Bustan Qaraaqa has a new website....

Our new website is now up and running - please go to www.bustanqaraaqa.org to check it out. There you will find detailed information about our project and also useful links for learning more about permaculture and Palestine. Please bear with us if some of the links don't work yet - the site is a work in progress and we are building it up as and when we can...

We will continue to use this blog to post stories and reflections from Bustan Qaraaqa staff and volunteers.

Many thanks to Adam for setting up the website for us :)
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Compost Toilet Building Event this Friday

This Friday (April 10th) Bustan Qaraaqa staff and volunteers will go to help build a composting toilet at our friend Abed's farm in Al Wallaja.

Abed is living on his land close to Gilo settlement, resisting attempted land confiscation by Israeli real-estate developers. His site has no running water, so it is important that a well managed composting toilet is installed there to make life easier.

Composting toilets have other benefits too: 90% of sewage in the West Bank is discharged untreated into the environment, poisoning soil, water courses and threatening the underground aquifer that is the source of all drinking water in this area. In addition, on average every person flushes 30 litres of drinking water down the toilet every day. Given the ongoing drought in the region, this is profligately wasteful and environmentally suicidal.

Action by individuals like Abed, whereby waste is treated onsite and no water is wasted can help change this situation.

Also, there will be a farmers' market on the same day - a chance to buy fresh organically produced vegetables directly from the farmers of Al Wallaja.

If you would like to come, we will be leaving from Bustan Qaraaqa at 1030am on Friday - or join us when you can at Abed's place, close to the Malha checkpoint on the road to Jerusalem. It is easily accessed by taking the beautiful road through Cremisan monastery and then taking the track to the right into the valley - call us on 02 2748994 for more detailed directions if you like.

All the best and hope to see you on Friday,

the Bustan Qaraaqa team
x
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Tree Planting Event this Thursday

This Thursday (March 26th), we will be holding a tree planting event at our friend Abed's place in Al Wallaja.

Abed is a Palestinian farmer whose land lies very close to the Israeli Settlement of Gilo. He is currently facing problems with threatened land confiscation and so has decided to live permanently on his land in a cave. The authorities are now threatening to demolish even this basic home in an attempt to evict him from his land.

The place has no running water or electricity, and Abed lives by farming his land to feed himself and generate some income.

The event on Thursday will consist of planting olive trees, and also laying the foundations of a composting toilet to serve the site.

We will meet in Soukshab in Beit Sahour at 10.00am if anyone would like to come. Alternatively, call 02 274 8994 or email info@eag-palestine.org for more information.

If you are coming, please bring some food to share for lunch and we will have a picnic.

Hope to see you there!
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