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Irrationals in Hope of the Impossible: The Origins of Biosphere 2 at Synergia Ranch in the Seventies

By Mark Nelson

$26.00

Irrationals in Hope of the Impossible: The Origins of Biosphere 2 at Synergia Ranch in the Seventies

Is it possible to get fully engaged in ambitious endeavors and do inner work to realize your individual potentialities? In this exciting and revelatory book, Mark Nelson describes the early years of Synergia Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico which led to the founding of the Institute of Ecotechnics and which started the historical development of cutting edge projects around the world including the Biosphere 2 facility in Arizona. The story captures the wild exuberance, and the highs and lows, of a group of young people determined to realize their personal dreams and to start new ventures to help regenerate the planet – starting with a big challenge: severely degraded rangeland in the high semi-desert of New Mexico.

Determined to “Dare to Dream,” and even more important: “Dream No Small Dream,” they get to work, in some cases starting from near square zero. Can they survive the inevitable personality frictions and power struggles and create a new type of community from such diverse and creative people? Would their goal of finding ways to live a balanced and synergetic life, doing ecological restoration, starting enterprises and producing theater, be possible and economically viable? Is it possible to get fully engaged in ambitious endeavours and do inner work to realize your individual potentialities?

Born in the Haight-Ashbury ferment of the 1960s, the core group now finds itself on 160 acres (60 hectares) of land considered near worthless. In this book, you will follow their daunting learning curve, replete with screw-ups and breakthroughs, as they begin to make adobe bricks and build houses and workshops, plant trees and grow food, doing virtually everything themselves. Why? Well, for starters, they simply didn’t have the money to hire professional “experts.”

Available from Synergetic Press
Published By: Vita Nostra Edizioni

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An awe-inspiring guide that weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard. This book has been crafted for...
$26.00

22 in stock

Available to Ship: January 24, 2025 Publication Date: December 24, 2024 ISBN: 9798322995838 Categories: , , , , , Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Description

“This is the origin story of Biosphere 2, one of the most exciting human experiments. Astonishingly, it has become more important with each passing year, far ahead of its time. I have had the privilege of knowing Mark and the other pioneers for years and they influenced me greatly. Read this book and wonder whether you are looking at our hopeful future, with its supreme optimism about the human capacity to dream and deliver.” Sir Tim Smit, Founder, Director, The Eden Project, Cornwall.

“If kids today knew what they were missing in real life adventures, projects and encounters like biospherian Mark Nelson describes here with his signature warmth and humor, they would eat their phones. Irrationals in Hope of the Impossible is valuable as both an historical document and guide to a more egalitarian and environmentally creative future.” Maria Golia, author of “Ornette Coleman: the Territory and the Adventure”.

“I have been amazed by the importance and success of the Institute of Ecotechnics projects. This book offers a wonderful history of where and how it all began.” Ralph Abraham, an originator of chaos theory, Prof. of Mathematics, University of California, Santa Cruz.

“Mark Nelson’s book is foundational for urgent Green Regenerative Farming and new approaches to better integrate humans with our living biosphere.” Dr. Roger Malina, astrophysicist, Executive Editor Leonardo Publications, MIT Press.

“I have known for five decades these deep, audacious, visionary nomads. This book chronicles a journey worthy of including in the Arabian Nights…braving the vivid unknown!” Godfrey Reggio, Filmmaker, Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi, Naqoyqatsi, Visitors, and Once Within A Time.

“If the laying waste to the Earth’s life support systems is to be reversed, then this memoir of the Institute of Ecotechnics by Mark Nelson might stand as an energizing primer.” Michael Hrebeniak, Founder/Convenor, New School of the Anthropocene.

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