JTA: The Global News Service of the Jewish People

Green Beanie Winner

Center for Creative Ecology

http://www.kibbutzlotan.com The Green Apprenticeship program on Kibbutz Lotan in Hevel Eilot, Israel, is a complete introduction to both ecology and cooperative living. Students spend an intensive 6 weeks on Kibbutz Lotan, an intentional cooperative community in southern Israel based on the principles of liberal, egalitarian Judaism, dividing their time between formal studies and the practical application of what they have learned. Students are exposed to the challenges involved with the design, building and running of sustainable communities, linking together ecological, social, economic and spiritual aspects into a unified whole. Practical skills are developed through hands-on work in the kibbutz's environmental education center, organic gardens, alternative/natural building projects and the Lotan migratory bird reserve; these experiences are complemented by theoretical sessions in topics including ecological design, permaculture and sustainability. Participants are interwoven into the daily life of the kibbutz and encouraged to take part in the community’s cultural and religious events. Students live in the eco-campus -- a prototype model for sustainable living that is a learning experience in itself. Living quarters are super-insulated straw-bale and mud geodesic domes, built on-site by previous course participants. Passive cooling systems are employed to combat the desert heat. Composting toilets and gray-water systems help conserve water. The daily challenges of living together as a micro-community in this low-impact environment form an integral part of the educational experience of the course. Click here to watch a brief video of the living quarters.

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