The butterfly wing redirecting our society

In America today we are in a "Special Period" with the current financial market and crisis in which urban Agroecology and sustainable production to scale will have a key role.

Organoponico NEEM

The term ‘urban Agroecology’ implies a paradox, the contrast of an urban environment devoted to industry and commerce with the tranquillity of inner city farms and gardens that address sustainable food security while providing economic alternatives to sustainable community development. The healing powers of green landscape are increasingly recognized and the value of landscape in anchoring people in time and place and in developing a sense of community apparent.
Urban Agroecology encompasses at least seven inter-related aspects: the convergence of horticulture and applied ecology in the creation of new public landscapes, appreciation of the economic benefits of green space rather than the traditional focus on its costs, environmental education to give children a sound understanding of their place in nature, benefits to human health, the use of inner city farms and ‘gardening’ as a catalyst for economic and social cohesion, a revival in public horticulture from costly bedding schemes to wildflower or productive meadows, awareness of ‘ecosystem services’ aspect of green space for flood control, environmental amelioration and biodiversity.
There are six key factors which will shape urban Agroecology in this century and which will determine its contribution to civilized urban life: climate change; decreasing oil supplies; population growth; the countervailing attractions of town and country; social order or disorder and global finance.

Perhaps the black cloud of the credit crunch could have a silver lining if the reassessment of our true wealth becomes
the butterfly wing redirecting our society into a more sustainable way of life.

Great Presidents do such things

Over a seven year period President Obama made significant advances in small steps that allowed next steps to occur toward normalization of relations with Cuba. A series of low and high profile events we were privy too as they occurred that led up to the announcement to visit Cuba as the first sitting President to do so in 88 years. For those relentlessly active in the process on the "Cuba issue" that support we had always provided for positive change over 20 years continued during this 7 year period, time and those steps. To make it simple, it wasn't. The number of regulatory changes too numerous (and often complex) to mention here. This included open action and secret meetings leading up to the announcement in December 2014 and the visit that ends today. I have to say after 20 years working towards this end and watching Air force One touch down at Jose Marti International Airport was nothing short of astounding.

The most recent Presidential regulatory changes will make it significantly easier and more affordable for individual U.S. citizens to travel to Cuba, increase Cuba's access to international markets, permit Cuban entities to carry out transactions in dollars, allow Cuban citizens to earn salaries in the United States, removed 10% exchange on U.S. dollars, allow investment in Cuba, create entrepreneurial opportunity for Americans with Cubans and drop the ban on Cuban ports security. Remember that its not all about Cubans, its about Cubans and Americans. Our right to travel where we want and business opportunities we should have had years ago as friends and neighbors. That required visionary leadership; something we had been lacking for quite some time until this President.

Leaders are often faced with decisions to make and promises to keep in the face of some adversity that are in the countries best interest because it is the right thing to do and best for America.

(from our friends at Cuba Central) "In 2007, President Obama made bold promises to reform Cuba policy as a candidate to the American people and then did the unexpected. He kept his word".

Great Presidents do such things.
JA Ensminger

Congressional delegation will accompany Obama to Cuba:

Glyph for "and then he came"

Mar 7

Reuters

U.S. President Barack Obama will be accompanied on his historic visit to Cuba this month by up to 20 members of the Senate and House of Representatives, U.S. congressional sources said on Monday.

Details were still being worked out, but the sources told Reuters the White House hoped the delegation would include Republicans as well as Obama’s fellow Democrats, to underscore bipartisan support for his moves toward normal relations with the Communist-ruled country.

Congressional aides and sources outside the government who were consulted on the matter said the administration was also considering more moves to ease travel and trade restrictions before the trip.

“They will unveil a regulations package as it gets closer to the trip, further easing of travel, and further commerce and trade (changes),” said one person familiar with the administration’s discussions.

The White House said on Feb. 18 that Obama would visit Havana March 21 and 22 in another step toward ending decades of animosity between the former Cold War foes.

News of his plans prompted sharp criticism from some members of the Republican-controlled Congress, where there is strong opposition to normalizing relations with Havana, led mostly by Cuban-American Republican lawmakers.

ELECTION COMPLICATIONS

Some congressional Republicans want more normal relations with Cuba, as do most Democrats. But the issue is complicated on Capitol Hill because two senators vying for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, are among the Cuban-Americans strongly opposed to Obama’s policy shift.

Obama said the trip would help accelerate changes in Cuba since he and Cuban President Raul Castro announced moves to reopen ties in late 2014. Administration officials hope it will give Washington more leverage to make progress on opening business opportunities for U.S. companies.

Opponents say Obama has demanded too little from Cuba’s government, particularly in the area of human rights, to end the embargo first imposed in 1960.

Obama has used his executive powers to ease some restrictions on trade and travel since announcing his new Cuba policy 15 months ago. Some major U.S. airlines have already begun asking regulators for approval to start flying specific routes to Cuba.

Observers say establishing U.S.-Cuban business relationships would make it difficult for the next U.S. president to roll back Obama’s policy changes after he leaves office next January, if a Republican opponent of the policy wins the election.

Businessman Donald Trump, the leading Republican candidate, told the Daily Caller in an interview published in September that he supports the Obama administration’s opening with Cuba.

But the embargo cannot be lifted without Congress’ approval and Republicans say that will not happen while Obama is in office.

UPCOMING Cuba Delegations

NEEM Architect/Engineers Delegation June 3-12

NEEM Agro-Culture Delegation June 10 – 18

Agroecology and Culinary Delegation OCT. 7–16