Musings on Arcology and Upcoming Califia Sketchbook Contest

The recent Califia Sketchbook contest got me thinking about my Arcosanti days where I spent many hours talking with those inspired by the place (as well as frustrated by it) and the vision it represented.

Green Century Institute formed to evolve the vision of Arcology for the Bay Area. Thus what better a term to use than that of Califia, representing the idyllic yearning to live in a more compassionate, sustainable and uninhibited world driven by free spirits rather than fear, weapons and/or dollars and cents? This idea of Califia captures what California and the Bay Area mean to many who are attracted to the place.

Hexayurt, Mechabolic and The GREEN MAN PAVILION

The San Francisco Bay Area is a hot bed of activity for the Burning Man crowd. Recently Katherine Steele of the Urban Permaculture Guild posted something in the Permaculture SF Discussion Group about the Green Man Pavilion at Burning Man. This led to an interesting debate about the merits of Burning Man and those who participate in it at the Permaculture SF yahoo discussion group. Indeed many are critical of the fact that the event is a huge effort that climaxes with the destruction of a massive wood structure – Burning Man. The more conservative and prudish greens see Burning Man as a wasteful celebration of hedonism, while more uninhibited, free living folks see it as a way to “retribalize” – if but for just a week – and take some time out from their modern lives escaping into the desert.