rethinking design - Spatial Design@Massey

ethinking design
(fig2.) Papayas
(fig3). Complete Aquaponic System.
Who: The Path to Freedom is a project headed by the Dervaes Family of Pasadena,
California. The Families Homestead is a dedicated example of locally grown produce. They
are apart of a movement called ʻLocalvoresʼ who in general are people who strive to buy and
or grow locally. Locally being in your backyard, town, city or region.
How: In an effort to reduce our carbon footprint the Derves family use their homestead as an
educative device for surrounding neighbors and schoolchildren in hopes that more people will
commit to integrating sustainable living practices, at any scale. Main focuses include
permaculture, solar cooking, composting and other low tech operations such as the use of
hand tools, grey water usage, bio diesel for fuel etc.. The Derves Family is a shining example
of the kind of lifestyle that can still be achieved in western urban densities, such as their
average 1/5-acre property. Through their “thinking globally, acting locally” campaign the
Family not only provide food for themselves but for others to. Their income is their lifestyle
and the homestead grows over 3 tones of produce annually with over 350 varieties of edible
plants. The business minded family bring educative material, friendly farming equipment and
energy efficient technologies to a substantial website well worth a look to see just how such
appropriate technologies are so very well suited to our western lifestyle and small city land
capacities. (Ref fig4)