Is the Earth a Living Organism?-The Gaia Hypothesis will be examined at a conference sponsored by the Audubon Society Expedition Institute to be held on the campus of the University of Massachusett~ August 2-6, 1985. Research papers are being requested to advance the living earth concept across the spectrum of discipline. Presentations should focus on new research, synthesize what has been done to date, or propose new areas of research. Whenever possible, cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary analysis should be included. Space will also be provided for a limited number of artistic presentations. The program proceedings will be subsequently · published as a state-of-art review of our understanding of the Gaia Hypothesis, especially as it relates to science. Proposals should be an abstract of no more than three pages, typewritten and double spaced, with a cover letter describing the overall focus. Proposal deadline is April 15, 1985. Please include SASE with your proposal. For papers, proposals and questions contact Dr. Jim Swan, Symposium Coordinator, National Audubon Society Expedition Institute, Box 637, Mill Valley, CA 94941. For inquiries regarding the "Is Earth Alive?" Symposium contact the Institute for Expedition Education, National Audubon Society, NE Regional Office, R.R. 1, Box 171, Sharon, <;:T 06069. Big Trouble at Big Mountain-April 1986 is the official deadline for the voluntary relocation of the traditional peoples of the Navajo-Hopi Joint Us·e Area in Northeastern Arizona. Forced relocation is expected by July of that year. Under the facade of a land dispute between the Hopi and Navajo people, progressive tribal councils and the federal government are attempting to ease native residents from the land, freeing it for coal and uranium mining. In early 1985, the Big Mountain Legal Defense/Offense Committee is planning to draw up an initiative repealing Public Law 93531, the mandate for relocation authored by Arizona Senator Barry Coldwater. In the meantime, traditional Hopi leaders are denouncing the tactics of harrassment and psychological warfare the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs is using to speed the relocation process. The stress caused by the harrassment and relocation is responsible for an increase in illness and suicide, and is contributing to the deterioration of the morale and the traditional lifestyle of the native people of the area. This is not an isolated battle, but another round in the war between the nuclear cowboys and Native American peoples for control of their land and destiny. For more information, contact Northwest Big Mountain Support Group, PO , Box 10234, Olympia, WA 98501. Bike Shelters-Architects, designers, students, and anyone with imagination and know-how are invited to submit designs for overnight bicycle shelters that are sturdy, · attractive, and adaptable to the variety of useable spaces on neighborhood blocks. The competition i.s being sponsored by Stryker's Bay Neighborhood Council, a nonprofit, January/February 1985 RAIN Page 37 RUSH community-based housing and social service orgaRization in New York City. Designs will be judged by professionals from the fields of architecture, industrial design, bicycle planning and crime prevention. The deadline to register is March 15, and registration and kit fees are $15. Designs should be submitted by April 22, 1985. Contact Gail Boorstein, Project Director, SBNC Bike Project, 561 Columbus Avenue, New York, NY 10024, or call 212/8747272. Trusting the Land in Vermont-The Lincoln Community Land Trust is a nonprofit, community-based project in a small valley of 800 people.adjacent to the Green Mountains of central Vermont. The purpose of this community land trust is to protect and encourage the rural lifestyle, to inhibit speculative buying through holding property and development rights, and to provide a functioning role model for other land stewarding ventures in Vermont. Pilot projects include a library-reference center, community construction assistance program, credit union, cooperative woodlot management program and soft tech consultation. If you are interested i~ supporting or joining the Lincoln Community contact Lincoln Community Land Trust, Inc., RFD Box 19, Rochester, VT 05767, or call 802/767-4750. ~enewable Energy News Renewed-Renewable Energy News, a monthly tabloid newspaper covering all aspects of renewable energy technologies, was recently acquired by SolarVision, Inc., publisher of Solar Age magazine. The first issue of the new magazine will be published in January of 1985. Title and format will remain the same, but the newspaper will focus more on the new developments in use of renewable energy technologies on a commercial and industrial scale. For more information, contact D.eborah Napior, Associate Publisher, SolarVision, Inc., Church Hill, Harrisville, NH 03450, or call 603/827-3347. Free Newsletter Available-The Consumer Product Safety Network is a national grassroots outreach program that provides information on a wide range of product safety issues, such as toy safety, food and drug safety, indoor air pollution, and automobile safety. The CSPN Newsletter provides information on many of these issues, tells you whom to write, where to send your comments, and ~ow to follow up on contacts. CSPN is-a nonprofit public-interest coalition, and publishes the newsletter as a _ free public service. To receive the newsletter or find out more about CSPN, contact Consumer Product Safety Network, 142416th Street NW, 6th floor, Washington, DC 20036. Alternative Nobel Prize-Four women from Asia and Africa will share the 1984 Right ' Livelihood Award of 350,000 Swedish Kronor (approximately $50,000). The prize was introduced four years ago by Jacob von Uexkull, an alternate to the European parliament who sold part of a valuable postage stamp collection to fund it. The Right Livelihood Award is presented on December 9th, the day before the Nobel prize ceremony, to "honor and support those working on practical solutions to the real problems facing us." The winners of this year's award are Winefreda Geonzon (Philippines), lawyer and founder of the Free Legal Aid Volunteers Association in Cebu City; Professor Wangari Maathai (Kenya), biologist and women's leader who pio.neered the 'Green Belt' reforestation movement; Mrs. Ela Bhatt, founder of the Self-Employed Women's Association in Ahmedabad (India) that assists home-based producers in organizing trade unions and support services; and Iman Khalifeh (Lebanon), who inspired and organized the Beirut peace movement and will receive a special honorary award. For more · information, contact Carola Wilder, 38 Babcock Street; Brookline, MA 02146, or call 617/7312259. Sunpaper Sets-After being published on an irregular schedule throughout 1983-84, Sunpaper, Bulletin of the New Mexico Solar Energy Association, published its last issue in May 1984. The NMSEA remains solvent, but lacks the funding and volunteer labor to continue to publish the magazine. Reductions in membership have also had an impact on the ability of the Association to put on programs and publish information. If you have any suggestions, comments or ideas regarding solutions to these difficult problems, please send them to Harry S. Zwibel, Box 3SOL, Las Cruces, NM 88003. A piece of the rock-The Clinton Community Garden in New York City was a rubble-strewn vacant lot for 28 years, until it was transformed by neighborhood residents into an urban garden in 1976. Recently, the city of New York attracted wide attention when it announced its intention to sell the now valuable property to the highest bidder. A Save The Garden committee was formed to fight and halt the sale of the land. After investigating the options available, it was agreed that the only alternative was to purchase the garden outright. To raise enough money, the committee is offering square inch plots for $5. However, contributions of $500 per square foot and $5000 per square yard are also acceptable. ;\ll checks should be made payable to The Trust for Public Land. Contact Sally Freidman, Clinton Community Garden, c/o Trust for Public Land, 254 West 31st Street, New York, NY 10001.
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