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Unconditonal Freedom Project (Prison self development & garden program)
John D. Liu, ecologist, filmmaker and founder of the Ecosystem Restoration Camp movement joins us to talk about this approach to accessible, participatory large scale restoration of degraded landscapes (and how he learned this was possible by filming the restoration of the legendary Loess plateau in China!), and how this revitalizes livelihoods, society, biology, and the human spirit when done well. We also talk about how the concept for this model came to him through his dreams (!), correcting current systemic dysfunction by re-aligning our consciousness and societies with the equation of how Earth actually works, sacred texts & cosmology pointing us to this knowledge, the evolution of the human brain, and so much more!
Everyone listening is invited to engage deeply in this work by joining or starting up their own living laboratory, a.k.a. Ecosystem Restoration Camp. Each camp is autonomous, self-organizing, and self-governed; the organization just links the network for outreach, knowledge and resource sharing. If youre feeling disconnected and wanting to make a change in your life, gain community, and gain skills, head to https://ecosystemrestorationcamps.org, pick the camp you want to go to, and reach out!
Show notes:
- How John learned that large scale ecosystem restoration is possible & how the model for this organization came to him through his dreams
- Current systemic dysfunction of grinding up the Earth to make ruins people will find in the future while harming nature's life support systems
- Physics as the natural laws that regulate Earth systems
- The importance of using the advances of technology for to spread useful knowledge, such as: hydrological cycle, carefully tending paradise, soil health, etc.
- Broad scale disconnection & the collective dream
- The potential landmates, businesses, friendships that are there to be connected with at these camps
- Valuing the living systems of earth: rediscovering what the native/indigenous cultures have known and lived by for millennia and how ridiculous it is that colonizers from Europe didn’t recognize they were consciously, intelligently managing all these life systems
- Establishing restoration camps with integration/deference to & involvement of the culture & people of the place
- Social ecosystems: Central kitchens integrated with locally grown produce, means of production for woodworking/metal working/mechanics/ sewing/ceramics/art/etc. as a way to engage people in what needs to be done instead of focusing on making money. And cultural stages for music/theater/education (needs: healthy physical/emotional lives, meaningful work, and to transmit the culture)
- Applying this work to refugee situations & prisons (The Unconditional Freedom Project) & using prison time as an opportunity for inmates to upskill in propagation & species preservation to prepare them for meaningful work after release.
- So much more!
