designers in area to make best we can in co-operation. Thanks for contacting, all information and useful know-how beforehand as well as identification of crucial areas to put effort without wasting time and resources.

By: Craig Mackintosh

Craig Mackintosh — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:15:40 +0000

For the benefit of people subscribed to this comment thread I'll bring your attention to this post, which is my attempt to address the concerns of people who have commented above and also those who have emailed me with their concerns about the perceived relationship between Scientologists and permaculturists working together in disaster relief.

By: Cory Brennan

Cory Brennan — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:57:53 +0000

Another point – many people from the cities are fleeing to the country. Though we’ve all heard how devasted the Haitian environment is, and this is very true, there are still many green areas of the country that have abundant food – it piles up on the ground going to waste from the jungle trees. I’ll try to upload some pictures topermaculturehaiti.org from all over the country taken by someone from that country who has been briefing me on the environmental conditions in the different areas. These green areas are a resource that could be stewarded to feed the country. The main reason the food goes to waste, according to my friend, is that there is insufficient access to the cities from those areas (which may be why they’re still green – horseback and boat are common modes of travel in those areas) and subsidized US corporations are underselling Haitian farmers in the cities so it is not worth it for them to travel there.

Very interested in feedback from others who have worked there or are in country – we’d like to link up where it may be beneficial to do so.

We are working on some major funding lines, and though there are no promises we will get anywhere, well thought out, succinct proposals for projects in Haiti are welcome and very well could be funded – a whole lot of energy is aimed at Haiti right now and I really hope that sustainable solutions are able to tap into some of that and keep it in the system.

By: Cory Brennan

Cory Brennan — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:45:31 +0000

Thank you Craig, a small amount of amateur research would have confirmed that for Gerald, but he neglected to bother.

UPDATE IN HAITI:

Another plane is leaving from Miami to Haiti Friday AM (tomorrow) – anyone interested in being on that plane must contact me today (Thurs). There should be another plane next week from LA or NY, hopefully. And a boat leaving from Florida in about one week that has some room for people.

We’ve heard from the two teams on the ground and are getting reports from the Haitian government now. The water filter team is trying to go to Leogane (probably there by now) – that city was totally destroyed and all water is being brought in currently. The sanitation team is working with the major rescue efforts near Port Au Prince and they are SO needed – we need 20 more people like them! Please, if you’re interested, go there.

Per Haitian government officials who are touring the hardest hit areas of Jacmel, Port Au Prince and Leogane, the water and sanitation systems have been almost completely compromised. Many people had concrete catchment tanks on their roofs that were ruined in the quake. They caught some rainwater, but people paid to have water delivered too. They usually do not use roofs to catch extra rainwater. There are also many private wells and some spring fed water supply, especially in Port Au Prince. Many wells have been compromised and the supply from springs outside the city has been as well. They need water filters for the wells that still operate and also spring water that people may go to access. And for now, plastic water catchment, caught from roofs of temp shelters, may be a very good thing.

There are many people still in the city in Port Au Prince (where more buildings survived) and also camps set up outside the city. The crime is not nearly as extreme as the media makes out – many communities are closely cooperating and helping each other to survive.

Sanitation is almost non existent – there is a real risk of major disease vectors coming in if this is not addressed.

We are looking for proposals for water catchment, filtering and human waste sanitation systems for neighborhoods and the camps (for instance, plastic tanks could catch water from temporary shade structures or tents), and are portable and could be moved to permanent shelter once this is set up. We are looking for people who can back up the sanitation and water teams already on the ground (do not have to be skilled in the area but will be building, teaching, etc), or who have expertise in water catchment, filtering or sanitation.

We continue to create relationships with other groups in country and out – a green builder in the Tampa area is creating a plan to use shipping containers (which he uses currently) and urbanite aggregate and metal roofs (which are common in Haiti and could possibly be salvaged) to create good sized structures quickly that will be both earthquake and hurricane resistant. We have begun working with him and others to create whole systems that can be quickly created (his homes can be constructed in one day) and are sustainable, long term solutions.

By: Max V. Jensen

Max V. Jensen — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:11:23 +0000

Thanks Craig.
If it’s any help I’d add that on the board on NBN we have a former and present Mormon, one person very interested in Rudolf Steiner, a single unemployed mother, a businessman, a grey haired lady who percieve of her dog as a child, a woman who don’t celebrate x-mas, and me who’ll pick a written fight with anyone…. unfortunately we’re all white folks, and I’m unaware about anyone having atypical sexual preferences…
Point is that we’re all united due to our interest in Natural Building Network, and doing the best we can to do so…
I trust this is the similar to what unites everyone interested in ‘Permaculture Relief Corps’.
In other words: Lets stay on the topic: Help Haiti.

Cheers, Max Vittrup Jensen
http://www.nbnetwork.org

By: Craig Mackintosh

Craig Mackintosh — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:29:38 +0000

For the sake of transparency, I asked John Calvert of permaculturehaiti.org if he is the Scientologist ‘John Calvert’ that Gerald Forby mentioned in his comment above. He has confirmed to me that he is not that John Calvert, and not a Scientologist.

By: Anna Lorraine

Anna Lorraine — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:51:37 +0000

I would glady donate to a permaculture relief project in Haiti. I now contribute to Trees for the Future who have projects in Haiti. I heard on the news today they are greatful that the people are again going back to the more rural communities where they left due to poverty. The poverty continues in the city. A good new start there in the rural communities with permaculture would be very helpful. Anna

By: Cory Brennan

Cory Brennan — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:53:34 +0000

Work is being done on short, medium and long term options at permaculturehaiti.org. We’ve organized five permaculturists going down, and other groups are also sending people. We’re planning medium and long term strategies over there. Get on the listserv! We have an IT (John Calvert) who has set up a great web site with many features just to handle this one subject. Please, let’s use it! There is way too much traffic happening on this subject to put it on here.