Episode 007 - Rico Zook: Permaculture and India's 400 Million Farmers

Earth Repair Radio

SUBSCRIBE: WWW.EARTHREPAIRRADIO.COM In this episode we talk with the renowned itinerant Permaculturist Rico Zook. Rico has spent most of the last 14 year traveling in India teaching farmers about Permaculture, as well as designing and installing ecological systems. Rico has a unique perspective on India as an outsider who has worn a path through nearly every corner of the vast nation, and deeply observed the ways of life from the Permaculture perspective. Rico is gearing up for his substantial role in the upcoming International Permaculture Conference and Convergence that is happening in late November 2017, which he discusses in the interview. If you've ever wondered about India and how a foreigner works responsibly in a different culture to bring about positive social and ecological change, then listen to the wise words here of Rico Zook. Rico's links: International Permaculture Conference: ipcindia2017.org Itinerant Permaculture:http://i-permaculture.org/ Permaculture Design International: www.permacultureintl.com Darjeeling Prerna Permaculture Design Course: http://www.darjeelingprerna.org/programmes_Permaculture_Design_Certification_Course.php Rico Zook in Cambodia Video: https://vimeo.com/3760052 Rico Zook in India Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miraywnpgjI Rico Zook Full Biography: With over 19 years of permaculture work in different climates and cultures, Rico has established himself as one of the new leaders and innovators in Permaculture worldwide. This is further supported by his work with global Permaculture organizations organizing the International Permaculture Convergence. Rico Zook is a Permaculture designer, consultant and educator. He works with private individuals, farmers, villagers and local organizations to create environmentally and culturally appropriate life systems in India, Cambodia, northern New Mexico, and places in between. Rico also works to assist local and indigenous cultures to preserve traditional knowledge and technologies while adapting to and becoming active members of our rapidly globalizing world. In addition to academic and professional credentials, Rico has spent more than 35 years living in nature, including long-term residencies in California’s Yosemite National Park, the demanding Sangria de Cristo Mountains of Northern New Mexico, and as a homesteader in Northern California wilderness. For more than a decade as Land Manager for the Lama Foundation, a spiritual community and retreat center North of Taos, NM, Mr. Zook designed and transformed the rugged, cold, semiarid high-altitude site that had been decimated by wildfire into one of beauty and productivity. Using Permaculture practices and a lifetime of observation and interpretation of the natural world and how to create human harmony with it, he has built a visible and successful Permaculture demonstration and teaching site. It is a model of design integrating the needs, resources and yields of community and nature in proactive and abundant ways with respectful and restorative impacts on the environment. Rico is a founding member of Permaculture Design International (PDI), a design and build collaborative working with high-end, large scale global clients and projects. Besides holding degrees in Environmental Studies, Biology and Philosophy, Rico is a founding member of Permaculture Design International (PDI), an international design and implementation collaborative working with high-end, large scale global clients and projects.