The Island project- how it all began

A small primer, Anthony called me as a result of a presentation I did at the 2008 Detroit Bioneers conference regarding the "Windspire" vertical axis wind turbine and the potential to use this machine as a focal point to help create communities of learners to empower sustainable positive changes on the Earth.

So here the story unfolds.......


Hi Jim
I called you the other day regarding the possibility of setting up a wind tower in Madagascar. You had mentioned some further collaboration to do communications, I believe you said "making the world flat". I think that we should definitely speak further about what possibilities are realistic in the near and long term future. I am in the process of establishing a not-for-profit (501c3) and will be doing environmental education and conservation in Madagascar over the next several years with partnering organizations and universities from around the world. We are awaiting funding to get back to Madagascar and continue our existing environmental education and reforestation program. We are also actively fundraising to set up an operational research facilities with a primary school in rural southwest Madagascar The environment of SW Madagascar is a hot and arid region, receiving nearly 360 days/yr of sun light and constant wind coming off the coast--ideal for clean energy alternatives.
Our mission is to promote environmental stewardship that empowers families to sustain their livelihoods while protecting and restoring their natural environment.
Having adequate means of communicating with the rest of the world from Madagascar via satellite internet is an essential piece of our education program and we are greatly interested in meeting all of our electrical needs with wind and solar energy. We are seeking collaborations with individuals and entities that can provide specialized services like hooking up a wind turbine, acting as teachers or providing better organic farming methods.
A small group of us spent ten months in Madagascar assessing the feasibility of the project and meeting the right people there and some of us will return to Madagascar in January. Establishing the official not-for-profit is still a little ways off and we only have some of the money needed for our big project: to establish a research facilities and school but can see this realistically coming together over the next 18 months.
Whenever is convenient for you it would be nice to speak further about these ideas
Please find our first newsletter attached to learn more about what we have been up to in Madagascar
Sincerely,Anthony ArnoldCo-coordinator of New Latitude--facilitating freedom from narrow restrictions

And next the newsletter......