UC13 November-December 1975

-.

The Magazine of Radical

Number13 Methane-V s - N e w s,Views & Revi

BSc. (Horn) Social and Physical Sciences Our concerns a r e w e l l expressed by Theodore Roszak i n Where t h e Wasteland Ends: "Science i s not, i n my view, merely another s u b j e c t f o r discussion.

I t i s the subject.

I t i s the prime

expression o f t h e West's c u l t u r a l uniqueness, t h e secret o f our e x t r a o r d i n a r y dynamism, t h e keystone o f t e c h n o c r a t i c p o l i t i c s , t h e curse and t h e g i f t we b r i n g t o history.

Where s o c i a l thought on the d i l e m a s o f

u r b a n - i n d u s t r i a l l i f e refuses t o touch science c r i t i c a l l y i t betrays i t s e s s e n t i a l conservatism and can o n l y

f i n i s h w i t h shallow understandingt1.

I f these concerns are yours and i f you are i n t e r e s t e d i n i n t e r d i s c i p l i n a r y study i n a demanding context, then w r i t e f o r f u r t h e r d e t a i l s t o t h e Senior F a c u l t y Assistant, F a c u l t y o f Science and Technology, Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic, E l l i s o n B u i l d i n g , El 1 i son Place, Newcastle

RESURGENCE journal of the Fourth World ACTION ACTION ACTION Yes - no theory is good enough without action.

In the latest issue of Resurgence: *Action by the farmworkers of California *Action by the peasants of the Larzac *Action by the hill people of the Himalayas *A strategy for action to solve the hunger problem *A strategy for action to resolve the ecological crisis plus Survival Quiz and regular columns by E.F. Schumacher) author of Small is Beautiful) John Seymour) author of Self Sufficiency and Geoffrey Ashe) author of King Arthur's England.

upon Tyne NEl 8ST.

Newcastle uponTyne Polytechnic

bapple ~ o l foods i s open

-

6.OOpm e w r y day 9.3oam 1p except Thurshy 9.30

-

s e l l i n g a l l the m ~ t u r a l ,wholesome goodies that you would expect, Low prices. from l b s t o cwts. the cheaper The bigger

-

is a new magazine which starts publication in November this year.

Published 6 times a year as a co-operative venture by those who are themselves trying to live more from the land, PRACTIqAL SELF-SUFFICIENCY is a 'how to' journal - a .sharing of practical information between tho with a lifetime's experience and others just getting into self-sufficienc Coverage includes - organic growing, animal husbandry, poultry, goat bees, small-scale .farming practice, whole foods preparation, cooking an preservation, nutrition, herbs, wild plants' alternative energy source crafts, home business ideas, survival, doing more with less - and more For f u ~ b e details r and a subscription form write to:Broad Lws Publkhing Company, Widdington, Near Saffron Walden, Essex CB11 3SB.

Write for your copy 5Op or subscribe Ă‚ÂŁ2.50 Hurry before price goes up in January.

Cheques payable to Resurgence) 275 Kings Road, Kingston) Surrey.

This magazme was produced

by Duncan Campbell, Pat Coyne, Tony Durham, Richard Elen, Dave Elliott, Chris Hutton-Squire, Martin lnce, Barbara Kern, Martyn Partridge, Dave Smith and Peter Sommer. It certainly wouldn't exist without Graham Andrews, Godfrey Boyle, Sally Boyle, Geoffrey Cooper, Herbie Girardet, Nigel Thomas or Woody.

UNDERCURRENTS is published bimonthly by Undercurrents Limited, a non-profit organisation at 275 Finchley Road, London NW3, and IIShadwell, Uley, Dursley, Gloucs. It's printed

by Prestagate Limited, 39 Underwood Road, Reading. ISSN 03062392.

Copyright @ o feverything in this magazine belongs to Undercurrents Limited; nothing may be reproduced without permission, which will be gladly given to people we like.

If you want to phone us, try 01-891 0989 evenings, 01-836 4363 x144 daytime, Chris Hutton-Squire, or Uley (045 386) 636, Godfrey or Sally Boyle.

-

-

Subscriptions cost £2.5 for six issues, surface mail anywhere in the world. This is about $6.50, but check the exchange rate. For the USA, Canada and Mexico copies art airfreighted and the subscription rate i s $7.50. Our US agents are Air and Sea Freight lnc, 527 Madison Avenue, Suite 1217, New York, NY, 10022. Second class postage paid at New , York, NY.

Contents 2 8

Number November-Decem 13 ber 1975

EDDIES. Six pages of news, scandal, gosip, horror and happiness.

DIGGERS ANCIENT AND MODERN. The film Winstanley and the Leeds

. Land for the People Conference.

I0

ENERGY AND FOOD PRODUCTION. From Stonehenge to Supermarket.

I5

LUCAS. Soft Technology for Hard Times - Dave Elliott sets out the background to the Bradford Conference on Industry, the Community, and Alternative Technology.

-

ALTERNATIVE ENGLAND AND WALES. An update to Nick Saunders's guide.

PLANNING - A COMMUNESENSE GUIDE. Chris Day and Michael Edwards with some advice on defeating the bureaucrats at their own game.

NATIONAL CENTRE FOR ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY. Gerard Morgan-Grenville sets out his view on where AT i s at.

N u n I N OCTOBER. Guy Dauncey on the May lectures.

.-

"OON-YELLIMON TO YOU TOO". ~nderiumentsgrasses on transcendental meditation.

THE GASPERSON COMETH. An extract from L John Fry's book The Practical Building of Methane Power Plants.

WOODY Wl NDS UP. Part 4 of his essay Towards an alternative culture: "Stop saying it and start doing it."

REVIEWS. Unilever/Synerjy/Alternative England and WaIeslAnarchy theory/ Magic/Truckers9Bibleican Britain Feed ltself?/Alternative Medicinelsave your seed/Roundup.

Back cover; David Bramley as Parson Platt in Winstanley.

See page 9.

hemagazine of RadicalTechnologu v.

The national grid system could be the best electrical 'storage system' yet devised, and may be ideal for storing energy from windmills. This notion, which the CEGB will regard as high treason, has developed from a new 'inverter'which i s used t turn DC power from windmills t o AC. The device-a "synchronous inverter"made by Windworks of the USA, allows independent energy producers t o feed power into the electricity grid-and even run their electricity meters backwads when production exceeds consumption.

It's true, o f course, that even i n Britain large companies with their own private generating equipment have been running synchronous generators and feeding their surplus power into the national grid for years.

But Windworks' synchronous inverter, christened the 'Gemini', i s the first we've heard o f that's specifically designed for smallscale use in conjunction with intermittent energy sources like wind generators.

Gemini works by taking the varying, direct-current output o f a typical wind power plant, smoothing out i t s fluctuations, and using the resulting power to drive a high.power transistor oscillator which produces up to 8kW o f alternating current at exactly the voltage and frequency of the normal electricity system.

As Windworks put it: "In operation, all available DC power is converted to AC. If more power is available from the DC source than is required by the load, the excess flows into the power grid. If less power is available than is required by the load, the difference is provided by the power grid in the normal fashion."

The beauty of such a system to the windmill builder i s that you don't need any energy storage. The electricity grid provides instantaneous back up power: to whatever degree is required, whenever the output o f your wind generator falls below that needed to supply your needs at any given time.

Conversely, i f you happen to be producing more power than you need, you can 'sell it back to the electricity board by getting Gemini to run your meter backwards.

But what does the electricity board have to say about such practices? I n America, Windworks have not apparently encountered any problems so far. Ben Wolff

says the group are "working with our Utility company to try and establish a rate structure for this type of system. It has worked well with no technical problems since February. The Utility agrees there are no technical problems - o n l y economic ones."

To the wind generator owner the economics of a Gemini inverter appear very attractive. Windworks say that "for wind systems with capacities up to 20 kilowatts, synchronous inverters are approximately one sixth the cost o f convent~onalInverters, per kllowatt capacity " The maln obstacle to the lntroduct~ono f such devices in the UK will probably be the unw~llingnessof the Central Electrlclty Generating Board to accept the concept of a decentralised network o f independent small-scale electricity producers.

At present in Britain, the relatively fewprivate concerns that produce their own power find that backup energy from their electricity board is charged at a higher rate than normal, and that the rate at which the CEGB buys their surplus power i s very low. I f faced with the prospect of a much larger number o f smaller power producers, the reaction of the CEGB would probably he to make the differential between i t s b u y ing and selling prices much larger --or else refuse to buy any privately-generated electricity at all and modify all electricity meters to prevent them from running backwards.

The arrogant zeal of our nationalised monopolies in suppressing any innovations which might upset their technocratic assumptions IS depressingly predictable.

More information:Windworks, Box 329, Route 3, Mukwanago, Wisconsin 537 49 USA

"FIRST TIHET H I S WINTER I'VE PN .WME T O SPhIZE POI? 7 H E m l o , WD WHAT HAPPFNC? THE BWWY WE& LINES &ow OOW~J!''

A Lovely etwork There's a new game to be played on the phones in Paris, But, courtesy of the automatic international telephone system, anyone can play, The game is Le Reseau (the Network). There are 3 large number o f lines in Paris which are disconnected or where, for one reason or another, the line i s connected to a recorded announcement only.

Fortunately, because of the way the telephone system works in France, the engineers cannot prevent two people who call the same (disconnected) number at the same time hearing each other.

So one can have a conversa.

a forum too - y o u can lhave a conference about anything.

You car try it from Britain, or indeed anywhere else. One number, which was working recently is Paris (code from Britain 010331) 272 5428.

Have some fun.

The same does not happen in Britain. Only very occasionally when a fault arises in some part of the phone system does a 'c ference circuit' come a British phone phreak occasionally find one.

Perhaps the most fa was the Case of the E x p o Exchange. A few years ag the IRA blew up Straban

also know the Reseau number. According to U currents' Paris correspon now a regular listener to Reseau, all kinds of weir wonderful names are use

i t out of action. Lines to e from Londonderry, e were converted by t into a conference . Phreaks and even eople could have a free conerence merely by dialling the

ber Go Round their collection of reusable nning and making sufficient

A nucleus o f half a dozen people, most with other jobs, have Acpt Galdor going. And tllcrc \eetns plenty o f conti~luingentl>usiasm.What they nced now is suggestions for useful proiecls. One possibility could be to adapt a programme already running at <I Scottish Univcrsity, and avdilable to the comm This allows single pare families, pensioners, ;I othcr claimants to fi Healtl~and Sc~cidlSccur

s two of the main devote more lime to th toject instead of running a hobby while working ewhere. Most o f the pa sines8 at present is in pro. sing and addressing mbership lists and circulars But in the two years that Idor has been operational ere has always been con. derable time spent showing eople - schoolkids, friends, ighboUr5 .. . -lust what

.

mputer installations noways like to keep evervone

centre was set up as a project in itself the plans to have the computer serve as an alter. native tool have not been entircly realised. Although the running of the centre is at least one kind of alternative democratic ',the small scale use of reiative1y sophisticated machinery", according to

Just Plain Windmills

long dead AT freak?

Perhaps there is som thing to be learnt f r m t h plain of Lasithis. Sm scale technology can ly improve the prod o f land. By utilising than dominating natural processes, greater diversity is also possible.

A summer holiday in Crete led t o the discovery of the Plain o f Lasithis. A. bumpy 3hr bus ride horn Henklion, and 400Oft uo i n the Cretan mountains . . before us lay a 5 mile plateau, covered in a forest of 10000 windmills.

Was this A T heaven . . . or hell?

The Lasithis lain is distinguished from similar areas ofCrete bv diversity of farmlng.

These were m a l l inteerared unlts: women w ~ t h ioats prcked their way amongst apple trees. The windm~lls,used for trrlgation, ceem responsible for the flourlsh~ngagr~culture.

Each mill ulaced over a

strated this idea and an exercise in the cu of establishment resourc .

The machine i s repaired by cannibalising other machines of the same kind - in 1974, the Metropolitan Police provided two redundant 1301s wliich they had been ~ ~ s l n g for computing Traffic Warden pay. And the Galdor workers were recently to be found in the Department of the

.

Lasithis-the windmills go for miles iron frame-prompting us to wonder at their origins.

Was there, dare I ask, a windfactory , , .or was each machine constructed by individual farmers? These ques:ions illicited little help ?ram residents of Lasithis.

The increased productivity of the area i s 01)vious~ so whv hadn't the revolut-

R d~ Move

l

Hypocrisy is an attitude o f mind that comes naturally to both Anglican bishops and Communists.

So i t i s no surprise that on

plclion o f a questionnaire whicli is input t o the machine, 'r full entitlement is cd out, with explanation. ble software for this kind Survey analysis work has becn done, in addition to more esoteric studies o f UFO : data. The cost of running the machine is little more than electricity -so thc Galdor centre may soon prove to be a useful thing to have around. (;0rd07 cettrre. 52 Brizktof~R O ~ , s u r b i t o ~Surrey: , 01.399 1300.

They'll be pieosed to kear any

the growing radical envirow ,mental movement. 'Beginning Now' was a two year project set u p by a group of radical Christians at Dartmouth tlouse, an adult college ' diocese o f Southwark, I Mark Collier. flhat bugged the Bisho was not a disagreement ove doctrtne but Gver dlet 'Beg~nning Now' wanted l o focus on the Pol~ticsof Food-who eats and who doesn't, and why, So they set up a vegetarian restaurant to bring home to their (mostly fairly straight) visitors the iniquity and folly o f our high protein diet in a worlcl o f starvinz people. The GUS.

~

h

ves-~f really hot weather

Construction work on Granada Television's almost-autonomous house is well advanced and most of the insulat~o and exterlor effort b s now b e n completed. The prcduc team have been tripping around the w u n t r y wllectlng f i

n installed

ructure unstable. Ve or a loft) may cure this watch out. Trueman I 11ttIcanxtous that he t

effort has been dlrected to to ecohouse.

They seem to have stuck fairly closely to their deslre to keep the exerclse at a almost D I Y level. It was always thought that a good part of the work would be

that effective). They a lotat~onfor their which will either be a

programme and tdr dnynrc wno happens to be f c l ~ t [ ~fa ,u anyone on the programme.

In terms of hard construe. tion work, nearlv all the

cr whux fdmiiy are to Iiie 111 tnc ecohoux, ana it nas occn good to see that contractors have been brought i n only for maior work like strength.

Nuclear

AD roof needs a vent; tem below ~ t main s bo to transmit ~ \ + a \c\cc\, he'tt.

I t I ~ I C ~ ! ~ p,ri, ~ r useu c to secure the roof, ln hot ,weather heat wtll be transmttted rizht throueh to the

eat IS more readily store than electr~ctty.We hav e ~ p . d ~ n cthis d 3$,3'n51 A r S > C,,~i,,cnt~ond LVis,J,~rn, DIJI he I S not impressed. The garden/allotment IS betng ' t h o u ~ habout'. t

falsely odvert~s~ng to the p u b l ~ c- all of them will b r butchered in t h e ~ bedroo because ?hey ore /I />/oodo f the 11rtIep So satd Sandra G dlsct~leof Manson

beardtng the nucleon tn h15 den, Walt was tn Basle for Nuclex 75, the bag European nuclear cxhtbtlton, btlled as the event where nuclear power would demonstrate ~ t s 'maturtty' (SIC).

Patterson's contribution to Nuclex, where the predominant mood was far from the confidence one would ect from a mature

Latest body to join the burgeoning nuclear protest movement in the US i s the American Civil Liberties

Kansas.The ACLU will link up with several environmentalist groups including th Mid-America Coalition for

fluoresce could result In

e ACLU i s invol

on the basis tha n r IS a tnreat to ci ures necessary to sate-

rather less expected reckoned to be iend of the Earth

Undercurrents 13

utarky Strikes tmeiit'of Architecture-Auturkic w application for government They want the money t o evelop their house to the stage o f a produciion line unit, and em totally opposed t o readily accessible 'do-it-yourself' ribing their proposal, one useI type o f solar collector (used at BRAD) i s dismissed as "not rnrnercially exploitable for reasons of simplicity". The entire ilosophy is directed towards an 'integrated unit' which will II off some production line. he design o f the Autarkic se, which i s being veloped by a proposed team 4 led b y Alex Pike, the rtment's Director o f nical Research, has been rihed as "the result o f rampant commercialism and academic opportunism." The house is generally known as 'Alex Pike's Box', and seems rdther small tor the design family o f 4.

The document speaks glibly of 'widespread applications' for the house, and hopes that

production line techniques in'iy enable it to be 'universally adopted'. But the estimated cost was revealedat a Solar Energy Society meeting to be over £50.00 per unit. The mind boggles at the thought of men on the iiutarkic house production line monotonously tightening nuts on the same solar collector panel day in, out - while bosses and academics tell them about 'widespread dpplication' Astoundingly, the design

a For students o f U N conferences the idea o f vet another maior conference on mankind's predicament must come as n o surprise Identify 2 rh -l e m - SIVP i t A title iinfl organise d con response of the UN. born the Stockholm ference on the hum environment, the B conference on population, the Rome conference on foodithe

principal problenl is the fantastic drift of ruralpopula. tionsinto urban conurbations.

Discussion, ideas and solulions to the many planning, financial and human orohlemt are the major poi I for two-1 wonderinii iust w to d exce

eddies

Digest. This middle-dass dream home includes a dishwasher as well as TVs, toaster and electric can-opener. Why hother with an 'alternative' huuse in order to reproduce current consumerist living patterns? The group accept that 'complexity will be unavoidable', arid the house may bevery difficult to live in. Their application does not bother t o discuss basic issues o f energy and resources.

The house still has several likely design problems. A windmill on the roof i s likelv to cause noise and vibration, while the house onlv has one door. What the design does not lack, however, are corn puter models, simulations,

energy all year round.

Better financial support for alternative technology may generally be a good thing, but not here. Perhaps the Autiirkic House will eventual! eventually go into production with its £400,00 and 14 researchers - but to us it is likely t o be useless. A misbegotten daughter o f high technology, created on an alienating production line, it will be financially inaccessibl t o most people. This type of alternative' technology is an academic toy which may one day be used by the trendy and wealthy - but little relevance to people' technology.

for them. Aircraft hangars for

the conference in

u name it they have got i t h t down t o a wire T V rvice t o all hotels on what is some ., u on. All o f this i s under the co-ordination o f two units - ACSOH (P.O. Box 48360, Bentall Center, Vancouver) for the Canadian facilities and Mr. van Putten (Interniitionai Union of Local Authorities, 45 WaSsenaarseweg, The Hague 2018, Netherlands) for the organisational iirrdngements nterested parties should esitatingly contact either ck home a few things are g planned The first event onference, coordinated e National Council for al Service (Sue Forrester,

Many groups are involve ranging from Shelter t o t RIBA and from FOE to th CBI. I n April John T u the Architectural Asso hopes to hold a seminar Chilean experience in ho All being well some int mediate/alternative/app technology group will hol (i meeting on their ideas to future and the develo interests (WDM Ox will pull together som emphasise their point All in all the habitat c in Vancouver (end of Ma 1976) could turn out to a useful peg for discussio what we - rather than our

secrecy over what takes place.

Dave thinks this is probably o keep the £25rolling in, nd he didn't take it too

TINKERBELL'S FAERIE FORTUNE It will be interesting to see how the new United Nations publicity organisation, the International Institutefor Environment and Development (IIED) resolves i t s directors' apparent conflict of interest.

The IIED i s part o f the United Nations Environmental Programme, and the unit, based in London, has the task of "commissioning features on key global environment problems and then placing them in leading world publications." The director is environmental journalist and leading environmental person, J Tinker.

But Tinker's capacity to do this public relations job for UNEP seems likely to be hampered by his part time membership of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution. As a condition of joining this august body, his lips are firmly sealed on the topic of air pollution. Important topic of environmental concern, you would have thought. To add to the confusion, Tinker is also the press officer for the British Ecological Society.

But the most disconcerting juxtaposition appears in a recent issue of the magazine New Scientist in which the 11ED was advertising. Accordine to a list in the magazine, extremely substantial retainer to be available for commenting on news and developments. And when he writes an opus for New Scientist extolling the works of UNEP, he demands considerable sums not unadjacent to £20 (Froth overhears in Long Acre bars).

This multiplicity of interests ust cause New Scientist ders some concern. What o be done, for example, hen a significant environental story conflicts with NEP's interests? Can readers

will the same happen to Tinkerbelle as to other journalists who tread the unholy path o f PR? See the next six months issues of [PC's scientific trade journal.

TRANSCENDENTAL MYSTIFICATION? 0~~,CEA TUEE of today's mystical and 'enlightened' cults is a certain secrecy about the inner processes of the cult. Once initiates are admitted, o n payment o f a a not insubstantial fee, they are instructed not to reveal the ceremonies o f the inner sanctum. pir ritual processes must retain their mystique.

Some will accept this as legitimate behaviour; others, cynical like Froth, suggest this is an important element in the cult marketing strategy.

New initiates must reinforce their beliefs in the cult and be enticed into further costly courses to higher levels o f consciousness. For outsiders, the secrecy may likely encourage beliefs that there is something worthwhile to hide.

-

So what happened? First, he took his shoes off.

He entered a darkened room sweetly smelling of joss with his teacher. A n altar like table covered with a white bedsheet displayed the Maharishi's portrait eerily lit b y two candles. The teacher started chanting in an "obscure Indian dialect".

Then, just as Our Person In The Darkened Room was wondering what a l l the crap was about, he was told to Participate in the chanting now consisting of only one word - the Mantra. He then meditated thereupon.

Curious, though, that everyone else he knew was given the same personal Mantra.

Perhaps there's only one mantra, or maybe all his friends have the same psychotype when It comes to Cosmic

ness.

TRANSPORT WELL-OILED The total lack of imaginaion in liberal environmental hinking was demonstrated at onference - 'Transport u t Oil?' - i n Newcastle end o f September. environmental groups 'sed the show o f translanners and others with e c early significant if littleown Tyneside Branch o f h t Railway Transport League. But the so-called experts had no ideas except whether cars were to be in or out in their dream futures.

The most startling contribution to the conference was the effective demonstration o f 111e sdme idiocy with added irres~onsibilil\from the hedd of the Tyne and Wear Road Users Group - a Mr John who lives i n Kent.

The oneday conference didn't actually get roun

Ñ/' # ^ , k^f/fl,/?7 hiltis-rha), >onir cSi.;sidi.-til'i ,i\vf~\ un^uiitiicd. ready to blow the gaff. Dave Jackson o f Manchester recently took the initiation course in Transcendental Meditation (TM), and decided i t wasn't worth his £25 hi^,^ o n i e

Generator has been a b i t slow lately. The main task at the moment is to try to arrang o r the relay to ' c u t in" a voltages which only produc a small charge to the batter The relay system we've bee using, based on an old Ford Popular 6voit 'control box', i-, not sensitive enough.

One or two readers have suggested an alternative approach to the problem namely, to connect the field and armature terminals together and connect these i n turn via a diode to the battery. This arrangement is known as a 'self-excited' generator. Unfortunalely, as we found when we tried this system out, the self-exciting effect does not begin to work until the armature is turning considerably faster than the highest propellor speeds w likely to encounter.

I n bench tests, with the dynamo turned by our las up electric drill (see last issue), there was no output at all at 900 RPM - though at 2400 RPM, a speed far in excess of the maximum likely propellor speed, the system worked beautifully. Of course if we were gearing the propellor, then this would be an ideal solution.

We hope to report on the results o f our attempts to use toothed rubber belts for gearing the dynamo (or an alternator) in ournext issue.

Meanwhile, for those readers who are really keen to rewind their car dynamos to make them operate at slow speeds, and who were disappointed that we didn't give enough details on rewinding in the last issue, we'll be happy to send photocopies of the original Practical Mechanics articles on dynamo re-winding to anyone who requests them, for just the

system, especially i f nator is used, i s lik generate more powe less effort, than aredynamo. But the Un currentsILID wind g is an on-going co-ope project. We're very gratefu for all the feedback readers have provided so far, and would be delighted t o hea

Dollar Mills The United States may decide to base i t s legislation concerning exploration and production of the Continental Shelf on British ideas of government control, according to fearsome rumours now passing round the oil industry. And renewed

-

may be on their way = Federal Oil and e Outer Continental Shelf Bill is now passing through the US senate and congress, and clauses requiring 60% of ail net profits to be paid to the US Treasury seem likely. The Labour government here i s to obtain at least 70% of net North Sea profits.

However, ideas o f state participation and control of oil companies working in US offshore waters are still anathema in the land o f free enterprise. But other types of control over exploration and production are on the cards such as the timing and number of wells. The senate committee which i s considering the legislation recently visited the North Sea. Will tile Tories continue to attack 'sidle grab' now that the idea i s seen to have profitable export potential?

Gusher

Failure to meet published 'icliedules, from trains to installing telephones, is ii charge that has been cvelled more than once a1 our nationalised industries.

Undercurrents is pleased to report one schedule, which has been strictly adhered to by one state industry, the CEGB - which is why it's in trouble.

The CEGB took, folly of follies, the word of another group of bureaucrats, the Metrication Board, that Britain would be more or less completely metric by 1975.

Well, give the British 25mm and they'll take 1.61 km and even now the average man doesn't know a kilogramme from a killer whale. 1 Why should he?-Ed] But the CEGB, when they ordered the isle o f Grain power station specified metric. The rest of British industry dragged its feet, and although the building was 100% metric, the electrical equipment was less than 50% and the mechanical engineering less than 40%. That's quite a mixed bag to operate for the next 30 years -

The Institute of Contemporary Arts at Was11 House, Carlton House Terrace. London SWl, are having a series of meetings on Communication and Community Action, at 6.30 pm on Tuesday evenings. Each month there will be a diffcrcnt t o ~ i c. .with four lccturcs ~ c month. r

.

the CUJIgas and petroleum industries and British Rail tried to l.iy down a co ordindied metric programme, with 'M-dav' designated for you've guessed it April 1st 1974 A l l the fuel prugrammes were deferred but , h rf-GR found it too

The Regional Network In the last issue. we related the changes in Undercurrents which follow the readers meeting at COMTEK. In particular, the regional network of 'corres~ondents'was dis-

C A K U I I : ~-~Piiul Downton.

139 W i i C I n C Road, CiitlUP. (Cardiff 43485) BUCKS - Kip Handling. Signal r n t t i w . ~iiirilnw. .clicks SUSSEX - Duncan Campbell.

31 l'mnklin Road, Brighton,

ground yet, in time to report for this issue. But the people are still there. So I f there is something of interest going on in your area, please get in touch . . .

YORKS - Leeds Fulurc Studies fcnirc. 15 Kclso Road. Leeds 2.

LANCS Nigcl I-ersuson.

I Chatswunh Road, Lanc:isicr, N O R T I I U M B K R I A N U - Gcois Watson, Church Cotta?c.

Cliollcrton, llcxliam. >Ionic2 l:riscl~,?(;IS Inf<~rmation Scmice. North Lodge. l'lswick Road Cemetry. Newcastle 4. fDINBIJRtiH - Michael Tribbeck, 10 Cannon Lane, Edinburgh 10. (031-447 4908)

CORNWALL - Ion Campbell.

Lucastes, L w y n , Lostwithiel, C"r"w.?ll.

GLOUCl<STtR Godfrey Boyle, 11 Shadwell. Ulcy. Dursley, Gloucs. (Ulev 6361 POWYS - Bob Todd (NC AT).

Llwyngwcrn Quarry, Machyntleth, Powys iMach)nlletli 2400)

Should Britain Feed Itwlf? is thc titic of a conference orgiinised by rhe Consemation Society and UK 2nd Ireland Agricultural Students Association on Saturday November 22, at the Palmer Building. Readmg University.

One of the speakers is Kenneth Mcllarsby. The conference will discuss w h c t h e ~Britain should feed itself, on the assumption that it could d o so. aiwn a drastic change of diet (see review of Mcllanby's Can Britain FeedItself? in this i s . Registration £1.00lunch , 1.00, payable to Conservation Society. Indicate your requirements and enclose a large SAE with the money, to Stephen Mottram. Sibley Hall. Rcdhatch Drive, Earley, Reading, Berkshire.

Turning Point is an all day meeting at Conway ~ a l l . ~ e dLion s q u a r e o n ~ o v e h b e r29 people will discuss where to look for a

nised by Universal Survival whose declared rget is Quality of Life. There will be sessions Soft Energy, Biological Agriculture, Nonolence, Nuclear Power. Healthy Food and itural Medicine. Details from the Farm and

diificult to halt its own metrication programme ;and went ahcad. The result was that the coal w,isdelivered in tons dnd consumed in tonnes. Measurement o f supplied calorific values was in Btu/lb bin in use k l /ke was c n i ~ l r ~ ~ e d

.

~~

Hall, Red l.ion Square, London WC1. "The cunference aims to gather and express solidarity fur a new set of principles and a programme for action. AH those who believe in a decentralised socicty, an ecological life-style and a humane economy should gather and uphold these values." The conference is jointly sponsored by the London School o f Nonviolence. The Ecolos-i'st, Christian Action, the Vree J.P. Campaign and Resurgence and participants include E.F. Schumacher. Geoffrey Ashe, John Seymour, Leopold Kohr, Lanza del Vasto and many others. The Friday and Sunday meetings will be a t lastbourne House. l:or details write to Satish Kumar, Eastbourne House. Bullards Place, London E2. Tickets a i e  £each, payable t o the London School of Nonviolence.

Network for Alternative Technology and Technology Assessment (NATTA) is holding a two day workshop at the Open University, Milton Keynes, April 3-4 1976. This is aimed at bringing together groups involved with community technology development, AT, grass ts industrial struggles, environmental lobby-

READERS WITH LONG MEMORIES

their distaste for parliamentary democracy the scene of the struggle has shifted a long way from Westminster.. . .right down to earth on far-off Bodmin Moor.

During the summer Poltesque Farm, an 80-acre site near the village of Temple, was taken over for people's use and now houses a population o f fifty souls, making it the largest agricultural commune in Britain. The farm had been left unwanted since the original owner fled the country owing a large amount in death duties.

Until recently the land was used unofficially by another local farmer, but faced with economic crisis he has cut down the size o f his stock and i s now helping the settlers to develop more direct methods of food production. Much hard work had preceded this move; an old stone barn was transformed into a cooperative dormitory using material liberated from derelict sites all over Cornwall and work has since begun on a second building. The community aims to have all the land under intensive cultivation within two years and thereafter to become a high-production unit assisting other groups with a similar ideology.

Although the community is very recent the framework of i t s constitution is based on the teachings of Gerrard Winstanley, as laid down in 'The Law o f Freedom in a Platform'. The objective is a situation in which leaders and committees are

A-A The

for others requiring direction. A general meeting of all concerned sets down standards for the way in which each job i s done, and these are reviewed regularly as more .oeoule acauire the necessarv , ikills. I he ~ ~ , m m u1) ! i inicn.is in pruie tiat a sh.iriiir i i ,!em I->not .~ril\ in.r:i. ually better,but can also lead to greater material comfort through intensified and sensitive use of resources.

The latest news from Cornwall i s that two more derelict farms have been found, ne with very fast water nearby And go Mills, the local out-of-town shoppcentre. is running a special offer on re-glass waterwheels this month. .

Information from Nathan Moran ~

GERRARD WINSTANLEY was a 17th centurv, Enelish ., revolutionarv whose ideas descne to ace llif fig111ut d.1) again, Radical histor\. %ith its more retent exotic heroes,has rarely paid much attention t o the original home-grown product. but there i s no doubt that Marx himself was quite familiar with Winstanley's writings. The Civil War and the Enelish Revolution were cornerstones ~

privileges of the vanquished ~ o ~ a l i sft s themselves without doing anything to ease the condition of the poor.

The Levellers were the ultra-leftists of Cromwell's revolution; they were not satisfied with a simple change in the personnel at the top of the tree.. , . . they wanted society to be made more equal throughout. And to the left of the ultra-leftists came the True Levellers, led

by Winstanley, who aspired to a common-ownership of the land and the introduction of a social system based on wider community objectivesinsteadof the narrow personal interests o f i t s separate members. Thus the bourgeois concept of individualism was being challenged right at the inception of the bourgeois state.. . . . a fact which may come as a surprise to many who regard this current of opinion as a much more recent phenomenon.

I n April 1649 a number of men armed with spades arrived on st ~ e o r g e sHill in Surrey intending to till the common land and grow food for the needy. They were mostly poor residents of neighbouring Cobham and Walton-on-Thames landless

labourers of a class dispossessed by the enclosure svstcm and subiect . to i ~ I . 1 . 1nr ~ i " ' ;in) t , i . i ~ p r r i u ~u i I I c I . . II r ~di-i,A:-> Cicr,.:r~ Winstanlcy, who had expressed the aim of the project in his pamphlet T h e New Law of Righteousness' published in January of that year. Their intention was to 'work together, eat bread together'. They were opposed by local property moguls who

Miles Halliwell as Winstanley he ensuing months saw widespread I unrest, as the bourgeois governent-sought to contain the efforts of the poor to take the land for themselves and their own needs. Although the number of participants i n this insurrection was at all times few, Cromwell and his generals were not slow to Perceive the serious threat which lay behind their socialist ideas. The news-sheets of 1649 contain accounts from many parts of England of conditions bordering on famine and pestilence. . .all this in a country in which, as Winstanley himself remarked, "there be land enough . . . . . to maintain ten times as many people as are in it."

Eventually the True Levellers were defeated . . the courts, the army and the enraged local bourgeoisie proved too powerful for a small band o f men with scant leisure for litigation and politics. All that remains of St Georges Hill is a slick housing estate where the privateswimming-pool Class are currently entrenched. But of Winstanley there remains a remarkable body of communist writings many years ahead of time, expressing a perpetual disillusi

..

tionary, rapidly become reformist, a end up reactionary. The most impor of these is 'The Law of Freedom in

~

$"CEO \,*ST

25 M

P*

At- rn's-vtWSiiĂ&#x192;§f

theory of a just, sharing society. In 30

L-LENGTH FILM he leader of the True eve lers and the events on George Hill, 49.51 has been directed b y Kevin rownlow and Andrew Mollo, two ponents of a peculiarly British variety non-establishment cinema: the lowdeet feature-movie with amateur actors. shotat weekends, yet striving for, and often suroassine. the techni~alstandards the big-money boys. 'Winstanley' ill be making i t s British debut the London Film Festival in November. reat ~ o l i t i c a issues l of the ueriod the action, though for the most nobtrusively. The film does not set make abstract statements - i t i s a record of events with a comy taken from Winstanley-'s writing ccount of turbulent ideas as they ession in ueoole's behaviour.

.,

,

owners areKad; i t merely observes the individuals that inhabit broad stereotypes and tries to come to terms with their particular identities. Thus the ttmbivalence of General Fairfax, setting the needs of state against the stirrings o his conscience. Or the inconstancy of Mrs. Pltitt, with her passion for Winstanlcy's democratic vision, yet refined abhorrence of the common people.

The Diggers failed to achieve their aims, and they tailed abysmally. After less than two years on barren heathland, harassed at every turn by the authorities, their spirit was broken and the movement crushed. The film sets out to show the human elements that underly this short, sad fact.. . . . how the unity of the movement was imperilled by lunatics, (Ranters 'self-ended spirits'), and by the simple pragmatism of those with families to support, who could not live up to Winstanley's standards of self-denying honesty. And, more than anything else, it demonstrates the cruel reality o f living by the land.. . . . the dirt, the hunger, the unremitting toil, set against a background of ever-changing weather. The most memorable scene is the recurrent prospect from the hilltop, a leitmotif depicting all the seasons, sometimes assailed with storms and at other times shimmering beneath the hot sun. Anyone who wants to live closer to the earth must learn to love it in iill its moods.

Winstanley i s a didactic movie of great mportcince . . . . . a typical piece of our history featuring property, poverty, gentleness and power. It asks questions which were put into cold-storage in the 17th century and are, this day, still waiting to be answered. The words of Winstanley, and Miles Halliwell's remarkable voice, stili linger: ". . . . here I end, having put my arm <is far as my strength will go to advance righteousness. 1 have writ. I have acted. I have peace."How many of us will be able to say as much?

Martyn Partridge

Winstanley and Everard living rough

The Land for the People Food Lveni ut Leeds, October 18th & 79th.

I N AN IDYLLIC GREEN FIELD with two horses, among miles o f deserted farm. land but close to the London-Leeds railway, is a horrific sign: T A Y L O R WOODROW B U I L D EVERYWHERE. This wooden structure is itself the only evidence of building i n the whole area so far, and appears all the more threatening when there is no-one around except the occasional solitary tractor-driver. The fields themselves are beginning to look visibly unhealthy as the tractors become bigger and better machines. B u t you can't eat tractors.

In Leeds almost all discussion was actually on some aspect of communication and exchange of information itself: A Land Registry - People living locally could most easily check out each piece o f a n d to find out details about the condition of the soil and who owns it, etc.

Many local groups could usefully exchange accurate knowledge of possibilities in each area. There was already a lot of commitment from people at Comtek (we Undercurrents 12) l o look out for usable land nationally.

A Catalogue of People - their skills, interests, commitments, resources and present requirements, something which the Futures Centre i s trying to do already.

Land for the People has produced a rough list for people to make contact with each other locally. (In the Bit library there's an amazing 150-page directory o f people who attended c i conference on Alternative Agriculture last year in America, where the movement back to the land i s obviously growing very large.)

A Land for the People Handbook - Some people offered to write on particular topics such as 'the cities' exploitation of the countryside'. We still need articles on subjects like Agribizness tirid its dangerous practices, agricultural 'science', reclaiming waste land, building regulations and ecodesign, alternative technology, the ecology of human settlement and so on.

Information i s badly needed in such areas as: setting up collective organisations, legal frameworks and how they work in practice, organisation of meetings; up-todate statistics, facts and details on land ownership in Britain; radical methods of land (or swamp?) cultivation, game farming, wild foods etc; nutrition, planning laws, Community Land Bill, squatting land, alternatives to industry, alrernative economics, village co-operatives, compost, recycling waste . . . . . the list isprobably endless.

We can't ignore the tremendous amount of land that now lies waste in small and large plots all over the country. Every spare bit o f land will become important to grow food sooner or later. . . . . who can tell how soon? Action to create community gardens and to secure more allotment space will be a necessary part of our campaign as they will be essential to the food-supply of city-dwellers. I f people want to find themselves small rural plots this can be useful, too, and we should aid and work with them also, but not in a way that detracts from our main aims.

The greater part of our work will be the creation of whole new agriculturallybased villages. This necessitates a campaign to change our restrictive planning laws, setting up of a co-operative society housing association, acquiring land, building new eco-houses and community work-shops and the setting up of learning exchange centres where people can learn from the experience of others about farming, crafts or whatever.

For a bit o f practical experience I suggest contacting WWOOF (Working Weekends on Organic Farms), c/o Veronica Phillips, 39 Somerset Avenue, London SW20. There are plenty o f squattable house5 with large gardens available in the Yorkshire area. There's even a farm, but i t would require a great deal ofdedication and hard work from many people. Contact Leeds Future Studies Centre. 15 Kelso Road, Leeds 2 , or Land for the People, Sa Leighton Crescent. London NW5.

Steve Hobbs

The rise in agricultural output o f the developed West has been almost entirely due to massive inputs of energy, putting agriculture in the UK, for example, o n a par i n energy intensiveness with industry. The result, as Gerry Leach of the International Institute for Environment and Development points out here, i s a highly energyinefficient system, comparing very poorly with pre-industrial and present third-world methods and entirely inappropriate to the needs of the vast bulk of mankind. To increase yields, quality and reliability, without high costs, environmental damage or massive unemplovment, the way forward must be through self-sustainableand renewable resources.

SOLAR ENERGY alone is not sufficient for food production; other energy inputs are necessary. While most traditional farmers achieve high food yields for each energy unit invested, the industrialised food systems of the West have raised food yields and quality and cut labour usage, but have done so by heavy consumption o f - and dependence on -fossil fuels. Most developed societies now use 7 to 8 units o f fossil fuel energy for each food energy unit consumed, or an annual 0.8 tons of oil equivalent per person.

These energy subsidies have helped transform working conditions and living standards i n modern societies, especially on the farm. They are also a natural response to a period o f high wages and cheap energy. Their emergence i s easily explained. Yet they do raise several important questions for the future. Not least o f these are whether recent trends in the energy-intensive food systems o f the West need to be reversed, or can be without harm; whether they are a possible model for the developing world to copy; and if not, what energy-food strategies can do most for the energy and food-hungry majority o f the world's peoples.

The input range Table 1 shows that energy requirements for a unit o f food energy or protein vary by roughly 10 000 times as one spans the entire spectrum of food production systems. For the subsistence and hunter-gatherer communities o f the first three entries the Energy Ratio (the ratio of food energv oroduced to energy

and t o Geoff Tansey for help with

Institute for Environment and Development,

27 Mortimer St. London W1 Price Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ 00

Table 1. Rangeof energy ratiosfor food production systems Energy in Energy out

Farm gate or dockside

Energy in

Chinese peasants 1930s T r o ~ i c a crops, l pre-industnai* Tropical crops, semi-industrial* Wheat. U K 1970 Maize USA 1970 Allotment garden. UK 1974 Rice, USA 1970 Milk, U K 1970 Eggs, U K 1970 Poultry meat, U K 1970 Shrimp fishing, Australia 1974 All fishing fleets, Malta 1970-71 Fishing, Adriatic 1970-71

Winter tomatoes, Denmark Winter lettuces, UK I230 MJIkgl

HOLLAND

1952 1968 1972 1963 1950

1968 1963 1960 1970 A U S T R A L I A 1965-69 UK USA

than 5% of t h e total, and usually less than 1%

i s consistently high, achieving al aim of agriculture, which is cure a net energy flow t o man. With ustrial systems much more energy is ed per unit output, with animal rbducts and sea fishing reauirine

farm systems of the UK, USA and and the Energy Ratio is always less one and as low as 0.3. The Table Iso shows for the UK and Holland a trong trend towards greater energy ntensstv in aersculture i n the last 20 ars. when one includes the entire food duction and delivery system to the int where food is sold in shops the ergy Ratios in developed societies drop around 0.2, giving an annual fossil energy requirement of about 24 GJ (1 GJ i s 10' Joules) or 0 56 tonnes oil equivalent per capita.

In mos~developedsocieties a further 0 Gj per capita is used in transporting

ater quantities o f fuel i n the n this, bringing their overall

ge in order to feed a family o f four a combined food energy intake o f J per day. This figure is comparable roughly 25.30% of household incomes are spent on food and drink.

Table 2 makes this comparison more explicit by comparing food energy yields per man hour of labour. Most nonindustrial cropping systems achieve 10-50 M J per man hour for raw food delivered to the home. With full-industrial crops this productivity soars t o around 3000-4000 MJ per man hour of on-farm labour with food delivered to the farm gate. But these high outputs are then dissipated i n two ways. Much o f the crop

Table 2. Food energy outputs per man hour of farm labour output

Agricultural system

(MJImsn hour)

!Kunq Bushmen, hunter-gatherers Subsistence rice, tropics Subsistence maize, millet, sweet potato, tropics Peasant farmers. Chma Semi-industnal crops

Rice, tropics Maize, tropics Full industrial crops Rice, USA Cereals, UK Maize, USA

Full-industrial crops plus animal

Sheep, cattle, pig and poultry, dairy farms, UK Cereal farms, UK Ismalt animal output) UK allotment garden,

approx.

UK food system, appro:

have put large distances between the field and the mouth in every sense and greatly swelled the ranks of non-farm workers in the food system. I n fact a food system worker in the UK feeds'only' 14 to 16 people - a figure that is typical o f the middle to upper range for preindustrial farmers when one counts actual

Figure 1 compares energy inputs and outputs per unit of land for a wide range o f farming systems. It confirms two important relationships. The first, demonstrated by the sloping diamond o f the pre-industrial systems, is that hard work can provide large yields. The highest point of this group, for example, is for traditional Chinese small-holdings o f 230 m2 with labour inputs of 7064 hours per hectare-year and outputs as rice and beans o f nearly two tons of pri'~ti/n .ind .^O Gj per h~'ctore-yc.ir.

Most 01 thr doour w3s lur ;D t.-~t'iiy cl~ny.A11mmcsit g3ra~'n-iin the L K , with .in c,tini4ti.'d 14 000 hours of l.thour per liccldrr-\etr \ icldine 60 G I ~n.1786 ke of protein asmi~edve~etables, also score

outputs almost as high as any full-industrial cropping systems on record. I n both cases high outputs are achieved mainly by virtue o f labour intensity and small scale, which allows intensive fertilisation, weeding and double and inter-cropping.

However, it is crucial to bear in mind that high yields and high labour intensity are rarely a recipe forwealth; for example at 1974 prices the UK allotment produced a return o f only Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ0. per man hour.

The second relationship is the more conventional one that large fossil inputs in the form o f fertilisers and mechanisation can also give high yields. The cluster of full-industrial crops (cereals, rice, potatoes and sugar beet) have energy yields of 30-80 G J per hectare-year, roughly three times higher for temperate climates than the majority of pre- and semi-industrial tropical systems.

However, energy inputs are also much higher wh:If -- ill edsi on these d.itd -. there i s n s h ~ f ptendency to Jimsnish:riy rct~rns.As before, [ne effcctive yield i s firedl v reduced b y feeding the crops to dnin~.ils ii sho\+n hv the nlo1-i 1811 UK livestock farms and animaiproducts.

Figure 1. Energy inputs and outputs per unit of land area in food production in the world 500 Erlo

The UK f a r m system A greater insight into food-energy relationships can be gained by looking at the changing patterns of one country. As late as the 1920s UK farming was a pretoday and an average fossil energy input of a mere 100-150 MJ per hectare year compared to 9000 M) in 1970. Only6% of farms had a power supply and their combined consumption was less than 1% o f present levels.

The transition to full industrialisation occurred very rapidly and mostly in the 30 years since World War Two. In England and Wales the number of farm horses declined precipitously, releasing 10% o f the total farmed area for food production; wholetime farmworkers fell in 50 years from nearly 700 000 to 260 000; and the tractor population rose to about 350 000. At the same time. while crop yields rose to roughly double their 1900 level consumption of energy intensive chemical fertislers soared. In the same 1900-70 period the total output o f animal products roughly doubled, but since the effective area of farmland increased by 28% (largely due to the decline in grazing land for horses) and feed imports also increased, the increase in animal yields per hectare was probably more like 50%.

The effects on energy consumption were substantial. From a very low level a t the start of the century, by 1968 the energy input to UK farming had risen to 378 million GJ or .76 million tons oil equivalent, equal to 4.6% o f U K primary energy consumption in that year. For this investment, among others, farming delivered 130 million G I o f food energy and 1.16 million tonnes of protein for human consumption - enough to feed exactly half the population in energy terms and 62% in terms o f protein. A breakdown o f these energy inputs is given in Figure 2, while Figure 3 shows rather more approximately how the main classes

Food for people 130 edible energy

u n i t lo6 GJ n r

flowfor UK a rtculture, 1968

of energv input, changed during the 1952.72 period.

The most notable changes were in the substitution o f energy for manpower. By 1972 each full-time farm worker was backed by adirect energy input of 502 G j or 11 6 tonnes of oil equivalent per year. Counting all part-time workers, directors and the like reduces this to about 180 GJ per man year. Even this lower figure putsagriculture, on this measure, welt into the category of heavy industries - in the UK the direct energy per manyear i s about 130-140 GJ in engineering and 310 GI in motor vehicle production.

soared I n the early stages of farm mechallisdtion i t often took only 10-20 M J o f energy to save one hour or labour but by 1965-70 this quantity had risen to around 230 M J .

The U K . f o o d system I n a developed, urban society such a the UK farming accounts for only a fraction of the total energy equired for food supply. Food has to be transported processed, packed, stored and sold in shops, and in the UK i t has to be imported in large quantities. Figure 4 giv an estimate for 1968 o f the energy flo for the whole UK food system to the shop door. The total input of nearly

G j or 30 million tonnes oil lent for a ~ouulationof 55 million 5.7% o f national energy consumption gh of course a good deal of this was 'spent' abroad. ese figures do not point to a very -efficient food system. Nor is this Ie system for all people "fr all time. pied on a global scale it would demand ious quantities of energy 4000 people each consuming 23.6 G j ear of fossil fuels in order to eat lone cook) gives an annual fuel bill f 2185 million tonnes oil equivalent or 0% of global commercial fuel consumption i n ~ 9 7 2 .

This figure might be reasondble i f her efficiencieswere especially high. e have already seen that thev are not r labour usage. Each Briton depends ast 0.71 hectare for food gall imports of food and feedThis i s little less than the global e of 1.1 hectare per person ng crop land, permanent meadows y are these efficiencies so low? The whelming reason is the high proporon of animal products in the diet and farm outputs. The U K farm produces

total energy outputs accounted for bu animal products rises from 2% (large cereal farms) to 93% (small specialist diary farms) the Energy Ratio plummets almost 100-fold. Indeed, with data of this kind it is possible to show that relatively minor reductions in consumption o f animal products can give dramatic reductions in the energy inputs and the land requirements for farming, giving for the UK 100%rather than 50.60% selfsufficiency for temparate foodstuffs.

Energy conservatioii Many minor opportunities exist for energy savings that do little or nothing to alter the structure of farming or other food production sectors. T h e really important routes to fuel economy, however, lie through the production o f fuels and power on the farm by converting organic wastes and byproducts or deliberately growing fuel crops. The theoretical potential for agricultural fuel production or 'biomass conversion' is enormous wherever population densities are relatively low, and solar inputs reasonably high, as in the USA. A recent US Government study has shown that a 1299 "k L",,,"me,\

dung from housed cattle produced in the

n 2000. The more modest USAEC

use of this source at present.

The global challenge In more densly populated high-energy societies such as the UK, West Germany and japan the potential for agricultural

In the underdeveloped world the imperatives of agricultural development are to increase food yields, quality and reliability - and hence the wealth of agricultural communities - without high

Figure 5. Energy ratios for different types of f a in the UK, 1970-71 A cerzs1 f8rt-x

..

0 ca,,le&

I~,,"s

i~",,," ,arms

P,g$ & Dair",ami

. ââ&#x20AC;&#x161;ÂŹg Q

Pu"!,~" rnsat.2

0

70

40

60

80

100

able 3. Summary of energetics of UK food system c a 1968 BioloQicalflows A, Solar radiation incidence B, Primary production harvested from plants C. Imports of animal feed D Edible farm output: crops animals E. Total edible farm output F. Food energy consumed by population G. Primary conversion efficiency (BlAl ti.

System efficiency lE/(B+C)l I. Overall efficiency (G X H I J. ~ o o energy d self-sufficiency IEIFI K ~ o o protein d self-sufficiency L. Food energy outputlha of crops and grass in U K M. L including rough grazing Industrial energy flows N. Energy input to agriculture land %all UK) 0.

Energy input t o food system (and %all U K I 0 counting home-related energy use P Q. Energy ratio of agriculture (E/Ni .

Energy ratio for whole food system IF101 R including home-related energy IFIPI S.

l o 6 GJ per year 610 000 1116 104 65 65 130 261

0'18% 10'7% 0.02% 50% 62%

10-6 6-7

46% 15.7% (22%) 0-34 0:20 0-14

378 1 300 1 820

GJ per year Energy input 101 on per capita basis Agricultural inputlha forcropsand grass in U K U including rough grazing

T U

V

23-6 30 7 19-5

Table 4. Energy use in six Third World villages

Gross energy (GJ per capital

Village Wood. dung, crop

wastes Mangaon, India Peipan, China Kilombeo, Tanzania Batagawara, Nigeria Quebrada. Bolivia Arango, Mexico

4.2 21.1 23.2 15.7 35.4 15.1

Cornmarcia1 Human fuels labour 0.2 3.6

0.05 38.9

3.2 3.2

Draught animals Total 7.9 5.3

15.5 33.2

3.2

-

3.0 3.5

0.75 10.6

19.5 49.5

3.8

7.6

65.4

26.4

gas or electric stove. costs, severe environmental impacts or reduced employment. Carbon copies of In all such communities, adequate Western methods are mostly irrelevant or power to work the fields and to pump at worst dangerous. New strategies are irrigation water (where available) is neededand intheseenergy plays a pecu. crucially important for raising yields and iarly important role. issupplied , avoiding the ravages of drought - and ~ ~4 shows b how l energy ~ to six ~prototypica~~ villages in the ~ h i ~ d hence for increasing the wellbeing of people. Apart from the costly solution of World. These are farming communities. providing more energy from outside by ~ lallthe~human ~and animal ~ energy t commercial fuels and electrification, the

hectare per year (260-290 watts Many tropical crops can capture a year-round basis from 0.5 to 1. this energy without heavy irrigat fertilisation and about 2% with t Assuming a low energy captu allow for energy used in growing an harvesting, and a typical 55-6 version efficiency for biogas plant, on arrives at a net yield of about 245 GJ biogas per hectare year. If this also a1 afive-fold rise in the efficiency of usi energy for tillage, cooking etc. i t wou theoretically provide all the gross ener needs for 80 people i n Mangaon (Indi falling to 25 people i n Qucbrada (Mexico). A t these levels there would b little competition with land for growin food. I n practice, more land for cro would probably be made available. or all of the organic matter feeding biogas plant would be crop wastes ( dung) and by eliminating the need draught animals (let alone mu breaking human labour1 some land wou be released for food production. A t the same time better tillage methods and irrigation could both increase crop yiel and the production of biogas fodder. It not hard to see how powerful sy effects can occur once the strangleh the present low energy, low produc system is broken.

A similar argument applies to o t renewable energy sources which concentrated fuels or Dower. These include liquid fuels obtainable from plant matter by fermentation, destructive distillation or pyrolisis for powering machines such as cultivators or small tractors; electricity from biogas or 'fuel forests'; conventional solar panels to provide hot water and space heating colder mountain regions; and solarelectric devices such as that propose the Mcinels of Arizona University fo concentrating sunlight onto pipes, s t the energy in molten salts or rocks, and extracting it as required (day or night) drive turbines to provide electricity at overall conversion efficiencies as high a 25%.

The development and diffusion of

modern gas stoves and three GJ for electric stoves in the USA.

multitude of consequences and tr food production, on rural incomes, efficiencies of use. With draught animals the conversion o f fuel to useful work is

Consider what a favoured technolo - the conversion of organic matter t biogas (approximately 60% methane

DISCUSSION WILL aim to explore some of the implications o f the Lucas initiative and ask just how (and whether) alternative technology can be brought t o the community by this type o f industrial diversification. It is deliberately broadbased - there will be trade unionists, nagers, futurist and alternative techno sts present, and, potentially, some he conference will be organised und a series o f workshops or 'comsions* on specific topics. leading up to leriary sessions at the end o f each day. addition to discussions centred on itiatives like that of the Lucas workers, have sessions dealing with r aspects o f the campaign against ndancies - for example the idea o f munity works programmes, and the rious retraining schemes, together with ore general sessions on strategy and goals. What follows is a guide to the sort of topics the conference will aim t o tackle,

Problems and implications of the development of Alternative Technology by industry The problem o f organising the shop r around the campaign for the to work on appropriate ally useful technology, erience of study groups/project ams; industrial relations aspects tending collective bargaining to elude issues o f technical choice.

The response of industry in gener - will it absorb AT and market i t like any other commodity? (Undercurrents readers will find some ideas on these issues in UC 10 and

12).

The Meaning of work A more general discussion on the nature of work, leisure, production and consumption roles - should we be campaigning for the right n o t to work? What is the role o f technology, e.g. automation, AT, etc? Can we shift to a non-work society or a society in which work and leisure are fused? The role o f women in present society as a case study they do unpaid work, but it is not socially accepted as true 'work'.

The role of long range planners and futurologists Can and should these experts help groups like the workers at Lucas' How should they relate to management? What i s the position of the various long range planning groups set up by industry and government'

Community Works programmes and unemployment Can and should unemployed workers be offered socially useful work on community projects o f various kinds - or is this likely to lead toexploitation of cheap labour? Implications of the various 'emereencv* schemes for iobless

munity work, devised by and for local communities, rather than run by the state, i.e. self help. (See UC 11 for a discussion o f landsettlement ideas).

What is Appropriate Technology?

Can we say what is appropriate without relating this assessment to a social context? Are the traditional AT'S necessarily 'appropriate'?

What other options are there?

General analysis o f the options available t o firms like Lucas; assessment of the desirability and viability o f various examples o f AT and a general discussion of strategy.

There could also be specialist workshops on specific technologies - windmills, solar collectors, heat pumps, solar cells, fuel cells, etc.

Training, retraining and detraining If shop floor workers are to generate and sustain AT projects they may need training to help them. Technical training i s probably less urgent than training i n how to choose and manage technologies and programmes. There are a number of relevant courses in 'design' and 'choosing appropriate technology'. Can shop floor workers (and others) be released to do these? Can retraining grants be used for nonvocational training o f this sort?

With rising unemployment, can some workers be sent on retraining and further education courses rather than be put on the dole? Can the temuorarv em~lovmentsubsidies be

education is an intelligent response during a recession. With the ever increasing pace of technical change, retraining is a vital need even without recession . as successive governments have realised. There is also a vital need for access to technical and general training for women, if the provisions of the sexeaualitv, legislation are t o have any meaning.

If the ~rovisionso f the Industrial ~ e m o c r a clegislation ~ now being framed are to be implemented, then many shop floor representatives will need access to 'management' skills, like accountancy, planningas well as 'trade union' skills, like negotiating. Ifcollective bargaining is to be extended to cover a wider range of issues then shop stewards will need to develop their skill over a wider range of areas.

What role should be played by the various trade union colleges, WEA, Open University, local technical colleges, evening institutes, the Government training schools 2nd the voluntary community organisations (such as the 'Community Industry' project in Liverpool)' Can direct links be forged between workers and firms pursuing A T ' prolects, college based research and the AT programmes being undertaken by local authorities and some community groups7

.

Long term aims and strategy What do the various groups see as the ultimate objective o f the activities discussed at the conference - just easing some environmental problems by producing some items of AT for mass consumption, or the beginning o f a move towards a decentralised self-managed society? What should be the role of producers, consumers and community control in the future? Can we move towards a participative democracy based on small-scale units? Is this desirable or feasible?

What are the obstacles t o the transition to this type of society?

Alternative economic systems Discussion o f the various possible alternatives t o market-based economies - can and should consumer sovereignty be reestablished?

Can planning be made more responsive t o individual needs? How can autonomous self-managed units co-operate economically with other such units without competition?

I n our present economic Set up consumer needs' are meant t o be reflected through the market. But

Many real needs are glarin obvious - housing, medical facilities, access to leisure f education and so on - and are n met by the present mode of resource allocation.

I f we are seeking to meet these real needs, how can we proceed?

Through 'consumer' organis Or better 'market research'? relating production much m directly t o the needs of loca munities?

Since most 'producers' are al 'consumers' it seems possible that democratic control of production by producers, coupled with cornmunity interest groups, could provide a possible mechanism. This

implies having 'community representatives' sitting alongside 'worker representatives' on some f o r m o f 'management board' established i n each firm.

I n immediate practical terms how can production be geared to meet urgent need? Can one rely on the deeds expressed by local communities - community groups exploring alternative technologies, local authorities, amenity groups, environmentalists etc? Or can this sort o f community control only exist when industry and the economy generally has been decentralised? 1.e. Can i t only apply to small firms who can react to local needs quickly'

Saving Jobs-

AND the Environment Some o f the alternative products that the Lucas Aerosoace Combine are considering

Association conference on 'Jobs and the Environment'.

One idea was t o explore the feasibility of a dual purpose road-rail vehicle, possibly running on rubber wheels o f the sort used on the Paris Metro, and powered by a hybrid internal combustion/electric motor unit (see section on Electric Vehicles in this supplement). Tests had indicated that pollution levels would be lowered, noise decreased considerably, and fuel consumption dramatically reduced.

Existing Lucas technology -power units, electric.motors, batteries etc -could be integrated t o provide a completely new form of public transport.

Another idea was to develop a medium sized wind-electric unit for community already developed b y the aerospace industry in devising auxiliary wind-electric generators powered by aircraft slip streams.

Other contenders were brake retarders for heavy vehicles, various aids for the disabled, including kidney machines, artificial limbs and the Hob cart unit (these are ail described more fully i n the New Scientist article of July 3 1975). A variety of Telechiric machines (as opposed to Robots) were also being considered - including remote fire fighting units and aids for oil rig undersea engineering and maintenance, the aim being not t o replace operatives but t o remove them to a safe distance. tni: l.u;.i> But it b : t % i-tnpn.ii S V J III.~I ipngiili.-i.-r\,11e ue- ~ i i c \sir,. r ~ not n c ~ c i i i i r5: n,nitiiiit~-.it i ' 'iiK i i c ~ ' . i :e:nniifind ways to meet social needs, and in many instances this might imply fairly simple technologies. This might also mean that some of the workforce had to develop a verv different design philosoohv and

o f designing the Hob cart (a simple tricycle for children with spinal bifida) had indicated that given a concrete situa engineers could very successfully turn t h skills t o finding original designs. TI1 experience had also been very rewar for the engineers involved - - they could actually relate t o the 'customer' and see the relevance o f their work.

The Lucas workers wanted to avoid patenting their ideas, even though they realised that their work might be exploit for commercial gain. They felt that would be more appropriate t o use 1 collective strength to resist this sor co-option. A t the same time they w be campaigningto obtain funds from government (perhaps utiliGng tempo employment subsidies, or money for retraining schemes and job creation pr grammes, or even from the National Enterprise Board) as well as from Luca Aerospace itself. As more and more Lu workers face redundancies the demand for the right t o work on these socially needed technologies is likely t o increas One of the aims of the conference w to discuss how the Lucas initiative coul be taken up by other groups of worke in other industries and how it could b linked t o other struggles i n industry an the community, such as those concerne with workplace health, pollution, cornmunity and environment problems.

All too often working people are fiic with a loaded choice between 'jobs' an a decent environment - i e between th dole queue and working i n hazardous c ditions, producing useless products and pollution and environment. Employers claim that thev cannot afford'to imuro ciin.Iitii,n-i ,ir pr ~.hi,ii in.i..l ,in< I ii11-t or tutii:!? :-iiii.ii. i t t i l ~ o i ~ tu~r r w . ~ f ~~ , u tJ,, I:>< ,.,nii-'rcnt~- s o t \\:[I, and their communities can o oppose this M s e trade off, and c a system which cundernns many dole while there arc obvious and

s To Be Made?

AS PART of their campaign for the right to work on socially useful technology, the Lucas Aerospace Combine Shop Stewards committee have been considering a wide range of alternative technology options. isc cuss ion groups set up at each site have been exploring new product ootions and recommendine new developmerit programmes for inclusion in the combine's corporate nian. As reported in ~.

Undercurrents 12, suggestions have raneed from fairlv conventional (but urgently needed)technologies like eddy current break retarders for heaw vehicles. t o fairly original technologies (2least as far as large scale engineering firms are concerned) like wind electric machines.

A number o f questions have been thrown up in the process of selection.

What type of technology should the Lucas workforce focus on in order t o ,iireguard their jobs and miii<e mdhimum use L.Ithfir t~.cnts'Should thcv dim d l eeting urgent and obvious social needs emphasising fairly technically complex dical technologies, (home dialysis ts, artificial limbs), safety systems eak retarders, remote fire fighting uipment), cheap conventional heating i t s and other domestic electrical rvices? Or should they explore some of e more long term needs and problems r example by developing equipment for dersea farming, telechiric machines for at work, robots to relieve men o f n g jobs and so on? Should they opt some o f the large scale alternative gy technologies (solar farm equipt, hydrogen electrolysers) that are y to be in demand in the future? Or auld they follow the AT enthusiasts' vice and concentrate o n small scale AT stems for the domestic market?

The Lucas workers are certainly terested in the potential o f AT. but even here there dre problems quite iildrt from whc-thcr there 's vet J sufficiently large market to be a viable proposition.

-

~

AT Feudal?

If they focus on the classic small-scale, ternative energy technology, solar lectors etc, under present conditions ese might just enable a few wealthy dividuals to attain self(ish) sufficiency, us simply shoring up the existing ucture, and perhaps even laying the chnical base for a type of feudal society auld it not be wiser to focus on technogy that enabled people to explore the ea of collective, rather than individual, tonomy, at the small or medium scale unity level?

AT purists would o f course argue nly small scale, simple technologies are suitable. But surely 'appropriateness' depends on the social context - on the mode o f development, production and use? Some items of advanced technolow could under certain conditions be highb

The crucial issue is not technical complexity as such, but its social implications.

Complex systems usually require specialists t o produce and maintain them -so that the average individual is frozen out. But in order to 'gain control' one doesn't have to become a jack o f all trades, or reduce all technologies to the simplest possible.

If we are t o ask 'What i s alternative technology?' or 'What technologies are appropriate?' we must keep a fairly open mind and consider a wide range of options, including some that may not appear 'appropriate' when judged by the standards o f the ATenthusiast. The ideas that will emerge from the process underway at Lucas may be very different - for they will relate to the experience o f a highly skilled workforce and to the communities to which they belong.

I have selected a few examples from the more technically complex end of the alternative energy technology spectrum i n order to illustrate and explore some of these implications. The Lucas plan is likely to include some o f the more conventional low technology AT ideas windmills, solar collectors etc: but here I am trying to assess whether there are any other alternatives that should be considered.

The Lucas alternatives I have chosen to look at possible alternative energy and transport systems, consisting o f combinations of existing pieces of hardware. Most o f the basic items already exist, the central problem for the future is intesratin~them tosether so as

to obtain the best possible use o f natural energy inputs. I t is this sort o f engineerin effort that Lucas could supply.

Fuel cells, first proposed in the 19th centurv and used on the Aoollo fliehts can operate un a wide ranic o f ras>'ou-i, I:uuYd or solid fuels includ ni1 mil gas. methane, ammonia, methanol,hydr&en peroxide and hydrazine.

Fuel cells work like electrolytic cells i n reverse, fuel is fed i n and produces dc electricity. Some of the more advanced cells, using liquid or solid electrolyte, operate at high temperatures and are not dependent on platinum or other rare metal catalysts. But as yet, despite $100 million or more spent on development, no commercial unit is yet widely available.

However the situation is changing fast.

One reason has been the rise in conventional fuel cost; another i s the fact that centralised production and distribution o f electricity is inefficient.

Maximum energy conversion efficiency, in a power station, is around 40% (coal) 33% (nuclear). Transmission losses drop this a further 5-10%. A small domestic fuel cell, fed by locally produced methane or hydrogen would be much more efficient. Fuel cells efficiencies o f 70.95% have been claimed, although most existing units installed give 50.70% at present. Waste heat inadvertently produced is not lost, i t provides space heating. For example a gasfed 10kW fuel cell running an electrically serviced house (eg electric lighting/heating/a heat pump/etc.) with a 60% efficiency would produce 4kW 'waste' heat for domestic use.

Hydrogen, for use i n fuel cells, can be produced on a small scale by electrolysis using dc electric power (from a windmill perhaps); or by chemical decomposition o f water or the conversion o f methane, or from hydrocarbons by 'steam reforming'. A number o f exotic biological (photosynthesis) techniques for producing hydrogen are also being investigated, and it is possible to 'thermally split' water at high temperatures (1 50O0C), which can be obtained by focused sunlight. The hydrogen must be separated by pumping the mixture through a palladium metal membrane, but even so the overall costs are fairly low. For example, one estimate, using a plastic Fresnel lens, is $33 for each square metre of sunlight collected. Such a system could produce 160 gms o f hydrogen per day per square metre o f lens area.

Fuel cells could also be run on methane generated by anaerobic digesters, on natural gas or even perhaps on organic matter. They are small, compact, noiseless and they do not pollute - they produce water vapour as the only output. Their main drawback is the low nower otltnut net unit volume

catalysts to impure input gases. They are claimed to give 20-25% more useful energy per unit fuel than conventional power sources.

.

Heat ournos , have already been accepted as members o f the AT club.

Several electrical powered heat pumps, with of oerformance' of . ~ ~'coefficients . . around 5 : l have been operated and typically can pump heat at an overall (output) cost of about 5p/kWh. Interestingly, Lucas has considerable experience in heat pump technology, although i t withdrew from the area some years ago.

Power could be provided by a fuel cell, or a windmill. Two basic types of heat pump exist, vapour compression and absorption systems. In the lir-il, gas i s comoresscd in d oumo which must be electrically or m e c h a n i c a ~powered. ~~ In the other the gas i s absorbed and then re-emitted by heating - which can be by electricity, or more efficiently, gas (as in the standard modern 'silent' eas fridge).

One possibility investigated by the Cambridge University Autonomous House Team, is to drive the compressor o f the heat pump directly from the windmill. This may require some gearing and compensation for variable speed, but i t i s a highly efficient use of windpower. Overall costs are estimated at O.gp/kWh (output heat). Heat pump engineering i s not particularly complex - they are identical to fridges i n most respects. As with fuel cells they could be used to provide heating for individual houses or for district heating. ~

~

-

otar energy can be converted directly o electricity by photo-voltaic devices elenium or cadmium sulphide cells t h efficiencies ranging from 10-20%. cost has been prohibitive up t o - despite the widespread interest a r cells for satellite power applica. $70/watt is a good figure for I . However, new fabrication techues (borrowed from the electronics industry) are altering the situation ~ n i dt i s estimated that with mass production, cost can be reduced dramaticallv.

dropped by a factor of 100,0001) The cost of installed power pro units is still fairly high, although o enthusiastic estimate is that, given ~ r o d u c e dthin film devices used wi focussing lenses, using $ 1 2 5 1 cells ~ it would be possible t o produce power which would compare well with conventional power sources.

Thin film vacuum deposition i s not a oarticularlv so~histicatedtechniaue although it is hardly a backyard craft.

But it mav become so cheao that we will be able to buy 'solar blankets' for 50centslsa ft. The cadmium sulohide fabricati'ontechnique developedby Westinyhouse i s currentlv exoected to cells at $14 perwatt.

Although the energy conversion efficiency is low (10% being the best available), silicon i s a widely available material. Solar cells do not pollute in operation - although their fabrication is energy intensive and may generate some chemical pollution.

I-ucas Marine. in coniunction with the Solar Power Corporation of America, market ,I small unit ( = $ W w i fur auxiliary power for boats, caravans and remote sites.

Electric vehicles over which considerable enthusiasm has been expended are nonpolluting, quiet, and have a good fuel economy. Battery power i s ideal for 'high torque' starting up situations and SCR's can provide loss-free control of power transfer. Overall efficiency (taking into account the low thermal efficiency o f generating electricity by conventional means) i s 14% comparing favourably with petrol engines (1 3-22%), and they are about 20% cheaper t o run.

Top speeds are fairly low - around 50 mph - and typically the range is 100 miles. The General Electric DELTA has a top speed o f 55 mph and an acceleration of 0-30 moh in 6 sec. Several electric ciirs arc now avai\sb\c including the Enfiela. Lucas naw also developed an electric delivery van,

are testing a 34 passenger bus and the Lucas Taxi has recently been demonstrated i n London.

Thev have also developed a lieht weight 12 volt power unit for an electric bicycle. The battery operates a small electric motor to give boost power when going u p h i l l - it is triggered by any abnormal pressure on the pedals.

A prototype has a top speed o f 17 mph, and a range, from each battery charge, o f about ten miles dependingon the terrain. And in theory it is possible to regeneratively recharge the battery when going down hill.

Hybrid transport systems, like the electric cycle, seem sensible. They are also intrinsicallv attractive since thev make intelligent use of niuscle power without discriminatine against uld i-ir infirm people. weather-protected pedalelectric systems could become widespread, particularly in cities.

One general problem with electric powered vehicles is that at present they would need electrical power from the grid and grid electricity i s inherently polluting, Jossy and inefficient Generation/transmission efficiency is below 40%, and rectification and battery charging is only 80% efficient. The overall system would be something like 25% efficient, but remember that petrol vehicles have typical efficiencies of only 10.25%. National generating capacity would have t o be increased, by about 50%, assuming current use patterns, although this does not take into account the fact that charging could occur overnight, off-peak. A more optimistic estimate is that we would need 43% on top of our existing capacity to meet current transport needs.

We should not however be worrying too much about centralised energy production but instead use focal generation of dc electricity. Wind charged systems would obviously be ideal, there i s no need for rectification or current stabilising, just trickle charging at the local community wind-plant overnight.

-

spite the 20% lower fuel consumption d decreased pollution associated with ternal combustion systems the i c gine still reigns supreme. Ec engines n use a wide range of fuels, methane; drogen, petrol, all burnt at optimum mperatures, minimising consumption d pollution. British Leyland were

1

nternal combustion engines, in which o much has been invested. As a US Senate Committee said in 1969: Without the myopic persistence o f the automobile industry in devoting most of its research funds to the i c engine, a reliable, low polluting Rankine cycle engine could probably have been developed 20 years ago.'

Stirling engines are the ec engines showing the greatest possibility potential so far. Thermal efficiency i s claimed to be 40% compared with 25% for petrol, and they use 30% less fuel, but the power to weight ratio remains lower and capital costs higher. A unique small-scale solar power stirling engine pump has been devised by West - rated at 1 . 7 ~ using solar power input o f 530w: efficiency i s 0.3%. It would be ideal for third world agriculture use for slow pumping for irrigation or animal watering in remote areas.

-

The shape-memory effect, i n which some alloys which have been mechanically deformed will return to their original shape when heated, can provide useful work. One system has been devised to run off solar heated hot water. The cost is around Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ20 and the unit would, again, be ideal for remote pumping.

A q u e s t i o n o f scale Given a 'community' context medium scale energy technologies can be highly attractive. As the Energy Primer (Portola Institute 1974, p180) indicates, most AT systems (solar collectors, windmills etc) re fairly expensive if used for Yndividual* omestic units. However i f costs are read by sharing the service in a medium ed group (they estimate 40 or so people as optimum) then economies of scale apply. So i t may be possible to have community generated power from a fuel cell, fed by wind generated electrolytic hydrogen, or methane from the community digestor plant.

It is particularly important t o keep asising that the 'new' technologies d not be used simply to replace the ing technologies, so that the present m can go along as before. The new nologies must imply a new pattern of sumption, production, energy and ource usage dnd social organisation: u t these changes are not automatic, they st be fought for. The process o f choosand developing suitable technologies art of the struggle. we leave it up to the corporations d there i s no question that they are erested - we can expect large scale

solar farms, large tidal plants, satellites beaming microwaves to the earth and all the rest. A t the very best they will try to sell AT as a commodity to those few who can afford it. A vast amount of money is currently being spent by governments and industrialists on 'alternative energy sources'. The danger is that they will come up with ecologically

of consumers to the tyranny o f centralised control and exploitation.

I t is foolish to ignore the possibility o f rescuing the situation by getting involved with those who are capable of opposing these trends at the point o f production and further, helping them in their attempt to re-direct production along more viable lines.

as Going?

SOME PEOPLE argue that the many environmental problems that advanced societies face can and will be solved by technical fixes devised by the big companics in response either t o market pressures or public opinion backed u p by government legislation. In Undercurrents 12 Itried to show that at least in the case of US Aerospace industry this did not appear to be the case. The race for profit dominated.

I s the same likely to be true o f Lucas' The various divisions o f Lucas (of which Lucas Aerospace is part) are exploring to a limited degree some alternative ideaselectric vehicles for example. Obviously it is hard to predict in advance the outcome of these developments, but some idea can be gained by reading Counter Intellisence Services'latest 'Anti-reoort' on t-ucdi - \\here IS LUCA GO;,^? ' uhich documents the rniinayemcnt ool'cv of Joseph Lucas and itsvarious divisions (Lucas Aeros~ace,CAV etc) over the years.

It is not a flattering report. Lucas won its monopoly power by energetic takeover bids during the '30s depression. it i s now one of the world's major suppliers of electrical accessories to the motor ndusir). 41 present, .ilthuugli m.ihin2 many 01 i t s workers red11na.int 'because of the recession*it i s maintaining healthy profit margins.

CIS document examples of mis-management in the industrial ball screw section of Lucas Aerospace - a situation which has recently led t o 160 redundancies, loss of orders despite a thriving market, and the threat o f a work-in. They describe some of the health and safety hazards

that trade union orcanisation is frae. mented between the different sites and divisions, which can be played off against each other.

Only in Lucas Aerospace i s there any significant inter-site co-ordination. The Lucas Aerospace Combine Shop Stewards Commilti.'e prdx ii.irs h.isis for ori'dnisa' ~ and n solid.n'itv and has proved 10 01' invaluable in defence of jobs, winning improvements in conditions - sick pay and safety and so on; and a focus for the campaign for the right to work on socially and environmentally appropriate technolongies. CIS'S latest propaganda offering has caused storms of protest and charges of 'bias' from the business press. Certainly CIS seem increasingly to be optingfor

alongside the Joseph Lucas lead-acid battery factory at Formans Road,

reading than thecompany's report to shareholders.

Birmingham. They also relate Lucas' over. seas activities to its domestic policy.

Finally CIS takes a look at the workforce's attempts at resistance. illustratins

.

19'

Ă&#x201A;

Solar Power Politic

ALTHOUGH there i s obviously a social need for cheap alternatives to the existing .ranee - e~ of enerw ~ "technoloeies. , - .there i s as yet no major demand in market terms for these items. Indeed it's hard to see how there could be. A basic problem o f capitalist economics i s how can consumers show a preference for goods or services until they are offered o n the market? It is n o use asking the CEGB to provide you with windpower units; they are i n the business o f central power production. Fords will say that there is no demand for electric cars fvou .. can have any sort of propulsion unit as long as its a oetrol driven internal combustion engine).

I n theory it isup to small entrepreneurs to take the risk o f putting a radically new product on the market and thus begin to creatc a demand. Unfortunatelv the bie monopolies are often antagonistic to any rival product and will buy up and bury the patent - or absorb the new company and it usually takes a lot of capital and considerable R & D effort to p u t a new product on the market. It also requires a massive marketing campaign to 'educate' the population. So normally only the big firms can introduce new ideas. Ther.e are exceptions of course - hovercraft, dexion, letraset are examples (cherished by the small entrepreneurs o f this world) of original ideas which have broken through from small beginnings.

The marketing dilemma Given this it i s interesting to see that in the US considerable thought has gone into how best to bridge the gap between need and demand i n the field of 'solar heating and cooling'. There i s obviously a potential market there - one consultant has estimated it will be worth $1.8 billion annually by 1985. But the mar are sluggish and dominated by

interests of the monopolies. The Government however is concerned to get solar oower off the eround - for it is faced by i nidlor cnergv crisis. Cuniequcntly it must trv 10 cum~ensatefor the 'impcrfeclions' o f the market, by offering incentives to firms through government research contracts. When it comes to military technology or space technology, this is not too difficult, the state just pushes cash to the relevant agency and the defence firms snap up the contracts.

The 'arms economy' and the associated military-industrial complex acts as the maior economic fl) wheel, inJependent of market forces. The space cffort folluwed a similar pattern. To a degree the US no longer has a free market economy - it has introduced a form of planning - but planning geared t o the needs of the big monopolies and managed by the state.

The emphasis has shifted to programmes of Dublic works - oovertv. proiects. . . . poilu~iuncontrol tcchnulog\, recycling svitems and w o n - dll of them hiahlv profitable. The state, through legisiation, has aided this process, making pollution control mandatory and creatinga vast new market.

-

Priming the solar pump The problem now i s to stimulate interest i n solar power. The government can fund some projects itself - though this is usually only pump priming. As in the UK, government agencies do represent a fairly large consumer of public technologies but the real market is the domestic and commercial sector - more so in the US since there are few state controlled services or industries. The result has been a spate o f new legislation both t o encourage government agencies to . investigate solar power and the wider market.

The 1974 Housing and Development Act is designed to encourage lending institutions to accept the additional o f solar heating and cooling systems part of the mortgage on a home, while the Solar Heating and Cooling Act (1974) is intended to stimulate acceptance by the private housing market. A national 'demonstration' programme is aimed at spreading the idea. Of course, Federal funds can only act as pump primers - but coupled with tax incentives, prestigious research projects, public demonstration prolects and new legislation they can help create a lucrative market for the big companies to exploit.

Now this may be all to the good. For a start it i s amusing to see the US exploring the idea o f a planned economy, and it certainly will get AT off the ground.

Whether such a process can produce the sort of low impact technology that i s needed is far from clear.

I n Britain of course, we already have a considerable amount of planning by 1 state - with all i t s bureaucratic con notations. Firms can obtain funds grants or tax concessions from government i f they comply with government priorities - for example, regional development grants. The National Enterprise Board, the brainchild of Tony Benn, is meant to take this a stage further - i n the hope of stimulating socially needed industrial developments. One of the more pregrestive ided'i - *hich h'is been watered doun since Benn u d s rt;nio\ea was that long range corporate plans should be aligned more to national nee through the 'planning agreement' syste Corporate plans would be discussed at a tripartite meeting of management, unions and government officials. The state would seek t o ensure that the fir plans fitted i n with longer term nation planning needs, and would induce acce ance of these by offering tax incentive and grants. The unions would be able bargain over and try to change aspects the plan which they did not find accep able.

Resurrection T o some extent the Lucas Combine's Corporate plan is an attempt to resurrect the planning agreement idea - although in this case it i s the combine that i s mtroducing the plan unilaterally. Whether i t will be possible t o get government support for their programme of alternative technology development, and whether management will concede to this sort of pressure from the workforce remains 10 oe >ern. But [he possibility aoe^i chist ,ol ,.ttr~ct'nr state funds whether in the form of temporary employment subsidies for workers who would otherwise be redundant, or retraining grants, or just straightforward capital from the National Enterprise Board - and thereby putting flesh on their proposal If, under the pressure o f public opinion incentives from government and the threat of collective action by force, the management were such a programme, the result fully be a range of products t nearly met the needs o f the c

Impressions and Contacts NW

Changes I p 6 8) Colne-Somewhere has finished

NW

Additions

SW

Glastonbury. Nearly everything in this piece has changed' Tore hasn't been seen for a while and has a new address. Renaissance headshop is gone and the Beltane ceremony isn't really a freaks'event And someone says you're no lonaer hkelv to be busted on

Horse Fairs: Appleby Fair goes on for a week from the second Wednesday of June-basically a gypsies' scene with up to 10.000 people. 1.000 trailer caravans and still quite a few horse drawn livina waqons Free camping Shipley Fair is held on Easter Tuesday on the road from Bradford t o llkley-ane day with no campinq Changes (p 8-91 Hebden Bridge. I'm told the freak population i s now much more settled and there are less free loaders (who got Them a bd0 reoutotiuni The contact ooini i s now d IWrI uf Info on Self Commun i v Press ~ n WISH He PIa1 35 Market Streel-an advice cfntre am8 tnok shop Also a local community paper comes "from there Barnslev. Lifespan got muddled with another proiectI apologise deeply. I t is in fact in a row of railway workers' cottages, established over a year, growing their own veg and educating their kids They take both long and short term students t o live and work with them (by arrangement only-don't turn up without writing) Their aim is depth education in alternative life styles.

Additions Lee Gap Horse Fair is held twice year1 st and 17th September, at a s i t e near Tingley on the road from Dewsbury to Leeds. Others are held at Yaim, Brough and at Brigg-no details.

Wales-Changas lp.10~11)

Boncath: Meigan Fayre. Much bigger and better in '75, drawing a crowd from London and elsewhere though s t i l l mainly the local South Wales freaks who organise it. Still free. though donations are asked for, and runs for several days with camping. It's the nearest equivalent to Barsham but has amplified bands and a 'freaks only' atmosphere. Not now organised by Roger the Dentist (who's now moved to Morfal-the organisers' date and place vary: hopefully details of next one will be in a further supplement, ..

Cardiff. The Quebec (pub), Crichton Place, city centre is recommended in preference t o those mentioned.

The Mommerence Club now has a 'real live music benefit'for Cardiff Peoples' Paper, Cardiff Community Concern and the Women's Aid Group. I t ' s held on Wednesdays from 10-2 for 35p and i s recommended the best 'alternative' meeting place.

WM Additions I've been told that Oxford is far more active than the mpression-I've given with 10 communitv centres, 13 playschemes and 2 adventure playgrounds The East Oxford Communny cantre I" Princest street IS particmade services than to te their own activ e info from Uhur cts not included i

Newcasde-under-Lyme Grapevine. 27 Well Street i s a headshop with noticeboard open 10 30 6 except Thurs and Sun Books, records, local crafts and info Changes IP16 181

dsum lust

runs up t o the Tor He's acted as contact posnt last summer and offers a welcome, information and a place to leave baggage to visitors, but not accommodation For anyone interested in the Glastonbury legends he i s the best contact you could hope for Truro. There's now an Earth Centre in Tabernacle Street opposite the market-see under Help-which also acts as a contact point

S

Blandford Forum. Seed Cafe closed-Dorset Bookshop, 69 East Street opened Changes lp.181 Brighton. Bright Times and The Garden have finished, en also The King and Queen has be cleaned up for a smarter clientel Southampton. Swan Crafts close

Housing Rent Allowances I p 311 t a $ y to get and app es \o anyont. w i n d lowish "come A couple in Norw ch *rote to say they get naif their rent If1 low1 paid now they earn flOOOpa when they earned £700 they strll got £ 50pw dllowanre A Birmingham reader edrning f14pw now qets all the rent and most u f the rates Paid. an0 thinign i t toom over 3 months tocome t h r o ~ g hi t ' i now automatic

Communes fp.34) The Communes Movement is being re vived by i t s founder fin 1965) Tony Kelly who's sent this piece: commune ~ ~ cymdeithas ~selene, can ~ L~W,, ~ Ffarmers, Llanwrda, Dvfed, was founded t o create a federal society of communities concerned to help each other and othen to each,s chosen ideal of communal living, by shared work, money, resources and people. Frequent newsletters. theoretical, practical and for contacts. Now in collaboration with Communes Network (which see). Subscription about £ and some big envelopes, but variable. Information 20p.

The Communes Network is as described plus members get monthly newsletters consisting mainly of news from cam. munards They had a gathering in September and will have Others every SIX months at least

Iding Repairs-Materials lp.49) istons, New Mills, Stockport, Lams has mail order l i s t reel of nuts, bolts, screws, electric motors, metal ro heet and strip. A reader recommends them, bu

~

~

t

so be warned

Bargains (p.48-66) Rayburns and Agas Ip 581 A reader suggests asking central heating installers locaily as they often take out old boners including these when heating wes in A list of Parts and suppliers can be got from Agaheat ADp,iances, Glynwea Domestic and heat ng Appliances, Oxford Street, Bilston. Stdffs NW Liverpool. Workshop! for the Blind, 1 Cornwallis Street, L1. are recommendedfor cheap floor coverings.

NW Burnley. Gregory & Hephrun, Old Hall lB.25536).

Government surplus.

NE Doncaster. Ibbotson, Field House, Homarth, Haxey (H.362). Government surplus.

NE Haworth. Joe Snowden. Chapel Works IH.33361.

Government surplus.

NE Keighly. Bridge Supply Co lK.5511). G o t surplus including tools, rope, generators.

Aberystwyth. Town rubbish dump recommended.

W SW Bristol. Eastville and Ashton Gate markets are closed.

SW SW

Hay-onWye. Country Stores, 14 Broad Street-wholefoods and home-baked breads.

WM Birmingham. Sunrise's phone number is now 021-454 0435.

WM Newcartle-under-Lyme. Food co-op can be contacted through Grapevine, 27 Well Street~seeabove under Contact EM Leamington Spa Cornmother has moved to 42 Bath St EM Shrewsbury. Crabapple Natural Foods, 16 St Mary's Street, due open now-run by Crabapple Community mentioned on DaQe 34.

NE Lincoln. See below under Mystical-Buddha Maitreva Sangha.

Cambridge. Ariuna is now an independent wholefood E shop.

Eart Anglia. Dadota doesn't operate through all centres E n o ma activity is a1 Prui." Campbell's near Noriwicn.

She says t sull handle, a-i much as before.

Norwich. Food cu-op run by J-oith Dauncey. d o E Bristows Bookshop, Bndewli Alley Sne also makes UP a goo" mues i t85p for 5 . b ~ ) .

E Chelmsford. Marriages Ip.77) also sell retail.

W

Barnstaple. L,ule Barurn Market (later called The Uncommon Market) i s now closed Taunton. 'Pnorswood Tip w o ~ l doe marvellous-but the council prosecute anyone taking anything and mash dp thousands of pounds'worth of woo gear every week. Bat if you take a ,oad of weeds there with a van you can sometimes nick goo0 strff. OUT n's sky.'

SW

Bampton. I'm told a wholefood shop is being set up at 19 Fore Street.

SW Barnstaple. Barnstaple Wnolefooa Supplies nov\i nave astall n Bdrnstaple Market on Tuesday and Friday anu w II soon have d snou in Boutpon Street Brighton. Simple Supplies due to open in George Street S run by Whole Earth Group.

Reading.

Reading Wholefoods, 1A Merchants Place. A S wholefood stall in the Reading Emporium which gives info. Also wholesale, and sells herbs.

L

)PVU OUT oil. W E R I N THE NAILS TVRN T H E J O I S K sfDEliMYs AND ECOEW -~~~ . ~

OH

~~

TO ANOTHER JOIST M I D('- 6 N ( ; 7 7 f ~ f l ~ ~

Food (p.72-80) Wholefwd Restaurants (p.72) NE York. Aardvark, 108 Fishergate due open Nov 75chuck with Alligator IY.545251. Gumbo open Fri, Sat, Sun 10-2.

SW Exeter. City Ditch closed.

London. Meandeer, Hanway St, Wl Iby Hare Krishna L listed). Expensive evenings but cheap lunch-eat off silver, drink from pewter.

Whokfood-low profit shops and co-ops lp.73-76) Natural Foods Union is now called Natural Foods Co-op.

NW Lancaster. Food CO-OP 'Community Foods' has now got premises in the back room of Books and Things, at 86 King Street, near the town centre.

NE Sheffield. Down to Earth Community Supplies have moved to a bigger shop at 406 Sharrowvale Road. S11.

NE Hull. Bogus food co-op i s closed.

Llandrindod Wells. The Good Food Shop i s now open W every day (Mon-Sat 10.30-5.301. They also sell bulk at 12%%on (retail is +25%) and 10% on prepaid bulk.

Have dropped surcharge mentioned. May start wholesale or do a round of the market stallsĂ&#x192;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;detai next supplement 1 hope.

Cardigan (Ceredigionl Now only open on the first W Rattirrtau sell 216 tons that one .., of . the month-the" .~ day! Their mark-up isn't 8%"more like 18%'.

Mrs Grisedale, Cledan, Nebo, Llanon lN.222 ~

~

~

London. Wholefood bakery and food CO-OP at 39 Doynton Street, N19. Co-op on weekly order basis; bakery sells bread and cooked foods like granola.. . and incredible fruit and nut flans. Address i s a squat but should last another year at least.

Wholefood-bulk suppliers (p.76-781 North Western Mills Recom NW Crew* Morn ng FOOCJS. mended as fr,cnd v oatmeal millers Jumbo and Porr dge Oats M n BGIos, de ivdy most places Cardiff. The Wholefood Shop (see p.741 i s starting a W wholesale business in new premises nearby. Hopeful details next time around-meanwhile phone C.395388.

Norwich. Read-Woodrow, King Street. Very cheap E land fresh) wheatgerm. Minimum 56lbs.

Duffields, Newton Flotman. Stoneground wholemeal flour recommendedas better than most in 701b sacks 6 1 4 % Ib. ~ Allen and Page, Quaiside. Bran in lcwt and porridge oats in 56ibs.

SW Withiel. Withiel Valley Wholefoods'phone i s Lanivet 526 Peter Dearman hr= !eft: it is developing as a cooperative.

Wholefood-granola Ip 791 You don't need a l l the ingredients listed-lust 8-10 cups of cereals and nuts leven just porridge oats) to half cup oil and half a cup of honey-or golden syrup Ifyou like it extra crunchy, use moreoil and honey/syrup;cook longer and slower turning several times

Money-credit (p.82-F3)

Ann Sales no longer finds work for people in the Newtown area, Remember that the new Employment Agencies Act which is expected to come into force in 1976 will stop agencies from charaing a booking fee or a fee at all to staff looking for work.

W

Meigan Workforce, Mark and Marv, Morfa. Btaen-ffoss, Dyfed (Boncath 4591. This agency has about fifty people on its books, representingabout thirty different trades. They put an advertisement in the local paper and in thp space of a few months received about a hundred jobs ranging from an Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ80 building job to burying a dead horse.

Common Ownership (p 90) Whatwork? 17ROxford Road Manchester 13 (M 273 1189) A t other times phone Ma1 or Mick at M 881 0492

Help lp.106 120) Changes Law reform l p 1071 ME

Castleford Ralph Gook's new address i s 1 Pentlands, Stony Stratford, Milton Kevnes.

SW

Plymouth. John Whitby, 9 Reigate Road, Pomphlett (P 419011.

Art Information Registry (AIR), Oriel, 53 Charles Street, Cardiff will deal with Welsh enquiries which might otherwise go to AIR. Libraries (p. 122) Commonweal Collection, Burntlands, Rochford, Tenbury, Worcestershire (112 Winchcombe Street, Cheltenham up to the end of 19751. Pacifist lending library including books on alternative living. Free, but send stamps to cover postage plus l o p for guide/catalogue. The loan service will be closed for the first quarter of 1976 while Commonweal moves to new address.

Public Health Regulations Public Health Advisory Service, Cave House, Bigland Street, E l (79045071. Sponsored by Shelter, they have written We give advice, information and where necessary practical assistance on the law, standards and practice of public health; producing leaflets, explaining step by step procedures to enable tenants to force the landlord (whether private or local auihort v l t o put the house into a proper state of repair.'

Publishing (p.124-129) Addition Printing (p.1261

Local Centres Ip.109) NW

Liveron01 Women 2nd Cn dren 5 A d mnuea t i ) 1 Sm trioown Rond. L 7 ,051 733 6991;

sent on a sale or return basis.

NW

Colne, Somewhere no longer exists.

Bookshops (p.130-133)

NE

Hull. Bogus does not now seli slh books, records or run a food co-op.

Changes

W

Liverpool. Atticus Bookshop. Alternative Books inciude self-sufficiency. ecology, education, poetry.

Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-6pm.

Progressive Books, 12 Berry Street. L T .

October Books, 2 Temple Street.

NE

Hull. Bogus Books, 21 and 60 Princes Avenue I H , 60444161). Alternative, sci-fi, philosophy.

EM

Leaminoton Spa. The Other Branch, 42 Bath Street.

Luton. Partisan Books. Alternative/cemmunitv.

Cardiff. Cardiff Community Concern has moved to 58 Charles Street and is also open loam-12pm on Saturdays.

WM Coventry. Foleshill Information and Advice Centre.

436a Foleshill Road.

Gingerbread's phone has been cut off.

Housing Action Group is l o w inactive, Community Development Project is called the Coventry Legal and Income Rights Service.

EM

Nottinaham. St Ann's Community Craft Centre has closed.

EM

Oxford. Uhui-u no longer runs a food co-op though it aoes seli whoiefooas. i t does net sc'l! locally made crafts any more.

SW

Truro, City of Cornwail Collective, Earth Centre, Tabernacle Street. The collective ihas moved t n lhin,>e~

S

Brighton. Open and Bit by Bit. TheWhoie Earth Group will shor!iy move re Sirripif Supplies iii George Street-numbr not vet k n o m .

L

^Vest London. Pcrtol'eli:? ^reject. 49 Porcnestw Road, 'W2 (22: 4475). Giv*>s~nior.mzticr,cr, ac:commo~!z:ion: ~-rtr~icyment, e(sdr;atioc, >welfare,ikga! r;cb,~s,

L

Easr Lontion, East 's now! at 79 3a:ki-r~ P o a d ~E6 (473 2'276)- bbt t'e,is 4s a s h : > t . ! ~ iproperty ~ s o may have to move again by the new year. They can phone symoathem solicttors T O gtve free legal actvice anytime, If sou want to crash, ring ftrst. East also has a theatre group that performs free for free alternative festivals and political groups. Barking Road is long. . . they're a t Upton Park tube end.

,'

NW

EM EM

Nottingham. Mushroom. Now open WonSat 10.30am6pm.

E Cambridge. Las! Exit has clost+cldown, Mail Order WM hAail O r 6 e ~L i i > t a ~S>e ~ ~ .uncier L;t>ra:$es ~bovf:.

Additions

ME

Stockport. The Bookshoo 11 Mealhouse Brow. Alternative,'SF, ihcluding s/h. Downstairs: handmade and aid ciothes.

Additions EM Oxford A women's refuge i s starting in Oxford Con tact Sue Lee (Abingdon 216681 People's News Service, new address: Box 1949, 197 King's Cross Road, WC1. ublications caiied News from Neasde moothie Publicatio

Local Ip.1371 NW Blackburn. Blackburn Barker no longer exists.

NW SW SW

Manfhester MoieExpres 1061-273 5379165411 is not oroduced bv Grass Roots.

Bnstol Spam and Tenants'News are no longer being produced G l a r t o n b u ~Tore moved to 3 Jacobs Close Wmdmill Hill. Glastonbury-not out recently

i c i a l chancre throuqh workshovs, information and =dvice, B i b ~ o g r a p h and ~ newsletter, 250.

Mystical (p.148171) Changes Centres

Brighton. Bright Times i s dosed.

S

Additions Information fp.1341 Folder, Titus Alexander. 'Free House', The Public House ~ ~ ~ k ~21h itt o tie p ,presto" Street, Briqhton. This folder.

O C C ~ S ~ ~ produced, ~ ~ I I V contains a magazine. 'Ideas into A C ~ ~ O " ' ,r e ~ i e w s information, ~ suppiements from alternative oapers.

Ecology, Food,Survival (p.135) ;w,"je ~ a r t tmagazine, , 54 Q~jeensPark Road, Brighton.

E C < > I O ~a~ ~ al! d th~ngs~ ~ ~ l ? o l e s o m ~ ~ , Head 1p.136!

h ~ a p wG ,cecil street, IViargats-,Kent, Freak magazine, Politics lv.137)

WI^

Bosses E m w , Co Stuart Daniels, 36 Sandford Road. >/ioseley, Birmingham 13. 10p. Artides on culture- w11tif;s and u n m n s

Cheltenham Buddhist Society mfiwi: 34 Parl; Piact, Cheltenham (C,32902!.

SW

Vipassana Meditation Group moved: Csrn Entrdl Farm, Beacon Camborne, Cornwall.

Buddha Maitreya Centre moved to 75 Farmyard, Bnghton Meetings on the first Sat of each month

Local (p 1381 Whitley Bay Mutant. The Used Dromei-idrv Co A v n l ~ House, 8 Waterford Crescent, Whttley Bay, Tyne and Wear Published occas~onally.5p Alternative comic magazine, local news. gig reports, record and book rev~ews EM Nottinaham Nottingham Voice, People's Centre. 33 Mansfield Road IN4112271411676I Monthly. 10V Community paper.

EM Oxford. East OxforciNew;. 4 Bullingdon Road ( 0 .

44078). Monthly community paper.

EM Luton. L n t m Street Press, Box A 34 Dallow Road.

Monthly, 3p. Political news and views.

SW Bath. Bristn! Voice. 46 Richmond Road. Bristol6 (B.40491). Monthly, 10p. Community, politics, what's on ~ r , g h t oQueenspark. ~ 14 TorontoTerrace Paper for s Queens Park area

S

NE

Hindu NW

NE WM Ananda Marga moved t o 9 Willows Crescent, Birmingham 1021-440 23651.

W

Centre for theatre and dance workshops, video, photographv, film-making ip.142) W L

Cardiff. Transitions. contact them a t O n e - O W h t 108 Salisbury Road, Cathavs (C.289081 London. Association of Video Workers, 18 Wyatt Road. N5 f359 2516). Nan-profit video work in community development, communication, education and art. Monthly business meetings arid monthly newsletter. Subscription Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ3

Radio lp.1461

Script is now called The Radio Guide.

London Stereo is also on 96.4 VHF (stereo! and 49 shortwave.

Radio lnvicta i s on Bank Holiday Sundays starting at loam for ten hours.

Radio Jackie is sporadically broadcasting on Sundays.

Radio Kaleidoscope. Every Sunday loam-2pm, 226m.

Radio Concords. Saturday nights, l O p m - l b m , 225m.

London Music Radio. Friday nights about midnight, 225m.

Additions Video ip.1411 Video equipment can be loaned free from Oriel, 53 Charles Street, Cardiff.

Centres for theatre and dance workshops, video, photography, film-making lp.1421 NW Liverpool. Play on Wheels. 23 Roscoe Street. L l 1051children. Contact Fred Brown.

Beshara-Radnor, Mujib (not Mijib).

WM Crossington farm is not an open centre.

LIS The Dicker. Other groups can be contacted through the Secretary of the Down and Weald Society at the Dicker's address. Please don't phone.

L

Druid Order. Public meetings alternate Fridays.

L

Emin Earth no longer exists, according t o a man who said he taught there and considered !t outrayeous that I 001 mv tnformat#onanonymously w~thoutasking for their own description to publish

SW

Aquanan Centre no longer exists

Media ( p 140 146) Chanaes

Ananda Marga. 8 Ullet Road. Livervool 8. now have a phone 1051-728 8242).

Divine Light no longer at 9 Coltman Street, Hull.

meditation, esoteric teachings and transpersonal psychology workshops.

L Astrological Association now at 36 Tweedy Road, Bromley, Kent.

Additions Friends of the Western Buddhist Order have moved L into an old fire station in Roman Road. Bethna!

Green which thev are renovating and turning into a community centre with accom&odation, crafts workshop and voga, karati and meditation classes. There will be a shop selling books and crafts and a printing press.

L L

British UFO Society, c/o Richard Lawrence, 47 Be!. size Square, NW3 (794 3403). For details of membership and meetings write t o the society enclosing sae.

Agui Yoga Group, Kenneth Archer, 91 Fitziohn's Avenue, NW3.

Halturenji, 40 Dearmswav, M2. Centre for integrate2 stt~dyof east ; i ~ dw s l . Speakers on medicine, astrology. herbaiism and Jspatese mystical groups. Information centre for Japanese groups.

NW Universal World Harmony, 1 St George's Square, St Annes-on-Sea, Lancashire. Meditation, prayer and the power of positive thmking.

W Tyn-y-fro" Farm, Rhiw, Pwliheli. Gwnyedd, North Wales IRhiw 255). Run on similar lines to the International Academy for Continuous Education but using art as the vehicie for self-awareness. Courses run for six months starting from January 1976.

EM Buddha Maitreya Sangha, New World Centre, Trent Lane, North Clifton, near Newark, Notts. A new permanent centre open always with a course for the last week of every month. They intend to open a wholefood shop in Lincoln called Pulse.

Buddha Maitreya's teaching is an expansion of traditional Zen Buddhism involving "4 Truths": 1. Original Perfection of all creation.

2. Illusion of the human mind due to its eao.

3. The possibility of extinction of that illusion.

4. Pure Land-universal perfection-attainable now.

E Transcendental Meditation, 90 St Clements Hill, Norwich (N.48717).

Primal-type therapy Atlantis, Burtonport, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, Eire.

Additions E British Natural Hygiene Society, "Shalimas", First Avenue, Frinton-on-Sea, Essex. A centre for drugless therapy, diets and fasting.

S

Healing Research Trust, Field House, Peaslake, ~ u i l d ford, Surrey. Promotion of healing and natural theraoies.

S

Scientific and Medical Network. George Blaker, Lake House, Ockley, Surrey. Communication between doctors and scientists within a wide spiritual spectrum.

They have a centre in Sidmouth for meetings, conferences and summer accommodation.

Hakurenji. 40 Deansway, N2. Acupuncture, herbal medicine and shiatsu treatment,

L

-

Health for the New Age, l a Addison Crescent, W14 Theory and practice of roads to positive health, conent8onai and unconventional

L

SW

SW

S

Shrine of the Sacred Wisdom Pearl, the Golden Rosary Hermitage, 11 Grenville Road, Lostwithiel, Cornwall.

Instruction in Lam Rim, Sanscrit, Tibetan, iconography and ritual.

Ramala Society, Chalice Hill House, Dod Lane, Glastonbury, Somerset. A 'school on earth teaching the truth of the heavens'. Continues the work o f the dis. banded Aquarian Centre.

New Renascence, Weald, Loughton, Lewes, Sussex.

To discover a higher consciousness, the next step in evolution proclaimed by Christ's rebirth.

Numeroloqv: see Chairo's Book of Numbers.

Palmistry: Hakurenji.40 Deansway, London N2.

Private beginners and advanced classes based on Dr Benham and Dr C. Wolffe.

Institute of Transactional Analysis, 52 Cranley Gardens, Palmers Green, London N13 i886 53301.

English branch of San Franciscan group. institute of Psychosynthesis, High Wood Park, Nan Clark's Lane. W,\ Hill, London NW7. Seminarsand workshops on psychosynthesis and counselling tech niques.

Herbalism (p.183) Changes Toothpaste: Bicarbonate of soda mixed with salt is also effective.

SW Bridport. Dorwest Herb Growers, Shipton George, Bridport.

Additions NW Blackburn. Amamus Bookshop, 1-3 Market Street Lane iB.61006) puts people in touch with herbalists and a herb doctor.

NE Bishop Auckland. Margaret Bruce, High Rigg House Farm, St Johns Chapel, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham selis herbs, perfumes and incenses privately. Catalogue 30p.

Retreats (p.189) Changes SW Vipassana Meditation Group, Cam Entrai Farm, Beacon Camborne, Cornwall.

Drugs (p. 192-204) Psilocybe (p.196) Information correct, but should be more prominent as this is an uncultivated hallucinogen which grows all over this country from August till December. It is safer (being unlike poisonous varieties) and without unpleasant side effects. The mushrooms can be dried-thread on cotton-and stored until used.

Therapy (p.172-1771 Changes Ramana Health Centre. Treatment also includes hydroS physiotherapy.

field & Dennis (out of prim. but in libraries1 (Thanks to staff of Natura History Museum i

L

The Self-Health Centre is now called The Community Health Foundation based at the East West Centre which is temporarily c/o Sunwheel Foods Ltd, 8 Orpheus Street, London N7 (3521836). Courses in natural childbirth, natural massage, yoga.

Beer lp.197) CAMRA, The Campaign for Real Ale, is at 34 Alma Road, St Alban's, Herts. Membership is Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ1They publish strengths of beers (among other information) in theirnewsletter-

'A

E

Cambridge-a reader writes that the Cambridoe Clinic is friendly and efficient a n d he would rather oe treated there than at his local clinic in Hu I.

L

London. One-reader complained that a doctor at the Marie Slopes Centre subjected him t o a series of humiliating questions when he applied for a vasectomy -though it might just have been a personality conflict.

-Â

Law ip.2131 Two doctors must recommend an abortion although neither doctor need be the one to do the operation.

Who t o Approach ip.213) WM Coventry: BPASshould now be contacted through the Birmingham branch.

Brighton: BPAS, Wistons Site, Chatsworth Road S 16.509726).

Additions Abortion Organisations Ip.213) NW Chester: BPAS, 26 Queen Street IC.27113).

NE

Sheffield: BPAS. 160 Charles Street (S.738328).

WM Sandwell: BPAS; appointments made through the Birmingham branch. Open Mon-Wed EM Bedfort): BPAS (B 46574). Open Mon-Fri S

Bournemouth: BPAS (B 421859). Open Mon-Wed

S

Wiltshire: BPAS (022 14 53781. Open Wed-Thurs.

London: BPAS, 2nd floor. 58 Petty France, SW1 I222 09851.

L

S

ey Bay. Bolinski Bros Big Bonanza B order catalogue) can be obtained from the Used Dromedary Co, Apple House, 8 Waterford Crescent, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear. The catalogue includes foods, records, cards, herbs, T-shirts, pottery, comix, alternative publications, posters, etc.

All Sorts o f Things, High Street, Codford, Wiltshire is a local shop selling ail sorts o f things including crafts.

Community Action & Community Projects (p.230-236) Changes Advice and Information Ip.2331 Community celebration. A film i s available duout .as1 year's Gianby Festival from Merseyside V sual Commun cat on5 Unn. 83 See I Siren. L l IL.70994601 For h re or purchase the charge will depend on what you can afford.

Food Co-ops (p.234) Down to Earth Community Supplies wrote t o say that their kind of shopdoes not have a mark-up of 5040%; it's more like 33%% of cost price. (The higher figure refers to chain health food stores.)

Additions NW Lrerpool. Chris Elpn ch, 176 High Park Street. L 8 He is a member of the Commurmy Arts Panel of the Arts Council and a member of the Merseyside Arts Assocunion execut ve iina will nelp any group with iformation and applied! Ons. espec ally cornmunitv groups.

Crafts (216.228) Changes Craft Shops lp.216) WM Stroud. Cotswoid Craft Centre, 5 Whitehall IS.2220).

Generai mail order.

Winchester. Country Fair, 5 Market Street. Generai, S c i a i l y beads and jewellery supplies. Also sells ftnsshed crafts.

Workshops, Info, Classes Ip.224) ME Pete Scott has moved from Hebden Bridge t o 45 Souidaiy Street, Coins, Lancashire where he i s creating a workshop SPACE find's i t w t o s %or artists on!y and not for craftsL men.

Selling Crafts (p.32!!

SW

North Devon Little Barum IVar~et.~dci!f.eld,Bout ; n Street Barnstaple has closed

S

Brighton Garnda's ss closed

Additions Cushion ~i'iiingsip.219) Poiyether Foam I f you w i t e zo Dunlop IDunIopillo Division), Coronation Road, Cressex industrial Estate, High Wvcombe. B u d s and ::sk for a bookie1 caileri Foam and a l i s t of foam converters they .will send vou lots of '.nformation, Converters sl!pp!y !ozm cti? to a specific size.

'Weaving i2.221i .ied~e!>oq rJrbm2nd San6 carders sp;ndle$ and spinners can 'of: ,nb'i.i~mdfrom 7 J WiSlcocks, 'A'fieatrroft, ltchingfield, 4orsiiam. Sussex {Siinfclo 346i,

*Pi.tmui^ &qutpmenWorkshops, Info, Classes I p 2241 NE Ceolfnth Arts Workshop, 17 Grange Terrace, Sunderland is part of the arts centre and, among other thmgs, has silk screening equipment Classes in Japanese brush dra L remi, 40 Deansway. N2

Husbandry ip.252-258) Goats (p.7531 '\reader says they QW more milk than cows fcf the same amount of food. Also, y ~ ge7 u as mtjcb, :ream {'more cream o m Anglo Nuhian goats tha-i Jersey cow/\, but because the a t b l e s are smaller the cream doesn't rise to the top i a n i l y . It can be separated, :hough.and used for butter.

Ireland I p 254) Several people who've done so have said that it's not difficult t o settle in Ireland with a self-sufficient smailhoidingso iona as i t ' s less than 5 acres. In fact. Ireland i s probably the most popuiar area for settlers now-more info wanted about anything relevant for future supplements. In particular, about a Smallholders Union.

Organisations Ip.255) 'he Organic Federation. PO Box 8, Malvern, Worcs, has ¥,vrittet o say tt,ey can give info on any of the f o i ! o w i n ~ organisalions: "The Oraanic Research Association. PO Box 8, Mnlvern worts.

Encourages research and avoids duplication by maintainp.g contact with orthodox research bodies and others. Their iasic aim is to produce food of the highest nutritional value without use of harmful substances. Subscription i i n c i u d i n ~ reports on 100 or so projects a year) £2.50 2. The Homesteading Association-teaches basics of self. sufficiency.

3. Mother Earth~organicgardeners/consumers' environmental action group.

5 Rural Apprenticeship Programme-practical educational scheme like an employment agent for organic farmers At present would be apprentices have to wait for vacancies

The Organic Federation also represents other organisations

who have already been on 2 weekends arranged through WOOF, so as to protect farmers from unsuitable People For n f o send an s.a e. at least 9"xW Self-Reliance Newsletter I p 2551 This has folded, but Practical Self Sufficiency has started (November 751. It i s intended to cover organic food pro duction and preservation, keeping livestock, wholefood

Changes Pressure Groups (p.2821 Abortion Law Reform Association does not organise the National Abortion Campaign. The Campaign is a selfcontained grass roots group with eighty-five local branches.

The Reform Association says they do the demos and the activist stuff.

Gay Women's Groups (p.282) Sappho magazine address is-now: 39 Wardour Street, Wl. Homosexuals (p.283-285) Changes National Gay Organisations (p.2831 Sappho Women's Group, c/o Sappho, 3 9 Wardour Street, W1.

Local Groups Ip.284) W Cardiff. Friend, c/o 7 St Mary's Street.

S Brighton. Brighton Gay Switchboard (6.278781. Wed, Fri, Sat, 8pm-12pm. Meets at 7 Victoria Road on Wednesday evenings.

L Centrepoint also gives emergency overnight accommodation for any young person (not only homosexuals1 new t o London.

Additions

Local Groups Ip.2841 S Farm and Food Society 1 ~ 2 5 7want 1 .t made d e a r that ini!y are a pressure group for ecoloq C31 ogncu t ~ 'oased e 00 sus. la ~ a t l l emethods, witn resoect for " a u r a w h a v i o ~ roatterns of livestock, nutritional produce for consumers, and fair deal for farmers as opposed to industrialists in farming'.

W Centre for Living is the name of John Seymour's SelfSufficiency school-now 15 or so people camping, but planning permission is through for a dormitory.

Visitors pay £ a day or 50p i f self-catering, Book!

The Backyard Dairy Book is back in print in an improved revised edition from Prism Press, Stable Court, Chalmington, Dorchester, Dorset (Maiden Newton 5241 at £ plus postage.

They are due to publish The BackyardPoultry Book also

by Andrew Singer in the Spring.

4

Technology (11.260-266) Conservation Tools and Technology have moved t o 143 Maple Road, Surbiton, Surrey (01-549 58881.

National Centre for A T has a lot of working exhibits now and a bookshop. They charge visitors for a tour, but it's good value.

Liberation (p.268-279) Changes Others I p 2751 The Hunt Saboteurs Association is now PO Box 19, Tonbridge, Kent Angltan Diggers no longer exist at that address No new address Additions Radical Traditionalists, c/o John Michel, 11 Miles Buildings, Bath IB.289251. Publishes In Defence ofsacred Measures, In Defence o f People and Population and The Fafl of Babylon, available from Cokaygne Bookshop in Cambridge.

Others Ip.2751 Paedophile information Exchange, BM PIE, London WC1V 6XX. Paedophile Action for Liberation, c/o BM Gaylib, London WC1 V 6XX 1274 9590). For a sensible article on thissubiect see Peace News. 10 October 1975.

Women (p.280282)

Additions

Ot 0 0 t O t 9O

Women's Centres (p.2801 ackburn: Contact local women's group through mamus Bookshop, 1-3 Market Street Lane (8.61

Sussex Gay Liberation Front, Marlborough Hotel, attic room, Prince's Street. Meets 1st and 3rd Tuesday each month at 8.30pm in the Saloon Bar.

TV'S and TSs (p.2851 Transvestites' National Group in Cardiff no longer exists at that address.

Transport (p.288-292) Community Transport (p.292) NW Liverpool. Wheels, c/o Walter & Costa Miller, 19a Beaumont Street, L8.

WM Wolverhampton. Community Transport, 21 St Marks Road. Chapel Ash G o i n g Away (p.294-300) World Passport Terranian Nationalist Association, 13 Tyne Street, Burwood, Victoria 31 25, Australia 129 29081. This i s an attempt t o unite humanity under one democratic world government and one common world language. You can register as a Terranian National Money (p.297) Access and Barclay cards can be used abroad. A reader writes that slot machines in Germany, which usually take one deutschmark coins (worth 20pI will also take 5p coins.

Other Official Schemes ip,2981 World Expeditionary Association, 45 Brompton Road, SW3 (589 0500). For £ a year you book cheap flights all over the world plus magazine and guide.

Overland Ip.2991 Eurosave, 359 Oxford Street. London W l 1629 34761. Lifts arranged all over Europe between people with cars wishing to take passengers t o save petrol costs and passengers willing to share costs. There is a £1.7 linking fee lreturnablel.

Magic Bus, 637 Holloway Road, N19 1272 55531. Very cheap bus service t o Europe, Morocco and India. Sample prices include £ t o Amsterdam and £6 to Oelhi.

Legal Frameworks (p.302320) Book-keeping and Accounting lp.3131 The Intermediate Technology Group at 9 King Street, WC2 publish 3 booklets at 45p the set. (Anyone interested in cooperating in producing a comprehensive handbook on bookkeeping for alternative projects please contact The Public House Bookshop in Brighton lp.1321.

Work stta"pr$ lp.324) (p.322-331)

0 Alternative England and Wale) (€2.5 T I is an f o r m a t i o n book for people looking for altecnatives. It is not a touri t guide. It's written for the individual seeking practical information whether legal or not on the following subjects: Houiioa. Crash pads, complete squatting guide, communes. tenants' rights, Home Making. Buildingrepairs with illustrated plumbing and w i r i ~ g guide; how to furnish cheaply.

Bargains. Auctions to cheap record shops.

Food. Food co-ops and low profit shops; bulk wholefoodsuppliei: rnCrL7b8Ot8S Money. A simple guide to social secunty-what you're entitled t o and

1-1 advice. ~ f t f & i a t i o n ho* 10 get i and where Publithing. A do i v0i.rse.f 9- oe wit" ,st "9%01 a ternatme pf "IW*.

Publication!. hai,onal and oca a ternnt.ne papets and mai~azmei. bookshops.

Media. Film making, video, illegal broadcastingand theatre workshops.

Mystical. Aguide to Buddhist, Hindu and other groups throwhotf the country; Hatha Yoga. I Ching. Kabalah. w8tchcrafI. ~herapy.Alternative medicine, psychiatry and encounter.

Martial Arts. Aikido, Karate, Tai Chi and others.

Herbalism. Treatments and wholesalers.

Retreats.

Drugs. Guide t o illicit use; hallucinogenicplants: law: facilities for addicts.

Sax. V D . contraceotion and abortion.

Cram. A qi.,de to '.up0 eft of ma1er.a s and 100 s. gionL, sales out e l % Community Detaloom*nt. Organiwtionr nivi) nq "^in. eco Communoty P,OI~~". u,qa,,,5a,ao,,, q,v,ng m,o, f o f m "9 char ! es.

w?

buy i t Also thanks to e w y m e who's boughta box of 8 copies to distribute They makegood Christmas presents and you get them at f 1 50 instead of £ 50

Tamport. Car. moped and bike.

Going Away. Cheap travel abroad; visas: black market.

Strangers. Visas; work permits;stodying;deportation.

Husbandry. Organic growing: hydroponi=.

Technology. Solar, wind and water power.

Nicholas Saunders

t a m wc! or, mnta ~5 genera rnlormat,on w t!, !,st n p o f w00.e and uruau ons b ~ n c e r n e d - ~oe3cr mu horn tne user 5 v e w w n l onen cr8I WIIV T h e e no p e s a n d no one ,s I <tcd wen-sc m e " asked to oe $28

tn addition there are descriptions of each area, mentionmg the most inter esting alternative activities and listing places to make contact locally

a

0 Alternative London4 (£ 50)

,,,

1914ec t o r  ¥ - s l iec-i>--i iff, i . 0 - t ~.~Alminati.eEnvlam! and Wabs oc,,x Dal >n r f + ~ : n < 3? je ?xmct ,.f\qt ! $ 0 4 I fnc ? zn A,,*, *-*,,,or, T e < " , o r h , , r,. .qn i ,d,.e.%C,.% ,<>v> 21 <.:.tw ,

, >,

."

F r i a l 5 there are l*o I h o ~ n ^ hintJexe~I n e Ir $ t i categor x u uy !uwf#% a .c 0 a , r e "0" r e " 4 0 I nil fc.e,y,ri "9 1"ca.

W C O ~ ,noex , ~ u, s-~lect xt8 over 5 . m txuK I sveu twtf>ea

.,

Â¥

e,>,,.e5 Tne book ,> 0" !ne *me wonle wno d a A!terndt e Ionw,, 1, to"' 17 oa . d g m arm T3.000mmI,>s a f tram I ng Tw d cneceeo wvofe du8nq !o we55 dp tu "ate n<n<ma!0 0 %a%

n

m 0 , a ,aiw pnu,ie boo%MV 911 fiq 1 " It,$ ww,0 - ?" * a tvm ~ n ~ c h a m o qtne o% t>,notngg-e *o, lk <over ,$ ezmut >na#Iv~ t w n g - %c !!w AA book,

I,

5

e

,

w ntc<1",>cheep .: won'! fa' w a r t

85

50

tbbqheg

The once is the minimum it can be sold for i n bookshops to give us back what has been spent on producingthe book - f i l l details of co$tinw ate on page 368. But to make i t available cheaper, you can buy difecr bv p o s t for £1.5 each for Bcopies or €1. for 4. Sintie copies arc €2.5 Theseprices include post and packing besides a 25p donation to CLAP, vet e 5 , . *,a% m4cn a3 b" se, "Q,"<',.qt, .>"d<St.",fi voucantw,,ow ,copy ,",&gh "ov' X d l ,),."I <' .",a'" - see OPP05'tt e Or. I " 0 . . M! o COD? 10' £ 50 bv oosi onn r e ! ~ r n t unmar-to r, tne padded bag n was sent to you in, we will refund your money less postage You can lookat or buy copies from all branches of Virgin Recrds besides bookshopsand some headships Fiewe call CODIBI bv buvino direct You can make f 1 profit on each or pass on the saving

h i n d edition (mid 73)is pocket size in small type It's equivalent to AL for comolete stramerse$thwv#s#ttng or ~ntandtngto settle, who want t o 1 "a. . * . I ..,#$ ?" a > m <"?00 * c ? c r r & :A ,*C" < v , 9 .

V . ~ ' . > ~ > U s.5 , I a-,, **I J . 3%>f J a ,,r.,v* t ,>7" 're, ,, c cuec,tn~ r t , w r % % v ., 7 , 7 m A L 4 mrm .,,a,. >c>;t ,' a r k Derniits studvin~

,.<,

:!.",

,

..

,,

0 Abrnativn England and Wales SUPPLEMENTS i ntend to publish the first supplement by November 1975 I t wtii mns!st of h e a c t i o n s and additions t o Alternative Englandand Wales I t I 1be included with booksdistributed ihosewho ve contributed will be I IT free and anyoneelse can have it who sends an s a e or 10P Later editions will ni-obablv take the form of 8 mwamne about n w and changed things of thesort included $n the book This may include Scotland and Ireland also t o form thebas>$for a new edtttm after a vwr ortwo The later supplements will be sold at whatever they cost lnformatm and M k c k 89 alwvsverv much a p ~ m c ~ aand t d contr butions will berewarded b y a free copy of thesupplement But since i don t haw any assistance between editions pleasedon t expect a c k n o w l d ~ merit.

0 MI E@or.Bon-a guide t o warn ifflolied ISBPI

1 c5W 4 copies @ £ 75 England and Wales RE-nnses@£ 50 A -,...-. .....e ....eF .- n n l a n d and Wales D Alternative Emland and Wales~sewn,hardbound library edition 0 Alternative England and Wales poster.A3 (16" x 12") 0 Alternative England and Wates poster, A4 (8 x 11 'I 0 Alternative England and Wales supplement 1 e l u d e d free with books,otherwise s a a or 0 Alternative London 4th ed~tion 0 self ~xploration-aguide to groups involved 0 Love. Sin and Ebba D Survival Guide Foreign cheque (see note below1

£50

0 Alternative England and Wales

0Alternative

~~

~

= =

I c l o s e banknoteslcheque1POsfor .S made payable t o N Saunders. 65 Edfth Grove, London SW10

£70 fl2no

This i a Penguinsize book extracted from Alternative Endand mid Wales with minor revisions. I t is a guide for people looking for groupsand oroanisatiomconcerned with self-expioration by meansof the tottowing paths: Mysticism Retreats Yogaand Meditation Martial Arts Encounter and the New Therapies The Occult Alternative Medicine Spiritualism Divination Herbalism

£25

lop

₠50 8 5 ~ £ no 500 50P

-

-

h is an exiravagmlyproduced book made from the lettersof two w m n who hitch-hiked around A f r ~ ~and t i h d with wild nomads NO1 m l v lrmo*" ,m,r ama,,"d d d r n , ~ , * . a ,?."#f "L#W he e " , " ~ , a m r w f i r 0 4 ,r tncsc w i w a ,enen to If-mos lustfaieii miti ihe own maw nq& oh.,iosaroscrapboois Pr fiicn .xi safia co.oufeo~ a i i tige paper

"., ,,,

Order* without payment will be forwarded to a distributor, so don t expect 1minadiate response Wholesale prices are available to anyone Ail pre paid ordersof at least £2 book value will be sent carnage free at 40% discount-so £2 worth of books cost you only £1 Owerieasardansent for thesame once surface mail,double by amma except AlternativeEnglandand Wales which is C7 airmail' The lower

and drains. Ceilings are no pr because if joists are exposed, wouldn't want a much lower not if you want to avoid brain injurie Windows do not have to be new picture-windows; any old hole in the wall or roof-light will do. Inspectors' (free) advice on drains can be quite useful. In short, the building inspecto may be petty, but he thinks he is helping, and furthermore, he works b the book. Buy the book and you may well be able to out-book him.

An Englishman's home may be his castle but if you want t o so much as extend a battlement i n this sceptred isle of ours you need planning permission. Undercurrents, in i t s customary role of provider of information to the sublimely ignorant, gives here a few words of advice on defeating the bureaucracy. As usual with our brand o f anarchistic good intentions there are differences of opinion. Chris Day, as a sound practical man, says never appeal against a refusal, while Michael Edwards, in detailing the difficulties of communes, merely advises caution. Now read on .

..

NER OR LATER, anybody who s to build something themselves into planning problems. Everyknows somebody who has had n application refused. The stories, a related, make the refusals seem who1 unjustified, irrational, and unfair in that worse has been approved. This sense o f outrage tends to magnify the belief that all planning is corrupt, unjust, and unnecessary. Fortunately it is rarely quite so bad. About half the refusals you hear of are planning refusals and half are failure to comply with building regulations. These are quite separate fields, and require separate applications: the tactics required for success are also quite distinct. Of these, building regulations are the easiest to deal with because they are all in a book (The Building Regulations obtainable from HMSO).

The building regulations are designed t o protect the public from shoddy, unhealthy, dangerous buildings (e.g. houses that are unsound, damp and have high fire risks). They specify performance; they do not compel the use of particular materials (except for specific jobs like chimneys and even here there i s a choice). In the USA the regulations can be framed to benefit manufacturers; fortunately this i s not so here. All the regulations are in the book and they mostly only stop you doing things that are inadvisable anyway. (You can get around the nonessential regulations - eg rooms in tiny roof spaces - later, by inconspicuous work after your final inspection and approval).

With a rule book, you know where you stand. Although you may meet narrow-minded local officials who interpret building regulations strictly, they generally have some discretionary powers. The regulations, for examole.

adequate. But there is no that they will let you bu'

waive certain regulations (e g. ceiling heights and window sizes, and even

regulations: for example, ceiling heights for 'habitable rooms' must be 7ft 6ins; however, in a room i n a roof, only half the floor area must have that ceiling height. This makes most lofts convertible if you narrow the room with built-in cupboards (which could be removed after the final inspection).

In rural areas, most building inspectors are Only strict about ceiling heights, window sizes (glass area not less than yio of floor area and ventilation, not less than I/&-habitable rooms only),

Planning Planning i s not in a book. I t i s almost wholly discretionary. The nearest to a book of rules are the various Town & Country Planning Acts which tell planners (and anvone else who can understand them - I can't) their powers. However, we are only concerned with planning applications for buildings. Your application goes before a committee (mostly elected, worthy citizens). The planning officer recommends and the committee vote.

Unlike the building regulations where you can stretcheverything to the legal limit - with planningyou take vour luck.

Why do we have planning controls?

Countries with laxer controls - such as the USA - demonstrate what happens without it. Overnight, untouched wilderness areas can be transformed into suburban lots for longrange commuters or vacationers.

Planning is intended to control the damage inflicted by man on the environment. In the face of pressure for more houses, offices, factories, and

roads, not even the most conservationist planner can say "no" all the time. So some people get the "yeses".

Who are they?

Needless to say, the bigger an operation the bigger i t s potential damage t o the environment. However the bigger it is, the more money is behind it how else could the oil companies build

-Money . can exert power without recourse 10 corruption (though this is not unknown). Offering employment in areas o f high unemployment is the greatest bait. Shopkeepers - who tend to get on councils and committees often find the prospect o f more wage earners appealing. The fact that such employment has been cruelly misrepresented in the past doesn't seem t o alter its appeal. (The work usually turns out t o be temporary and high wage, bringing non-local workers to flood small communities and drawing local people from farm and other jobs that they will never return to. Permanent work often turns out to require less people and particular skills that locals do not have.

The ulanners have eot to say "no" to somebody, If you aresmall you have no leverage and if they don't like you they are delighted t o be able to refuse.

It's like exams - if everybody passed, why have them? Three cases in our area are not untypicai - 1) An application for 90 new luxury houses i n a village of perhaps 50 houses (and short of water, sewage disposal and especially housing for local people: Approved. 2} An application for a house on the farm for a son to help his widowed father farm 30 acres.

(There are no other available houses in the community - the second-homers get them first): Refused. 3) A farmer who built his (permissionless) house on his parents' farm so that he could run the farm: Order to demolish.

We all know what happens to mining companies that dig holes i n national parks when told not to. They get away with it, I f vou are bieenoueh.. vou can; . if small, you cannot.Since the individual has got to try to wriggle through planning, what i s the best way to go about it?To be f ' planners and planning committe believe that they are good people, doing good things. If they think s thing i s good, they will pass it. I f w can see our applications through th eyes, we can begin to get a fair idea of what their objections may be, and try to refute them in advance. These are the sort of stumbling blocks you may encounter.

The master plan:- The zone is residential and your workshop will be light inaustridl: try to call it something else (honest of course).

-

re a great worry to planning

Chanee of use:- "We don't aoorove o f this changeof use". ~owever,'ifthe previous building wasdisused they might be more amenable.

Non-existence:- "That existing building i s not an existing building (and we do not permit new buildings here)." i n our part of the world, a building empty for four years or longer no longer counts as existing and needs a. new planning application.

Don't tell them it's been emutv for four years; they don't ask, and' thanks to administrative size, they don't know. I n some areas, four walls but no roof, one wail and achimney, or even old foundations are assets; find out anonymously what the local policy is.

Sporadic development:- "No new isolated buildings in rural areas". Try t o show off i t s least-isolated aspects .e. ics relation to other buildings.

Aesthetic:- Here they have got you.

But actuailv. as the details in most architecturaldrawings are so minimal, they assume that your application is for another bungalow. It is worth presenting full and flattering drawings o f what i t will look like - and, i f need be, views o f it set in i t s surroundings, photo-montages and so on. efused, never appeal. It is slow, nsive and final. Reappfy, modifyour design and refuting their reasons for refusal. (and incidentally, you can have a caravan on your land so long as an application is in, or you are building). If you are in a rural area a n d this i s where so many planning problems occur - you probably intend to grow your own food, Tell them, A~ricultureand horticulture are approved of. A smallholding- or

These are some things you can do without needing to apply to the planningauthority (they do, however, need building regulations approval): Houses: *Enlargement o f a house by up to 50 cubic metres or o f i t s volume (whichever is greater) up to 115 cubic metres, so long as it does not project above or i n front (towards road) of the existine building. " *A porch not exceeding 2 square metres area, and 3 metres in height. I t must be 2 or more metres from a boundary fronting a highway. *A shed (not a garage, stable, loosebox, coachhouse or dwelling) o f up to half your garden area, but not i n front o f the house (towards road) nor exceeding4 metres height at ridge or 3 metres, if other roof shape.

'In the case o f farms, smallholdings etc., in excess of 1 acre and tor agricultural purposes: you may erect a building up to 465 square metres ground area, not exceeding 12 metres in height (3 metres within 3 K m of an aerodrome).

'/,"

-

Precise details can be obtained from your local planning authority.

The last point i s quite significant. In addition to the advantage of simply being allowed to build, it would seem that ail sorts of 'unsightly' stuff (such as lashed-up solar collectors), if they are part o f an agricultural building, need only to comply with building regulations, which should be no

Planning 2

yfe doing. .

and see wh

. .And tell them to stoo!'

MMUNAL HOUSING projects can into all sorts of planning problems rever they are and rural locations esent some special likely difficulties. he Planning law requires permission o be obtained for any 'development' nd this i s widely defined to include es o f the use of land or buildings I as actual construction work. If your project i s purely agricultural, on an existing agricultural holdini;, involves no new building and if the communal living pattern is construed simply as ordinary residence'then planning permission probably won't be needed. Usually, though, the problem won't be that simple.

Dilemmas in rural planning British rural counties tend to be confronting pretty severe problems. I n almost all country areas (beyond the commuting range o f conurbations) population has long been falling, led bv the decline i n farm emolovment.

AS the population becomes sparser it is less able to support adequate services. The per capita costs of providing many services probably really do rise in those circumstances: all forms of visiting social and health services, water supply, sewerage, emergency services, libraries, schools and so on. This is reinforced where traditional technology (eg sewage treatment), professional received

Thursday. January - -.

- .-- - .

23. 1936

. .

wisdom (eg hospitals) or genuine economics of scale (eg school science labs) raise the minimum sizes at which services can be provided. The declining population then needs to do more travelling - to shops, schools, doctors and often to jobs, creating a demand for extra transport service, but not enough to offset the enormous bus op~r.itin2pruhlenii which f l ~ wfrom tlw ^ipdrsi-rc'$so i seitlemcni. Car, become a high spending priority for those who can possibly manage t o get them - and who are able to drive and that further reduces the custom supporting bus services.

This picture is a simplified generalisation, but elements of it are to be found in virtually all countryside.

Trou Local planning autho pretty severe trouble. The d a which the problems and the relevance and energy of the response, are very variable. The most common type o f rural settlement policy is one which tries t o concentrate new housing and employment in a small number o f 'key settlements' where public and commercial services are also encouraged t o congregate though it's not unknown for some public services to operate in bland defiance o f such schemes. The 'key

.. . . . .

THE DAILY

Appmatl, beaut, doesn't go

.

.

MIRROR

ÇiU(pet*

........

xad "tilit,

settlements' are usually a t nodal points on the transport network and thi': strategy thus serves, among other things, to concentrate demand for bus services where i t can most easily be met - though often at the expense of the services to the sparser areas.

This i s sometimes the real rationale of rural planning policies, and at other times a rationalisation for measures which derive their real impetus from a kind o f 'conservation' which is basically trying to keep new people (especially poor people) out o f the bulk of the countryside and sustain landscape and property values there.

As a result many rural authorities more or less prohibit scattered development in rural areas, including their 'non-key' villages, and they can usually count on being backed UD i n auueals . . bv the ~epartmentofthe ~nvironm'ent.

Counties in England and Wales are responsible for the main planning policy formationa nd for embodying the results in structure plans. S u b sequently the counties and/or the district councils have to prepare detailed local plans. I n fact most rural counties have yet to prepare structure plans and those which have seem, for the most part, to have paid scant attention to the countryside. I n the meantime policies set out i n the Development Plans o f the 1950s and 1960%as amended, are the ruling

.--.. .. .. .. . . . .

Sonia day it Bit, 1" -iMy

- . -. - -

Page 11 .

to taatora ¥ha we t i e me* l l ~ s t r o , a g .

-

ones. Whatever plans there are provide tne basis for the system of devt-iopment control the process o f giving or refusing planning permission - and the rcsoonsibilitv for this ~ o n t r ofalls l to the district councils on most ordinary proposals.

Dealing with planning machine The planning machinery can be tackled head-on or avoided like the plague. The head-on approach is often risky, slow and expensive - unless you can establish by discreet enquiries that a favourable decision i s going to emerse. If a refusal is issued various problems arise. Numcruus redbuns lor refusal are usually given and ( t 1s not always possible to detect the real logic underlying the decision. ~f vou do eet a refusal and decide 10 appeal you should (i) give positive grounds for appealing as well as resisting the given reasons for refusal (and do so i n a short letter), and (ii) seek tin inquio. I-or the inquiry prepare f u l l written statement describingall the positive aspects of your proposal, try to use language and arguments of 'd kind civil servants may accept dnd, in the process, rebutt all the grounds given for the refusal. The law requires " the decision to be made in the light of 'the Development Plan and all other material factors' so i t is important to seize the initiative in defining what i s 'material'. Don't release this document until the last minute and if you can produce some of it through the mouth of an accredited 'expert' so much the better.

Avoiding the planningprocess is best ifyou can do it, so be very discreet with your local council in case you decide not t o seek permission: once they are alerted t o the ~ossibilityof anything unconventional taking place they are likely to err on the side of watchfulness and caution. If you have land and buildings where you want to make no alterations to structures or use there is no 'development' and thus no permission i s needed.

Even if you are going t o do some building work it may fall i n a category which is exempt from control -such as repairs and, up to a fixed limit, extensions to a dwelling. Some agricultural building is also exempt from control. But even i n these cases you will probably need approval for the structural safety and correctness of your building under the building regulations.

And if vou have the misu fortune to be in a conservation area, a national park or an area designated as of special landscape or scientific i nterest you may find that the ordinary exemptions do not apply.

-

~

What next?

One of the great difficulties in ail this is that ordinarv ~ I a n n i n euermissions, once given and taken up, endure for ever with the land - even

not only of how the permission would be used by the applicants but o f what a subsequent buyer might do with it.

For example one London Borough, confronted by a plan for an 18 person commune, was resistant because if and when the building came to be sold i t s obvious use would be as a rooming house or hostel - though they fully accepted that the group applying for the oermission were eoine to be auite unexceptionable.

The best you can hope for in this sort o f situation is to get a 'personal' permission - one which is for you and you alone to benefit from and which provides for the use to revert back to what it previously was if the property changes hands. A second best expedient can be to seek a temporary pcrmiss:on which comes up fur renewal after a period of years. In 00th their cases the special permissions are onl) reall\ feasible for changes of use. rnit for substantial buildingsicne it is not very practicable for an authority to require building work t o be reversible.

- -

When is a commune. . .?

1he planning permission under w h i ~ n one London commune opcratcs is subiect to a condition that 'The nremises shall be used only as a commune' which suggests that someone in the town hall has a clearer idea o f what that word means than most commune dwellers. In that case the authority decided that communal living was a use of land distinct from private residential use and thus required per; mission whether there was any building or not. That situation i s certainlyone to avoid i f you can - by moving in, and generally behaving t o the authorties,as distinct households or operating under the co-ownership housing association rules and subsequently introducing whatever sharing arrangements you have i n mind.

Breakthroughs in rural planning In the long run there i s great scope for struggles to break the hold of convention in rural planning thinking. and the other Sewage. water SUDDIV mainĂ&#x201A;ÂĽ>ervi~e arean obvious target.

Policy is based on the premise that most households should have the right or at least the expectation of connection in the long run to main services. As the alternative technologies of waste recycling and energy generation improve they should gradually be able t o loosen the hold o f this premise.

Similarly small ,>.alewater p~rificat'.un methods could bre.ik the dependence between wholesome water supply and high cost pipe networks.

It i s harder t o see how to uierce the arguments for settlement concentration which are based upon the needs o f schools, shops and social services for compact service areas. In some districts it may be true that, so long as there are any people living scattered in the countryside, there should be more o f them rather than fewer. More

and businesses for ever larger facilities need t o be scrutinised and the arithmetic o f rural living and survival costs must be gone over as carefully as the assumptions on which it is based.

The technology and the management i nnovations needed for new settlement patterns will probably run far ahead o f the social and political changes which would make them feasible. But the battle i s certainly not a hopeless one.

Michael Edwards

Further Reading On communes in general there i s a great deal o f ephemeral material of slight value Still unbeaten as a treatment of the legal and administrative snags and possibilities i s BROIDO, Mark (ed) Communal Housing, a report by a Chimera working group, 1971, published by the editor a t Magdalen College Oxford (mimeo).

A research project financed by SSRC is under wav and i t s final renort is awaited.

An interim report appeared as a paper by ABRAMS, Philio, et a1 in the proceedings of a British ~ o c i o l o ~ i c~ssociation al conference on Sex Roles in Sociew in 1974. While much of the naoer is devoted t o disproving the rather ludicrous hypo thesis that communal life causes a radical cnange in sex roles among participants, there i s a qredt deal o f .nlerest nq datd presentedfor the first time.

On planning law the authoritative guide is TELLING, A E, Planning Lawand Procedure, London. Butterworth, which is regularly revised t o reflect legislative changes.

Those interested in the wav i n which technology and policy interact in rdral ulannina mioht eniov WARFORD. J J. The South i t c h a h Scheme: an economic appraisal, HMSO, 1969, which i s extremely explicit and has the temerity t o sunaest, at the end. that one of the sacred cows in rural water supply should be desanctified.

Summaries of environmental powers and obligations can be found in LAYFIELD. F H B , Powers f o r Conservation i n Journal of the Town Planning Institute, March 1971, and a more up to date synopsis in a series of reference sheets published i n the Architects'Journal between August 1974 and February 1975.

Of interest as a reference source on organisations directly or remotely concerned with the countryside and on ways of pursuing environmental campaigns is the Friends of the Earth Campaigner's Manual, FOE, 1974 Could any UC reader involved i n a community living project or who knows others who are, please write i n t o Michael Edwards, d o UNDERCURRENTS with news of successful - or failed negotiations with rural authorities, or with any

-

'lie A letter from Gerald Morgan-Grenvi//e Of the numerous things of which 1 have at one time or another been accused perhaps the most paradoxical i s that I have sold out AT t o the Establishment. e means by which some suspect that s has been done is by having set up ocal point for AT which, by an sidious process o f big company and big ame involvement, has subverted the riginal aims of AT to the profit based terests of Big Business. Remarks to this ffect made at Comtek and some other enues have prompted me to amplify appenings at the National Centre for alive Technology - NCAT - better n as the Quarry. nvone who has read the attempts of

Ttn- .\'ario,,dI(I'nIr,- lor -llrt'rnalur i & l i / i i r at Miiilynlli. rli, ~ i c ~ in i r c.v<f,'ruc t t i r t m r two years, has been one of the more controversial recent developments in AT. Following reports in Undercurrents 8 and elsewhere, and frequent criticism o f the centre at AT events, they have asked for space in Under/OK\

pontificate on the social and technical means of its establishment, will know that it is a dangerous task, since tne range of its individual interpretations i s limitless - so the things which I say are personal and do not necessarily reflect the views of those at the Ouarrv. . , , .nast or ,nresent.

Any 'foreigner'taking a look at the Alternative scene in Britain for Europe) could be forgiven for failingto see any' consistencyor continuity. Projects come and go leaving scarcely a ripple, and the ideological casualties are almost as frequently encountered as the wreckage o f A T windmill prototypes. In this general context I cherish the ambition o f trying to create some kind of Alternative bastion, which can orovide some element

a time, thus improving the climate tor others t o do battle. The something which you choose will depend on your particular view of AT. The winning - or losing - . o f such battles should be reoorted more

To me, AT is not too much to do with drawing the dole, telephone tapping or getting stoned. To me i t is rather more to do with the energetic development of a sustainable and better life, in which people work together for the common good. NCAT reflects this ideal. Such a life presupposes independence from those whose policies are antagonistic, and some of the technology at NCAT provides a means to this end. T o me the pursuit of such an ideal is now a matter o f urgency, faced as we are with a bureaucracy employing one in four o f the workforce.

I believe, passionately, that man should have the fullest possible personal freedom - so long as he respects the tribal codes of behaviour. I suspect that most people who subscribe to an alternative society cherish the same belief. Yet 1 am frequently astounded by the political naivety which may almost be said to characterise the movement. Whether or not we are political escapists or activists, whilst we indulge in such notions as K r o ~ o t k i nanarchism, the fact is that we are ail being pushed towards a totalitarian regime by an unholy but concerted alliance o f power seekers I f thev lhiive

large and cohesive to develop i t s own internal dynamic - philosophicdl, social, technological and financial. The Quarry i s now a small part o f the way towards this goal.

Readers o f 'Undercurrents' will mostly subscribe to the ideas that society could be fairer, that it i s possible to live with greater regard for environmental considerations, that small is frequently beautiful, that unnecessary or dangerous technologies should be avoided, that land should be for people, and ail the rest of the AT creed, which is so platitudinously intoned and so little exemplified - for the simple reason that exemplification is extremely difficult. How do you, when it comes to the point, become self-sufficient on almost no money, prevent a nuclear power station being built, ground Concorde, fix a solar collector on the 17th storev o f a high-rise block of flats or fight a faceless bureaucracy?

You don't, because vou can't But what you can do is to select those areds where you can d o somethinu, enlist the co-

t

i

Itrrc-rH-; in

Wi. Hi M I

h-hnii I n In\

rn. ir i J w ;

u! Jc 1~'Icifiineiil~ or / I n

u,iJ

I,,

rĂ&#x192;§t'in,,

Quarry. SCAT'S home. Below, erai id M o w n .

Grenville states his views on the cen tre's role.

The article is not intended to reflect the collective v i ~ w s 0 f N C A Zo r o f Undercurrents or its members.

their way, NCAT, Undercurrents, and other corporate and individual freaks will be swept off the board - make no mistake about this; individualism and real personal freedom are absolutely irreconcilable with the totalitarian state: you need look no further than any such state to see the living proof o f this.

1 believe that a Far more militant role i s now required o f those who claim to uphold the basic human rights. I f the AT movement is to make a lasting and worthwhile impact i t must be prepared to defend its cardinal principles with action.

We live in a fool's paradise whilst others, capitalist and communist alike, conspire l o force us into conformity.

So, i f yoti come lo the Quarry, apart r o m the possibility of seeing lumps o f slate being hurled ill suspected bureaucrats, you will by next summer also see a great many working devices which will help you to be independent o f the system and to live more self-sufficiently, Windmills a-plenty, solar collectors by the dozen, water turbines and a methane generator which has actually been known to generate methane. (Both commercially available and DIY units itre shown: a range o f D I Y pamphlets is already available). We are also aetting .. ,. into organic horticulture and carp rearing.

(Food for the inmates i s vegetarian wholefood), I f everything goes according to plan, you may even see a house which provides for all i t s own services. There will be a much enlarged new exhibition hall with many new things, an iniormation office and an AT bookshop, where, if you haven't already done so, you can take out a subscription to 'Undercurrents'. We are also planning some A T discussion weekends this winter: please contact us if you are interested. T o enter you will probably have t o pay 50p by next summer. I t isnot a rip-off: i t is the least we can charge if we are t o realise the project - as it i s most of us are virtually or entirely unpaid. (We need more money - subscription forms available!)

I f you would likeyour views on the development o f NCAT to be pondered dnd perhaps incorporated, please write us.

Gerard Morgan-Grenville lire fur Alternative Technol r r y , Mitchy~illcth.Pow

THE 1975 MAY LECTURES were organised by the Franklin School in London o n

October 15-18. They are struggling to become a regular feature in the paranormal scene, though not quite annually, hence the misnomer. This year's theme W A S Frontiers in Science and Medicine'. with narticular emphasis on the ureas where science merges into mysticism..

...

Wednesday The opening night was very disappointing. The hall was packed with about 400 people, but Rick Carlson didn't manage to say anything new and what We did say was simultaneously simplistic, vague, and over-verbose.

Dr. Louis Kervran, who has written a book called 'Proofs of the Transformation of Energy in Biology', spoke in French, and was poorly translated by Dr. Costa de Beauregard, who also passed comment on Dr. Kervran's work, which endeavours to show that cosmic energy is absorbed by the body and transmuted into life energy- He was saying some interesting ,. things ,, but thev were almost 8mpds'iibk 10 tiil'uu :n 211, c.tlii'rcnt %-I\ Conlusun. insivnJ of :>'.niusiun, I'm afraid, and no chance for any questioning or audience feedback.

Thursday Better. David Tansley, a radionics man, talked about the chakras in the 'subtle anatomy', and about auras, and showed some very pretty slides. But it was all at the metaphysical level, which was disappointing, especially as there is some good evidence that there are scientifically valid links between the pineal gland, (which is held to be the physical reoresentation of the second chakra. between the eyes), and consciousness.

The pineal gland appears to secrete the molecule serotonin, which seems to be centrally involved in the regulation of perceptions, and hence of ~onsciousni'ss.

One theory aboul the functioning 01 LSD i i [hit :t mirrors. and somehow blo~ks, the production o f serotonin from the pineal, and thus interferes with consciousness. (See John Bleibtreu's The Parable of the Beast. Gollancz, '68).

John ~ a ~ l oon r ,the other hand, perhaps one should say 'in the other hemisphere'), was at least scientific.

Amusing - he's got a pretty display of slides too, of everything from levitation to the fracture surfaces of physically and sychically broken needles. Very keen to eserve reductionism and to explain me psi phenomena within the known rces of nature. He didn't elaborate on theory about very low frequency electro-magnetic radio waves which might carry resonances of energy from the miitn-lp'i nf the hodv to the suoon.. etc... and su bend it. some intcre5iing tragmcnii uf information .ibci-ii the mierpliis ~

~

~

between electromagnetic fields and the body. Good audience feedback, showing faith that science will be able to embrace psi phenomena when the new paradigm finally emerges, and showing no sorrow at the prospect of the waning of reductionism.

On Friday night we were more philosophical. John Davy, who used to be science corres~ondentof The Observer. and is now vice-principal o f Emerson ' College.

- . Sussex (a Rudolf Steiner training co.leg~), gave ,411 cxccllenr ulison i n r n.iturc or scicnt:fic nieihod. To him. the most inexplicable thing was to know how plantsgrow, and we grow. The molecular biologists, he said, were confident that they could explain it all; but he knew that there were other biologists who are very open-minded, and very puzzled -in private, anyway. He took us on a mental journey through the ways in which quantum indeterminacy has opened us up t o the realisation that we manipulate reality before we even see it, through the ways we impose our prior mental patterns onto our theories. Much as a person can be distorted by a Laine-field o f expectations, so reality gets distorted i n our minds: the way we think about the universe affects what we will find. And much more . . taking us to the sueeestion that we transcend reductionist 'thingthinking' and try to get to know plants, life, reality, by letting them inwardly 'school the imagination', and taking it from there. No discussion,, again. , infuriatingly.

Then Dr. Weihs. who i s Psvchiatric Consultant for the Steiner camphill Schools. He was inspiring. in a eentle sort of way, but when it turned i n t o a fullyfledged sermon Istarted expiring again.

En route, he made some ordinary, some out-of-date, (a pre-Popper critique), and some run-of-the-mill intelligent comments on the nature of science, arguing the need for suiritual auoroachesto life as well. science mighttell us how to do, but i t couldn't tell us what to do. or how to act out o f goodness and responsibility. N o discussion.

Maybe by now I should have got the message that whoever was organising the<e October Mav Lectures was more concerned to convey Steinerian and esoteric teaching than to explore the Iruniiers \^ KnJuledge, unich 10 my mind .nvulbt- ilic intt-rficr ot-tween

.

science and 'almost-science'. Anyway, what followed on Saturday was to leave me in little doubt. Maybe it was what people wanted -there were certainly many different paradigms o f consciousness in the room; but I think my frustrations were widely shared. Ă&#x192;

"The programme will focus on those energy networks which lie beyond the physical world. It will explore the possibility o f man, not only as an energy field interacting with energy fields of all other life forms, but also with those o f the solar system itself. Many feel that these exploratory probes across new energy frontiers will ultimately give rise to a new holistic science.

A science which will view man as a co-operative and creative partner in the natural order o f life and thus as a being with profound responsibilities." d

Saturday M y irritation with Saturday's whole day of lectures is double; partly because Messrs Milner, Smart and Meredith, from the Dept. of Metallurgy at Birmingham University, spouted so much stuff about the Astral Plane, and the 4 etheric forces. and how we are the Prodigal Sons in the Plan of the Godhead, and how everything ties i n to prove the Purpose and Pattern o f Existence; but partly, too, because tncy had without any doubt [he most mporiant and e\(.iting experimenldl results o f the lectures.and vet thev oresented them in an extremely bemuddling, magical.

- . and unscientific wav. For three sessions out o f four we weretreated to their Grand Cosmology, which they presented as if there were no question at all about its truth.It has some interesting points to it, and I personally agree withthe schemata that we are evolving from a-conscious matter through to fullv risalised, self-actualising being, andthat furthermore we'll be needing some thoroughly co-operative social structures to reflect the changes in consciousness.

(Not that Milner seemed to recognise anything anarchist about his Plan. In his interoretation it was thorouehlv sexist, to boot.) But scientifically, even almostscientificallv, even remotelv-almostscientifically; it was junk. ' Their experimental work involves send pulses o f electricity ofdifferent frequencies, and with different patterns o f pulse, through a bare photographic plate, and thev achieve remarkable photos .,f w h ~ is t undcni;ibl) an c i i e r ~ - l i e l u , and winch al-io, undcnidbly, c \ n 3 i l i

e three were highly evasive, saying ings like "we were forced into the ilosophy by the evidence", "we are fused ourselves", and "we have no efs" - which offers scant information t o why they wasted their and our lime pounding their beliefs at such length. eredith accepted that the phenomena ey had i n their photos were corona scharge patterns - but stated that they could also be interpreted in their way.

Then one o f them said that their way was preferable, since it gave them room for hope, and social progress as well. Strange

Many people who have tried to meditate and failed have succeeded when stoned. For some reason, grass considerably increases the ability t o concentrate on the mantra, and t o transcend Although most of the Eastern religions he Maharishi's included) claim that you can reach the transcendental or metaphysical state without external stimulaion, many Westerners have found that it much easier with the aid o f erass. After g learned how the wholething s, most people continue meditating

out of the ether. What they should have spent their time doing was explaining to us Just what corona discharge i s and why i t might be structured the way it i s on their photos; the relationships between ionisation (which i s what causes corona discharge) and the effect that ions have on our own consciousness (New Scientist 14.6.73); the relevance of serotonin, again; the possible role o f breathing in the conversion of air in the body; and the possible link-ups between the esoteric way of seeing things, involving chakras and auras, and a possible scientific way,

'

of John Davy's warning that the way we think about the universe affects what w e find.

Sorry to leave you so frustrated, with so little o f substance to grip on; that3s how the lectures left me. Last year's May lectures appear to have been far better.

Milner, Smart and Meredith have a book on their work coming out very soon, called 'The Loom of Creation', which deserves some hard thinking and reviewing, when i t i s published.

Guy Dauncey

First, get a mantra, a magical word that is meaningless in and o f itself. Supposedly the word should come from the Maharishi or one o f his teachers, and should be a word which is very personal and used exclusively by you. Being of a pragmatic nature, we fail to see why you can't make up your own magical word. Most mantras which we have heard of (and we gained this secret information through the usual

find a space in your thinking which seems sort of quiet, start saying the mantra -but not out loud and don't vocalise or move your lips. Stress the first syllable hard, and keep saying it over and over. I f You have to scratch or move, do so, but no matter what happens in your mind, keep saying the mantra. And concentrate on i t as long as you can.

After a while, stop saying the mantra, and relax your mind. Let whatever happens happen. You may hallucinate, or You may reach a poignant peak of euphoria, or, and this i s more likely, nothing may happen at all. If nothing

four syllables, with the first syllable stressed.

We will give you a mantra, but

After you've gotten where you w go with meditation when stoned, tr

nDsManua Methane Artisan The PracticalBui/dingof Methane Power Plants by L John Fry is now generally acknowledged to be the best book on small-scale methane generation yet written. Clarence Goeluke, who with his colleague W j Oswald at the University of California, Berkeley, has been one of the leading academic researchers into the biology of methane production, reviewed the book recently for CompostScience magazine. Hisverdict was as follows: "(this book) i s highly recommended by this reviewer to anyone intent upon building a digester for biogas production.. . . The chapter on the biology o f the digestion process is written in a style (that is) lucid and in a language intelligible to the nonspecialist inbiology . . . . . ~h~ section on design covers a wide variety of possible designs. . . . Especially fascinating to this reviewer was the 'inner tube' digester."

To give readers an idea o f the scope of the book's coverage, here i s list of chapter headings: 1. How it all started 2. Building a vertical drum digester 3. Top loader digester 4. First Full-scale digester 5. Working solution to scum accumulation 6. Gas Holders used on my farm 7. Digester types and scum removal 8. Biology of

Fry,s book has been available in Brilain for about a year, in a privately-published edition produced by Fry's nephew, Tony Knox. Up to now, Undercurrents' only reservation about the UK edition has been its price, which seemed a little high at £4 But then, asTony Knox pointed out in a letterto "1 ' J o h n Fry has let it all hang out in this book - all the never-before-revealed information he has painfully gathered over the years i s there. After a lifetime o f trying to convince skeptics, all he wanted to do was get the 'monkey' off his back and perhapsearn enough to ease his retirement."

We are pleased to announce that we have now '-om" to an arrangement with Mr Knox whereby we will sell the book at a reduced price to Undercurrents readers. To whet your appetite, here's a sample from the chapter on Building a Vertical Drum Digester:

yogurt culture.

Starter brew can be generated in a one or five gallon glass bottle. Care must be taken to fill the bottle only about % f u l l with either active supernatant from a local sewage works or the funoff from the low point on the land of any intensive stock farm in your district. Then fill !A more with fresh dung and leave the other half for fresh additions of manure at weekly intervals. Never fill to near the screw cap since foaming could block off the opening and burst the bottle. Of course, the screw cap must be left loo8 to keep the bottle from explodingexcep when agitating the bottle. I t is a peculiarity ot methane brews that occasional agitation is beneficial but.tha continuous agitation has an adverse effect.

Following are step by step instructions on how to build a vertical drum digester: 1) Get two metal drums, one o f 30 gallons with an outlet on top, and one of

Vertical drum digesters can be any two cylinders which fit insid another such as drums, buckets. cans, etc. The digester described made o f a 30-gallon drum fitted a 50-gallon drum.

One of the first steps in the constr tion of any sized unit is the brewing up

2) Remove the top o f the 50-gallon drum and the bottom o f the 30-gallon

are lucky enough to have an operating

3) Fit a valve into the small outlet in the top of the 30-gallon drum. This will be the gas outlet.

4) The 50-gallon drum is ready to be amixture of half slurry and half star

must exclude all the air from the gallon drum. Then close th 8) In cool climates, activ maintain a steadytemperature ' and 95' f: (35°C)After abou eks, gas should begin lo genera

Undercurrents Books, 11 Shadwell, Ulcy, Dursley, Gloucestershire, England.

raw material. If the digester is educe the heat.

to build and maintain.

11) To provide smooth movement of the inner drum, guiding pipes and rollers

...

inds up

By public acclaim! Positively the last appearance of the inimitable Woody! A must for all alternative power station workers. . .

..

It wasn't my idea!

Having seen fourteen pages o f Undercurrents taken up with my old, long essay (instead o f things Iwanted t o read!) I havea lot of sympathy with Pauline Stone (UC 12). So instead of another six Pages of the same, 1'11 try to sum UP what it was all about, why 1 think social theory matters, and what it might have t o do with Undercurrents, AT, and you.

Gluttons for punishment can probably scrounge a copy of the full es one o f the Undercurrents gan By the way, 1 would like t o some small working groups on culture theory, so could anyone interested please get in touch? (161 Hinckley Road, Leicester).

Right then:Why have soda/ theory in Undercurrents?

A good question. I suppose the answer is that while some Undercurrents readers want t o build solar collectors or keep goats for the fun of it, and others want to be more independent, most of them(I hope) are radicals, i e What they really want is a better, more human world -. and they have a hunch that alternative ways of living will help.

Why is theory so boring?

It isn't. A t least not for everyone. As with music, itk hard to believe that what turns you off turns someone else on. But it's true. Getting hold of this idea (subiectivity) i s itself an important part of social theory.

Why do radicals need theory anyway?

Without it, everything they do, all the struggles they take part in, will end in failure - or will be won without really making us more human, making a better world. Afterwards, the theory can be reduced to simple slogans for living, replacing the slogans of earlier theories, and the mindless slogans common today.

Of course there is no guarantee that any it Puts theory will be helpful, but us in with a chance.

When was 'Towards an A1 Culture' written?

FXIU --. , , 1. ~. 7. .1

-

Who for?

As a discussion draft among a small political group. There were ten copies made. Recently some people have made a few extra copies.

Why? Because I was beginning to see (with some help!) that class theory was built on bbishy assumptions, that its categories lasses) had less and less meaning in the odern world, and that its underlying lues were anti-radical. Yet class theory as the best-worked-out social theory, and the one on which most action slogans

1 was also starting to see alienation as the problem of the age, as a main condition of society, and not as a side effect of systems of exploitation and injustice.

Indeed, the struggle against inequality was increasing alienation.

Was the Undercurrents version the orjgjnajessay? ,.

Yes. I t was slightly abridgedledited, but not revised.

D o y o u still stand by i t ?

Yes, as far as i t goes. I would now say it doesn't go far enough, especially into human needs and relationships.

How many parts were there? first two (combined in UC were a 'from the heart' description of our sick world, and a look at some attempts to change it. Part three (UC 11 & 12) was yer actual culture theory. Part four was about living it. (Though still in the abstract: I didn't get my first taste of the problems - and delights - until later that year.)

Why culture theory? inlo sub.

First, because it diVimiety culm instead of just classes. second, because it is about building alternative cultures slowly instead of overturning the one we suffer from by revolution, or trying t o reform it.

Briefly, what's culture theory a l l about?

It starts by claiming that the N o 1 fact of modern society is that we are all living against each other, that i t s dominant values guarantee a rat race. The power by different factions - even the for more or less right struggles equality - aresecondary. To make the face 'fair', or a dead heat; to 'give power to the people', would be pure alienation.

The radical task is to scrap the race. This means new values. new veoule. So culture theory i s about a new radical direction which isneither right nor left.

So far there's nothing very original in this. Except that most people taking this view have seen i t as a moral oroblem (we .~~~ 'ought' to love each other) and have cut themselves off from politics. Culture theory proper starts by noting that human co-operative values are already around, and a few people are trying to practise them. I t puts forward a theory that i f groups of these people co-operate in such a way that their social relations ntcract with their values, then adialecticalsnowball may start to roll, drawing i n new people even as it changes attitudes. ~

At first this will be slow, with as ma setbacks as advances, and no effect old society. But the later stages will more like a revolutionary situation.

Should the new culture take over? because one of the new values i s tole to other ideas. I n any case there may more than one new culture. So the f i political stage is a world of voluntary states, overlapping because they haven boundaries. With love in the air, and people free to choose, authoritarian and alienating states will grow small and weak.

Thus natural choice will stabilise the new values if they once become dominant.

Could alternative cultures grow anywhere?

No. Only in a so-called liberal climate, I think.

Briefly, what about part four?

The first main point was: 'stop saying i t and start doing it'. Start living the new culture as best you can, instead o f persuading others to join you in doing nothing except persuade others! Since 'doing it' hurts, the phoney radicals will soon,melt away. The second point was that all possible physical and nervous energy should be used for the new culture, notagainst existing society. No more involvement in protest politics, still less i n the political games of a State which your heart no longer belongs t o . . . . .

Whenever a group of people try 'doing it' together, there are two sides to cooperation, and both must be operating before any 'take o f f i s possible. The first issubjective: building up attitudes o f trust, consideration, empathy, tolerance by being together, doing things together, talking out problems. The second is objective: breaking down a false autonomy by pooling incomes and resources.

Finally, the one exception to the 'no politics' rule (and then only when the culture is strong enough) i s a campaign on the democracy question. A series o f staged demands exposing i t s nonexistence at present, and leading finally to the demand for right o f withdrawal, for the voluntary state.

Are today's communes and collectives part o f alternative culture?

Yes. They have faced head-on the shattering experience of living with your defences down, and despite the casualty rate they have helped to improve the values climate in the last few years. But I think the critical step will be 'long range' income pooling - not confined to withdrawn collectives.

Where does alternative technology come in?

For me, i t doesn't. 1 see the problems of technology as marginal in themselves.

(The nuclear madness is asocitsl problem of insatiable consumption.) What's more, the strong self-sufficiency undertone of AT reflects a drive towards personal autonomy which is the hallmark o f alienation. However, community technology is valuable for itssodal implications.

And the wider interests o f Undercurrents helv to reolace a rio-off attitude to nature

ver's World, C.1 S. Anti-Report 1, Counter Information Services, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1.

Unilever is the world's ninth biggest urivate comuanv. It has world sales of ;bout £6,00 million per year, makes pretax urofits of about £35 million uer vear andemploys 350,000 people. It sells in ' tually every non-Iron-curtain country nd some of them) and has monopolies the score. Some o f the better known e: margarine in the U.K. (70% of the arket), Germany (75%), Sweden (7 zen food i n the U.K. (60%); ice-cr he U.K. (48%);and detergents in K . (45%), and India (43%). It is als timated to spend £400-50 million year on marketing expenditure all socially useless. Yet Unilever seems to go most unscathed by nationalisation, and espite anti-trust investigations in many ountries - U.K., U.S.A., Canada - i t

-

One reason for this i s Unilever's public invisibilitv and the lack of oublic knowledge about it, a matter of Unilever policy. The CIS Anti-Report tries to counter this with a hundred pages of facts, most of which the company would prefer forgotten. I t shows the dominance of Unilever in the world's oil and fats markets - 35% of the trade - and i t s effects on the third world, its spread ound the world and i t s diversity. In the K., a few of i t s household products are ersil, Gibbs toothpaste, Stork margarine, Bird's Eye frozen foods, Wall's ice cream and sausages, Vesta meals and John West salmon. I t also has Vinyl wallpaper, Thames Board Mills packaging, Lintas advertising, RBL market research, SPD transport, Crosfield's chemicals, BOCM cattle food. . . and so on to more than 500 subsidiaries. All of these trade under separate names and Unilever tries to hide i t s ownership of them from the public scan the products in the shops and try to find the name Unilever! This d i ~ i n out g and airing of facts i s very valuable and CIS have performed a tremendous task in doing it. CIS has also produced one of the best short histories of Unilever - better by far than the dry 3-volume 'official' history from which much of the material was drawn, I t brings out some of the reality behind the paternalistic Unilever a quote from William Lever in 1923, "We have been combing out inefficient men, too highly paid men, elderly men. . and I am confident this has produced a state of 'fear' in the minds of the remainder"

.

and in getting permission for new investmcnts. It also shows how Unilcver works with all capitalist governments, no matter how abhorrent - being a "good corporate 'citizen". Finally it gives one or two examples of Unilever's dealings with its workers especially in Wall's meat - and how successful i t is in the old policy of "divide and rule". Wall's meat sacks thousands of workers on the grounds that i t i s losing money, yet also Bird's Eye sacked 1000 workers in 1970171 and again i n 1975, despite being one of Unilever's most profitable companies.

For all these reasons, the book is a very good pound's worth and highly recomm. ended. However, i t s analysis and conelusions or lack of them - arc often suspect. It does not distinguish in the report between those areas where Unilever has a choice and those where it has to behave as it does, because o f the capitalist system. Indeed, i t implicitly assumes Unilever always has a choice, In many instances, i t i s determined t o prove Unilever does wrong whatever it chooses, For example, i t condemns Unilever for exploiting the woman who works only at home, yet says "the growing number o f women who both work and keep a household going. . . plays into Unilever's hands." On p. 24 marketing expense (including the sales force) is a social waste, yet on p. 42 rationalisation of sales forces i s attacked. Unilever i s criticised

mean we have to admire it, but nor do we have to blame i t - we have to understand it and learn how to attack i t successfully.

Unilever wastes a fortune on wholly unproductive advertising and packaging.

But what would happen if i t stopped? I f it did i t unilaterally, the competitors would just gain the business. I f it did so by agreement with its competitors - or by force o f government action - retailers and wholesalers would gain, increase their own profits, and decrease their efficiencies, wasting a proportion of the gain. I f Unilever takes over a company and 'rationalises' it, is it worse than driving i t out of business by taking away i t s market with greater efficiency? At least, in the first case, workers thrown out of a job will get better redundancy terms!

Weneed to fight to get Unilevcr recognised for what i t is - but to do that successfully we need to know its strengths. I t does waste millions, but frozen food does cut down waste, preprepared meals do save time for people who run households and have paid employment, detergents are better to wash with than hard soap (visit Eastern Europe to appreciate this) and margarine based on vegetable oils does use the earth better than butter. These are real benefits to society and we should try to retain them. There is ample scope to do that with raw materials accounting for only

might do and where we need to change the entire system. Unilever is not allpowerful and can be beaten. The references in the text to "Unilever's central computers", "Unilver being sure of its aims", and its "computerised planning" seem very strange to those who work within it and know of the internal quarrels, the conflicts between its parts about objectives, the indecisiveness of its management - and its lack o f computerised planning! CIS mention that the US trade unions forced Unilver out of enzyme washing powders there (and that Unilever would not disclose this in the UK). Since then, the Unions have repeated their success in the UK and enzyme powders have been barred here, too! What is highly revealing is the lack of publicity this has been given anywhere -. yet i t is a leading example of workers' power.

We should also fight for more government control of its marketing practices and its monouolv cowers But finally, we can only tame andcontrol Unilever, by taking over the whole capitalist system Unilever i s so much a part o f the whole.

Despite the weakness of the analysis, we can give thanks to CIS for providingsuch a useful weapon. It deserves wide circulation and contains lessons to be

Synerjy, from Synerjy, PO Box 4790, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10017, USA. $4.50 (including postage).

Calling itself ' A Directory of Energy Alternatives' Synerjy is produced twice a year and July 75 saw i t s third edition.

Most of it i s bibliography; it's quite thorough (I guess), but each edition contains thousands of references without an' attempt to distinguish particularly useful pieces from the rest, so anyone who wants to make use o f it must be preparec to exercise their own judgement. (No b a ~ thing in itself.) References include books journals, magazines and reports by variot institutions including governments. Subject categories are solar, geothermal, electric, water and wind-power. Most of the quoted sources are American and no1 readily available outside the US except i r good academic libraries. The raw information-content of ail these works could be fairly described as 'ail you want to know and more', perhaps considerably more. 11 fact, the impression left by Synerjy is th, i t is really designed for PhD students rather than communards, and one must seriously ask whether, in the struggle to revolutionise society, a screwdriver and some timber might be more useful Martyn Partrids

Alternative England and Wales, from Nicholas Saunders, 65 Edith Road, London SW10, or bookshops. 368 pp. Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ2.50 This i s a gigantic drawing together of information which answers most questions about the alternative as it stands in England and Wales. i t represents acolossal amount of work and much of the material has not been set down before. It bulges with names, addresses, orgtini'idtions, people, I'si:ngs 1opic.i 2nd yeugraphic.il and cro^-relerencea, ;inJ more. I t 1-1 K S .II>~JIwno diiierent eroupi are, what they do, and sometimes what^ they are and who they do. Apart from details on existing groups, it's also very helpful on getting things started, such as transvestite community newspaper ecoherbal media squats, just to give you a glimmer of the comprehensiveness of the beast. I t also takes in, en passant. a good overview of the Left, Money, Work, the Law, and lots of other things freaks tend to feel ambivalent about.

The book compares favourably with earlier guides, from-the Appendix to ~ i c h a r dNeville's Playpower on, in not being lust a guide to a day by day, hand to mouth survival; it covers telephones,

cars, drugs, alternative technology, mysticism,and more. It also emphasises ongoing, hopefully permanent, projects involving deep changes in patterns o f living. Perhaps this i s part of the reason w h y i t usually leads one to people rather than tools. in detail. the listines seem verv accurate a3 far as one can tell.~ometimesthe detail might be more than the subjects wish; a particular case is the address of a refuge for battered wives which i s normally kept secret. Some sections are inevitably less detailed, for instance the one on drugs, which has'too little on exotic pills. But no criticism; the problem is going to be using all the information that's here rather than looking for more.

It's part o f the uncomplicated alternative way of life that the non-Metropolitan freak tries to live that he doesn't need huge lots of information or access to a wide range of tools. But it's likely that even the simplest liver will find something of value here, and he'll certainly find encouragement and sure knowledge that parts of an alternative society can and does exist, independent o f London growing painfully and hard but gro nonetheless.

Dave Smith

narchy State and Utopia, Robert Nu~ick ackwell. £5.50and Agoinst Mefhod, ul Feycrbend, New Left Books. £5.75 wo fairly hcddy books here, which we noting for the benefit of people ried that constant bashing o f ustrial scrap t o fabricate AT artifacts t providing quite enough stimulus for ' inely trained intellects. . , , ercurrents gets criticism for i t s ertarian ideas. Well, we are neither agazine whose sole rationale i s the oning of a 'line', nor a trade journal, but of us associated with it want to towards a more decentralised and n-scaled society. We also favour terpretation o f what science and atever our reasons for getting nvolved with AT hardware, the political dvantages and implications seem obvious But once you have abandoned the ess of the nation state and partynated parliamentary democracy, do you replace i t with? The coma ly self-sufficient and exclusive omestic unit, even if 'extended' along communal lines, does not provide a satisfying answer. Far too many items - food, materials, middle-range technology e electronics components, processed als, and even methane digesters - are ply not going to be available from ffuse network of small, free, ependent communities. So a degree of cialisation and interdependency ecomes necessary - and with it a recognition that this system o f mutual aid eeds protecting, perhaps from outsiders, erhaps from dissenting members. s this sort of preoccupation that anarchist theoreticians. We take it matic that we are free and that ity is to be resented and resisted, yet we know that freedom consists not only i n being able to do what we want but also that we should exist in a situation in which certain things can be taken for granted - the knowledge that we will notbe harmed, and that cessities (and perhaps a few luxuries) Id be available without question. Yet

indlvid~dlsin the group, and how does our mutual aid protection network stop becoming an authoritarian state with a panoply of bureaucracy and 'law' enforcement?

In redlity these problems are not actuallv eoine ,, to be answered bv the coni c n l uu, .ippii~ition\)Ib ..cpr nt,, nor i r- , bul bv. -,n'r'.u.,:iv un i i t i -i i ~ i.n i ~tdrk'rts. . vision and theory provide spur and inspiration. There, however, you have i t the usual anarchist journals and books seem preoccupied with their historic provenance. Who now, apart from introverted scholars, wants to know if Godwin and his followers among the Romantic Poets were 'really* libertarians, whether Kropotkin is too pre-technological to be relevant, who values the confrontation between 'liberal* and 'proletarian' anarchism i n today's almost postIndustrial situation, and who relates to the rornanticising o f late nineteenth century bombers and shadowy figures from the Spanish Civil War? Hence the value o f writers with the arrogance and confidence to3tate their position overtly. Murray Bookchin, for example, not only reads easily, but his unwillingness to genuflect before his historical antecedents (in his books history appears as events and movements, not as the comments of previous interpreters of the past) makes i t that much easier to bring the technological change dynamic to the forefront and not as an awkward updating footnote. But Bookchin isn't intellectually tough enough for some tastes - he i s a good seer - The Benign Environment, an excellent social critic - Post Scarcity Anarchism (though I am increasingly unhappy with excluding scarcity and its problems from my tomorrow), and not a bad inspirational utopian -Limits o f the City. Bookchin, however, appeals t o the guts of the intellectual classes, and not to their brains. And this i s where Robert Nozick comes in.

Anarchy, State, and Utopia i s written bv the Professor o f Philoso~hvat Harvard and has already won an ~ m e r i c a n National Book Award and been extensively praised in the straight press, Like Bookctiin, Nozick is not very interested in the provenance of his ideas.

He asks, how today do we justify the

..

existence o f the state? Does i t depend on an uncontrollable historic impulse, on a mythical social contract to which we were bound by our ancestors? Of course he rejects these ideas and, i f you are in 3. mood to he challenged, follow his ideas through, for stimulus, i f not actually to agree with him. His two most helpful ideas are the building up of and iustification for, a 'minimal' state which protects against force, theft, fraud, and the breach of contract, but n o more; and the building up o f a style o f utopia which allows for further internal development -ih, those static blueprints which would have us forever fixed in a picturesque DOSC o f never-ending h a ~ ~ i n c s s ' ' The other 'tough readalso pays homage to anarchist origins. Against Method extends the definition of what we call 'science'. Feyerbend's author blurb i s replaced by a simple astrological chart and although he never says as much, Feyerbend's justification for an antiauthoritarian science may make things (i lot easier for those who feel guilty about their preoccupations with 'freak' science. Orthodox science a5 a body is authoritarian because of the belief that 'scientific method' (by which is meant these days the operation of the hypothesis, observation, falsificationlverification development o f immutable scientific law) i s objective and therefore can't be that science isn't neutral while science is funded by capitalism and while scientists view their results with the expectations o f the capitalist system. An anarchist critic would probably go along with this, but then take the argument further.

Feyerbend says laws are good for predicting results, but the only principle that does not inhibit progress is: anything goes. He diminishes the falsification/ verification approach as hopelessly removed from the realities of the practice of science. Science needs not only observation, but observers, and i f we observe the observers the one thing that is evident i s the rarity of the application of 'orthodox scientific method' in scientific discovery. A philosophy of science attempting t o ignore metaphysics and rejecting myth i s only an artificial construct.

Against Method i s d lovely, outrageous book with a clever internal construction.

I was disappointed that Feyerbend failed to mention either of the people to whom he is most close: John Platt and Alfred North Whitehead, but 1 came out o f his anarchist book with a swineine ,. rre\t-fcticc for inc .ir-.h~'~\pic.~. \\nne i r i l r u rie~.lr:iltii-:,nl -,'. J ~ IJ,:,c. understood authority.

More importantly, these two books show lhdt anarchist ideas continue to develop and refine To revert to Bookchin: technology (of a certain sort) can be liberatory, but we need to keep a theoretical and practical alertness t o naivity in our concepts of freedom. Ssufficiency i s sometimes related t ness, and worse.

-

Magick S.S.O.T.B.M.E., "An Essay on Magic, its Foundations, Development, and place in Modern Life". Published by The Mouse That Spins, (something t o do with Paper Tiger Productions, c/o 28 West Common, Redbourn, Herts). 80p In these days o f paperbacks with titles like 'Black Magic Today' sellinga million copies, it's refreshing to come across an unpretentious book in this realm. This book is more than i t seems, for though this is merely one aspect o f its purpose. I n reality, i t is a comparison o f four different methods o f 'oDeratine upon the world' (which the author calls Art, Religion, Science and Magic) and an attempt at explaining an u ~ u i u aone, l Magic, in terms of a more common one, Science.

These four subdivisions of what one might call 'Human intellectual motivation' may appear t o be oversimplistic, but the author, 1 think, intends them to be taken both as building blocks from which real human situations are constructed. and a5 'proverbs' which have the seeds of truth within them enablineus t o underThe author contrasts these subdivisions by means o f examples: the lighting of a fire under difficult conditions, for nstancc, when tackled by each o f the methods, shows four different mental processes. The Magical and the Scientific would vield the same practical result, but would use different courses o f reasoning The Scientist would choose drv wood because he knows that the latent heat u f evaporation o f absorbed water would hinder ignition. The Magical thinker would make the same decision, but for different reasons: he knows that the Elements Fire and Water are antipdthetic.

On the other hand, the Religious thinker will choose dry wood for traditional reasons (i e the logic of past generations) and the Artist because i t 'feels right'.

We can distinguish these modes o f thought by concluding that thought i 5 compounded of four elements, intuition, observation, logic and feeling; in this scheme, magic is the result of thought directed toward observation and feeling as the source o f impressions, whilst Science i s the combination o f loaic and observation. By drawing these ideas in a circular clock-face type of diagram, we an attribute different systems o f thought he quadrants between .these elements. nother distinguishing mark of these thods o f operation is their different attitudes to belief. The Artist has no need for belief, in the sense that i t is positively ngerous for him to believe there is any t way of representing something. The igious thinker strives to believe, in d, i n the afterlife, in salvation, or atever. The Scientist, however,

believes, at least, that his method is 'a sound approach to the Universe', which, o f course, it is.. . to the Physical Universe, no doubt. Where this materialistic attitude breaks down, in the 'fringe areas', the method either transmutes itself into a more metaphysical approach (e g certain areas o f sub-atomic physics), or the scientist rejects the area o f study entirelv, witness e g. the case against ESP until about 15 vears ago As in this latter instance, the re'jectionis often on 'pseudological grounds: "ESP i s an extremely unlikely hypothesis; the hypothesis o f fraud i s easier t o fit into the accepted framework o f science;. . . . one must accept the hypothesis of fraud". The Magician, on the other hand, uses beliefs as tools, though not in the way the Scientist would interpret the phrase. The Magician can - nay, must be able utterly to believe a Magical 'theory', only minutes after having utterly believed its converse - and justas quickly reverse the process agdin. He is able t o do this because he conceives of no 'absolute truths'.

The Magician can sometimes cause ordinary people to operate in a Magical way the man who recently appeared, believing implicitly in the 'power o f water', was able to put water in his car's petrol tank and drive'away: others saw this and were able to do the same, oblivious o f the fact that until recently before, they would not have considered it possible. But later, they were persuaded to go back to their original belief and water no longer worked.

The redson for the difference in interpretation as regards 'using beliefs as tools' lies in the fundamental difference between the concept o f the Theory in

almost bv definition, it will work. In i-ither word<, there i s no truth, or objective reality, in magic. I f you believe that, for instance, water will drive cars, then i t will. No question about it. The belief results in an effect, rather than the more usual converse. This lack of objectivity is one reason lor the secrecy so common i n magic. Not onlv would one lower one's 'belief factor' by exposing one's methods t o the obiective gaze o f science (and other people)but one would also confuse other occultists who used other systems totally at variance with one's own - ones which would otherwise have little hindering their successful operation. For the same reason, Magical orders structure their system o f personal and group evolution into a succession of ' grades' - you don't want extraneous beliefs and methods to cloud your successful operation of the magical subsystem related t o your particular grade, and as you progress up the structure you gain an ability to operate in any particular kingdom, unhindered by possible converse relationshipsand dttributions taining to other kingdoms.

Similarly, Magic does not req a 'body of knowledge' except within a group; all members of which practice the same magical system, i t is very tempting to suggest from this that Science is merely a subset o f Magic' but I believe this is onlv true i f we redefine Science and Magic outside the terms of our orieinal four mental Drocesses. I f we take ~ r b w l e y ' sdefinition o f Magic (or should I say 'Magick') as 'The A r t and Science of causing Change in conformity to Will', apart from asking for a further definition o f Will, we must further redefine the basic system-structure. I have no intention o f doing this here.

One would have thought there would be no basic conflict between Magic and Science - or the other two - but, obviously, there is. This appears to be a result of a failure t o perceive the most basic substrata of the different methods.

The magician these days tends to regard science :is a system well suited t o the physical universe, whilst lacking in facilities tor comprehension of nonphysical systems, which the magician uses all the time. (Although he might grudgingly accept certain aspects of nuclear particle theory as being 'nonphysical, whilst laughing up his sleeve at the secret groups o f scientists hidden away by respective governments, working away from the body o f scientific knowledge, turning quietly into magicians).

Unfortunately, some magicians seem deliberately to make i t hard for science t o

efforts to cope with this carnage, Release has assembled a country-by-country digest o f useful information for hapless victims and anyone who feels inclined to helo them out. Subiects covered include

n Daniken are asking for trouble by tending to operate in the scientific ame of reference, without fulfilling the iteria. In the first case, we find someone ho chooses his own tests, which, if ssed, are usually of no consequence, d i f failed are called into question. With

Tough Shit Trucker's Bible and Just Another Truckstop, from Release, c/o 1 Elgin Avenue, London W9. £ for both.

for criticism from the scientific oint. (There probably would have but it would have been super-

of both these theories, until we decided nd so on. Having paraphrased and ed around some of the points in this k, and when 1 say some I mean just or three, I hope you will go out and y this little book if you have any eling for the magical way of working. It as a good position as a bridge between e ordinary way o f looking at things and t of study of a magical system, but has a lot to say to those of us who we know quite a b i t about the t. I t i s very easy to forget that the tist must be very open-minded and y to change his belief in an instant.

I st he may work within a certain stem all his life, i f he allows that orking to become 'the key to the niverse', then he i s fooling himself. He is n g the risk of becoming dogmatic, nabie to accept the validity of sornelse's system. ("As I have The Key no-one who doesn't believe as I do sit.") So the Golden Dawn has someing to t e l l us, as does Don Juan. I f we rget that, we might as well give up and o round the Wheel a few more times, owever 'Aquarian' we imagine ourselves e. And not only are there an infinity to the Cosmos, there are an, or doors, and almost all of them racticui: vou have to 20 out and do

I f it takes a hundred psychologists twenty years to prove a link between marijuana and hair on the calm of vour hdnii, thi-n yuu've go1 much fiiure pdiiencc man 1 haic. Mi-dnwhilc J whi.11~ lot of pertectly reasonable people are wasting away their days in exotic jails because of their efforts to provide goodies for the folk back home. The Trucker's Bible and i t s updated sequel is a comprehensive account o f the sort of bum deals passed around by the Blue Meanies just about everywhere from Kilmarnock to Katmandu. It's a huge downer, but required reading for anyone who thinks the stuff just grows on bushes.

The rap for large-scale possession is pretty tough even in this Isle of.Kings, but out in the stix where the liberal conscience takes its holidays, repressive measures are

Can Britain Feed Itself?, Kenneth Mellanby, Merlin Press. £1.95 Kenneth Mellanby is already being quoted far and wide as the respected ecologist who thinks Britain can achieve agricultural independence. The basic requirement o f his Plan is that we, and not our animals, should eat the fifteen million tons of grain we grow each year.

But with that as a starting point, there arc a number of choices open to us. With

brutalit; and simiiarSocd~police customs (and Customs customs, for that matter).

There's also a synopsis of major government reports, largely ignored, advocating the decriminalisation of cannabis and its relatives. And there's an overview o f the international smuggling scene which ought to dissuade anyone daft enough l o contemplate jacking in their job at the bank to set up a Hollow Teddy-Bear Import Co. Fact is, most o f the dope that gets into this country i s handled by well-organised. highly-financed operators who know what they're at, while most of the busts involve enthusiastic amateurs who think they've discovered a hitherto unimagined hidingplace. (There aren't any.) I f you're the sort of nice person who reads Undercurrents you almost certainly fall into the second category, so you'd be well advised to stay at home, score your monthly quid-deal and read these books instead.

And i f you order them from Release, please send some postage, cos they ain't any richer than you are.

Martyn Partridge

in the environment. Better use of hill pasture, animal manure returned to the land, vegetables and hens in back gardens, and beans instead o f meat as a protein supplement. But a few eyebrows have ai hi1; defenceof straw. heen burning, grubbing up of hedges, chemical fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides. To be fair, he says that straw will in future be too precious to burn, despite the labour of it, ~ lhe's~prepared ~ ,

uac A Guide to Alternative Medicine. Donald Law Phd DBM PsyD. Turnstone Books.

1974. 21 2 pp. Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ2.50 The author, says a blurb, is ' A Doctor of Philosophy, o f Botanic Medicine and of Literature, he holds diplomas for psychology, dietetics and other related subjects.' (Pity he couldn't spell 'dietetics' right i n that case - mis-spelt 'Diatetics' in 'Contents' and on p. 85 and p. 202. Also, by the way, there are no Doctorates of Botanic Medicine awarded by universities in this backward land of ours.) You'd think too that getting all those qualifications might have kept him busy enough, but no: 'When not travelling in connection with his research studies' - no details given - 'he climbs, shoots, enjoys sailing, etc. He holds several medals for running, life-saving, etc.

Paints in oils, plays guitar and chess. He has been awarded two honorary professorships, one English, the other French - no professorial details provided isn't enlightened either as t o whe life-saving medals are for the ordi humdrum kind o f life saving, or f native-medical life saving; but since tells us on p. 193 that 'many people have had temperatures of 110 (Fahrenheit) for a few days and s t i l l rallied round' (a phenomenon totally unknow ordinary doctor who believes in fuddy-duddy way that a temper 110 spells d-e-a-t-h), he certain! tn deserve one or two of th He has also written at least a mere fifteen being modes the front of the present volume, th others being mentioned in the tex on subjects as diverse as palmist swimming, herbs, botanic m ness, and philosophy - so that we apparently confronted with a pol and one of phenomenal energy.

Still, the topic's alternative nied' ' so let's see what he's got t o say ab Well, first, there are a few mis-spel pantothemic' (instead of 'pantothe acid on p. 103, 'lumber' for 'lumba p. 125, and 'raisings' for 'raisins' o D. 122. And then a doctorate of D

neral salt' (p. 99 -odd, beca

remedies, baths), and yet others certainly of no value whatsoever to a one but their practitioners (phrenulo radieithesia, copper rings, and treatme with colours). One or two - like Lakhovsky's Oscillatory Coils and Sunshine Cure (syn. sunbathing) . particular ill-read allouafh had never ijc I ' i s oi-'ldri.. ,inJ pcinup, IIC luck) tni'ugh ne\?c k. . ~ , I I ~ L ,'tLr.><,lncrn 'igdin.

u4betes n-ieil:tu>in'spidus' ip. 19-1 :nere .snit, iherr .,re two Q U ' I C d,linct di'ic'.ises, didbrtcs mcllitus dna Ji.ibetci nsipidu's).

No matter. Medical quibbles and carpings perhaps. Perhaps. Let us get down to the meat o f the matter. The book starts with a mention (analysis 'would be too strong a word, much too strong) of some of the defects o f allopathic (i.e. orthodox) medicine. A few of these are on target, though 'permanent genetic damage to the blood' (p. 15), whether due to phenylbutozone (most doctors spell it 'butazone') or anything else, is an entity unknown to allopaths; the news that 'several universities have, established Chairs of tatrogenic Med (p. 16) i s news to this keen observer the medical scene; doctors (as distinc from Dr. Law) gave up about sevent years ago believing that bad smells f drains caused disease (p. 31), and i a decade where most medical rese directed at auto-immune disease, inherited disorders, non-bacterial envir mentally produced disease, and over- and under-nutrition the notion that allopaths believe 'bacteria are the sole caus disease' (p. 34) is, so to say, a sha simplistic. Finally, Dr. Law - wh apparently aged 50 or 60 - may say I remember my grandparents' genera most vividly. Illness was exceptionally rare' (p. 32), but the hard fact is that out of 1,000 boy babies born in this country i n 1900 only 247could expect to reach age 70, whereas in 1970 563 out o f every 1.000 could exoect to. Illness rare.

that not ail the of thes various arcane therapeutic rites ma even to three-score years and ten. Co almost did (p. 83) - he died one da 69, and it's to be hoped he didn't st that day with 'Day by day, in ever I angrowing better and better' els must have got a brief, nasty shock a Dr. Edward Each (p. 55-57), wh invented Bach's Flower Remedi joined' as Dr. Law puts i t 'the Majority at the early age o f f i f t (According to Bach, says Dr. La are people who suffer from adv hopelessness, and for them gars specified'. 'Advanced hopel ood, very good; though th css sure about gorse for i t -- unless th dvanced hopeless were to be f hrown into a bush of the stuff.) hird in this wretched negativistic t gue there was Priessnitz, he o f t ater Cures, 'one o f those giant according to Dr. Law (p. 169) 'w deeds raise them above their fell 'intelligence, steadfastness of p for the beneficial results of th work' - except he didn't mak a beneficiary himself, for he Culpeper, too died at 38. Let's Only a lifelong allopathic seep a devotee of more and more me some years, would think in such t - O.K. well then, let's look at Dr. alternative medicine (60 varieties). a lot of eood to sav about all sixtv. a

credit by a long chalk for the improvement in life expectancy should go to doctors, but some t o e teachers, politicians, et quite a different matter Having disposed of al in 40 pages, Dr. Law tu on the alternatives. He lives, which is a lot, especia than 50 are alternative mode went. Well, I mean, suppose you get you can't treat yoursel ways simultaneously, can this moronic, sloth-like all Moreover, the list includes probable or certain val

tion) in the States, though, that establishment suppression, doubt ts with the CIA, had a I out Dr. jarvis's Apple C' oney cure, which Dr. La years ago it confiscated ent, though perhaps Dr. ow. (He refers to i t twice -d p.49 - as 'Apple Cider, Vinegar oney', so maybe we're not talkin he same thing. And maybe we are.)

Dr. Law also believes in all kinds of things orthodox medicine totally re'ec r example: that honey is 'a heal ural laxative' (p. 50 - it's mos ars and nice flavour, in fact): th

ridiculous comparison in a book meanifor the laity. (Pcrhitps, however, Dr, Law i s not as up-To-ddteas he niight be: of the few standard mcdiciil texts he quoies in

er' (p. 96 . - actually fl he body as fluorides, ause fluorine, the elemen This ridiculous book is not of itself his too I liked (p. 80): 'Mediaeval

review could have been written on certain

use for breath (are you sure you ow how to take one?). Dr. Law is somehough not usually bv i s diagrams 1 will pass in t o recommend to con-

who believes that sort of claptrap would believe the earth i s flat and would deserve to fall off o f i t into outer space. Well,

when there is a numb

heer, concentrated, Marx B

tumour, then get yourself to an orthodox doctor just as fast as your legs can carry you, brother: i f you don't, you may well

Save Your Own Seed. Lawrence D. Hslls.

The Henry Doubleday Research ~ssocial tion, Booking, Braintree, Essex.

'Once we dug for victory and now we dig for peace, from 'rat races', 'vicious spirals' %eit tightening' . . . and all the other stock phrases o f a n age when these flourish like weeds, but unfortunately cannot be composted."

So writes Lawrence Hills in the foreword to his new booklet on saving your own seed. i n line with the philosophy of the Henrv Doubledav Research Association this booklet i s written to help gardeners by giving practical directions for raising the easier seeds, to save money in these inflationary times and to save those varieties which are now vanishing from the seed catalogues. Seed raising is not as easy as i t sounds. There are the pitfalls of the F , hybrids, rogues, crosspollination and poor summers. However, for those who succeed there is the satisfaction of being able to ignore the new EEC regulations and the seed merchants who aim to fill our gardens with bigger and more prolific tasteless vegetables.

The beginner is advised to start with beans, lettuces, onions and spinach.

Because these are easy, they are cheap but this is relative - nothing i s cheap if you

Pluto Press's new book, Your Employers'Profits, by Christopher Hird, is very useful. It talks about finding out

0

avin ur aeon -

--

are on a pension. With these all one has to do is to allow the plant to run to seed and to catch the seed before i t is dis-

pensed by the wind. With the correct dryingand storing you will have seeds for years to-come. One well grown lettuce will produce 30,000 seeds and as these have been successfully germinated after as long as thirteen years i t i s well worth the effort. The more ambitious can try growing their own onion sets, resistant to onion fly and guaranteed to produce onions even in a bad summer. For these the poorer the soil the better. Other seeds well worth trying are peas, tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, potatoes and some root crops. All require their own techniques for cultivation, drying and storage.

The brassicasare more difficult. Because these are genetically similar to some weeds it is easy to end up with the kind

ot briissicd one often find5 growing on the cliff tops. The shrewd gardener is advi to invest in half a pound of first clas cauliflower seed, due to its difficult produce and its long keeping chara istics i t i s thought to be a better in ment than krugerrands. Potatoes too, selected carefully from the greeng will crop just as well as the expens potiitoes.

Altliough seed growing has man advantages it does involve land bei occupied for up to three years. Ho as the mdioritv, of seed will keen f long as two years and in some long as fifteen i t does mean th growing i s not necessarily Seed from one plant will provid many years sowing. No seed grov complete without a germination test earl on in the year - no more difficult growing mustard and cress.

I n all, an excellent 50p worth f gardener - if only for the jingle o last page revealing the secrets o f t packet life of the vegetable seeds. now the annual dilemma, to throw aw the old and buy new (all those half use packets) or to risk the old and possibl a poor crop. Seed merchants - all revealed.

~~.

~

gas plant, agricultural digesters, engineering and commercial considerations, third world aspects and a l o t more. An excellent overview. Also outstanding but

declared and real, and how to gauge

a password to these pages, but the book isn't likely to be very valuable to strugglingcountry anarchists. It's a blockbusting analysis of the problem of values and ethics in various cultures and makes a lot of modern social analysis look pale indeed, but doesn't enter the same sort of ground as Conquest o f Bread or Fields Factories and Workshops.

ITDG Publications (9 King St, London WC2E 8HN) keep on quietly producing the goodies, which we've failed to keep up with for some time. So better write for a complete list if you are likely to need anything. They've recently produced

ITDG haven't got round the laws of Physics yet, it can raise the water to much higher than a metre but only a fraction o f the throughput can be raised.

Australia', we thought, when we saw the September issue of Earth Garden was labelled Spring. And so i t proved; they're at PO Box I 1 I,Balmain 2041, Australia, Very countrified and Mother Earth 'News-like, with no political line, and they'd run a mile from carrying a shock horror probe on oil rigs in the Bass Strait, But what there i s i s very well done; biodynamics, music, geese, compost, bees, building, and more, with lots of

NATO, Larzac, Commoner, and M Bookchin, with Ecology and Revo tionary Thought in translation. Re good, and rather Undercurrents-like. I seems that there are a.number of radi science groups operating in Italy, mos around universities, and i f any others have anything else this good, we wan see it.

Lastly, a new magazine of the U scene which we'll mention again if keeps up to expectations. It's Nuf edited by R W Morrell, 443 Meado Nottingham, NG2 3GB, and is the organ o f the Nottingham UFO lnv

A FEW SHORT WORDS, PLEASE

John

Bridge Farmhouse claot",, Nr trewkerne Somerset

INFLATION EXPLAINED O n the \vI~olewe think you are very nice and look forward t o reading each new issue of Undercurrents, hut whnt w e can't understand is why, after an excellent review of A m m y Lovins' World Energy Strategies. Chris Hutton-Squire gels so miich space i which to indulge his personal feelirl~sabout us. His words. 2no+

,

didn't get one.

A I happens, the book is expensive because it is imporfed from the USA. and the reason why it was published there was in order to get a world-wide distribution for it which we Couldn't manage ourselves. There are other reasons aswcll, to d o with such mundane matters as FOE'S cash-flow situation a n d the administrative problems of handling publications.

If Chris really wants all the t a i l s , all he has t o d o is t o come and ask - o r better still he is quite welcome to try whenever he likes to make a better job than we can i f "getting the message out as cheaply as possible to every corner of the Land". We can't pay him anything f o r doing it, but it may help m settle his """eas" feelinns".

9 Poland St London W l

FOE

Subscription Rates for six bi monthly issues includinq postage

Single Copy & Back Issue rates including postage

Xmas?

British Isles: United Kingdom, Irish Republic, Channel Islands & Isle of Man 2 . 5 0 (sci-ond class postage)

1 I'd like to receive Undercurrents regularly, posted to me by [ Mail / Surface Mail ( delete as appropriate).

I enclose a cheque/postal order for in payment subscription rates opposite).

I entitles me to six bi-monthly issues.

1

£0.5 per copy (sci:.

......................

United States & Canada

S 7.50 including alrtreight t o New York and postage from there bv second class mail. Delivery takis tilree t o fourteen days.

All Other Countries SURFACE MAIL C2.50 ( $ 6 . 5 0 US)

A i r Mail

Sl.10 per cop?. by Surface Mail

to order Back Issues of Undercurrents, to be to me by Air Mail /Surface Mail. a cheque / postal order for in payment (see back issue rates opposite).

....................

 £ 0 . 5 01s 1.10)

AIR 1 W L

buiope 1.3.90 (59.40 U S ) Zunc A (Middle I .ill & h . A l r n a , ionglily*) Â £ 4 . 5 ( SIO 80 US) Zone B ( A t r i ~ aIndia,* , elcJ [son ( S n o n i Zone C (Australid, Japan e t *~) Â £ 40 (51 3.00 US)

To order your copies, just fill in the for

1

I I: 1 'i

...................................................................................... £ 7sp isl.no)

I!

ADDRESS

.............................................................................

Iradical t echnologu

including John Todd o f the New Alchemy Institute; Robert Jungk, author of Humanity 2000; the Street Farmers, a group o f anarchist architects; Peter van Dresser;-and Sietz Leefland, editor o f Small Earth, the Dutch journal o f alternative technology.

Also included between the main sections of the book is a series o f visionary drawings by the gifted illustrator after publication, and you'll be able to <es, in March or April o f next year Clifford Harper, evoking the spirit and buy it from us for the cover price, some Idwood House will finally publish the practice of Radical Technology: 'how Ă&#x201A;ÂŁ2.50 plus postage, again after publicadercurrents magnum opus, Radical i t could be'. These drawings, or 'visions' tion. Here i s Peter Harper's summary of chnology. In the States and Canada it'll include a communalised urban garden the book, for lazy reviewers and prospect available in January. Please don't write layout; a household basement workshop; ive purchasers. us, or Wildwood, to order copies, as a community workshop; a community >ywill be widely available in bookshops media centre; a collectivised terrace of urban houses; and an autonomous rural housing estate. follow her or his own personal approach, Radical Technology is a large-format, The book ends with a comprehensive sometimes descriptive, sometimes extensively illustrated collection o f directory o f the literature and active analytic, sometimes technical, sometimes original articles concerning the reorganisaorganisations in Radical Technology. This political. The contributors are all tion of technology along more humane, notes inevitable gaps in the book's rational and ecologically sound lines. The authorities in their fields.

The book is divided into seven sections: coverage, points the reader to where more many facets of such a reorganisation are information can be found, and provides Food, Energy, Shelter, Autonomy, reflected in the wide variety of contribualso an overall picture of a growing moveMaterials, Communication, Other Pertions to the book. They cover both the ment. spectives. Over forty separate articles 'hardware' - the machines and technical include items on fish culture, small-scale methods themselves - and the 'software' Radical Technology: Food and Shelter, water supply, biological energy sources, - the social and political structures, the a definitive zoology of the windmill, self- Tools and Materials, Energy and Comway people relate to each other and to munications, Autonomy and Community. help housing, building with subsoil, their environment, and how they feel Edited by Godfrey Boyle and Peter making car-tyre shoes, the economics of about it all.

Harper, and the editors of Undercurrents. autonomous houses, what to look for in The articles in the book range from Wildwood House, London; Pantheon scrap yards, alternative radio networks, detailed 'recipes' through general accounts o f alternative technical methods, utopian communities, and technology in Books, New York, 1976. 304pp, A4, illustrated, index. Hardback ISBN China. Between the main sections are to critiques o f current practices, and 0 7045 021 8 6; paperback ISBN interviews with prominent practitioners general orooosals for reorganisations.

0 7045 0159 7. and theorists o f Radical Technology, -.

1 radical tethnology

,

issues Undercurrents back-issues are selling out fast - nos. 1 to 5 have already passed into history and are no longer available, but 6 to 12 can s t i l l be had for 50p each (including postage) from 11 Shadwell, Uley, Dursley, Gloucs. See the subscriptions form on page 48 for further details.

Undercurrents 10

Undercurrents 6

Have Plants a Secret Life?

........

Undercurrents 7. Special Communications

Shoot Down an Airliner?

.......

e Keeping / BaCK to the Land : What nergies: the Hidden Secrets of Ancient Subsoil Blocks / Wind Power Special t I of the Undercurrents-LID Wind igester Design / The House That Jaap olland / Mind Expansion: An EvaluaMind Control / Getting Your Goat: s An Alternative Culture - part I1 . . . .

lhdercurrents 8

Undercurrents 9 Special Feature on Nuclear Power Dangers. Kiddies' Guide to Nuclear Power / Waste Disposal Dangers / The Breeder - Fast & Deadly / End of the US Nuclear Dream / The International Protesters / Energy Analysis of Nuclear Power / Nuclear Proliferation Perils / The Terrorists' DIY A-Bomb / Uranium Supply Shortages. . .

PLUS: Nuclear Blackmail - has it already been tried? / Bunker Secrets de-bunked / Solar Collectors : product review / Nature et Progress Conference in Paris: full report & pnotos / Hudson Institute ritique / Can Home-Grown Food make a Significant Contribution?

Undercurrents 12 AT and Lucas / COmtek 75 / DIY Biofeedback / Alternative Medical Care / The Crabapple Community / Half Life against Nuclear Power / The Granada Tele-eco-house / Planning for War / The Brighton Envirofair / CEGB Energy down the Drain / Community Technology in Washington DC / Class War Comix / World Energy Strategies / Transcendental Meditation / Freedom for Scotland . . . . .