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 “I make it my business to extract from Nature whatever nutriment she can furnish me, though at the risk of endless iteration. I milk the sky and the earth.” ((Henry David Thoreau, Journal, 1817-1862))
- search base shifted to India where Sanjeev visited the urban villages in New Delhi, Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala, the Beulah organic farm in Tamil Nadu, the Rain Forest Retreat in Karnataka and the Krac - A - Dawna organic/bio dynamic farm near Mysore. The project has also been benefitted by detailed discussions with Ms. Suprabha Seshan, director of the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary; Dr. Sujata, founder of the rain forest retreat and Juli and Vivek Cariappa, founders of the Krac-A-Dawna farm. Further site visits in New Delhi included Sarai_Centre for Social Development Studies; TERI_Tata Energy Research Institute; Khoj_a community of artists and Chandani Chowk_ a 15th century thriving settlement in Old Delhi. The research has since proceeded through follow up exchanges between the producer and the design researcher and will conclude at the GroWorld design session in Brussels in April 2008.
+“The different branches of science combine to demonstrate that the universe in its entirety can be regarded as one gigantic process, a process of becoming, of attaining new levels of existence and organization, which can properly be called a genesis or an evolution” ((Thomas H. Huxley, 1825 - 1895))
+{{:perma61.jpg|}}\\
+Plants are the centre of the web of life. The growth of urban centres around the globe has had a critical impact on ecology. In recent years there has been a growing interest and public movement to bring ecology out of the bush and into the urban and suburban environments where most people spend their time. Whereas traditional ecology is mainly about connectedness within the natural world,the new focus lies on having a holistic and inclusive approach to build deeper links with ecology in our midst beyond doing conservation in isolated national parks. Some of the questions at the core of this research were: Do we have the right to consider human beings as more valuable than other life forms? Can we be perceptive enough to see our planet in a way that tells them that they too are part of nature? Is there an option to treating forests as sacrifice zones for urban growth ?  Is there an ecological limit to economic growth? What is the future of our cities? Can there be a differentiated green identity of a future city? This research documents the current status of urban permaculture and explores ways in which we can transform our cities into productive, healthy, edible and playful green visions: visions which go beyond parks, manicured lawns, horticultural imports, bonsai and 'beautiful' golf parks. They strive to bring back plants at the core of our daily life and existence.
+  * //brief summary of the cultural/scientific/social/... context within which the research took place//
+The research started in Brussels and Amsterdam through informal discussions between the producer, FoAM, represented by Maja Kuzmanovic and the design researcher, Sanjeev Shankar. Thereafter, the research base shifted to India where Sanjeev visited the urban villages in New Delhi, Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala, the Beulah organic farm in Tamil Nadu, the Rain Forest Retreat in Karnataka and the Krac - A - Dawna organic/bio dynamic farm near Mysore. The project has also been benefitted by detailed discussions with Ms. Suprabha Seshan, director of the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary; Dr. Sujata, founder of the rain forest retreat and Juli and Vivek Cariappa, founders of the Krac-A-Dawna farm. Further site visits in New Delhi included Sarai_Centre for Social Development Studies; TERI_Tata Energy Research Institute; Khoj_a community of artists and Chandani Chowk_ a 15th century thriving settlement in Old Delhi. The research has since proceeded through follow up exchanges between the producer and the design researcher and will conclude at the GroWorld design session in Brussels in April 2008.
 //Geographic location//
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   * //brief summary of the cultural/scientific/social/economic context within which the research is applicable//
-This research would find direct use in India and other nations which have had a strong tradition of agriculture_especially the orient (China, Japan) and central/south american nations (Guatemala, Peru). Further, through the comparative analysis of urban gardening trends in Europe and India and through follow up exploration and design of urban permaculture kits, this research aims to lay a platform for a series of projects which would act as potent triggers for pratical product solutions for a future green city.
+This research would find direct use in India and other nations which have had a strong tradition of agriculture, especially the orient (China, Japan) and central/south american nations (Guatemala, Costarica, Peru). Further, through the comparative analysis of urban gardening trends in Europe and India and through follow up exploration and design of urban permaculture kits, this research aims to trigger a platform for a series of projects which would act as catalysts for pratical product solutions and initiatives for a future green city.
   * //description of how the work relates to other works in the field of inquiry //
-This project explores aspects of human environment, ecology and sustainable growth. The research relates to the fields of permaculture, ethnobotany, human plant interaction, urban ecology, situationist psychogeography, open source architecture, sustainability, green design, modular systems and bio-mimicry.
+This project explores aspects of human environment, its relation with ecology and our attempt for sustainable growth. The research relates to the fields of permaculture, ethnobotany, human plant interaction, urban ecology, situationist psychogeography, open source architecture, sustainability, green design, modular systems and bionics.
 ==== Problem/Aim ====
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   * //concise summary of the problem domain/s that the research explores, or the specific aims of the research undertaken.//
-As stated before the intent of this research is to explore the urban gardening and permaculture trends at a global level and to further explore new ways to establish links between urban realms, its inhabitants and ecology. In the process, the project aims at redefining our relationship with the city and our vision for its future. It attempts to question our prevailing belief system which places nature as an object to be //viewed, manipulated, commodified and sold//.
+As stated before the intent of this research is to explore the urban gardening and permaculture trends at a global level and to further explore new ways to establish links between urban realms, its inhabitants and ecology. In the process, the project aims at redefining our relationship with the city and our vision for its future. It attempts to question our prevailing belief system which places nature as an object, to be //viewed, manipulated, commodified and sold//.
 This phase of the project has the following objective:
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   * On-line and literature survey of state of the art in urban gardening and permaculture (global perspective)
   * On-site research and comparison of urban gardening in the Benelux and India
-  * On-site research Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary, focusing on preserving and increasing biodiversity
+  * On-site research of Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary, focusing on preserving and increasing biodiversity
   * Design for urban gardening prototypes and kits
   * Article for the Luminous Green publication on the [[Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary]]
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   * Participation in the groWorld design session in April 2008
   * A written report in the prescribed format
   * //justification of the aims (scientific/artistic/historical/etc...)//
-  * The growth of cities has had a devastating impact on ecology.
+  * The uncontrolled growth of cities has had a devastating impact on ecology
   * By the end of 2008, half the world's population will be living in cities for the first time in history. (according to UN report)
   * Cities are becoming increasingly polluted, sterile, unhealthy and disconnected with other life forms, especially plants which have been an integral part of human survival and existence.
-  *  We have more people hungry every day, more unemployment, rising poverty, increased use of pesticides, herbcides and biocides, deteriorating soil quality and depleting forest cover, increase in deserts, increase in urban sprawl and number of cars on the road !
+  * We have more people hungry every day, more unemployment, rising poverty, increased use of pesticides, herbcides and biocides, deteriorating soil quality and depleting forest cover
-  * Cities are facing new challenges related to health care, rise in food prices and other basic services every day. Nature and traditional systems can offer us practical solutions and are a crucial resource to tap into. Problems can be seen as opportunities.
+  * There has been a sharp increase in desert area, in urban sprawl and number of cars on the road !
+  * Cities are facing new challenges related to health care, rise in food prices and other basic services every day.
+  * Natural and traditional systems can offer us practical solutions and are a crucial resource to tap into. Problems can be seen as opportunities.
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   * //concise description of the way the research has been developed from establishing the problem definition to the final results//
-The research started with preliminary discussions between the producer and the design researcher to define the project scope. Thereafter the design researcher shortlisted a series of core topics and questions which were used as triggers to inform him and in the discussion between him and the users. These directly contributed in establishing the problem and understanding its complexity. The discussions started in New Delhi and then happened at the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala, the Rain Forest Retreat in Coorg, the Beaulah organic farm in Ooty and the Krac-A-Dawna bio-dynamic farm near Mysore. They were constantly informed by site visits, interviews and analysis of observations made of successful new sustainable enterprises in India. This entire period was backed up by crucial on-line and literature survey about permaculture, guirella farming techniques, traditional agricultural methods and organic farming. Apart from this, the permaculture design course by Bill Mollison and two books, 'An Agricultural Testament' by Sir Albert Howard and 'Permaculture: Principles and Pathways beyond Sustanability' by David Holmgren have been indispensable to this study.
+The research started with preliminary discussions between the producer and the design researcher in Brusssels to define the project scope.
+This was followed by a visit to the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam, one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world. A living museum, the hortus is a green oasis in the middle of a bustling urban setting. Thereafter the design researcher shortlisted a series of core topics and [[questions]] which were used as triggers to inform him and in the discussion between him and the users, which in this case were inhabitants of a city. These discussions contributed in establishing the problem and understanding its complexity. In New Delhi, the focus shifted to the inhabitants of the city, the habitat in which they live and their links with nature. Special attention was given to the urban kitchen gardens in New Delhi and Chandani Chowk in Old Delhi which has continued to remain one of the most dense and thriving parts of Asia since the 15th century. Visits to Sarai(Centre for Development Studies) to document ongoing research projects related to ecology along with interaction with artsts at the Khoj community formed the second layer of the study. Interaction with the Biodiversity/Forestry department of TERI(Tata Energy Research Institute), CSE(Centre for Science and Environment) and ICAR(Indian Council of Agricultural Research) formed the third layer of the onsite research in New Delhi. Thereafter, the research focus moved to south India with the first site visit to the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary, a place dedicated to conservation and preservation of native plants. Next was Beulah organic farm, which specialises in home made marmalade and wines. Located in rural Udagamandalam in Tamil Nadu, it demonstrates customised solutions for organic plant growth right from the use of  liquid organic manure to playing music to trigger their growth. Following this was a visit to the Rain forest retreat, an interesting model as it was one of the few case studies which balances its concern for ecology with a marketing business model. Next was the Krac-A-Dawna bio dynamic farm located in rural Karnataka close to Mysore. The farm produces a range of finished products from wild honey and cinnamon to sesame butter and cotton fabrics. The analysis of these sustainable enterprises in India was an enriching experience. and was backed up by crucial on-line and literature survey about permaculture, guirella farming techniques, traditional agricultural methods and organic farming. Apart from this, the permaculture design course by Bill Mollison and two books, 'An Agricultural Testament' by Sir Albert Howard and 'Permaculture: Principles and Pathways beyond Sustanability' by David Holmgren have been indispensable to this study.
-Some of the questions discussed with the inhabitants of Delhi and their initial responses are listed below:
-_ Why are you staying in a city?
-  * Need for money, 'growth', education, success, 'better' life, a good job and for the future of our kids.
-_What do you like most about your city?
-  * Tall buildings, cars, super markets, electricity, cleanliness, education, health, different people, languages and the //sense that we are popular because we stay in a big city//.
-_ What do you dislike about your city and why?
-  * We miss home and there is too much noise, pollution, dirt and congestion. Sometimes there are too many people and the //queues are very long//!
-_ What is the importance of plants in your life?
-  * We worship 'tulsi' and the 'banyan'. They are connected with religion, health, shade, life and spirituality. They are like our kids.
-_ Which are the plants that you grow?
-  * Tulsi, mango, marigold, rose, money plant, chilis, guava, banana, tomatoes, chiku, grapes, neem, jamun, coriander, spinach, mushrooms, brinjal.
-_ What do you miss about your village/town?
-  * Our family is there, it is more peaceful, our roots are there, we go every six months. But now even our villages are becoming very dirty and noisy.
-_ In the last few months, Delhi has lost 30,000 trees. What are the reasons for this and could this be avoided?
-  * Reasons: greed, real estate developers and increase in population.
-_ Can a city and a forest coexist?
-  * No.
-  * Isn't a city yet another forest !! (answered by an 8th grade student at the Indian High School, Dubai)
-The research in New Delhi was preceded by visit to the Hortus Botanicus in Amsterdam, one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world. A living museum, the hortus is a green oasis in the middle of a bustling urban setting. In New Delhi, the focus gradually shifted to the inhabitants of the city, the habitat in which they live and their links with nature. Special attention was given to Chandani Chowk in Old Delhi which has continued to remain one of the most dense and thriving parts of Delhi since the 15th century. Visits to Sarai(Centre for Development Studies) to document ongoing research projects related to ecology along with interaction with artsts at the Khoj community formed the second layer of the study. Interaction with the Biodiversity/Forestry department of TERI(Tata Energy Research Institute), CSE(Centre for Science and Environment) and ICAR(Indian Council of Agricultural Research) formed the third layer of the onsite research in New Delhi. Thereafter, the research focus moved to south India with the first site visit to the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary, a place dedicated to conservation and preservation of native plants. Beulah organic farm, which specialises in home made marmalade and wines is located in rural Udagamandalam in Tamil Nadu and demonstrates customised solutions for organic plant growth right from the use of  liquid organic manure to playing music to trigger their growth. Visit to the Rain forest retreat was special as it was one of the few case studies which balances its concern for ecology with a marketing business model. Finally, the Krac-A-Dawna bio dynamic farm located in rural Karnataka close to Mysore, produces a range of finished products from wild honey and cinnamon to sesame butter and cotton fabrics.
   * //justification of the methodology //
-The subject of this project demands a sensitized and practical approach. The methodology was crucial to help the design researcher develop empathy for the cause and also become aware of the complexity of the problem at hand. Visiting the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala and subsequent visits to other centres dedicated to organic methods of farming and revitalisation of traditional Indian farming techniques were crucial to inform the research and helped the researcher appreciate the nuances and demands of the project. Reading the book, ‘An Agricultural Testament’ by Sir Albert Howard was a  critical experience in realising the huge divide in agriculture methods between the orient and the occident. All of this has helped to create the right references for this project and enabled the consultant to present a lucid and detailed project report to the producer.
+The subject of this project demands a sensitized and practical approach. The methodology was crucial to help the design researcher develop empathy for the cause and also become aware of the complexity of the problem at hand. Visiting the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary in Kerala and subsequent visits to other sustainable enterprises dedicated to organic methods of farming and revitalisation of traditional Indian farming techniques were crucial to inform the research. It has helped the researcher appreciate the nuances and demands of the project. Reading the book, ‘An Agricultural Testament’ by Sir Albert Howard was a  critical experience in realising the huge divide in agriculture methods between the orient and the occident. While, 'Permaculture: Principles and Pathways beyond Sustanability' by David Holmgren, gives wonderful insights into the genesis of this idea and how it could positivell impact sustainability efforts globally. All of this has helped to create the right references for this project and enabled the researcher to present a lucid and detailed project report to the producer.
 ==== Solution/Results  ====
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 ’PERMACULTURE’ was originally coined in the mid seventies by two Australians, David Holmgren and Bill Mollison, to describe the design system pioneered as a response to what they, and many others globally, saw as serious challenges to the survival of all of us. Originally derived from the words ‘PERMAnent agriCULTURE’, permaculture has gone beyond it’s roots in looking at strategies to create sustainable food growing methods to become a worldwide movement encompassing all aspects of how we as human beings can live harmoniously in relation to our Earth and it’s finite resources and create a PERManent CULTURE. Permaculture, today has multiple defintions, but one that is particularly useful might be- "To create sustaianble human habitats by following nature's patterns". This thought is clearly manifested in permaculture as a system of gardening but also as the worldwide network of individuals and groups and further in permaculture as a counterculture.
-For many, the Permaculture focus on land and natural resource management is complimentary to the industrial focus of the "green tech" optimists, but there are differences.
+For many, the Permaculture focus on land and natural resource management is complimentary to the industrial focus of the "green tech" optimists, but there are differences. Permaculture:
-Permaculture:
 * gives priority to using existing wealth to rebuilding natural capital, especially trees and forests, as a proven storage of wealth to sustain humanity into a future with less fossil fuel.
 * emphasises bottom-up "redesign" processes, starting with the individual and household as drivers for change at the market, community and cultural level
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 The assumptions on which permaculture was originally based were:
-  * The environmental crisis is real and its magnitude and impact directly threatens our survival.
+* The environmental crisis is real and its magnitude and impact directly threatens our survival.
-  * The ongoing impact of golbal industrial society and human numbers on biodiversity would be far greater than has ever been.
+* The ongoing impact of golbal industrial society and human numbers on biodiversity would be far greater than has ever been.
 * Humans are subject to the same scientific laws which govern the entire universe including the evolution of life.
-  * The inevitable depletion of non-renewable fuels will see a return to general pre-industrial systems dependent on renewable energy and resources.
+* The inevitable depletion of non-renewable fuels will see a return to general pre-industrial systems dependent on renewable energy and resources.
 Further, insofar as permaculture is an appropriate response to limitations on use of energy and natural resources, it will move on from its current status as "alternative response to environmental crisis" to the social and economic mainstream of the post-industrial era. Whether it will be called permaculture or not is a secondary matter.
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 Permaculture is a wholehearted adaptation to the ecological realities of decline and offers us a graceful and ethical descent. The process for providing for people's needs within ecological limits requires a cultural revolution. We appear to have little time to achieve ths revolution and in this context, the idea of simple set of guiding //design principles// which have wide, universal application is attractive. The following principles are slogans which act as a checklist when considering complex options for design and evolution of ecological support systems.
-.  Observe and Interact
+.Observe and Interact
-.  Catch and store energy
+.Catch and store energy
-.  Obtain a yield
+.Obtain a yield
-.  Apply self-regulation and accept feedback
+.Apply self-regulation and accept feedback
-.  Use and value renewable resources and services
+.Use and value renewable resources and services
-.  Produce no waste
+.Produce no waste
-.  Design from patterns to details
+.Design from patterns to details
-.  Integrate rather than segregate
+.Integrate rather than segregate
-.  Use small and slow solutions
+.Use small and slow solutions
-. Use and value diversity
+.Use and value diversity
-. Use edges and value the marginal
+.Use edges and value the marginal
-. Creatiively use and respond to change
+.Creatiively use and respond to change
 Now, in a situation of descent, //ethics// become indispensable and through their culturally evolved systemic nature lead us to create a more inclusive view of who and what constitutes "us". The three broad maxims or principles which cover these are given below:
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 == Urban Permaculture ==
-A permaculture garden is not a garden seen in nature. Though it might have a configuration like a forest in terms of stability and efficiency, it is rich in functional plants which have a strong relationship with each other and result in high yields. In urban situations, space is limited, there may be little or no access to land, and various regulatory restrictions exist when it comes to gardening or having backyard animals. Some of the concepts that people have used in urban settings which have allowed them to circumnavigate these obstacles are discussed below. They are a mix of approaches, ranging from gardening to co-parenting, going across different aspects of sustainability. Further the character of cities in the western world is extremely different from the eastern world. These differences work at social, political and physical level and have shaped these cities. Hence, there is a great diversity in all these examples but the concept of "no loss" links all of them.
+A permaculture garden is not a garden seen in nature. Though it might have a configuration like a forest in terms of stability and efficiency, it is rich in functional plants which have a strong relationship with each other and result in high yields. In urban situations, space is limited, there may be little or no access to land, and various regulatory restrictions exist when it comes to gardening or having backyard animals. Some of the concepts that people have used in urban settings which have allowed them to circumnavigate these obstacles are discussed below. They are a mix of approaches, ranging from gardening to co-parenting, going across different aspects of sustainability. Further the character of cities in the western world is extremely different from the eastern world. These differences work at social, political and physical level and have shaped these cities. Hence, there is a great diversity in all these examples but the concept of "no loss" links them all.
-* Rooftop gardens: Rooftop gardens are a specific urban agriculture niche set within a broader system of city gardens, enjoy their own set of distinctive benefits. Rooftops are underutilized and rarely-considered urban spaces with great potential for creative development. There are essentially three options for rooftop gardens. The first is container gardening, a less formal, highly flexible, cheaper form of roof gardening. In container gardening, few to no modifications are made to the existing roof structure; containers – anything from plastic swimming pools to recycled-wood planters – are placed on a rooftop and filled with the desired soil type and plants. One of the problems here is the soil in rooftop containers might thaw on a warm winter day. Further roof container gardens dry out quickly and often require daily watering unless a mulch cover such as straw, wood chips or even a sub-soil layer of newspapers and compost is used to slow down evaporation.
-The second type of roof garden is green roofs in which the rooftop actually becomes the planting medium. This involves more intensive investments(upto two times the cost of a normal roof), but comes with its own set of advantages, including greater storm-water retention, building insulation, and the formation of patchwork urban ecosystems, which work to reverse the fragmentation of ecosystems that follows urbanization by offering temporary habitats to fauna such as birds and butterflies during their long migrations. Green roofs are constructed using a special root and water-proof membrane for the base layer, then a root barrier, a retention/drainage layer, plus the soil layer, and finally the plants. Alpine plants or desert succulents are often used for green roofs, as they can withstand harsh rooftop conditions like wind, erosion, and extreme temperature. Native plants are also used for rooftop plantings, though all of them are not conducive for roof top conditions. With a modular green roof system, roof infrastructure access and maintanence has become much easier as parts of the roof can be moved independently.
-The third rooftop garden possibility is rooftop hydroponics, in which plants are grown in a soilless medium(peat, sand, gravel, old rubber tires, rockwool, perlite or vermiculite) and fed a special nutrient solution. Rooftop hydroponics can be the lightest of the three options and may offer the possibility for faster plant growth(up to two to four times) and increased productivity. The purest form of hydroponics is water culture, in which a plant’s crown is supported by a thin layer of substrate, while its roots are immersed in a nutrient solution. Hydroponic systems can be divided generally into two groups – passive and active systems. Passive systems are the most simple, and the cheapest, requiring only a container with drainage, a tray that holds liquid, and a growing medium. Plants are hand watered with the nutrient solution and soak up the solution via capillary action. Active systems include “ebb and flow” or “flood and drain,” in which a pump regularly floods the plant tray with nutrient solution, which then drains back into a holding tank. Various other systems require different growing media and methods of irrigation, but all need to be monitored for pH and nutrient solution strength, since plants have different nutrient requirements during different stages of their growth. Commercial systems can cost from $100 to several thousand dollars. Hydroponics can be practiced anywhere, even indoors, with the help of artificial lighting, and no digging or weeding is generally required. Growing conditions are highly controlled, so plants can be provided with the best possible conditions, resulting in better quality, disease-resistant plants with higher yields – commercial tomato growers have reported yields up to 40 times higher per hectare than soil-grown plants. Almost any kind of plant can be grown hydroponically – tomatoes, peppers, rhubarb, cucumbers, squash, snow peas, beans, spinach, lettuce, strawberries, chard, and broccoli are just some examples.
-  * http://www.greenroofs.com
-  * http://www.hydrogarden.com
-Rooftop gardens:
-  * Cool and shade buildings reducing the 'heat island' effect of a city
-  * Retain and utilize rainwater, provide wildlife habitat and enhance the roof membrane life
-  * Have an aesthetic appeal creating a private haven
-  * Remove heavy metals such as cadmium, copper, and lead from runoff.
-  * Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the air quality by trapping and absorbing nitrous oxides, volatile organic compounds and airborne particulate matter
-  * Overcome the problem of restrictive land prices and with other vertical sufaces of a building infact create more land.
-  * Are better off with respect to pests, vandalism and theft as compared to community gardens on land.
-Some interesting developments:
-  * In Switzerland and parts of Germany, this kind of mental shift – resulting in imagining buildings as displacing and not destroying land surface – has become federal law: developers must either improve the biodiversity of existing land, or transfer the green space that they displace to their rooftop or other building surface.
-  * Rooftop gardens are a billion dollar industry in Germany
-  * One clause of the Russian law states that authorities are obliged to help gardening associations with roads construction and repair, as well as water drainage and supply.
-  * Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright, both used roof gardens extensively in their architecture
-  * New York has established a green roof task force, which is exploring direct government support of green roofs, including tax credits and other
-incentives.
-  * The Earth Pledge Foundation in New York strives to address sustainability at the local level – its programs include the Green Roof Initiative, which
-encourages initiatives to green New York City’s rooftops, and the Waste=Fuel program,which aims to facilitate an industrial infrastructure for turning food waste into fuel,enabling the city to generate electricity, heat, and steam.
-  * Hydroponics is found to be way too complex and expensive in lot of eastern countries and some of african countries too. In these places, roof gardens build out of local materials are most suitable. They are repair and maintained by the communities themselves. This is seen in places like India, St. Petersburg and Senegal. Infact, in Senegal people have devised a local solution using bricks and wooden box beds. In India too, the use of locally available cheap materials to create roof gardens is most successful. The “Doshi System” is offered as the most suitable method. It uses sugarcane stalks, collected from sugarcane juice vendors outside of his house, as biomass. This is lightweight, allows water drainage, and keeps soil in place.
-The most significant challenges facing roof top gardens in all its forms are issues of access and roof load capacity. These barriers are especially problematic in liability-obsessed countries like the United States, although concerns for safety and building protection are certainly valid. Lack of
-knowledge or incentives, funding, water supply, safety, and the harshness of rooftop environments are also major barriers. Still, rooftop agriculture is slowly becoming more common, particularly in the developing world, where rooftop food production may have a significant impact on food security and income, solutions are creative and site-specific, and roofs are often built of different materials than those in the developed world.
-For more details and case studies about rooftop gardens around the world, please click on the link below. This is a senior honors thesis from Cornell University. {{:roofgarden_thesis.pdf|}}
+* Rooftop gardens: Rooftop gardens are a specific urban agriculture niche set within a broader system of city gardens, enjoying their own set of distinctive benefits. Rooftops are underutilized and rarely-considered urban spaces with great potential for creative development. There are essentially [[three options]] for rooftop gardens.
-  * Vertical gardens: Commonly seen in many western cities, vertical gardens act as good insulators and a source of food. They also increase the life of the structural wall behind. Vines are one of the most common plants used to create vertical green facades.
+* Vertical gardens: Commonly seen in many western cities, vertical gardens act as good insulators and a source of food. They also increase the life of the structural wall behind. Vines are one of the most common plants used to create vertical green facades.
 * City farms: In New york, numerous vacant plots have been converted into city farms where communities grow there own food. These range from apples to pears. Further, by using graftign techniques, fences can be made entirely out of such plants. In Melbourne, the city farms also play the role of community education centres, which is a brilliant way to introduce kids to aspects of food production. In Davis, California, through the allocation of areas for directing rain water into catchment basins, //swail areas// have been created which over the years have now transformed into productive fruit farms.
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 * Cooperative Arrangements: In Santa Fe, a community group is applying for a variance from the city to start using a small open space in their neigborhood for keeping chickens and bees and to plant an orchard. Combining their negotiating power helps with getting a variance, and distributing responsibilities as well as financial burden of setting up a productive environment ensures its stability and long-term success.
-  * Co-Ownership of Assets: In Albuquerque, a group of people that live near each other decided to downsize and now own one truck, which is shared by several households.
+* Co-Ownership of Assets: In Albuquerque, a group of people that live near each other decided to downsize and now own one truck, which is shared by several households.
-  * Grafting Fruit Trees: In limited spaces one can still get a variety of fruit, when using a technique of grafting. A desirable variety (early ripening, or developed for storage, etc) is grafted onto an existing rootstock, resulting in trees that bears several types of fruit (now, apples don’t become oranges, but there can be several different apples on the same tree!).
+* Grafting Fruit Trees: In limited spaces one can still get a variety of fruit, when using a technique of grafting. A desirable variety (early ripening, or developed for storage, etc) is grafted onto an existing rootstock, resulting in trees that bears several types of fruit (now, apples don’t become oranges, but there can be several different apples on the same tree!).
-  * Worm Composting: A plastic bin with holes can house a family of red wiggler worms, who will be happy to eat your kitchen waste (eliminating it from the urban waste stream), and these critters will make it into good odor-free compost.
+* Worm Composting: A plastic bin with holes can house a family of red wiggler worms, who will be happy to eat your kitchen waste (eliminating it from the urban waste stream), and these critters will make it into good odor-free compost.
-  * The BackYard Forester, Los Angeles: A nonprofit organization, TreePeople leads people towards greening the city, restoring watersheds, ecosystems and neigborhoods. People can turn their yard into a wildlife or bird refuge or create an orchard that produces a surplus to share with food banks ,in the process creating an urban forest.
+* The BackYard Forester, Los Angeles: A nonprofit organization, TreePeople leads people towards greening the city, restoring watersheds, ecosystems and neigborhoods. People can turn their yard into a wildlife or bird refuge or create an orchard that produces a surplus to share with food banks ,in the process creating an urban forest.
-  * The Citizen Pruner, New York:  People can get trained in tree care and pruning, and be able to take care of trees, whenever and whereever needed.
+* The Citizen Pruner, New York:  People can get trained in tree care and pruning, and be able to take care of trees, whenever and whereever needed.
-  * Chickens in a City: Depending on the location, people may be allowed to keep chickens in their urban yard! The City Chicken - a website, which includes every answer plus city by city listing of regulations for keeping chickens makes this possible!
+* Chickens in a City: Depending on the location, people may be allowed to keep chickens in their urban yard! The City Chicken - a website, which includes every answer plus city by city listing of regulations for keeping chickens makes this possible!
+=== Europe and India _ urban farming ===
+see [[urban farming comparision]]
 === Orient vs Occident_ traditional farming ===
-see [[tradition farming notes]]
+see [[traditional farming notes]]
 === Possibilities for urban permaculture kits ===
-Note: The proposals and thoughts given below are diverse and vary from long term complex interventions to short term product solutions. The time range is variable too, from few years to few decades. Some of these proposals could directly feed the {sym} trajectory of GroWorld while others would be more suitable to the {bio} trajectory with GroWorld.
+An important question considered by the researcher was, what are the growth symbols/patterns in urban areas? We have an opportunity here, to design responses which will directly impact the situation, related to real estate, construction, mass production, modular systems, transportation and architecture. Responses which soften the 'corporate  sheen' of cities to create ubiquitous greens _ **ubiquitous planting**. How can we do this ? As per recent statistics the planet adds 73 million humans to its tally ! Can we add 73 trillion plants every year ? http://www.worldometers.info
-. To create **unbound spaces** and explore a new language for urbanism, architecture and spatial semantics. It would challenge existing perceptions and mental constructs. It would create systems for generating such spaces which draw upon the adaptive, diverse, organic, cyclical and holistic sense of ecological existence. These spaces would 'begin' in virtual realms(films, cyber games, ARG) and would gradually 'emerge' in physical reality to be habitable. They would draw on the fields of biomimetic design, evolving responsive environments, active and composite materials, nanotecture, swarm intelligence, cognition and smart textiles. Exploring knots, bundles and weaves at an urban scale could be an interesting direction. Beyond the visual and experiential aspect, a crucial question would be, 'How can the architecture become an ecological performer?' This is currently being termed as //econic design// and ongoing explorations include adaptive nature, growing structures, living technologies, materials as nutrients, pollinating energy and ultimately simulated eco-systems. Over few decades, self sustaining and self replicating, organic forested growth in cities would replace existing linear and structured planning. This would be a new city, best understood in stratas and layers. At a macro level the layers would work like a forest, with a permeable, playful organic canopy enveloping the cityscape. At the ground level, we would have a unifying and fertile 'soil' layer with no roads, no side walks, no rectangular grids, no partitions. A new biological carpet like urban fabric would emerge. The grid would be redefined. Cars and lifts would not be anything like what is seen today, they would be self adjusting intelligent systems which move vertically and horizontally, just like ants. They would communicate in a manner which could be based on swarm intelligence. Everything would be interconnected and these linkages would be clearly evident to everyone. Over time, with cities becoming increasingly forested and organic, one city could support the other in case of a disaster or sudden shift in resource need. There could be heat transfer to Brussels from Madrid during the winters, or water diversion from a high rainfall area to a drought stricken area.
-{{:perma60.jpg|}}
-{{:perma62.jpg|}}
-A more short term approach could be to develop a series of plug-ins and upgrades which can be easily integrated in current scenarios. The approaches would be inspired from nature but would adapt and morph to have a hybrid language of their own which goes in sync with existing modernist approaches.
-. To create **green spider kits** which result in **spatial green micro environments** at an architectural level. Initially a playful framework which can be installed on existing vertical faces of buildings and finally creating a green envelope at a local level. The framework could be made of thin, colorful bamboo rings/loops combined with a tensile wire frame which supports appropriate plantations requiring minimum maintainance. The frames could be modularly attached over and over again. Over time the spatial framework will become invisible and the plantation layer ubiquitous. Such green bubbles would gradually become **spatial green rivers**, a regular feature in urban settings and over time evolve to become self sustaining ( they might develop features to catch mist from the air and fulfill their water requirements ! ) An important issue here would be to make this kit playful and modular such that middle class families could assemble and install it at an individual household level or community level. Further the source of the plants: the seed pod, could be residing inside these homes. This would create much needed awareness and sensitivity through a participatory approach resulting in effective, collective action. In certain areas which have buildings close to each other, say around a courtyard or continuous open space, these rivers would be more like green bridges, creating numerous overhead cross linkages through which sun light sprinkles down. The bridges could also be made of a string or a wire generating and evolving in a manner depending on what form the communty wants it to take. One of the interesting possibilities could be using seed balls which are strung together and suspended between buildings. Overtime these would sprout and act as green catalysts. As humans we would provide the structure and the geometry for the plantation. Some of the plants suitable for this could be **epiphytic or air plants**, for example orchids, ferns, mosses to name a few.
-. **Green strings**: A natural fibre string (possibly jute) which holds seed balls and can be strung between buildings. With time the seeds germinate and we have suspended plantations. Interesting possibilities could result over time with plants growing at an angle or upside down. The kit could actually pick up on the way prayer beads and flower garlands are assembled in India and would be an interesting add on to the existing trend of seed-balling.
-. To have ubiquitous planting we can create a series of green tiles which can be used in a modular manner in the construction and automobile industry. _ **a green brick**_ a brick which breathes and lives like a plant_ you could call it a plant tile too: a properly designed intelligent green organic modular brick which can have a range of plants/seeds which can be incorporated in it based on the city/geographic location it is being used in, like any other modular brick ( for example a hollow concrete block ) this would find direct use in the construction industry and go with curtain walls/acoustic panels/aluminium sections/glass blocks. This will not be an add on like the current trend of bio-climatic walls but would be a structural repetitive element which would be like a green virus. The facade itself would be like one majestic green skin, made up of a thousand green tiles and a city would be associated with these green tiles and the specific plants they give life to. Scores of barren concrete walls which are commonly seen in cities like Dubai, Brussels, New York would give way to entire exuberant and fertile communities... known as ''Orchid city'' or ''Jasmine city'' or ''Tulip city''.
-The form of the tiles could be inspired from the field of biomimetics and would be strategically adapted to solve pressing problems specific to urban realms:
-* Generate fragrance to counter foul smell of urine or rotting garbage which is so common in Delhi (e.g.: using queen of the night)
-* Predate on pests and act as repellents for termites (Lantana is a pest repellent)
-* Absorb noise and act as acoustic buffers. They could even generate light(bioluminescence)
-* Become a source of nutrients, vitamins and herbal medicine ( Leucus aspara cures bronchitis and asthma, Lia Indica cures ulcers
-* Become a source of additional revenue (Flowering plants and natural herbs like acaranthus used by dentists)
-{{:perma09.jpg|}}
-The message here is, //we will not step back//, we will not cut back on the scale and pace of growth in urban realms but we //can// feed life and fertility into that growth and make it a green growth.
-. The next stage of the green tile could be to create an **enhanced, biorenewable moss tile**. This could be self replicating and possibly generate electricity by acting as sun catchers. By behaving as water retainers they could also contribute to regulating the ambient temperature. Existing building skins would gradually be replaced by these tiles.
-. To provide safe drinking water through modular **water purification kits** which use water purifying plants/algae or bacteria. This could again bring a strong connection between plants and humans with pure water being a serious concern in the developing world. An interesting project is the Ó Oxygen generator by Mathieu Lehanneur which contains oxygen-producing organisms called Spirulina platensis. Another project by the same designer, BEL AIR utilizes plants to act as an air filtering system.
-{{:perma63.jpg|}}
-. To create biofuel through a modular **biofuel generating kit** which uses community/state level plantation of specific crops (sugarcane/coconut/babassu !) or possibly converts left over kitchen oil into biofuel using certain algae.
-. Creating **green umbrellas** which absorb light to create shadow spots and spew darkness. These would work as shadow generators in places like the desert or extremely hot weather.
-. Alternatively creating **green fireflies** which when surrounded by darkness start glowing to emit light. The latter could find real use in countries like India where energy and light is in big demand. Field of research: biolumniscence
-An interesting counter example worth mentioning is the project, 'Green Light' by by Natalie Jeremijenko of the Experimental Design Lab. The product includes an integrated solar panel to power a super-efficient LED bulb to stimulate plants of high air filtrating varieties. However, the question, if this product is really 'green' still remains !
-{{:perma56.jpg|}}
-. Creating **green charkhas** to make your own yarn and further your own clothes, inspired by Mahatma Gandhi's movement in India to make people self sufficient and independent. With people growing their own plants and converting the produce to yarn this could lend to a systematic reintroduction of a traditional craft which brings the produce from plants and the process of making yarn back into our daily routine. Unlike the traditional spinning wheel, the green charkha could be made more efficient with the integration of technology and an additional integration of the features from a sewing machine.
-{{:perma29.jpg|}} {{:perma30.jpg|}}
-. Creating a **green clock**, which uses the natural rhythms of plants and flowers as a new way of denoting and communicating time. This would be an interesting way to look at the linear progression of time in a different way. Flowers, following their circadian rhythms can prove to be interesting timekeepers. What if we could coordinate the blooming such that flowers open and close at set times of the day or connect it with the movement of leaves? Swedish botanist Carolus Linneaus first made the connection between flowers and time. The formal study of biological temporal rhythms such as daily, weekly, seasonal, and annual rhythms, is called chronobiology and the study of this could inform this design. Some of the flowering plants and their opening times are given below:
-_ Common morning glory: 6 am
-_ Water Lily: 7 am
-_ Field marigold: 9 am
-_ Star-of-Bethlehem: 11 am
-_ Passion flower and carnation: noon
-_ Moon flower: 5 pm
-_ Evening primrose: 6 pm
-_ Fig marigold: 7 to 8 pm
-_ Night blooming cereus: 8 to 9 pm
-These times are accurate to Uppsala, Sweden where Linnaeus grew these plants.
-. **Seed Spot Project**
-Bacground: //Rural vs Urban//: During the course of this journey, Sanjeev has begun to question the proposed duality between rural and urban. Instead of partitioning and segmenting one field or one reality from the other, our true strength lies in synthesising both realities. We need to create a new reality. //We need to involve and evolve the city with the country people//. We need to create linkages. We need to have cities which have 'villages' or rural spaces growing and thriving within them and we need to have villages which have 'cities' or 'city like spaces' thriving within them. Can we imagine urban inhabitants looking out their windows onto rice paddies and vegetable gardens, and beyond to forested and natural resource lands?
-During his travels to remote rural parts, Sanjeev sometimes wonders if the experience is real? How could both experiences be real and how could he feel a part of two seemingly different spatial, mental constructs? Certain parts of Delhi( e.g. Chandni Chowk) and Bombay(pigeon feeding spots) create a sense of absolute 'rural' time and space for him. Can this be true? Are these pure mental constructs or is their a defining physical, tangible element? Could these edges, dual character spaces be catalysts for growth, especially as they are constantly being redrawn? Can a city be fragmented into time zones relative to its sense of speed or spatial quality, wherein, zones which are in a greater state of flux or have a more //structured// feel become closer to an 'urban' definition and are therefore treated differently?
-In his mind there is no difference between the real and the virtual. There is always a constant and complimentary force at play. A city's bedrock are its variables, its idiocyncracies, the changes in its character, the constant state of flux. This makes it heterogenous, dynamic, resilient and self sustaining. It must not be simple. It should thrive in complexity. This would be ecologically sound and economically profitable. So the question should be, can we introduce complexity? And if we can, then how should we do it? One of the principles of creating a complex, self sustaining system is to relinquish power. People should be given tools to create their own change.
-We could start with an attempt to declare spaces within a city as '**community seed spots**'. The idea is inspired by the communal get togethers of village heads called the '//panchayat//' in Indian villages where everyone sits under a tree and discusses village issues. Located in urban public areas, these spots would be periodically sowed with green ideas (real and virtual) which would become catalysts for change and exchange. The ideas would be by the people and for the people. The community would nourish and maintain the idea. There would be a sense of pride, competition and festivity. Sometimes these ideas could be about a group of housewives and school children planting seasonal plants to create a kitchen garden or a refreshing gettogether where people dance and sing in public sharing knowledge about pressing issues through street plays. On other occassions the community could get together to create an educational installation out of 'thrown things', demonstrating the reuse of waste generated by the community. Often these seed spots could become free **performance libraries**, brainstorming areas or public museums but in a very permeable, all encompassing, seamless, informal kind of way. The idea is to create a series of sustainable platforms for the community to create thinkers and leaders. It is to create a grass root, bottom up solution where the power is given to the people to discuss their issues and find solutions to them. It is a kind of reintepretation of creating a public, self sustaining, infinitely multiplying global, urban version of FoAM ! No two seed spots will be the same. They will have their own character, may be their own flags. They might grow over time. They would become reflectors of the community and of the city in general. they could have their own knowledge base which is shared informally and may be formally too.
-{{:perma59.jpg|}}
-Some questions: What would be the defining feature of such a space? Why does it work in a place like India and not in the West? Can the Indian model be analysed, distilled and reintepreted? Is it the power of the 'myth' in India? Can we create a new myth?
+see [[urban permaculture kits]]
 ==== Discussion ====
-  * **Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam**
+* **Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam**
 Established in 1663, the hortus is one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world with more than 6000 plants from all over. What started out as a medicinal herb garden, the hortus grows only pure plant species, as they are found in nature. It is also the first botanic garden in the Netherlands to display the molecular systemics of plants to everyone and continues to organize various cultural, educational and botanical activities through out the year.
@@ Line 552: / Line 423: @@
     * //literature used in the research (books, magazines, journals, URLs...)//
-URLS
+URLS (these should be included as footnotes for the relevant sections)
+  * http://www.sarai.net/fellowships/associate/debkamal-ganguly
-http://www.sarai.net/fellowships/associate/debkamal-ganguly
+  * http://www.teriin.org/sector_search.php?sector=11&tp=Projects
+  * http://www.rahelhegnauer.ch
-http://www.teriin.org/sector_search.php?sector=11&tp=Projects
+  * http://www.thenrgroup.net/info/people/CT/Tingle.doc
+  * http://www.thenrgroup.net/info/people/sketch.htm
-http://www.rahelhegnauer.ch
+  * http://www.spiralseed.co.uk/permaculture/
+  * http://www.guerrillagardening.org
-http://www.thenrgroup.net/info/people/CT/Tingle.doc
+  * http://www.guerrillagardening.org
+  * http://www.gb0063551.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/guerrilla
-http://www.thenrgroup.net/info/people/sketch.htm
+  * http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=8075862560861551314
+  * http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-4751861414078790483
-http://www.spiralseed.co.uk/permaculture/
+  * http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=1932967376811053312
+  * http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-1045670822404092369
-http://www.guerrillagardening.org
+  * http://www.tlio.org.uk/campaigns/wandsworth/pureperm.html
+  * http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/itw-sudan-0123.html
-http://www.guerrillagardening.org
+  * http://www.storyofstuff.com/
+  * http://blindspot-delhi.blogspot.com/
-http://www.gb0063551.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/guerrilla
+  * http://brussels-farmer.blogspot.com/
+  * http://publicspace.ca/gardeners.htm
-http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=8075862560861551314
+  * http://www.bladediary.com/index.pl?stencil=223
+  * http://www.guerrillagardening.it/
-http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-4751861414078790483
+  * http://www.primalseeds.org/guerrilla.htm
+  * http://www.gruenewelle.org/index_en.html
-http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=1932967376811053312
+  * http://www.greenguerillas.org/
+  * http://www.heavypetal.ca/archives/2007/04/operation_moss_graffiti.html
-http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-1045670822404092369
+  * http://www.mclveganway.org.uk/
+  * http://cityspinning.org/
-http://www.tlio.org.uk/campaigns/wandsworth/pureperm.html
+  * http://greenmuseum.org/c/alch_gard/kathryn_miller.html
+  * http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/the-good-life-in-havana-cubas-green-revolution-410930.html
-http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2008/itw-sudan-0123.html
+  * http://www.pomona.edu/museum/exhibitions/archive/fall2001/postlandscape/mcauley.shtml
+  * http://www.landliving.com/articles/0000000616.aspx
-http://www.storyofstuff.com/
+  * http://www.oaec.org/
+  * http://www.oceansong.org/farmandgarden.htm
-http://blindspot-delhi.blogspot.com/
+  * http://www.solarliving.org/
+  * http://www.droppingknowledge.org/bin/projects/archive.page;jsessionid=31B9FCD40E44AF991825D1717E7FABBA
-http://brussels-farmer.blogspot.com/
+  * http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/09/benjamin_fahrer.php
+  * http://www.frlht.org.in/
-http://publicspace.ca/gardeners.htm
+  * http://www.medicinalplants.in/
+  * http://www.leisa.info/
-http://www.bladediary.com/index.pl?stencil=223
+  * http://www.urbansquares.com/
+  * http://www.materialistpsychogeography.co.uk/
-http://www.guerrillagardening.it/
+  * http://www.ikatun.org/institute/infinitelysmallthings/
+  * http://www.prusikloop.org/mrwatson/?p=76
-http://www.primalseeds.org/guerrilla.htm
+  * http://kdg.mit.edu/Projects/p13.html
+  * http://www.tuukkahalonen.com/
-http://www.gruenewelle.org/index_en.html
+  * http://www.ioodesign.com/
+  * http://www.kathleenrogers.co.uk/r_d/
-http://www.greenguerillas.org/
+  * http://www.tcaup.umich.edu/portablelight/intro.html
+  * http://designcorner.blinkr.net/Interactive_Architecture/
-http://www.heavypetal.ca/archives/2007/04/operation_moss_graffiti.html
+  * http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/architecture/programmes/units/unit14.htm
+  * http://futurefeeder.com/index.php/archives/2005/05/08/frameless-structure-glass-dome/
-http://www.mclveganway.org.uk/
+  * http://reconstruction.eserver.org/063/holmes.shtml
+  * http://patentpending.blogs.com/patent_pending_blog/2005/12/the_hanging_gar.html
-http://cityspinning.org/
+  * http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/C16/P20/
+  * http://www.blog.thesietch.org/2007/01/18/really-green-buildings/
-http://greenmuseum.org/c/alch_gard/kathryn_miller.html
+  * http://www.ecosyn.us/ecocity/Ecosyn/Container_Plants/index.html
+  * http://www.asquare.org/networkresearch/?cat=21&paged=2
-http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/the-good-life-in-havana-cubas-green-revolution-410930.html
+  * http://www.terragalleria.com/america/north-east/new-york/picture.usny6611.html
+  * http://progressivegardening.com/soilfreehydroponicgardening.html
-http://www.pomona.edu/museum/exhibitions/archive/fall2001/postlandscape/mcauley.shtml
+  * http://www.cynical-c.com/archives/013509.html
+  * http://www.thecityreview.com/arcnow.html
-http://www.landliving.com/articles/0000000616.aspx
+  * http://www.hbp.usm.my/ventilation/Penghijauan%20menegak.htm
+  * http://www.clubofpioneers.com/blogs/tags/architecture/
-http://www.oaec.org/
+  * http://www.sunutility.com/html_pg/city.html
+  * http://jetsongreen.typepad.com/jetson_green/2006/11/index.html
-http://www.oceansong.org/farmandgarden.htm
+  * http://www.netspeed.com.au/abeccs/sunshineuni/sunshine%20building%20design.htm
+  * http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/pubs/ci/v7no3/v7no3_13_e.html
-http://www.solarliving.org/
+  * http://greenmuseum.org/generic_content.php?ct_id=229
+  * http://www.nzwerf.org.nz/publications/sw602/sw602s5-1.html
-http://www.droppingknowledge.org/bin/projects/archive.page;jsessionid=31B9FCD40E44AF991825D1717E7FABBA
+  * http://jetsongreen.typepad.com/jetson_green/energy_efficiency/index.html
+  * http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,1599531,00.html
-http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/09/benjamin_fahrer.php
+  * http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/902
+  * http://greenroofs.wordpress.com/contact-us/
-http://www.frlht.org.in/
+  * http://www.green-roofing.co.uk/frames/frames_system.html
+  * http://nisee.berkeley.edu/elibrary/browse/kozak?eq=5392
-http://www.medicinalplants.in/
+  * http://citycomfortsblog.typepad.com/cities/2004/02/index.html
+  * http://www.developmentcrossing.com/development_crossing/climate_change/index.html
-http://www.leisa.info/
+  * http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~infoarts/links/actobjects/activatedartists.html
+  * http://www.sarai.net/fellowships/independent/abstracts/03-04/page-3/?searchterm=Nilanjan%20Bhattacharya
-http://www.urbansquares.com/
+  * http://khojworkshop.org/aggregator
+  * http://www.csie.ntu.edu.tw/announce/news/94B/20060607.pdf
-http://www.materialistpsychogeography.co.uk/
+  * http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hybrid/msg07015311868.html
+  * http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/kabernd/seminar/2002/edible/pt.htm
-http://www.ikatun.org/institute/infinitelysmallthings/
+  * http://www.new-agri.co.uk/01-5/focuson/focuson4.html
+  * http://www.prolume.com/temp/ltimes/ltimes.htm
-http://www.prusikloop.org/mrwatson/?p=76
+  * http://cmos.missouri.org/2003Dec14.htm
+  * http://www.prolume.com/temp/nyt/patents.htm
-http://kdg.mit.edu/Projects/p13.html
+  * http://www.prolume.com/temp/cnn/cnn1.htm
+  * http://desertification.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/permaculture-explained/
-http://www.tuukkahalonen.com/
+  * http://www.navdanya.org/about/index.htm
+  * http://www.krameterhof.at/Englisch/anzeige.htm
-http://www.ioodesign.com/
+  * http://homepage2.nifty.com/ISEA-Japan/inl/inl80.html
+  * http://www.di.net/videos/the_new_species_architecture/
-http://www.kathleenrogers.co.uk/r_d/
+  * http://www.materialecology.com/
-http://www.tcaup.umich.edu/portablelight/intro.html
-http://designcorner.blinkr.net/Interactive_Architecture/
-http://www.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/architecture/programmes/units/unit14.htm
-http://futurefeeder.com/index.php/archives/2005/05/08/frameless-structure-glass-dome/
-http://reconstruction.eserver.org/063/holmes.shtml
-http://patentpending.blogs.com/patent_pending_blog/2005/12/the_hanging_gar.html
-http://www.humanflowerproject.com/index.php/weblog/C16/P20/
-http://www.blog.thesietch.org/2007/01/18/really-green-buildings/
-http://www.ecosyn.us/ecocity/Ecosyn/Container_Plants/index.html
-http://www.asquare.org/networkresearch/?cat=21&paged=2
-http://www.terragalleria.com/america/north-east/new-york/picture.usny6611.html
-http://progressivegardening.com/soilfreehydroponicgardening.html
-http://www.cynical-c.com/archives/013509.html
-http://www.thecityreview.com/arcnow.html
-http://www.hbp.usm.my/ventilation/Penghijauan%20menegak.htm
-http://www.clubofpioneers.com/blogs/tags/architecture/
-http://www.sunutility.com/html_pg/city.html
-http://jetsongreen.typepad.com/jetson_green/2006/11/index.html
-http://www.netspeed.com.au/abeccs/sunshineuni/sunshine%20building%20design.htm
-http://irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/pubs/ci/v7no3/v7no3_13_e.html
-http://greenmuseum.org/generic_content.php?ct_id=229
-http://www.nzwerf.org.nz/publications/sw602/sw602s5-1.html
-http://jetsongreen.typepad.com/jetson_green/energy_efficiency/index.html
-http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,1599531,00.html
-http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/902
-http://greenroofs.wordpress.com/contact-us/
-http://www.green-roofing.co.uk/frames/frames_system.html
-http://nisee.berkeley.edu/elibrary/browse/kozak?eq=5392
-http://citycomfortsblog.typepad.com/cities/2004/02/index.html
-http://www.developmentcrossing.com/development_crossing/climate_change/index.html
-http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~infoarts/links/actobjects/activatedartists.html
-http://www.sarai.net/fellowships/independent/abstracts/03-04/page-3/?searchterm=Nilanjan%20Bhattacharya
-http://khojworkshop.org/aggregator
-http://www.csie.ntu.edu.tw/announce/news/94B/20060607.pdf
-http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/hybrid/msg07015311868.html
-http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/kabernd/seminar/2002/edible/pt.htm
-http://www.new-agri.co.uk/01-5/focuson/focuson4.html
-http://www.prolume.com/temp/ltimes/ltimes.htm
-http://cmos.missouri.org/2003Dec14.htm
-http://www.prolume.com/temp/nyt/patents.htm
-http://www.prolume.com/temp/cnn/cnn1.htm
-http://desertification.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/permaculture-explained/
-http://www.navdanya.org/about/index.htm
-http://www.krameterhof.at/Englisch/anzeige.htm
-http://homepage2.nifty.com/ISEA-Japan/inl/inl80.html
-http://www.di.net/videos/the_new_species_architecture/
-http://www.materialecology.com/
+* //media used in the research (film, audiovisual media, photographs...)//
-    * //media used in the research (film, audiovisual media, photographs...)//
 . Power of community: Produced by the community solution organization, the film explores the peak oil crisis with focus on community based solutions that reflect the values of cooperation, conservation and curtailment. The film captures the free fall of Cuba's economy in early 90's with the fall of the Soviet Union and its brilliant turnaround using drastic measures to become self reliant. It demonstrates the role of community in dealing with acute challenges. Every aspect of cuban life was affected by the 'special period', but no change was as far reaching as agriculture. Cuba was forced to switch to survival agriculture from the green revolution practices it was accustomed to. A drastic effort to convert every piece of arable land to organic agriculture was begin. An urban agriculture movement resulted where every vacant lot in the city was converted into an orchard. Under urban gardening, idle plots of land were identified, cleaned and turned into gardens by the community. The people cooperating and caring about each other were the main factors for the turnaround. With sustainable practices Cuba found that it took 3 to 5 years to rehabilitate the soil again. To increase food production the government worked with farmers to find local solutions. The result was smaller farms and cooperatives with a high degree of privatization and autonomy. These were able to use sustainable practices in a much more efficient manner and created new ways of decentralized growth under a larger umbrella. With a more stable method of land distribution and ownership, thousands moved to rural areas. The impact was also felt in the education, housng, transportation and energy alternatives realms resulting in improvised solutions from the people and the government which has not only created a unique model for all of us but also reinstilled faith in the power of simple steps taken at a community level.
+  * //visual/sonic/tactile material generated in the research to be archived at [[FoAM]]//
-    * //visual/sonic/tactile material generated in the research to be archived at [[FoAM]]//