Part of the purpose of the New Civilization Network is to serve as a
vehicle for presenting your projects to others, and to state what you
offer, what you need, and what you're accomplishing. So, messages of that
nature are always welcome. Send them to me and I'll try to collect them
into messages such as this. Best is if they're fairly concise so it is
clear to others what you're doing and how one might interface with it.
This is not particularly a place for commercials. However, it IS a place to
present your "thing", whatever it is, so that you might be of service to
others, or so you might find help in getting to the next step.
- Flemming
------------------------------------------------------------------
GLOBAL IDEAS BANK, NEW BOOKS
The Institute of Social Inventions in London just published this year's two
books full of innovative and sometimes surprising ideas submitted by the
public. First "Social Dreams and Tecnological Nightmares": hundreds of
ideas for various sections of society. And then "Last Aid Manual",
information and ideas about alternative ways of dying or arranging natural
burials.
I've been busy the past week putting the content of these books on the web,
as I have with all the previous ones. You can find them at:
http://www.globalideasbank.org/
and you can partipate in rating the ideas for how well you like them or
dislike them. You can also submit new ideas to Nicholas Albery
<rhino@dial.pipex.com> in consideration for the 1,000 pounds awarded by the
institute every year for one of the ideas.
------------------------------------------------------------------
SOLAR WATER PASTEURIZERS
At a conference a couple of weeks ago I met Will Hartzell
<will@safewatersystems.com> who develops and manufactures solar water
pasteurizers, which is a low cost and effective way of disinfecting water.
This obviously has great potential use in third world areas where safe and
clean drinking water is a scarce commodity. Will is a splendid person, and
a new NCN member. He is looking for contacts and sponsors for bringing the
water pasteurizer into more areas where it is needed. Check out the website
at:
http://www.safewatersystems.com/
------------------------------------------------------------------
GROWING EARTH ACTION, SERBIA
Zoran Siriski <marlen@vanet.co.yu> in Valyevo, Serbia has started an
activist group called Growing Earth Action.
"I am sure there is a large chunk of humanity standing ready and competent
to carry out a metamorphosis of the diseased civilization as we now have
it. What we need is energizers and locomotors who would follow fairly
balanced and synergetic blueprints on the way to healing and renaissance
of a truly civilized, peaceful, democratic, non-consumerist, EarthMinded
and wholistic civilization."
They're looking for assistance, advice and donations in getting their group
going in a tangible way.
------------------------------------------------------------------
GRASSROOTS ECONOMIC ORGANIZING NEWSLETTER
GEO, Grassroots Economic Organizing Newsletter is publishing an
Annotated Resource Guide to Worker Co-ops and Sustainable Enterprises
located in the USA, this fall. This guide focuses on democratic, local,
community-based businesses and other enterprises that are sustainable in an
economic sense as well as environmentally. The way we see it, economic
sustainablility must include democratic participation of the workers as
well as equitable distribution of the wealth created by them (not, as is
currently the practice, a far greater share of profit to a few CEO's and
"owners"). That's why we favor the worker-ownership cooperative model. We
have hundreds of listings of groups all across the country who are making
their dreams for a better world come true.
To order a copy of GEO's Annotated Resource Guide to Worker Co-ops and
Sustainable Enterprises, $5.95; email me, bknelson@portone.com or write
BKNelson-GEO
65 Cedar Street
Norwich, CT 06360
Send along a check written to GEO. Thanks! Berta Nelson, for GEO
------------------------------------------------------------
CONVERSATION CENTERS, LANGUAGE LEARNING, CHINA CONTACTS
I know Kevin Gaudette <ktgaudette@yahoo.com> here from Los Angeles where he
was promoting cross-cultural conversation activities and centers, bringing
together people of different cultures, speaking different languages, to
learn from each other. He's now living in Mexico and is on his way to
China. Several accomplishments and some project ideas here ...
"I expect to be in LA in a few weeks, on the way to China...where
I'll be again working in the English-learning field. Here at ALCATEL,
as an EFL teacher, I've been using WWW for job search and
relationship-building. It's my 1st time at such a level. I've made many
contacts in/about China. It's quite interesting--the upward-mobility
learning curve. From one prospect to the next.
For a few months I've been in regular contact with the founder of the
International Peace Club English Conversation Center, located in
on-the-sea Zhuhai, across from Macau, in the Special Economic Zone.
I've given my notice here at French multinational ALCATEL, and have
been planning to accept the offer work in Zhuhai at the Center.
Then I got a tentative job offer from Beijing--the Foreign Affairs
College, which trains China's Diplomats. I had sent them a specific
proposal about developing a course for Listening Comprehension and
Public Speaking, using the NRP and other tapes, for "a critique of the
dominant hegemony."
...
"Systems-thinker, founder of Calvert Social Investment Center, Hazel
Henderson (hazelhenderson.com) called me a week ago, and invited me to
meet with her in Shanghai in mid-September."
...
"Here in Mexico City a German genius audio engineer, MIDI specialist,
digital audio editor, hacker etc. is working with me to produce an
innovatively edited English-learning audio sample, using Hazel
Henderson's speech at the Rio Summit. The progressive National Radio
Project has expressed strong interest in my proposal to use their
collection of radio shows--with transcripts--for international English
language learning projects."
"Suggestion: search the www for Global Issues folks in the foreign
language field. They can help globalize further the New Civ."
------------------------------------------------------------
o o
/ \------------------ Flemming A. Funch -------------------/ \
/ * \ New Civilization Network / Synchronicity Networks / * \
/ * * \ ffunch@newciv.org / * * \
o-------o----------- http://www.worldtrans.org/ -----------o-------o
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