Sustainable Home Garden

sustainable home garden

Cuba, Peak Oil and Permaculture

Cuba is THE inspirational model for sustainable living.

The collapse of trade relations with the former Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc countries, and the tightening of the US blockade in early 1990s ceated a major economic crisis in Cuba known as the Special Period. Cuba lost half their oil overnight, lost 80% inport and export markets, food was scarce; people started to starve. They had a food crisis; they were unable to import food, farm chemicals nor use machinery to grow food by conventional means. Cuba HAD to become self sufficient and sustainable. Sustainable agriculture meant Permaculture style: organic farming, urban gardens and allotments, smaller farms, animal traction and biological means of pest control and fertilisation.

Government could not act quickly enough so gave the power back to the communities as people were starving. They made changes in land tenure, promoted agricultural education and training, and technological changes. Individuals and communities used Permaculture principles as the new model of food production using ecological pest management, intercropping, animal traction, organic soil management and the integration of crops and livestock. Without Oil they now live sustainably, supported by organic agriculture, urban gardens, renewable energy sources and they even transformed their transportation systems. There are approx 2.2 million people in Havana and 85% of all food comes from within the city grown on plots, roofs and in community spaces.

Cubans had no choice but to drastically reduce their energy consumption. However, there have been substantial benefits in Health due to improved diet and an increase in exercise from bike riding/walking/gardening. They have had to develop networks so community is strengthened and many say they have a much better quality of life than ever before. Their new values of cooperation, conservation and curtailment have enriched their lives. Cuba has a lot to show the world with how to deal with energy adversery. The Peak Oil crisis will effect us all, will mean a major change in all of our lives, so Cuba is a fantastic model for the rest of the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsnuTb4V9Qo

http://globalpublicmedia.com/articles/657

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~cohousing/cuba/hab9606/hab9606.htm

http://www.cosg.supanet.com/greencuba.html

http://www.cosg.org.uk/book-review1.htm

http://www.thepeakist.com/the-power-of-community-how-cuba-survived-peak-oil/#more-156

http://permaculture.org.au/?p=116

http://www.cityfarmer.org/NunezUA.html

http://members.optusnet.com.au/~cohousing/cuba/hab9606/hab9606.htm

http://another-green-world.blogspot.com/2006/04/how-cuba-survived-peak-oil.html

http://www.newint.org/features/2007/07/01/international/

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