Real Wealth and Livelihoods

 

This group got off to a roaring start and now seems to be in need of some fresh energy! Please have a look below at some of the great things theyv'e been doing. Please contact Chris on eartheart@talktalk.net if you'd like to get involved.

 

During the Autumn the ‘Real Wealth and Livelihoods Group’ are going to
be looking at how people can make a difference in their workplace. As a
very large chunk of many people's time is spent at work we need to
ask what changes can be made in what people are, building,
manufacturing, maintaining, selling, transporting and advertising.
Most people want to making healthy, nourishing, long lasting things
but to often feel powerless about influencing profit driven corporate
decisions. Most people want to work in ecological buildings engaged
in meaningful tasks. Can a new organised workplace effort create real
changes from the inside?

Central to the Autumn events will hopefully be a talk in November by
Jonathan Neale, author of ‘Stop Climate Change - Change the World’.
His talk, supported by a number of different organisations, is provisionally titled - 'It's Our Planet, becoming Rebels not Robots in the Workplace'. The talk is planned to coincide with a document released from a coalition of national unions entitled ‘Just Transition’.


If any of this interests you - our next meeting is on Tuesday 1st September in the Gregson Centre at 7.45pm.

Background

We have made our main theme so far general education for the group. We have asked people to watch the Economics Crash Course http://www.chrismartenson.com/crashcourse/chapter-1-three-beliefs

Slides covering Chris Martenson's presentations at conference are now available online, including UK data and a review of the similarities and differences between the US and the UK that exist in the Crash Course.

See:

http://www.chrismartenson.com/blog/transition-towns-conference-files/19811

where you will find the slideshown online. Some further suggested reading by members of the crash course can be found here.

 

Everyone who has watched this so far has found it clear, very informative, interesting and helpful. We will continue to discuss this presentation at our next meeting in April

.

Arising from our discussions the following ideas have emerged and we could hold discussion nights on issues such as:

  • Rising population and demand and supply

  • The future employment prospects in Lancaster which is a fairly non resilient employment area, largely dependent on public services; higher education, prisons and health

  • How to provide jobs and employment in a post carbon City

  • How do we create an ethos of resource sharing.

  • A talk about Calories in Calories out, or Energy in Energy out. For example, at present we use ten calories of energy to produce one calorie of food

  • Develop a localised Green/Sustainable New Deal. Maybe draw from this example: http://www.sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk/greennewdeal/vision.htm

  • Run a monetary information group

  • Encourage more people to become experts in the economy, we all work in and with it every day and need to take more power over what happens

  • Develop a network of locally owned businesses to provide backing for a local currency or local bond issue

Next meeting

See the What's On Page

Green Energy Bond Proposal by Steve Dealer

Steve Dealer is a member of the Economics group and Energy group. This proposal has enourmous potential for developing funding for renewable energy sources not just for Lancaster but many places. The following links are pdf files of discussion documents and contact lists indicating the work done so far by Steve Dealer: Comments back to Steve Dealer please

Outline of Green Bond Proposal
Contacts - Bond Proposal
Contact - Renewable Energy


Links

The film Economic Crash Course you can see it on the web at: http://www.chrismartenson.com/crashcourse so please do watch this in advance if you'd like to come along and join in the discussion, it may even change your life.

Gaian Economics - winner of the green blog of the year - need I say more

www.tuc.org.uk/extras/gogreenatwork.pdf is a workplace manual specifically designed for Union Green Representatives. However, anyone could use it in their workplaceand has been sent to the Lancaster and Morecambe Trades council for discussion.

www.tuc.org.uk/touchstone/Justtransition/greenfuture.pdf is focussed on looking at the barriers to transforming industries and business from the perspective of employees - why they often see transformation as a threat.

Both the above are excellent documents produced by the TUC and I recommend reading them. The workplace produces more than 50% of carbon emissions in Britain. I think this is a core issue.

Group contact is Chris Hart Email: eartheart@talktalk.net for more info.