In the Shadow of Giants
On the edge of industry and wilderness in the Serra do Açor.
16 years ago, Wendy Howard moved from Scotland to Portugal to go off-grid, grow her own food, build her own shelter and bring life back to abandoned land in a remote valley in Central Portugal.
In this chapter, we learn about the new proposal made by an energy corporation to transform the mountain ridge into a site for industrial wind turbines.
Wendy is standing in opposition, and this story explores her perspective and journey of learning to live with less: contrasting the destructive scale of industrial developments with place-based, ecological design — informed by her experience of experimenting with permaculture principles and renewable energy in her off-grid project, Quinta do Vale.
We discover the relics of centuries-old ancient waterworks designed by the Moors, explore ancient forests and witness the damage caused by previous mega-turbine developments in Central Portugal.
This chapter aims to dive into the nuance of the topic of green energy, the struggle of rural communities facing exploitation from large corporations and the wisdom of our ancestors that has been lost through the process of industrialisation and globalisation.
Enjoy & let us know what you think!
Adrian
