Sustainability for a Thriving Future
These last few weeks have been framed by an opportunity for some deep learning. I accidentally signed up for a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) titled ‘Worldviews: Moving From Sustainability to Regeneration’. It has been a lot more work than I thought, really enjoyable and importantly, a chance to learn and reflect on my professional practice. It’s not often that we have the opportunity…
Unfortunately, the funding bid was unsuccessful. It was disappointing, yet I’ve still been busy, building links with the Cooperative movement in Portugal and supporting them to get funding for a forthcoming conference in June. Down, but not out. The plan, although stalled, is still a plan, defined and written, ready for the wider world. Instead of a quick bolt out of the blocks, it…
There’s nothing like a looming deadline to spur action and refine thought. After a year of learning and talking to people who share our dreams of building a sustainable lifestyle based around regenerative agriculture, I found the idea. The idea fulfils a need, filling a gap by exploring twin themes, the intersection between permaculture and technology. An opportunity to bid for start-up funding presented…
As an environmentalist looking at the climate and biodiversity crisis, I could easily fall into the vision of the future where technology has diminished and humanity has reconnected with nature. It’s a beautiful vision and one that calls many environmental types. It is also highly unrealistic. Technology, for good or ill, is a manifestation of human innovation and therefore, is unlikely to be suppressed…
The year 2022 begins. Netflix showcases their new movie, Don’t Look Up, the unfortunate story of desperate scientists trying to alert a distracted and oblivious audience to the plight of planet earth, which is due to be hit by a comet. The film attempts to show how our current climate emergency, like the comet, is pushed below celebrity news and the like, consigning it…
I have mixed feelings about COP26, seeing both the positive and negative from the outcomes. Clearly not enough was committed to, to keep us at or below the 1.5oC the planet needs, however resolve to return annually with progress and more ambition is important. Sadly, key countries returned immediately to their fossil fuel frenzy, seemingly uncomprehending of how their words and deeds are not…
My kids seventh birthday and her friends came over – all lots of fun, laughs and cake. Our grown-up conversation turned to the environment and it quite quickly became clear that I was going to have a big conversation with someone who was adamant with their ‘climate change is a hoax’ opinion. If you ever have to tackle these conversations, they can be difficult…