Voluntary Peasants

Voluntary Peasants is a fun, hip, magical, mystical adventure, a Zen romp, full of humor, warmth and spiritual survival wisdom.

--published by Hot Button Press is scheduled for release this summer.


High Times calls Stephen Gaskin "the Gandhi of the American counterculture."

Stephen said:

This country needs in great numbers to become voluntary peasants. Being enlightened is a lot like being a grownup and taking responsibility.

Telepathy is evidence that we are all connected. We can get telepathic with each other, and we can get telepathic with God, with birds, trees, grass.

We can send energy to people who need energy by thinking loving thoughts about them.

By now, everyone knows how to get high, but if you want to stay high, you need moral structure.

Government does not have the right to dictate levels of consciousness.

The Farm began in 1971 as more than a commune, but as a dream-come-true adventure and all-out, put-your-butt-on-the-line, social experiment, political statement and attempt to create a gracious lifestyle the whole world can afford. Everyone worked to manifest a way of living that feels right, in touch with the earth, healthy, productive, fun and good for children. We built our own village, complete with school, clinic, doctors, midwives, lab, soy dairy, bakery, radio station, houses, roads, green, cutting edge, alternative energy, cottage industries, motor pool, laundry, canning and freezing operation, rock, boogey and reggae bands. We used horses, tractors and computers.

For thirteen years, I lived and worked at The Farm as a carpenter, farmer, chef, baker, gateman, news editor and mechanic. Like the rest of The Farm adult community, I considered Stephen Gaskin my spiritual teacher, my guru. We were all Stephen's students.

Stephen told us, “I’m trying to teach you to not need me.” It took me awhile. --Melvyn Stiriss

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www.thefarmcommunity.com
www.TheFarm.org

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Foxfire

We have been consumed by a frenzy of green and alternate energy but Foxfire is the original green series and surival guide.

The original book was published in 1972 and my husband and I really poured over this book and Foxfire 2 which came later. There are maybe 12 of these Foxfire books now. Link

I can hardly think of Foxfire without thinking of the other good publications that came out around the same time like Mother Earth News and The Whole Earth Catalog. These were essential to us hippies and commune dwellers.

But the Whole Earth was our "go-to" guide, our reference, our Google. It taught several generations how to select ecologically-sound products and make wise choices. Because of Whole Earth we had super cool accommodations near the Appalachian Trail by Watauga Lake and always had something good to eat. We all learned how to grow and cook and can almost anything. We built an outhouse and re-routed a spring. We loved it. The only problem we had was people always wanting to come over and hang out all the time.

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organic food brands

"Which giant corporations own which "small" organic food brands? (2009 edition)" How much more clear they be? We have graphs that show us more and more about the crap that we are eating.

link

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Waterpod - Afloat in the New York Harbor

Photograph by Michael Nagle for The New York Times.
For the last two months artists have been floating around New York City on the Waterpod, a 3,000-square-foot experiment in community living and artistry.

Founded by Mary Mattingly, whose medium is mainly photography, it was envisioned as a self-sustaining living space, an eco- and art-friendly sphere that could be recreated in the future, when land resources might be scarce.

See Waterpod Images, from concept to fruition.

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The DIY Liberation Guide

The DIY Liberation Guide

Walk out, get free stuff, toss a flower bomb. Simple steps for day-to-day liberation. Go ahead: free your world.

-Visit Liberated Places
-No Frills Guide To Squatting
-Learn Activism
-Free Your Inner Space, and more

{via: YES! magazine}

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WHOLE EARTH CATALOG

WHOLE EARTH CATALOG
The Whole Earth Catalog is now online. This collection is not complete—and probably never will be—but it is a gift to readers who loved the CATALOG and those who are discovering it for the first time. The great stuff found on these pages is a celebration of the genius of Stewart Brand and all those associated with the WHOLE EARTH family of publications.

link | via MiShi on Facebook

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Public Urination for Water Conservation

Public Urination for Water Conservation

This new PSA by MTV Switch takes an unusual approach at promoting water conservation by encouraging people to urinate in public.

Come to think of it, describing the approach as “unusual” might be a bit of an understatement.

The PSA, which is entitled “Slash,” consists of a montage of people urinating in public places set to the track “Miserere Mei” composed by Bouwe Dykstra. The ad ends with a messaging asking you to save water by flushing less.

The spot was created by Ogilvy Advertising London.

link

The hippies ALWAYS had the good ideas.

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Bad Unkl Sista

Bad Unkl Sista
So inventive with her badass DIY creations. And she taught herself to sew. (via)

MySpace | Make a shrug from a t-neck

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Radical Simplicity:
Small Footprints on a Finite Earth
by Jim Merkel

Imagine that you are first in line at a potluck supper. The spread includes not just food and water, but all the materials needed for shelter, clothing, healthcare, and education. How do you know how much to take? How much must you leave for your neighbors behind you - not just the 6 billion human beings, but our fellow creatures and the yet-to-be-born?



Some believe that recycling and use of energy efficient appliances is sustainable living. In Radical Simplicity, Jim Merkel argues that to live in a sustainable manner requires a complete rethinking of our way of life. If the world's total bioproductive area is divided by the world's population, each of us gets a 4.7-acre share. Right now Canadians use up on average 22 acres of natural resources a year. To close this gap truly requires radical solutions.

Another thing I heard him say once was to think in terms of NEED and WANT when you're met with a consumer issue.

"Do I NEED this item, or do I simply WANT this item? Try to stick with just what you NEED."

This book came out about 5 years ago, but it's been crossing my path recently and followed me here to Easy Bake Coven.

Buy Book | Order Film | Global Living Project

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One For Me, One For You

Swapsites are the new do-good, feel-good sport
By Rachel Kaufman

No matter how well-meaning but misguided, you’d never toss a holiday gift (not even the heinous reindeer coffee mug from the office Secret Santa). And the whole re-gifting thing can be a serious faux pas if you get caught. But that doesn’t mean you should relegate those unmentionables to catching dust in the far corner of your closet.

To get what you really want, log online. For only the cost of shipping, you can trade video games, books, music and even clothing with people all over the world. Instead of having to barter directly with one person — where a successful trade depends on you having exactly what they’re looking for — most online swap sites give you points which can be redeemed for other items down the road. With no fees or commissions to pay, swapping may be the most economical way to breathe new life into your old stuff. And it goes without saying that trading is earth-friendly too: let’s keep the stuff we’ve got circulating instead of investing in something new.

Here are a few of the best places to get your swap on:

Swango.com At just a few months old, Swango is gaining momentum as the web’s clothing swapsite of choice. Free to join, the site’s policy is that buyer and seller go halvsies on shipping. Post ten items, and your first ten trading credits are free — additional credits rack up as your clothes are "bought" by other Swango users.

Paperbackswap.com Trade any book — not just paperbacks — with an ISBN for one of 1.5 million available. The site offers printable postage and delivery confirmation, a wish list and lively discussion forums.

Barterbee.com At BarterBee, trade for music, movies and games. It’s free and hundreds of titles are listed.

[Read More »»]

Know of any more good places for freebies, swapping, or bartering?

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NOKI'S HOUSE OF SUSTAINABILITY

NOKI did not disappoint at London's Fashion East show with a melange of thrift that appeared to be styled by Edward Scissorhands.

Jonathan "JJ" Hudson is a club kid cum music industry stylist who goes by the name NOKI and he states that House of Sustainability is not for sale. Something of a recluse you'll rarely see pictures of him (then only with trademark mask) and he doesn't want to sell you clothes.

The Noki House of Sustainability (NHS) is about inspiring everyone to have a bash at customizing and recycling their old stuff. You don't have to go nuts attacking an old bridesmaid's dress with scissors and pvc- try altering necklines and hemlines or head to a haberdashers and get some beads to tart up a plain top.

Appropriately enough, both Gareth Pugh and his mate, BoomBox founder and current patron saint of London drag queens, Richard Mortimer, were in the front row.



Via: Inhabitat | MySpace | More »

I'm passionate about alternative design. And I like that D&B has introduced riding crops in their collection. (Dominatrix, party of one?) Can't you see scores of women casually carrying a crop?

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Operation 2012

Operation 2012

Operation: 2012 is dedicated to the establishment of social justice and bringing about the end of both government and corporate tyranny by utilizing progressive media in order to promote worker solidarity, greater consumer awareness and encourage non-violent civil disobedience or civil initiative. We promote a five-step process dedicated to changing the existing power structure that has invaded the American/global political system.

We call for a collective movement by the nations labor unions to strike in protest to governments domestic policy.

We call for a boycott of non-sustainable corporations and endorse rescinding corporate personhood.

We reject the campaign of falsification, disinformation, and misrepresentations of the corporate media.

We promote greater consumer awareness in the market place and encourage sustainable socially responsible investing.

We encourage civil disobedience/civil initiative.

Operation 2012 recognizes the American and coalition military presence in Iraq as an illegal occupation in violation of international law. We call for an immediate military and corporate withdrawal. We also encourage impeachment hearings against the current administration to become a part of mainstream political discourse.

We are not anti-government, nor anti-democratic, but rather we seek to expose the corporate interests that currently dictate the U.S. foreign and domestic policy. The liberation of America from the grip of corporate influence is contingent upon grassroots organizing and local efforts to stop feeding the corporate machine by withholding our dollars and re-examining our role in its workforce. Rather than dwelling on problems and social ills, we focus on reversing these trends and righting the wrongs.

Operation 2012 is also a source of daily headlines related to our movement.

The term 2012 is derived from the Mayan civilization; the year that human beings will enter a new era of awareness.

link

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