The internet and Urban Homesteading community is in an uproar.
I'm a few days late posting this. I wasn't going to post at all but I think its something important that should be shared.
Most everyone in the Urban Homesteading community knows about the Dervaeses in Pasadena, CA. They live on a small urban plot and have turned it in to an almost completely off the grid urban homestead. They teach classes, and tour the country speaking about Urban Homesteading. They have also however decided that they deserve the right to own the term "Urban Homesteading" exclusively. After years of trying they somehow convinced the government to give them the Registered Trademark for the term as well as a handful of others.
Upon doing so they sent out letters to organizations using the term informing them of their legal right to it. They also somehow convinced Facebook to delete pages using the term. Many non profits & tiny small businesses who posed no threat to the Dervases were suddenly with no warning shut down loosing contact to all their followers.
You can find out more about this ridiculous situation below:
Articles:
http://www.baycitizen.org/food/story/oakland-homesteading-school-caught/
http://blogs.laweekly.com/squidink/2011/02/urban_homestead_drama.php
http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/ci_17417055?source=rss_viewed
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2011/02/can_you_trademark_urban_homesteading.php
Facebook: Take Back Urban Home-Steading
awesome, thanks so much! I can't wait to start reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteAwesome Kendra, well put. And thanks for shedding light on this.
ReplyDeleteHmmmm . . . about as ridiculous as Paris Hilton copywriting the phrase "That's hot". Why would anyone want to be in the same category as her?
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