Q & A: The Big Six

Update: A Few Clarifications

(Note that this page is dynamic and updated from time to time)

What?
A four month experimental journey in sustainable living.

Who?
All kinds of people. When people think of living outdoors, they think of people with mental illness or alcoholism or just incredibly bad luck. When a group of not-at-risk individuals voluntarily opts out of modern housing for an extended period, people may take notice. We hope to reframe the idea of living without modern buildings away from a hard luck circumstance to a celebration of life.

Where?
Strongly leaning towards a place called Many Oaks in upstate New York.

Here are some of our generally favoured traits and decision criteria:

• out of range of car noise and city lights
• legal risk minimized
• variety of ecosystems, esp. must include water

When?
Some period within May through August 2009. This allows for the participation of university students who are off. It is also the warmer season and will allow us to learn and live in relative safety (compared to, say, January).

Why?
Each morning, I wake up and greet the sun. Each morning, I look at the state of the world and my heart breaks anew. Reinvent 2009 is an experiment in finding new ways - perhaps old ways - for human beings to behave towards each other and the broader community of life.

How?

This is a biggie and we've got a lot to learn.
Land: How much? Unclear… need more research. It would ideally have a river, plenty of trees and all kinds of life.
People: A number of people who are interested in exploring this idea more. Perhaps ten to twenty. Maybe more?
Skills: Firemaking, wild plant knowledge, hunting, tracking, fishing, trapping, shelter building, music, poetry, dance.To make up for my lack of skill in some of those fields, I will:

• practice more of the skills I have only theoretical knowledge of
• compromise and bring some artefacts of civilization to make up for any gaps that would present an unnecessary risk to the participants
• possibility: spend time with the original people of this place to learn from them how to live here

Materials:
Warm hat, coat, boots and blanket for each person
Tarps and cord
Musical Instruments - mandatory!
knives, axes
firestarting tools
fishing line and hooks
some food in an emergency cache - this is our first time, after all
lots more - plans still under development, of course - Please join the discussion!