[GSBN] Positive politics about Palestine, strawbale and earth

Wed Nov 14 22:27:08 UTC 2012

Right now I am trying  to save myself... so... I totally agree with Derek
that politics should be kept out of GSBN discussions. I come to GSBN only
because I want to learn and share about eco building, not interested to
focus here on discussions about Palestine vs Israel, North Corea vs South
Corea, Portugal vs IMF, psychoanalysis vs Me, banks vs (also) me, or fish
and ships vs pizza.
Thank you.

All the best

Jorge VK
Portugal

On Wed, Nov 14, 2012 at 9:42 PM, Tom Woolley <tom.woolley at btconnect.com>wrote:

> Dear Alex
>
> that sounds great ..I thought there was support for Palestine in what you
> were doing, and its great to have these direct links, so it is clearer
>
> Derek Roff was disquieted at me raising political issues but maybe USA is
> a long way from the Israel/Palestine situation whereas we are more
> sensitive to it in Europe
> What happens in the Middle East is critical to peace in the world
>
> Derek thinks that politics should be kept out of GSBN discussions, but we
> all live in a political context, it cannot be swept under the carpet as it
> affects everything we do
>
> I support the use of natural materials because I am against the use, for
> instance,  of petrochemical materials like Dow Styrofoam
>  http://www.bhopal.org/tag/dow-chemical/
> We cannot avoid politics but we can find positive ways to change the world
> using our science and technology in an ethical way
>
> Surely if we are being asked to endorse members in GSBN we have to
> consider ethical and social issues.
> Would we accept nazi or racist or anti semitic balers?
>
> When we built our strawbale school room in County Down , our planning
> approval was opposed by Ian Paisley's DUP party
> Orangemen against strawbale building?
>
> Surely by building with natural and low impact materials we are trying to
> save the planet
> You can't get more political than that
>
>
>
> thanks
>
> Tom
>
>
>
> On 14 Nov 2012, at 18:27, Alex Cicelsky (Kibbutz Lotan) wrote:
>
>  Tom,****
>
> As a peace and coexistence activist I think Israel/Palestine is critical
> issue: let’s continue it privately (and anyone else who wants to be
> included please let me know).****
> Here are the links you may have been looking for:****
> www.kibbutzlotan.com/marda - assisting Palestinian Permaculture famer****
> www.tinyurl.com/Lotan-FoEME-BBC - BBC report on coexistence &
> Eco-education****
> http://www.kibbutzlotan.com/creativeEcology/articles/Kibbutz_Lotan.pdf *Building
> bridges of clay, mud & straw*.  *Communities Magazine*, Summer 2006, #131*
> ***
> ** **
> Salaam - Shalom, Alex****
> ** **
> Alex Cicelsky | Director of Research and Development****
> Center for Creative Ecology <http://www.kibbutzlotan.com/creativeEcology>
> | Kibbutz Lotan <http://www.kibbutzlotan.com/> 88855 Israel****
> +972-54-979-9009 |  alex at klotan.co.il****
> College, Training & Design Programs <http://www.kibbutzlotan.com/ga> |
> Eco-Network <http://www.facebook.com/lotan.ga> |  YouTube Channel<http://www.youtube.com/kibbutzlotan>
>  | Free EcoGuide App <http://www.tinyurl.com/ecoguideapp> | BirdingIsrael<http://www.birdingisrael.com/>
> ****
> ** **
>  *From:* GSBN-bounces at sustainablesources.com [
> mailto:GSBN-bounces at sustainablesources.com<GSBN-bounces at sustainablesources.com>
> ] *On Behalf Of *Tom Woolley
> *Sent:* Wednesday, November 14, 2012 15:57
> *To:* Global Straw Building Network
> *Subject:* Re: [GSBN] nomination and update****
> ** **
> Dear Alex****
> Can you clarify your position on Palestine?****
> I was asked to speak at a conference of the International Communal Studies
> Association at Findhorn, ****
> however it emerged that  ICSA, which is based in Israel, could not provide
> satisfactory answers to our questions about kibbutz that have been built on
> occupied palestinian land****
> What I saw of the building stuff on your webs sites looks great but I
> couldn't find much about involving Palestinians (though it was mentioned on
> one site and I got the impression that Palestinians were involved) .****
> thanks****
> ** **
> Tom****
> PS I can send you the discussion document that was issued by ARC-PEACE on
> the issue of ICSA which led to a decision to boycott the ICSA conference if
> you are interested. ****
> I am not sure myself that boycotts are always the right thing to do as it
> can be important to support progressive people in israel****
> ** **
> ** **
> ** **
> ** **
> ** **
> On 14 Nov 2012, at 12:22, Alex Cicelsky (Kibbutz Lotan) wrote:****
>
>
> ****
> Dear Balefolk,****
>  ****
> Two weeks ago we had a convergence of the core group of Israeli straw bale
> builders and designers, earth and lime plasterers and educators.  While
> it’s a challenge to share knowledge in a limited marketplace, there is a
> process of development from competition to cooperation and quality control.
>   We spoke a lot about connecting with colleagues who are experts - in
> particular in the area of lime plastering which is being reborn in this
> country where 2000+ years ago everyone had a lime slaking pit in their
> backyard.  About 60 folk attended with an equal proportion of men and
> women. I assume you met Michal Vital at the ISBC. She presented an overview
> of your event and the tour.****
>  ****
> I would like to take this opportunity to nominate Michal Vital [website
> http://www.vital-baron.com/   email mvital63 at gmail.com ] to the GSBN.  We
> first met working together on the Medwed-Bustan-Wadi El Naam Bedouin Clinic
> project http://openarchitecturenetwork.org/projects/391.  Since then
> she’s become a prominent and highly regarded Green Architect in the country
> specializing in natural building, strawbale houses and energy efficiency
> design.  She works wonderfully with clients, engineers and builders.****
>
> One more item: four of our students have started their own natural
> building construction company specializing in strawbales.  The name of the
> company is Bottz  www.bottz.co.il  which is Mud in Hebrew.  The website
> is in Hebrew (y’all know how to use the Chrome translate option)  - the
> images speak for themselves.  Together with Bottz we have completed an
> earth plastered ‘light straw’ fire test wall<http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=412523248808887&set=pb.121279601266588.-2207520000.1352894815&type=3&theater>
>  (photohttp://on.fb.me/T30Fyi  before plastering.  For technical reasons
> they made blocks instead of the normative form-in-place method) and we're
> waiting for the Standards Institute of Israel to give us a date for the
> fire test, hopefully within two weeks.****
>  ****
> B’shalom, Alex****
>  ****
> Alex Cicelsky | Director of Research and Development****
> Center for Creative Ecology <http://www.kibbutzlotan.com/creativeEcology>
> | Kibbutz Lotan <http://www.kibbutzlotan.com/> 88855 Israel****
> +972-54-979-9009 |  alex at klotan.co.il****
> College, Training & Design Programs <http://www.kibbutzlotan.com/ga> |
> Eco-Network <http://www.facebook.com/lotan.ga> |  YouTube Channel<http://www.youtube.com/kibbutzlotan>
>  | Free EcoGuide App <http://www.tinyurl.com/ecoguideapp> | BirdingIsrael<http://www.birdingisrael.com/>
> ****
>  ****
>  ****
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> ** **
> Tom Woolley****
> ** **
> Rachel Bevan Architects****
> 80 Church Road****
> Crossgar****
> Downpatrick****
> BT30 9HR****
> tom.woolley at btconnect.com****
> 028 44 831164****
> 028 44 830988****
> www.bevanarchitects.com****
>
>
> ****
> ** **
> ** **
> ** **
>
>
>   Tom Woolley
>
> Rachel Bevan Architects
> 80 Church Road
> Crossgar
> Downpatrick
> BT30 9HR
> tom.woolley at btconnect.com
> 028 44 831164
> 028 44 830988
> www.bevanarchitects.com
>
>
>
>
>
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