Events

Thurs 2/2 7pm-8pm Stephen Hren discusses  Tales from the Sustainable Underground: A Wild Journey with People Who Care More about the Planet than the Law Activists striving for any type of social change often find themselves operating on the fringes of legal and social norms. Many experience difficulties when their innovative ideas run afoul of antiquated laws and regulations that favor a big business, energy- and material-intensive approach. Hren’s book is packed with the stories of just some of these pioneers – who care more for the planet than the rules – whether they’re engaged in natural building, permaculture, community development, or ecologically based art. Ride along and meet courageous and inspiring individuals such as Solar guru Ed Eaton, radical urban permaculturalists Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew and artist, eco-architect and intuitive builder Matt Bua. Equally entertaining and informative, the profiles in this highly original book provide a unique lens through which to view deeper questions about the societal structures that are preventing us from attaining a more sustainable world. By examining such issues as the nature of property rights and the function of art in society, the author raises profound questions about how our social attitudes and mores have contributed to our current destructive paradigm. A must-read for sustainability activists in any field, or for anyone who wants to learn about more radical forms of sustainability activities in an entertaining way. Stephen Hren lives in Durham, North Carolina, and is actively involved with renewable energy, natural building, and edible urban gardening. Stephen is a builder and teacher with experience in sustainable design and passive and active solar heating technologies. He is also a co-author of "The Carbon-Free Home".