Posts Tagged ‘local action’
Apple-filled Subway: Making a point
Posted in Models by Kate Archdeacon on January 20th, 2010
Source: Treehugger
From “New York Subway Train Filled With Apples Is Emptied Onto Platform, Illustrates Food Waste (Video)” by Jaymi Heimbuch.
Every day, New York City residents waste 270,000 pounds of food. Want to know what that looks like? Here’s an unforgettable way to imagine it – fill up a subway train with the equivalent amount of apples, and release it onto the people waiting on the platform. New York’s City Harvest food bank created this commercial to illustrate the point that as thousands of pounds of food is wasted daily, thousands of residents don’t have enough to eat. City Harvest works to change that on a local level.
This year alone, the group will “rescue” and deliver more than 25 million pounds of quality food that would otherwise go to waste. The group collects food from the food industry, including restaurants, grocers, corporate cafeterias, manufacturers, and farms, and delivers it for free to nearly 600 community food programs throughout New York City using a fleet of trucks and bikes as well as volunteers on foot.
And no, 270,000 pounds of apples weren’t used to make the point. Here’s a video on how they created the video.
Read the full article by Jaymi Heimbuch.
[See the 
website for a Melbourne example of food-rescue ]
Tags: communication, consumption, Food, local action, new systems/services
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Beauty & the Bike: from research project to community change
Posted in Models by Kate Archdeacon on January 19th, 2010
Source: Beauty & the Bike via Treehugger
Extract from Beauty and the Bike: Teenage Girls and Urban Mobility Culture:
“Beauty and the Bike aims to document the mobility culture, and particularly the bicycle culture, of an important, future oriented, target group. The project is focussed on girls and young women between 10 and 25 years old, and their attitude towards their travel choice, with the bicycle as the centre of interest.
The cultural dimension to European urban traffic planning has, until now, been regarded as at best marginal to planners’ concerns. With an education – and a contemporary practice – grounded in the practical solution to apparently technical problems, urban travel planners have historically had little to do with deeper socio-cultural trends. But now that urban travel has taken centre stage in a new and radically different kind of production – the battle against global warming – the urgent need to change CO2 emitting urban travel habits is requiring planners to take account of the cultural climate their apparently technical solutions have spawned. Beauty and the Bike is a cultural urban travel project that aims to help urban traffic planners, by looking at one such mobility culture – that of the teenage girl and young woman.
Central to this project are the ways teenage girls choose their travel modes in two European countries, the United Kingdom and Germany. The core production activity of the project is cultural, with a documentary film, portrait photography exhibition and catalogue as key outputs. But its work is also rooted in, and supported by, progressive urban travel planners in Darlington (UK) and Bremen (Germany). Teenage participants in the project live in these two urban areas.
Looking at their lives superficially, they seem similar – with internet and iPods, fashion, first loves, and the stresses of school. But when you look more closely you find an important difference: their choice of travel modes. And the ways and means teenagers are able to get around, shapes their identity and sense of independence. Especially for girls, these are of vital importance for their development. Whilst most of the Bremen girls use their bikes on a daily basis, the Darlingtonians mostly walk, take the bus, or hope for a lift from one of their parents.”
The project led to the launch of a bike hire group, Velodarlo, as well as a local campaign for cycle paths in Darlington. Velodarlo has recently been awarded funding to become DarLOVElo, which will inherit the Velodarlo Bike Pool and receive initial funding of over £30,000 to buy some 40 more bikes and set up a base near the centre of the town. The young women from the Beauty and the Bike project are committed to founding the Bike Club that will be the central feature of the new project, and they have been receiving skills training from members of Darlington Cycling Campaign in repairs and maintenance.
Tags: behaviour change, bicycles, local action, Research, Transport
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Philly Kitchen Share: Sharing Resources
Posted in Models by Kate Archdeacon on January 8th, 2010
Source: Springwise, “Commercial Kitchen for Rent by the Hour”
Philly Kitchen Share is a shared-use commercial kitchen available for hourly rental by caterers, personal chefs, bakers and other food professionals in the Philadelphia area. Created by the founders of PhillyCarShare, the 800-square-foot cooking space actually features two adjoining kitchens, for rent separately or together: one focused on traditional cooking or catering and the other on baking. Together, they’re equipped with stainless steel work tables, convection and standard ovens, commercial ranges and a variety of other tools. Rental prices are USD 39 per hour for one kitchen during off-peak hours, or USD 44 per hour during peak times. Since its launch last winter, business at Philly Kitchen Share has been steady, Philly.com reported, with renters including cooking classes, a vegan baker, a mobile cupcake vendor and a personal chef and caterer.
Tags: kitchen, local action, new systems/services, sharing
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Beyond Hope, to action
Posted in Opinion by Kate Archdeacon on December 3rd, 2009
An unusual post for us, here at Sustainable Cities, but potentially relevant as Copenhagen takes centre stage.
Image: greenpeace via flickr CC
From the article “Beyond Hope” by Derrick Jensen, Orion Magazine.
THE MOST COMMON WORDS I hear spoken by any environmentalists anywhere are, “We’re *%$#@*”. Most of these environmentalists are fighting desperately, using whatever tools they have—or rather whatever legal tools they have, which means whatever tools those in power grant them the right to use, which means whatever tools will be ultimately ineffective—to try to protect some piece of ground, to try to stop the manufacture or release of poisons, to try to stop civilized humans from tormenting some group of plants or animals. Sometimes they’re reduced to trying to protect just one tree.
Here’s how John Osborn, an extraordinary activist and friend, sums up his reasons for doing the work: “As things become increasingly chaotic, I want to make sure some doors remain open. If grizzly bears are still alive in twenty, thirty, and forty years, they may still be alive in fifty. If they’re gone in twenty, they’ll be gone forever.”
But no matter what environmentalists do, our best efforts are insufficient. We’re losing badly, on every front. Those in power are hell-bent on destroying the planet, and most people don’t care.
Frankly, I don’t have much hope. But I think that’s a good thing. Hope is what keeps us chained to the system, the conglomerate of people and ideas and ideals that is causing the destruction of the Earth.
Tags: local action, Provocations
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Walk Against Warming
Posted in Events by Kate Archdeacon on November 30th, 2009
Source: Zero Carbon Moreland
Come along to the Walk Against Warming and help form a massive human sign, a sign so big that the message will reach Copenhagen! In Melbourne, the walk will start by the State Library, on the corner of Swanston Street and La Trobe Street at noon on December 12 and end at Princess Bridge. On the bridge, 20,000 people will make a human sign saying: SAFE CLIMATE – DO IT. Zero Carbon Moreland friends and supporters are invited to meet and walk together. To find actions in other cities, visit the website.
Tags: climate change, community, local action
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New models of conservation: “Win The Best Holiday In The World”
Posted in Models by Kate Archdeacon on November 16th, 2009
Source: EcoVoice
From: “Help Save The Cassowary And You Could Win A Holiday To Tropical North Qld”, by Mia Lucy
The Best Holiday in the World competition has been set up by the Australian Rainforest Foundation (ARF) to provide funds to purchase a 250km stretch of rainforest Cassowary habitat in far North Queensland to allow safe passage and breeding for the Cassowary. Saving the big bird is a massive undertaking. The ARF’s response to this challenge is Operation Big Bird, launched globally in August 2009. The campaign brings together all levels of government, community groups and individuals, scientists, traditional owners, land managers and the corporate sector to work collaboratively towards a common goal.
“The Cassowary is the gardener of the Australian rainforest and its survival is vital for the health of the habitat,” says Warren Entsch, ARF Chairman. We refer to it as a keystone species because its existence is critical for the survival, food and shelter of many other plants and animals. These magnificent birds disperse the seeds of more than 200 rainforest plants through their droppings. If the Cassowary disappears, rainforests like the magnificent Daintree will irreversibly changed. Also, keep in mind this bird is of immense cultural significance to the local Indigenous population,” he says. The goal is an ambitious Cassowary corridor, linking critical areas of habitat between Cooktown and Cardwell, a distance of more than 400km covering a wide variety of vegetation.
“This will be the largest wildlife corridor ever established in Australia and will be a world-first pilot project demonstrating how an industrialised nation can sustain an endangered wildlife population in its midst.” Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: behaviour change, environment, local action, networks
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Saving marine life with flowerpots
Posted in Models by Kate Archdeacon on November 9th, 2009
Source: The Ecologist
Image: British Ecological Society
From “How to save marine life… with flowerpots” by Emma Bocking, 27th October, 2009
Although sea walls are a strong form of coastal defence they effectively wipe out rock pools which are important oases for marine life. Scientists in Sydney have found a solution involving flower pots… As anyone who has ever been rockpooling before knows, these little pools of seawater can be a haven for marine life. But when a natural shoreline is replaced with a vertical seawall, the gently sloping foreshore, along with its rockpools, vanishes.
Without rock pools the number and diversity of animals and plants species in the intertidal area plummets. Two ecologists at the University of Sydney, Dr Mark Browne and Prof. Gee Chapman have come up with a solutions that is so simple you wonder it hasn’t been done before – flower pot pools.
Tags: behaviour change, environment, innovation, local action, new systems/services
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Sustainability as a vehicle for education
Posted in Models by Kate Archdeacon on November 4th, 2009
Source: guardian.co.uk
Photograph: Anita Maric/News Team International
From “The sausage squad” by Chris Arnot, 27 October 2009
Gloucester Old Spots are thin on the ground in Coventry, UK. But then so are alpacas, pygmy goats, Jacob’s sheep or, indeed, sheep of any kind. Yet Cardinal Wiseman school, in the north-east of the city, is home to them all. Ducks, chickens and bantams as well, plus a veritable menagerie of parrots, guinea pigs, rabbits and a rare tortoise or two. On the principle set by Noah’s Ark, there are at least two of most species here at the winner of the DCSF award for sustainable schools. Only the Gloucester Old Spot disports itself in splendid isolation, not far from the touchline of a football pitch. It has had even more room to roam since its compatriots were despatched to the slaughterhouse, en route to becoming links in the school’s award-winning brand of sausages.
“We thought we’d keep this one as she’s handsome enough to enter for shows,” says Sean O’Donovan, assistant head, leaning over to scratch the sow’s stomach as she luxuriates in a shaft of autumnal sunshine. Eventually, she’ll get around to chomping the windfall apples from the school’s abundant orchard that year 10 pupils Joseph Stevens and Craig Pears have been scattering about her paddock. O’Donovan looks on approvingly before glancing down at the pig again and confiding: “We’re going to artificially inseminate her soon. In fact, we’re just waiting for the sperm. For some reason it has to come from Ireland.”…
Tags: education, local action, schools, urban agriculture
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Blurring boundaries: farmland and vegie gardens
Posted in Movements by Kate Archdeacon on October 26th, 2009
Source: The Ecologist, from “Room to grow: turning farmland into allotments “ by Dorienne Robinson, Oct 6
Image: net_efekt via flickr CC
David and Kay Hicks run a small family farm, “Chyanhall”, in Cornwall (UK) with their daughter Carly. Just over two years ago they decided to look for an alternative income from the land and considered such things as moutain- and quad-biking tracks. Realising that there was a growing demand for allotments, they decided to research this area instead.
Eighteen months ago the first allotment was fenced for the first tenant, now there are 120 allotments on 8 acres, which cover three small fields, and a waiting list of another 40 interested people. A full size allotment costs just £1.92 per week. Prior to the allotment scheme David and Kay’s eight acres were generating around £700 per year, mostly as grass keep for livestock, or producing a cut of silage or hay. It does not take too much time with a calculator to discover that the income from this ground has risen from £700 per year to around £12,000.
There are no CAP [Common Agricultural Policy] subsidies operating here, no top down European directives, no skewing of world markets to generate activity, just pure common sense and responding to local demand.
Tags: farmers, local action, new systems/services, urban agriculture
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350 October 24th: International Day of Climate Action
Posted in Events by Kate Archdeacon on October 23rd, 2009
Source: Climate Action Calendar
Image: 350 org via flickr CC
On October 24, join people all over the world to take a stand for a safe climate future.
This will be the most widespread day of climate action ever, with 158 countries participating and 3000+ actions planned to help ‘uncook the planet’ by setting a safer target of 350 parts per million CO2 in our atmosphere.
Visit www.350.org/map to find and RSVP for an action near you.
This movement has room for everyone
Tags: 350.org, climate change, community, local action
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