Earth Masters: Doing Our Part for Sustainability

Each of us is being called to rise and do our part to create a sustainable, vibrant, empowered environment … to shift our energy from supporting a global economy to cultivating a local community.

We live in a time of crisis and there are two sides to every crisis – danger and opportunity. The dangers of global warming, genetically modified foods, depleted energy reserves, and local food security are part of our daily language. We are fortunate that within our human knowingness is the wisdom to live in a conscious and more sustainable relationship with the earth. The opportunity lies in awakening this knowledge.

Earth Masters is a grassroots, community-based ‘eco-versity’ where people inspired to deepen their commitment to a sustainable lifestyle have the opportunity to learn from others recognized for their skill and passion in this field. In the alchemy of such inspiration, crisis is transformed into community and we shift from consumers to creators.

Year-round courses are being offered in a range of topics. Natural building introduction courses include a variety of techniques including cob, stackwall and the nuances of integrating green techniques into the traditional building permit process. Alternative fuels are discussed in workshops on micro-hydro through wind and solar, and the use of pure plant oil, veggie fuel and biodiesel. For those dreaming up their garden there are sessions focused on sustainable homestead food skills, backyard and container growing and permaculture design skills.

The founding principle of this program is to bring the wisdom of sustainable, earth-honouring living into the hands of everyone so we can each do our part. Similar to a pebble dropped in a pond, the ripples from ‘reknewing’ this wisdom will be felt in our personal ecology, our families, our communities and our environment.

Part of this initiative, is a series of food festivals organized for this Summer at various Earth Masters campuses. These feastivals will be a celebration of locally grown food, inspiring projects like the 100 Mile Diet, and the work of ‘green’ chefs, local food producers, artisans and musicians.

Successful sustainability is the built on a foundation of community. The word community is based on the latin ‘muni’ meaning gift and ‘commun’ meaning to share. In this context, community is not simply the geographic gathering of individuals, but the bringing together of people’s talents for the greater good. Community then becomes an intricate weaving where each person adds their unique thread, their unique passion and abundance to the larger goal.

Programs like Earth Masters allow us to strengthen our individual wisdom and collectively create an inspiring and sustainable community.

There is an opportunity for you to contribute to the greening of our community whether it’s living and breathing the Earth Masters’ program as an intern, adding your skills to an organizing committee, deepening your awareness through a workshop, or coming out to a feastival and supporting sustainability in action. It’s a case of simply starting where you are.

Spring courses begin mid March, for more information check out their wiki site at http://earthmasters.pbwiki.com or call 753-5605.

Asha Croggon, Feb. 16, 2007