Author: steve
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Quick report from Transition Conference in Devon
The end of the oil age is nigh, and politicians are working on their austerity measures and speeches about crisis. Everyone seems to have a good idea about how things should be done, but the illusion that it is working is fading as oil leaks decimate three US states, politicians are caught with their fingers…
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Are we nearing the end of the Oil Age? In your lifetime?
The moment we started tapping the vast reservoirs of oil that the Earth is endowed with, we started coming closer to the end of the oil age. I am sure the question was raised: how many generations away would the end be? We who are alive today in the early 2000s can also ask ourselves…
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The Units of Trust scheme investing in local, sustainable enterprises
Units of trust are simple investment devices based on preferential debentures. Put simply, you invest money in a company you purchase from regularly. You do not get back money primarily from the company, but you get what money can buy – goods, services, or use of physical assets. When you wish, you can get the…
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Walking cities: an update
One of the main themes of my recent book, “Inventing for the Sustainable Planet” is the city where people walk everywhere. For those of you who are new to my blog, I used the inventing method of Imagestreaming to envision what sustainable living would look like. Although the book is fiction, I hope it inspires…
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Fours years. GO!
Four years Go is campaign to change the course of history. Really. The impetus and initial stewardship for Four Years. Go. comes from a core group of four organizations. The Pachamama Alliance, as part of that group, has provided the funding for the initial development of Four Years. Go. and is acting as the initial…
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Transition and the Krakow declaration.
Update: Here is the latest version of the Declaration. (pdf) Krakow, Poland 20-22 May 2010. SURE, a pan-European initiative for sustainable urban-rural development concluded its two-step program with a conference to explore how at policy, regional, commercial and local level the people of Europe could connect with the challenge of sustainability and to respond in…
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It could happen here: America on the brink
Not many saw the fall of the Berlin wall coming. Not many foresaw the collapse of the Soviet Union. And so gleeful were the celebrations of the triumph of liberalism and capitalism over communism that few bothered to study what actually happened and why. Yale School of Management senior faculty fellow Bruce Judson makes the…
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Swedish Transition hub takes off at Rural Parliament
This week, stakeholders in social economy and rural development in Sweden are gathering in the town of Sunne to hold what they call the “rural parliament”. It is a gigantic annual undertaking, bringing politicians, local government, international partners, rural development agencies and interest organisations together. The organisation, “All Sweden shall live”(HSSL) is host, and by…
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Work isn’t working
Sometimes, when circumstances change, the situation calls for you to question the unquestionable. We are over six billion on the planet, one billion are starving and oil production has peaked. The financial system looks to be on the verge of collapse without increasing fossil fuel to keep it growing. We need to create a positive…