When volunteer burn out culls many prospective strong sustainability initiatives!

This is not a blame game, although if irrational minds could turn to such activities when people set on each other. With support that Davius has put behind recent voluntary groups it was saddening to find a lot of initial links from only 12-18 months ago have all dissolved.

Why? People being ignorant? Far from it – the reason a lot of links amongst groups have dissolved is due to many voluntary entities have sadly dissolved after real efforts in the early days. For many – the local entities were set up by just one person, and over several years were maintained by people flying solo. They may have been cheered on by their community – yet trying to get support off the community with volunteer contribution being next to zero.

This is not an attack; rather a reflection with hundreds of thousands of families stretched to their limits the last ten years, very few can contribute towards local positive initiatives due to lack of time etc. So regrettably a lot of sustainability/community initiatives are set up by just one person. Invariably after a few years many good people across UK give up on their projects. This is a real tragedy as some of their projects could have really taken us in a new direction. No names – you can find out who they were in your own locale.

For group collaborations such as Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, AECB local groups, Transition Town groups, Community Food/growing Markets, Community Renewable, Housing Community Projects just to name a few – it is very hard to maintain core group structures as responsibilities have to be maintained upon collapsing numbers.

So how to improve this situation? How will make the sacrifice when so many in this era are so stretched already? What is the magical solution to improve so many voluntary or community entities?

Is there a magic administration software package that can stream line the process? With legal frameworks, constitutions, reminder prompts of meetings – or will this not work in the real world where we all have responsibilities, setbacks and unpredictable events that sway us.

The only thing we can all do is persist …. If you have a good idea for human innovation, community process and/or environmental regeneration – keep at it. You may have the saving grace that helps the whole country start moving.

However – a warning from the experienced ones from multiple voluntary initiatives …. A little power for just one entity within the voluntary group can break the natural progress and overall group dynamic.

You have been warned ….

All that said and done – on a positive …. What can you do?

Global Carbon Emissions To Hit Record 36 Billion Tonnes In 2013

This entry came from AECB's Newsletter December 2013:

 

Global emissions of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels are set to rise by more than 2% to reach a record high of 36 billion tonnes, according to new figures from the Global Carbon Project. The 2.1% rise projected for 2013 means global emissions from burning fossil fuel are 61% above 1990 levels. Co-led by researchers from the Tyndall Centre at the University of East Anglia (UEA), the 2.1% rise projected for 2013 means global emissions from burning fossil fuel are 61% above 1990 levels, the baseline year for the Kyoto Protocol.

In addition to the release of today's figures, the Global Carbon Project has launched a new online platform, which provides more detail on the world's biggest carbon emitters. The platform reveals that the biggest contributors to fossil fuel emissions in 2012 were China (27%), the US (14%), the European Union (10%), and India (6%). The projected rise for 2013 comes after a similar rise of 2.2%in 2012. However, the rise in fossil fuel emissions in 2012 and 2013 was slower compared to the average 2.7% of the past 10 years. Growth rates in CO2 for major emitting countries in 2012 were China (5.9%) and India (7.7%). Meanwhile, US emissions declined by 3.7% and Europe declined by 1.8%.

While emissions per person in China matched figures in the EU at seven tonnes in 2012, the US is still among the highest emitter per person at 16 tonnes. By comparison people in India produce a carbon footprint of just 1.8 tonnes. Turning to the source of emissions, the research found that most emissions are from coal (43%), then oil (33%), gas (18%), cement (5.3%) and gas flaring (0.6%). The growth in coal in 2012 accounted for 54% of the growth in fossil fuel emissions.

The figures also showed that CO2 emissions from deforestation and other land-use change added 8% to the emissions from burning fossil fuels. Cumulative emissions of CO2 since 1870 are set to reach 2015 billion tonnes in 2013 - with 70% caused by burning fossil fuels and 30% from deforestation and other land-use changes.

Professor Pierre Friedlingstein from the University of Exeter said: "We have exhausted about 70% of the cumulative emissions that keep global climate change likely below two degrees. In terms of CO2 emissions, we are following the highest climate change scenario of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released in September."

Full story at http://www.edie.net/news/6/Global-carbon-emissions-to-hit-record-36-billion-tonnes-in-2013-/

 

Davius footnote: It does appear bleak at times - yet everyone of us have a key part to play in lowering emissions. You may feel helpless in your activities to reduce your burden - yet the smallest things done on a personal/individual/local/community basis will have some positive knock on effect to improve our prospects of reducing our carbon burden.

 

What can you do?

Volunteering emerges as a strong community engagement factor for Sustainability

Volunteering is frequently underrated. Perhaps it is something to go on a CV that attempts to show 'you have character'; to get you into a better College/Uni (as well as grades) or move up the job ladder more quickly? Claiming to be a kind hearted person and will make sacrifices? These are actually clichés that would put some regular people off volunteering as do-gooders are often infamous. It would seem volunteers have re-invented themselves as serious players in many fields hence the Government 3^rd sector are embracing them and even making funds available to encourage furthering many of these volunteer organisations which are contributing significant improvements to your locality.

You'd be surprised how much volunteering begins with just one or two people attempting to contribute something in sustainability in terms of social inclusion (neighbourhood watch) local economy (maintaining stronger local links within businesses/commerce) or environmental terms (clean up the local streets/monuments/parks/rivers etc.). People notice something new is emerging and wish to partake – within a year these volunteer group numbers will expand. Word of mouth carries and local publicity will praise the work achieved through volunteering.

Some examples of volunteering show they engage industry; connecting the communities,highlighting to locals where all the local markets/local social/local greenhubs are - requires local businesses and organisations to become involved and this and several loyalty schemes with hundreds, even thousands of members grow – building local connections, keeping shops from shutting down by volunteers raising awareness that said shops exist and local services are available.

Volunteers who have begun greening the cities have to procure the specific indigenous wildflowers from local growers – this stimulates more local economic growth through volunteering; as they purchase seedlings and add thousands of beneficial plant species to urban areas.

Food growing co-operatives engage local markets and thus begins stronger social inclusion and local economy links. Another example would be river clean ups where thescrap recovered is procured by local scrap merchants and in all cases the funds are not for profit yet ploughed back into the volunteering operations.

General feedback from new and old volunteers has been that it’s important to actively be part of something – yet as a social bonus it should not be understated the important benefits of who you meet which may improve your quality of life. New friends, new local networks, new exchanges of skills. It may be business managers may attend volunteering days to see the raw talents that are out there and this may be a tool to find people jobs who would not otherwise be available to you through conventional channels.

This is not about opportunism though - it's just the natural flow. People meet, people talk, people learn to trust the genuine others they come across through volunteering activities. When one witnesses selfless acts taking place of people volunteering their time, their physical contribution (gardening, labouring, digging, clearing debris etc.) or their mental contribution (community support groups, neighbourhood watch.) you will see a pool of talents that will benefit other areas of your community. It is a human resource that is largely untapped – yet this should not be brutally exploited, rather appreciated that volunteer groups should be supported as inevitably they will benefit the social connections, local economy and improve the natural/built environment. Isn’t that what the triad of Sustainability is supposed to be all about?

A better network is grown out of this volunteering environment that appears to be making ground on a national level, even in the adversity of all of us suffering the blows of a global recession. Sustainability is continually emerging and the economy in one respect will re-invent itself - just as a lot of communities are as they link up through common goals and feelings of being isolated become rescinded. Local connections will inevitably be improved and with this other attributes in your area will follow in a positive direction.

Consider volunteering at a local group in your area - you may well be very pleasantly surprised at what you find going on. Build new associations all pushing for common good. Watch the links in your community build up! Watch your community begin to thrive again in urban and rural environments. Please – get involved.

Are Co-Operatives re-emerging as a viable way forward for stable local economy, social inclusion and renewable energy to support our communities?

Co-Operatives in the UK – a viable solution to our problems?

Given a recent great deal of public lectures, interviews, surveys and research has been undertaken - it illuminates the fact that it would seem that Co-Operatives are making a strong resurgence in recent years. The internet makes for massive global co-operative, where we are encouraged to air our views by blogs, forums, videos, own websites, contributing to others websites - yet for the most part there is a global exchange of ideals, comments and proverbial exchange of (mental) fire.

In essence we are contributing to a larger scale co-operative over the last two decades which is becoming increasingly more efficient and organised. It would seem there are no boundaries if you want to make some contribution and partake in something larger than ourselves as individual entities.

Co-operatives still bring to mind images of low key operations, yet they are making a strong stand now in the adverse face of economic decline and the possible failure of globalisation/outsourcing etc.

The retail business; John Lewis are constantly mentioned by the Government and media as example of a business philosophy where the rewards are shared amongst the staff involved in the running of the company - at ALL levels, with no one being left out in the cold. This supports a comprehensive Social Inclusion which is one of the three tiers of Sustainable Development.

On Thursday, 8^th March 2012 Veteran economist Robin Murray (London School of Economics) and Prof Stephen Yeo  (chair of the Co-Operative Heritage Trust) proudly gave a public lecture at Cardiff University on Co-Operatives in the 21st Century and reflected on where we came from and what direction are we going in? Why are Co-Operatives more successful in Europe than the UK?

The end result was although the status, the practice, the guidelines and rules that British Co-Operatives put up front are practical and functional which all involved parties are easily able to adhere to, what was lacking was up front funds. Something Northern European countries had been successful in was pulling in the funds up front to get so many ventures within the co-operatives started. So what can the UK do to improve this situation? (See 'the problem is ....' below)

(Renewable) Energy Co-Operatives

This is an area of great interest, particularly with its formidable opportunities of energy security and supporting the triad within Sustainability principles of:

1. Social Inclusion - local co-operatives for communities to get behind and reap the benefits from.
2. Stable Economics - local economic benefits, the sales made in the area directly feed the profits back into the local area/community to make improvements/regeneration.
3. Benign Environmental Activity - a Wind Power, Micro-Hydro or Community owned Solar/PV installation has obvious zero (or negative) Carbon positive environmental contributions to make. 

There are active Wind co-operatives such AAT (Awel Aman Tawe), Allt Dearg Community Wind Farm or Westmill Co-Operatives and organisations such as Arts Factory are engaging the concepts of community owned renewable energy Co-Operative initiatives. Additionally micro-Hydro co-operatives such as Torrs Hydro are in operation around the UK. How can we expand these to more communities everywhere? Are Co-Operatives the answer? What are the initial hurdles to overcome? 

Housing Co-Operatives

Housing Co-Operatives are becoming more evident over the years, with new exciting initiatives always on the horizon. One such group is Co-Housing Cymru, which is looking for prospective members to invest and partake in this sustainable housing co-operative. This will encourage real community roots, a stronger inter-connectivity within the social context, sourcing local materials (less transportation kilometres and energy waste) and environmentally benign building activities that makes for much less C&D (Construction and Demolishing) waste.

The problem is ……… 

In other European countries, the existing co-operatives have evolved in a different manner to British ones, they have a stronger source of central funding for the foundation of their projects. In the UK this is sadly something that has come up short.

The strong foundation of co-operative organisation is in place, the rules, the conduct, well managed strong social/economic ethos, the processing is all in place – yet finding the funding to get small to large scale projects up and running are a real challenge for the British Co-Operatives. So what can the UK do? The problem (like everything else) is a lack of money!

A proposal:

So how do we go forward? Marriage of socialism and capitalism – for example; a co-operative foundation set up an energy co-op. they have 5000 members in the locality of a small town, yet are severely short of fund. Thus the co-operative (successful in its bank application criteria) take out a conventional bank loan to set up the e.g. Micro-Hydro scheme or several wind turbines.

The loan equates to 3-9 million pounds, euro’s, dollars (your own countries currency) which will pay for the manufacturing of the hardware/turbine technology, planning, monitoring, the installation and commissioning and the many other necessities to make the projects viable.

The negotiations are concluded [between Bank and Co-operative] in a manner that sale of the electricity will fund the following processes: 

·         Repayment of the bank loan (for the first 5-10 years) Main immediate priority - short term.

·         Funds injected into the local community to support/set up/maintain - all long term priority! 

§  Post offices, Crèche, Public amenities etc.

§  Community rebuilding programmes.

§  Training programmes for those seeking new employment/career change etc.

·        Once the bank loan is repaid – more money will be available for the local economy and regeneration processes.

Obviously, even with the cuts (although as of April 2012 this may have been held off yet again!) in Fit’s [Feed in Tariff’s] the potentially lower rates paid for export of renewable energy to the grid, will still support renewable energy schemes as an additional bonus to help reduce payback period and inject more funds into the community. Many incentives are set up, public demand is there; it is merely down to strong and sound minds forming the initial co-operative and moving the notion forward.

The list of community improvements will be extensive and many of the co-operatives being established at present will have some very unique ideas. Now doubt these ideas and results will be published online in the future as case studies to encourage people all over the world to partake in such new ventures.

Is this revolutionary?

Are these ideas really that new? Or are we just going back to basics? Centuries ago; co-operatives were the norm as a means of fair and equal sharing, where everyone in the community (as equals) were involved. Basic guidelines gave us a standard to work to, this evolved as the co-operatives were pulled to growth. In one respect, we are merely realigning ourselves with what has been established for a very long time before our selfish dabble of materialism began, en mass, in the mid-20^th century to present - which although believed to be a strong source of supporting GDP [Gross Domestic Product] such indulgences of materialism and acquiring it, was one of the main contributory factors for causing many recessions.

Just as there has been a recent re-ignition of so many old traditional ways of life: Co-Operatives, Generational housing, communities are reconnecting – frequently pulled to growth as people understand we cannot go it alone. Establishment of farmers markets are bringing farmers and the communities back together. Credit Unions are pushing to get more local funds available for their respective members.

We can get there!

More people are taking a strong interest in investing in Community Renewable Energy platforms, Local Food Markets, Sustainable Housing projects - We encourage you to do your research and get involved in this exciting re-emerging Co-Operatives markets. It will be a strong foot forward to improving our quality of life; socially, economically, environmentally, spiritually and make for happier lifestyles and a productive society!