Currently I am traveling the world as a Thomas J. Watson fellow carrying out my project: “Holistic Environmentalism: Community Approaches to Sustainability,” which can be summarized as follows:

“Permaculture communities, ecovillages, and Transition Towns are three international grassroots movements attempting ecologically, economically, socially, and spiritually sustainable lifeways. I will travel to five continents living in these three types of communities in order to study the theory and practice of sustainability in intentional and conventional communities across cultures. I intend to explore the ways in which human life can become more holistically sustainable with respect to environment, economy, society, and self.”

In layman’s terms, I am living in communities where people are trying to lead lives more connected to themselves, each other, and nature. I am interested in how and how well their visions of holistic sustainability translate into reality. The communities are located in Australia, Brazil, India, Italy, New Zealand, Portugal, Senegal, and the United Kingdom.

I think that Permaculture is an important part of this global movement towards Life that we currently call the sustainability movement. Permaculture projects are important nodes in the global network of Life that we are building. We are creating healing biotopes, performing Earth acupuncture, aligning ourselves and our society with the way that all other living organisms function.

If you're interested in what I am doing, check out my blog which tracks the evolution of my journey and my thoughts along the way: http://sustainablephilosopher.wordpress.com/