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Entries from May 17, 2009 - May 23, 2009

Wednesday
May202009

Liberation thinking

Two striking things about today's meeting with 50 or so climate and sustainability specialists in Cardiff:

How liberating it is when people start doing. Filling out the detail of the Do Connect timeline changed the energy in the room in an instant, giving all participants, looking at micro-generation, transport, food and education, a chance to make theor own mark and think about what will happen, rather than what should happen.

We're going to compete against Scotland. In the art of Do. Rachel Nunn, arch-doer from Stirling and instigator of the outstanding Going Carbon Neutral Stirling project is up for battle - to see how many unusual, fun, effective climate actions each country can achieve in fixed timelines - a couple of weeks to Do, no more. The plans are being drawn, and the games will commence soon. Fun on the way.

Wednesday
May202009

Community Time

Today is the third of three Community Climate Change workshops that I've been working on for the Welsh Assembly Government, with a strong group of presenters and workshop hosts. Rachel Nunn has talked of her simple, elegant and impressive work at Stirling in Scotland, setting up 'Carbon Cutter' groups that work along the same lines as Weight Watchers - weigh in every week, lots of support and small actions by everyone. Ken Peattie presented useful information on his research in to the 'moods' that drive behaviour change on sustainability and climate, and Andy Rowland hosted well attended sessions on the use of REAP Petite as an eco-footprinting tool, and of the results that they've had so far in the Dyfi Valley in Mid Wales.

So far, we've run the Do Connect timeline for change twice, and will be getting the views of another 400 people in the next week. The experience has been cathartic for some, helping them connect the detail of what needs to happen this week to the big picture and timescales of change. When the content is collected, we'll post it online and get communities engaged in drawing up their own, localised plans with names of people, places and organisations as well as dates. Biggest message? Start now, learn fast, share widely.

Monday
May182009

Chicken a la Carte

Another short film about food, filmed a couple of years ago, and still highly relevant. Watch the FoE film and this one to get a shot reason for change.

Monday
May182009

Fix the Food Chain 

Friends of the Earth and WWF are kicking off the Cradle to Cradle Food Security day at the forthcoming Hay on Earth sustainability seminars, which start on Friday. Watch this video from FoE to get an inside track into one reason why we need to change the way we eat.

Sunday
May172009

Peugeot release patio heaters for cars

These clowns have designed a patio heater for open tops that means you can drive in the snow with the roof down. At least patios didn't move when they were being heated. Trying to heat a 60mph car with no roof is not good design. Not Do. Don't.