ABOUT
Permaculture design with a grounding in spirit
and a focus on organizing and activism
CO-CREATING OUR FUTURE
We link those who are creating positive alternatives for the future with those who are actively working for political change.
LEARNING FROM NATURE
Earth Activist Training has a special interest in Social Permaculture: the application of ecological principles to designing beneficial human relations.
STANDING TOGETHER
We are fundamentally committed to sharing these skills and tools with the communities most impacted by injustice.
OUR MISSION
To bring the knowledge and resources of regenerative ecological design to communities with the greatest needs and fewest resources.
To teach visionary and practical solutions and personal sustainability to social change activists, and to teach practical skills, organizing, and activism to visionaries.
To cross-pollinate the political, environmental, and spiritual movements that seek peace, justice, and resilience.
OUR HISTORY
OUR FOUNDING STORY
Our story began with questions –
Earth Activist Training began in late 2000 when author and activist, Starhawk, and permaculture designer and master teacher, Penny Livingston-Stark, asked some new questions:
“What can permaculturalists and activists learn from each other that would make each more effective?”
“What skills do people need to know in order to really ‘save the planet’? How can we teach these skills in ways that ripple out to others?”
Penny and Starhawk combined their many years of knowledge and created the first Earth Activist Training, held the following spring in 2001.
EARTH ACTIVIST TRAINING FAMILY
Our course graduates have gone on to projects around the world:
- Starting intentional communities
- Carrying out bioremediation in flood damaged New Orleans
- Creating urban community gardens
- Launching permaculture encampments for major mobilizations
- Restoring watersheds and habitats
- Organizing campaigns against forest clearcutting and GMOs
- Setting up teaching programs and community centers
- And many other important projects
PICTURED
- Starhawk, Founder, Executive Director, and lead teacher
- Charles Williams, Program Director and lead teacher
What is Permaculture?
THE EARTH ACTIVIST TRAINING DIFFERENCE
positive solutions
Permaculture has many tools to address the problems of climate change and environmental degradation, and our courses focus on solutions and positive approaches to the grave problems which confront us today.
hands-on LEARNING
We believe learning should be interactive, participatory and experiential, so our courses include many hands-on projects, games, songs, exercises, discussions, and rituals as well as classroom time.
experienced teachers
Our teachers are deeply involved in organizing around climate change, anti-racism, and social justice, as well as environmental issues. We work with the Black Permaculture Network, and cowrote the solidarity statement that is on their website. We were instrumental in organizing the Permaculture Climate Change Solutions group with an international scope.
OUR CALENDAR
Check out when our programs and events are taking place.
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