Comments on: Downshifting to the Canary Islands

By: Stella

Stella — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 18:50:33 +0000

We’ve now starting on some great (and also tiny..) transition initiatives in our village. And we’ve recently re-freshed this shares idea on the finca, adding jobs (that we see need doing, possible nice eco-employment), see http://fincalunawiki.pbworks.com/EcoAldea – how’s your spanish? (or click on english links top right)

This is definately a ‘start small’ chance .. but note we’re looking for people can move on from the “my own” thing (the planet needs us to learn to work together, now more than ever and more than anything else!) – which is quite big in another way :)

Am at stella(at) ecoescuela(dot) net .. write with more about you if you wanto give it a go. As well as small, it’s as low-risk as you can get these days: even if you end up hating it (doubt it!!), you can sell the shares later, which are bound to be more attractive than most other kinds of shares on the market, especially if the crisis deepen .. and even more so if you’ve built some kind of eco-business to go with it.

Congratulations about the TV programme! We’re about to start our yearly full Certificate in PermaCulture Design course in a few weeks..

By: Julia Whatley

Julia Whatley — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 07:40:16 +0000

Hi Stella
I want to relocate to the Canaries not any of the x pat holiday places! I love La Palma as not so spoilt as other Isles. I want to get started with my own permaculture project and cannot seem to connect with the right place. Is it possible for me to come and have a “start small” chance. Transition here is very slow and we have had six months of hard weather hardly any sun too.
Doing as many courses here as I can and I have moved away from all the trapping s of this life but trapped in a system that won,t wake up and realise we are running out of time!
Looking forward to hearing from you Stella. p.s. on Wednesday we have a gardening permaculture Programme on t.v on u.k.!

By: Stella

Stella — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:50:23 +0000

Reply to Matt:
Yes! of course we have thought about this kind of stuff a lot, & amongst lots of permaculturists.
I remember Bill Mollison replying to people who brought the subject up about all the air travel involved in permaculture conferences – this was at the Croatia International PC Conference .. in 2005 I think – and he just said (and in a rather annoyed tone) that look, oil is going to run out, the quicker the better, let’s stop piddling about with this kind of empty gestures about our personal air travel, staying home isn´t going to change things one jot (organizing on a global scale with other permaculturists on the other hand might).
Of course we also have very vocal permaculturists publicly making statements about never flying (including ones who prefer making long car journeys rather than flying to the same place). So there is definitely no ‘party line’ about this.
Personally am rather perplexed about the fact that the argument about public transport isn´t ever applied to airplanes: the thing will run (fly, ride, sail) with or without you, using pretty much the same oil whether you’re on it or not, so might as well use it. This for me (and I never travel for holidaying: I have to have many good reasons to leave my home) is sufficient argument right now as I have no doubt that – realistically speaking – we will not change airlines policies by protest non-flying, nor seriously affect rail-policies by diverting our moneys to them, even if all environmentalists did so.
And – speaking as a determined idealist – permaculture for me is about designing realistic strategies – working to change things for everyone, long term, in practice: not do things in order to personally feel better.
Good question, thanks for asking!

Reply to Michael
we’re in the NorthWest, and I’ve no idea about the language demand am sorry (there is one, just don’t know whether it’s
well filled already or not). Check our website for contact details

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 11:55:17 +0000

Hi Sally, Stella
I like this story and I relate to many of the experiences described. As a native of the British Isles, one thing that has always concerned me about an expatriate life is that the environmental impact of my travel arrangements and visitors, even kept to what would generally be considered a minimal level, would undermine any improvements I made. I have never been very convinced by the “pay the airline £5 extra to make your journey carbon-neutral” style schemes that have sprung up. As a permaculturist, this is something you will have given thought to and I wonder how have you dealt with the issue?

By: Michael

Michael — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:33:09 +0000

Hi Stellab

thank you for this very interesting article. May I ask where Finca Luna is located on La Palma? I know the island quite well. I have been to La Palma three times and like yourself, I fell in love with the place. I can fully understand why you decided to settle. I don’t know what is about the place but I really feel at home there. Is the tranquility, the lack of crime, the unspoilt landscape, the easy-going lifestyle, I don’t know. I’d love to spend at least three months a year on La Palma and perhaps even retire there (although that’s probably not for another 23 years:-). I plan to go back this year and will probably stay around Los Llanos. I live in Antwerp, Belgium. Is there any demand for language teachers on La Palma?
Good luck with the finca! Enhorabuena!
Kind regards

Michael