Incredible Edible

There's an excellent project in the north that's showing how a bit of fleet-footed, well directed activity can enthuse people to make a difference. In Todmorden, the Incredible Edible food project is step by step signing people up to do more and eat better. Here's their starter for 10:

1) Build schools for the future that have the living edible world at their heart.

2) Transform health buildings with edible plants and trees as an integral part of the design and workplace.

3) All public bodies to release land for food growing.

4) Plan for food – Support local food production through the planning system with all local plans identifying places for growing.

5) Tick all the boxes – Make growing a performance indicator for ‘wellbeing’ for all Public Services.

6) Insist all new homes to have ready-to-grow spaces.

7) All social landlords to allocate space for growing.

8) Charter for truly local markets – support local food producers and farmers and campaign for the reallocation of subsidies.

9) Make sure public bodies like schools and health authorities have as a priority to procure local food.

10) Invest in food skills for the future. We need incredible degrees and diplomas, cooks and technologists, farmers and fabulous food producers.

Click here for more information

Summertime bonfires

Next time that you're thinking of doing a BBQ or a beach bonfire, find time for a quick look at Duke Stump's 2009 Do Lecture on Bonfires for the Soul - inspiring stuff.

Save a billion

Network Rail, the UK's rail infrastructure provider are spending £750k to research the likely effects of climate change on their network. They reckon that it could save them £1bn - this is the scale of risk / benefit that could generate some more sensible scale action on climate.

Learning the Future

My daughter Jasmine has just finished her Geography A Level on module G4, Sustainability. It's interesting to compare the questions that she's been answering with compare with questions that might be asked if we really hoped to equip them with the skills to shape the future.

1. Outline ways in which fossil fuels and renwable sources of energy may result in damage to the future (10 marks)
2. Explain why different countries have different mixes of energy sources (10)
3. Explain why the demand for water differs throughout the world (10)
4. 'Global economic development is the greatest threat to the sustainability of world energy supplies'. How far do you agree with this statement? (25)
5. Outline the factors that influence the sustainability of food supplies. Assess their relative importance. (25)

My concern is that the reward seems to be for knowledge rather than insight, creativity or innovation, and i wonder, despite Jas' enthusiasm, where the inspiration is going to come from (apart from home) to make the changes that are needed. I'd add the following lines to the same questions:

1. Present ideas for energy solutions that restore damage to the environment
2. Explain how activities in one country can reduce another's energy demand
3. Show how personal decisions on purchasing goods and services can reduce demand for water
4. Explain how global economic development can continue without any effect on world energy supplies
5. List and discuss the decisions that businesses and government can make to improve the sustainability of food supplies

 What questions would you ask?