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Naveh said that the kibbutz’s short courses are a way to make real changes on an individual level at minimal cost. “Composting is something we can all do at home… There are many problems which require community and national or international action, but as individuals, we can grow a bit of food on our balcony or back garden and compost the food waste we have.”
Jonathan Dekel-Chen is a historian on the kibbutz movement at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem and lives on a kibbutz himself. “Had Lotan tried this [eco-tourism] 30 years ago, it would have flopped. The world wasn’t ready for it. But now, sustainability is the issue of a generation and it’s a huge one in the human consciousness,” he said.
“As far as sustainability goes, it makes sense to do this in the [Negev desert]. If there is one place in the country to show [human] adaptability to desert conditions and living sustainably, it would be that area,” Dekel-Chen said. “Lotan has been able to offer this to the wider public.”
As I left, driving along the winding Route 90 to Jerusalem, I contemplated this relic of old Israel in the rapidly advancing nation. At its core, a kibbutz has always been a conscious community that cherishes “we” over “I” – a notion that’s more important now than ever.
Country Rambles is a BBC Travel series that embraces rural life, helping travellers to reconnect with nature, learn a handcrafted skill and live more sustainably – all while experiencing local culture.
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