Saturday, May 9, 2009

4th Annual "Simply Healthy: Creating Sustainable Communities" Simply Living Fair and Wellness Expo

The fourth annual “Simply Healthy: Creating Sustainable Community” Simply Living Fair and Wellness Expo, November 13th through 15th, 2009 in Bloomington, Indiana. This year we turn our attention to “Living Simply Well, Community Building, and Eating Local and Eating Healing Meals”.

Diana Leafe Christian will offer a keynote on "Ecovillages: Where They Are, What They're Doing, Why They're Important" With over 400 photos, this presentation shows how ecovillages worldwide integrate aspects of ecological, economic, and social/cultural/spiritual sustainability:
* permaculture design
* natural building
* renewable energy/off-grid power
* alternative technology
* sustainable agriculture
* Earth-restoration projects
* international peace activism
* service to specific populations in need
* local currencies
* on-site cottage industries
* participatory decision-making
* conflict resolution
* process and communication skills for bonding and connecting.

Diana shows why ecovillagers are devoted to developing these ecological settlements, how ecovillages are beneficially influencing the wider culture, and how ecovillages will most likely affect patterns of human settlement in the near future.

The presentation covers intentional community-style ecovillages in the Industrialized North, ecologically aware traditional villages in the Global South, and sustainability education centers in both hemispheres. Examples include ecovillage projects in North America, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Asia.
The presentation is an hour and 10 minutes, with time for questions afterwards.

What People Say About Diana's Ecovillage Slide Show:
"Simply unforgettable. Diana delivers it with great style, wit, and heart, not to mention an encyclopedic authority borne of nearly two decades at the forefront of the intentional communities movement. All I can say is, 'Don't miss it!'"
-Daniel Drasin, Greenbrae, California

"An amazing, inspiring presentation." --Liz Walker, EcoVillage at Ithaca, New York

"Terrific! Diana is both knowledgeable and an excellent presenter . . . very professional and in-touch with her audience." -- Alastair Lough, Transition Training Center, Portland Maine

"The single best visual introduction to ecovillages I've seen. You maintain the humor, wisdom, and passion of your two indispensable books on finding and/or creating community. With only two days advance notice for the slide show, we packed the room here at Walnut Street Co-op, and I don't think anyone was disappointed. Highly recommended!" --Kenneth Mahaffey, Walnut Street Co-op, Berkeley, California

"Thorough, insightful, and far-reaching, beautiful, and well-organized. People attending were mesmerized and could barely contain their questions and excitement."
--Kat Steele, Oakland, California

"Fascinating and eye-opening. Your deep knowledge, practical approach, and love for the great human adventure of ecovillage life is touching and inspiring. Your work --and your presentation is truly a treasure!"
--Dave Nimmons, New York, New York

"This engaging, fact-filled presentation is upbeat, humorous and highly entertaining -- each new slide and new topic (from composting toilets to rotational grazing) sparks an ever deepening sense of hope for the future."
-- Angela Manno, New York, New York

"I've never seen a better presentation . . . it helped me feel connected with people all over the planet who care about the same things I do."
--Andi Feron, Common Fire Housing Co-op, Tivoli, New York
"Meticulously researched and beautifully presented. Diana shows us how small groups of people are sustaining themselves with cooperation instead of competition; stewardship instead of exploitation; and self-reliance instead of reliance upon a self-destructing economy. By showing us that we are not helpless in these challenging times, she is giving us a reason to hope, innumerable ways of being creative, and positive ideals to work with as the structures of our societies crumble about us. I recommend her ecovillage slide show with all my heart!"
--Carolyn North, Berkeley, California

"Your presentation was very inspiring -- people here are still excitedly telling each other about it. I know it will bring our community some good ideas and actions."
--Valorie Rockney, EcoVillage at Ithaca, New York

Bio info:
Diana Leafe Christian is author of Creating a Life Together: Practical Tools to Grow Ecovillages and Intentional Communities and Finding Community: How to Join an Ecovillage or Intentional Community. Editor of Communities magazine for 14 years, she publishes "Ecovillages," a free online publication http://www.EcovillageNews.org. Diana leads workshops, offers consultations on process and communication issues, and speaks at conferences internationally. Her articles have appeared in Mother Earth News, Cohousing magazine, Permaculture Activist, and the Encyclopedia of Community. She's been interviewed by Time Magazine, the New York Times, Harper's Magazine, AARP magazine, New Dimensions Radio, Peak Moment TV, NPR, and the BBC. She writes about consensus and process and communication skills for the website of the Cohousing Association of the U.S. http://www.cohousing.org/blog/937 Diana lives at Earthaven Ecovillage in North Carolina. http://www.DianaLeafeChristian.org