A local alternative society in Poland: From punk collective to effective microorganisms
The story started more than 20 years ago near to Lublin in the east of Poland when a group of friends, mainly artists and musicians, decided to protect themselves from the lack of freedom caused by socialism. They did this by creating their own sustainable and autonomous paradise in a forest with a diameter of around 10 kilometres.
Seen as punks, these friends do not define themselves as an ecovillage, nor a community however, as of today, more than 100 people live in different neighbouring villages in this region, all of which are independent. Nevertheless, some friendly trading does take place when it is deemed necessary, for example for the protection of the forest where they live which currently belongs to the state and is utilized as a business and not a common good.
“Socialism has paradoxically taught us individualism and because of this, it is difficult to make a community here.”
– Sloma, co-founder of the Local Alternative Society.
Varied micro businesses for an attractive rural culture
Each family manages its own business, some of which include the manufacturing of musical instruments, percussion lessons, the organisation of musical events and even the sale of effective microorganisms to name a few.
This new dynamic has caused an influx of young people to return to the region where they build their own houses, generally close to their parents, and then begin to develop their own projects.
Giving life back to the earth
Effective microorganisms, named EM, were developed by Teruo Higa, a professor from Okinawa in Japan. In the 1980’s, he reported that a mixture of about 80 different microorganisms was capable of positively influencing the decomposition of organic matter so that it regenerates life in the earth.
Today, around 60% of cultivated land in the world is sterile, stripped of all microbial life killed by farming methods (chemical input, soil left bare, ploughing) all of which complete disrespect these essential life forms.
Indeed, the earth has long been considered as a mere, inert support system. Yet, it is an eco-system in itself, and one of the most important ones given that it is at the base of all food chains. The action of micro-organisms is essential for this eco-system to function and soil in a good state actually contains one billion microorganisms per gram.
Equally beneficial for man
Nicole, co-founder of the Local Alternative Society promotes and advertises these micro-organisms in Poland, in parallel with the activities of producing and distributing information through which knowledge is shared about the benefits of microorganisms.
These effective micro-organisms could equally be beneficial for humans in order to help restore balance within our bodies and could be consumed in the form of a drink for example.
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