Jo and Bryan
PEARSALL
INNES
Bryan Innes & Joanna Pearsall
Creators, Organisers, and Directors of the Ecoshow have been involved in education for sustainable living since the early 1970s. (Back then it was called "back to the land" or "intentional community").
Current Activities
Permaculture Aotearoa
With Trish Allen (Co-founder of Rainbow Valley farm in Matakana, Northland) Permaculture Aotearoa was formed as a charitable trust to be the holder of the next Australasian Permaculture Convergence (APC11). This is to be held in Turangi, Central North Island NZ 11-15th April 2012.
Jolly Scythers began in 2009, when Bryan and Jo toured NZ with Christoff Schneider, from Austria, teaching "The Art of Scything". We taught over 100 people how to use and maintain the Austrian scythe. Since then we have been selling scything equipment and teaching how to use it in a series of workshops.
Middle Earth Tools is the tool shop. All human powered. We started with the Bronze Garden Tools inspired by Viktor Schauberger and now extended to include other useful traditional tools (Glaser Tools, made in Switzerland- the modern version of Planet Junior) and others for green and other woodwork, Japanese pruning saws and other garden tools. These are available on line and from various other events that Jo and Bryan, or friends attend.
Living Lightly Books. These are books that are not usually easily available in NZ and helpful in finding out about permaculture, building, gardening, teaching, etc.
Awhi Farm is a developing regeneration and permaculture research centre in Turangi. It is a manifestation of the bi-cultural Awhi Turangi Charitable Trust, of which Bryan and Jo are two of four trustees. The aim is to care for the land and people of Turangi, in such a way that the learnings are available to anyone interested. The 10-acre (4.2Ha) block, just inside the Turangi town boundary, is being converted from a derelict weed infested (gorse, blackberry, broom, cotoneaster- to name a few) place into a centre of Sustainable Practise, flourishing gardens and emerging orchards and shelters. (Awhi means to embrace, to care for, to foster).
Ongoing and previous activities
Joanna completed a Diploma in Facilitation in November 2011
Ecoshow NZ
In 2002 Bryan and Joanna began the planning for a national event to bring together business, government, community and individuals working for sustainability. This manifested as Ecoshow 2004 held in Otara, Manukau City. Invited to work with Waitakere City Council, Ecoshow 2005 was held in the Trusts Stadium. Henderson. In 2007 Ecoshow was moved to Taupo, as feedback from visitors claimed that for learning about issues of transition and sustainability people preferred to be out of the city. Ecoshow Taupo was repeated in 2008. All four events were very successful providing high quality networking opportunities for all of the participants (business, trade, academic, not-for profit, government and public). In fact it was the first opportunity for such concurrent cross-sectoral integration and networking in New Zealand
Living Lightly Consultancy
Bryan and Joanna have an on-going eco-consultancy, (Living Lightly Consultancy) advising businesses, community organisations, iwi, hapu, whanau and families about saving resources, including money, in their day- to- day lives. Creating integrated low maintenance systems for housing, food gardens, transport etc. They teach permaculture design which is an ethical design science. They have information and experience on a variety of systems for building, heating and cooling, waste disposal, sewerage and grey water.
This creates on-going relationship with many Ecoshow exhibitors.
The Genuine Wealth System
Bryan and Jo have created The Genuine Wealth System, an interest free finance system based on reciprocity. This system is currently in use by various groups, each with its own aims.
Buyers Clubs
Jo and Bryan have helped create buyers clubs. For example it is possible for people to have basic organic food at supermarket prices or sometimes less. By sharing their buying power it is possible to share buying power for other resources such as solar equipment, building materials or even land.
Permaculture in New Zealand
Since 1996 Joanna and Bryan have been teaching permaculture design. They have taught many 2-week intensive residential permaculture design certificate courses, encouraging students to work together and practise sustainable living whenever possible. They revitalised the national organization "Permaculture in New Zealand" and were part of developing the NZ diploma in applied permaculture design as a mechanism for students to keep up and deepen their practice of permaculture design.
Transition Towns NZ
At Ecoshow 2007 Transition Towns NZ was launched. Transition initiatives have grown out of permaculture design. Rob Hopkins with his permaculture students launched an energy descent plan in Kinsale, Ireland in 2005. This led to the setting up of Transition Town Totnes (UK) in October 2006.
From a few people beginning to spread the ideas, the movement has grown in NZ. There are now many initiatives. An energy descent plan is a visionary yet practical strategic document that sets out pathways for how the community/town/iwi/hapu can safely transition from its present fossil-fuel dependency to a place of oil independence and enhanced local resilience.
Previously
Bryan studied engineering and economics and has worked in government departments, owned and run farms, a sawmill, and worked to control possums and provide use for their products by manufacturing possum/ wool woven coats and jackets.
Joanna has an honours degree in psychology, a graduate certificate in education and has taught in schools, specialising in music and children with learning difficulties. She founded a pre-school, helped build her own energy autonomous home (with friends) -it is a passive solar design supported by independent power, water, and sewerage.
Jo and Bryan have designed and maintained gardens, orchards and mixed species forests. They have built numerous earth ovens from which many people have been fed. They have organised a wide range of classes, seminars and other learning opportunities. They both have qualifications in adult education. They notice all kinds of opportunities, some of which they and others take up and some which remain as opportunities!
Some things Jo and Bryan think of as normal, enjoyable life.
Kitchen food scraps are fed to chickens, worms or Bokashi and other compost systems.
Every trip in their van is carefully considered. Travelling at 80kms, on the open road, gives about 15-20% more kilometres for the same fuel.
Growing their own food and eating out of the garden provides greens, potatoes, eggs for 6-12 months of the year. Most of the food they eat is unprocessed and organic.
They enjoy wine, beer, coffee and chocolate (in moderation of course!)
Micro fibre is used for cleaning, drastically reducing the need for any chemicals or detergents and no toxic ones are used.
Waste minimisation: Through recycling and composting very little waste goes to land fill. Refusing plastic bags when shopping helps.
Turning off lights and water taps not in use.
They enjoy the economies of inter-generational living through sharing with others.
Being debt-free gives freedom.