Ideaplants

I spent my last weekend at Savoir-Faire event in Brussels.


A number of stands where you can cook your own organic food, learn how to do a compost, make bike bags out of old fuel containers, try a washing machine or a mixer that works with an old bike instead of a motor, learn how to make a van that is not polluting… even knitting, making your own orange juice and making a wallet out of old juice cartons was on the menu.


I spent a very nice afternoon together with all the other curious people and I enjoyed watching grown-ups turn into children when they started making their own creations in the middle of Brussels’ central shopping area. An easy model: Volunteers that give workshop, some sponsoring and a bit of project management. The result – good vibes, a day full of eye-opening ideas and inspring people.


This simple concept is worth replicating in other parts of the world!
Hope you feel inspired now…

Mira

I’m speaking to more and more people that are trying to make sense of what they do and how it can benefit society & the environment as a whole.


It always starts with a dream, a broad idea of how it could look like in practise and lots of passion that gives people the drive to make things happen. More and more people do dare to make the step and create a business around these ambitions. Dreamers transform into entrepreneurs and suddenly become part of a genre that is accepted and increasingly admired by society.


What people seem to lack and look for is very human support:
- A person that gives feedback like a mirror
- Some guidance in creating a good sales pitch
- Some ideas to complete the story
- Help with finance and getting the right people on board
- A well thought through and tangible Marketing plan
…and last but not least: Confidence





I find it personally very inspiring to listen to people’s ideas, help them develop their business model and help them to market their concept. I’ve now decided to help members at The Hub develop their ideas and explore the world of online Marketing. I look forward to exciting new ideas, people with big dreams and enough courage to make them happen.


Cheers,


Mira

So, what’s the matter with this SUSTAINABILITY gibberish anyway?

How about this: sustainability is the issue which sets apart man and animal.

Animals DON’T CARE about sustainability above the level where they sustain their individual genes.

Ecological- or resource-sustainability issues don’t matter to them – as far as they are concerned, these issues don’t even exist.

Not even consciousness itself distinguishes us from animals in a comparable way. I think it is accepted fact in the science community that capacities for suffering and awareness are gradual effects, which emerge with growing complexity of the nervous system and brain. Thus, consciousness is not a black and white kind of thing: a cat, dog or pig may have less of it than a human, but they do have a lot more than zero.

So, animals don’t care about sustainability. That’s why animal species DIE OUT. Always.

As it appears, there’s a fork ahead in the road for mankind. Man and Woman will decide to care about sustainability – or else. Sustainability is just a POTENTIAL after all, not a given.

To be human means to CARE about that potential not being wasted. To strive to rise awareness of the human condition to the level where sustainablility of the species is recognized as a central and critical issue. To pursue focus-shifting from throw-away baubles to goals and products worth being CARED about by beings sporting a human brain with a pulse.

Sorry to spoil the idyll, but that Prius we bought for peace of mind and the compost heap at the back of the garden where we always deposit those soaked and delicious tea leaves which had been flown in from India for us, they are surely nice and impress the neighbors to boot, but they’re also mostly show business, reinforcing cosiness in PRESENT HABITS.

FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES are great inspirators, though. So let’s get a little dreamy about this for a while: man as a species has the POTENTIAL TO LIVE and not die off like every other worm which ever existed. Hmmm!

Pouring a little more of that nice warm tea.

What’s this RUCKUS now? Doesn’t anybody on this rotten planet respect a dreaming philosopher any more?

The irritated mob’s screaming at me, furiously red-faced: I’m no stinkin’ worm you headblock, I’m the pride of creation and there’s a nice pie up there in the sky which will cuddle and save me, if I make goo-goo eyes at it long enough!!! Me and my friends we are telling this to each other all the time, so it is true!!!

Ah yes. The stuff in the sky allright.

Let’s take a look: stuff in the sky

Hello,

We are involved in an ecological housing project in Karlstad, Sweden.


Our city already has two ecovillages called Tuggelite (which was first in Sweden) and Mjölnartorpet. Since almost everyone keeps on living in their ecohouses it’s hard to move there. That is why we came up with the idea to create Ekoby3.0 (EcoVillage3.0).


So far we are 23 families who are involved. These are both single households, single families and families of all ages.


We find ourselves in the first development phase. The project team has visited the two current ecovillages in Karlstad and had a first discussion round with the municipality. Karlstad municipality is very positive towards our plans. The next step is to map all families ideas and wishes. Finding financing is tough at the moment, but by the time we will invest the situation might have changed. We have contacts with the Swedish interest free JAK member bank and the Swedish Ekobanken. Website (Swedish)


Our motivations are diverse, but all of us support the idea of ecological housing. For me personal I’d like to develop housing which provides the opportunity to live under my personal ecological footprint.


Tip: All Swedens ecological housing projects here


Best regards,
Sebastian

The other day I went to the a session at the Imagination club site in Brussels.


The format of this gathering is quite simple:

• One person gives a workshop on any creative (preferably non commercial) topic.
• Anyone can come and join the workshop for a small donation to cover snacks and room rent.
• The presenter gets a round of feedback where people can say what they liked, what could be improved and what new things they take with them.

Simple format, a very relaxed atmosphere, an inspirational workshop and a nice drink with participants afterwards rounded off a very nice evening.


Thanks very much for organizing this Jeffrey & Andy. I’ll be back for a next session for sure.


For more info and the agenda of upcoming & past events, visit the Imagination club site in Brussels or the global site.


Cheers,


Mira

The ocean is big and can take any kind of abuse!

Ok, now seriously:
“The oceans and seas are a source of life on our planet. They cover almost three quarters of the Earth’s surface and contain some 90% of the biosphere. Their protection is essential to the future of our planet. Pollution of our seas and destructive fishing practices are anathema to that. Our oceans and seas also play a strategic role in sustaining climate and weather patterns, distributing solar energy, and absorbing carbons.” (Commissioner for the Environment Stavros Dimas)

Three quarters of fishing grounds are almost depleted. Rising water levels inflicted by global warming are threatening sensitive corals and low lands. Now I won’t blog more about it as others can do this better. Here a good overview by a member of the Ocean Project and here more on the topic by the following organisations UN, the European Commission or GreenPeace. You can sign a petition with GreenPeace on protecting 40% of the world’s oceans as marine reserves.

The Ocean Project has a list of events around the globe, nothing though for Belgium. However, Sunday June 7th is la Fête de l’Environnement 2009 organised at Parc Cinquantenaire by Bruxelles Environnement, where you can meet actors of the environmental field. The Brussels Aquarium will also have a stand there. In the evening there will be a free concert.

Related links:
World Ocean Day history

I just found out this morning: tomorrow is World Environment Day and lots of things are happening worldwide! Events range from conferences (for example the environmental day conference in Brussels) to a release of the movie HOME.


HOME is a film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, the sky perspective photographer. I have his book at home and it’s the best photography book I know, it has been opened many times by me and friends of mine. The special thing about this release is, that it will be in over 50 countries on the same day and in different formats: movie theatres, TV and DVD.


Brussels DG Environment is planning a special screening of the film at the RESIDENCE PALACE – 155 Rue de la Loi at 5pm. I will definitely go. Let me know if you want to join as well. You will need to register in advance with an e-mail to basha@unric.org


Otherwise you can also watch it online or on TV.
Click here to read about what else is happening in Europe.
Facebook event


Sylvia



PS: > More about World Environment Day
> More about the movie here
PPS: If anyone is planning to go to the conference in Brussels, please let us know! We’d be happy to blog about your impressions.

Together with Mira and four others we visited a co-housing/ecovillage project in Poncelle, Province of Luxemburg, Belgium this past weekend.


Imagine a little village in the least polluted areas of Belgium on a sunny day. You arrive around lunchtime and have lunch with Michel, who three years ago had the idea of starting up a co-housing project and acquired a piece of land with similarly minded people. He tells you about his vision and even though it is obvious that much work is still needed, you can see it: a place of happy co-housing. Everybody has their own house and income, but there is also a big common house, that can be used at any time by Lorien’s people for parties or for workshops, but can also be rented out to generate a bit more income.


Lorien’s land came with a few unfinished buildings and land of 1,5ha. The potential is plenty, but the money is not. So until more people join, i.e. buy a piece of it, finishing the houses needs to wait. In the meantime the garden can be put into place.


So this is what we helped with: we cleared an area in the garden, planted some vegetables, cleared up another area for a neighbour’s donkeys and fenced it off, so they can graze on the long grass. Soon there will be a workshop that will take the development of the garden to the next level.


The weekend was not all about work though. After a dinner which some of us prepared, we sat around a campfire until one in the morning talking over beer and wine. We all felt it was interesting to learn more about the project, but also putting up fences, etc. together with friends and others brought up interesting conversations. This combined with camping and fire made for a great weekend and I am looking forward to visit again. Would you want to come along next time? If so, please comment on this page and we will let you know the details. If you do not have a tent, there are also caravans that you can sleep in.


For more info on Lórien, check here: Lorien & ecovillage profile