@ecoTrain 'Out Of The Box' Sustainable Curation #4

ecotrain (70)adminin ecoTrain • 4 years ago

Welcome to Out Of The Box, a sustainable curation of hand-picked awesome news and information from around the world. This week we have some real gems for you, including a brilliant web-page called "The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World" ... Don't miss that one! I like to keep my eye on the general goings on in the mainstream news because we can see how the overall picture is developing. Lately I have seen a LOT of new approaches to harnessing power from the sun, rain and wind that leave old techniques far behind.

Is the time finally coming for renewable to take over and save us from the relics of the industrial age? I believe so, and with Oil companies facing bankruptcy around the world, the pressure has never been higher on renewable energies to pick up.

If you like what you see, please do drop me a comment to let me know! Your feedback helps me to bring you more of what you like. Enjoy!

TREE SHAPED WIND TURBINES TO BE INSTALLED IN PARIS

One of the complaints about wind turbine power has been it's look. France has been launching many initiatives to make renewable energy more appealing, and in Paris they have just launched their very pretty tree shaped wind turbines!

A French company called New Wind is installing tree-shaped wind turbines at the Place de la Concorde in Paris, France. The company’s founder, Jérôme Michaud-Larivière came up with the idea while in a Paris square, when he “saw the leaves tremble when there was not a breath of air.” He hopes the trees can be used to exploit small air currents flowing along buildings and streets, and could eventually be installed in people’s yards and urban centres.

FRANCE PASSES GREEN ROOFTOP LAW

That’s not all from France this week! In even more interesting news, every new commercial building in France must meet a new building requirement; the roof must be at least partially covered in either solar panels or plants! Way to go!!!

France keeps making green headlines lately… the Eiffel Tower’s wind turbines, the tree-shaped wind turbines being installed in Paris, and now an exciting new law that is sure to have a huge environmental impact in urban centers.

City leaders aim to shape green recovery from coronavirus crisis

Many climate activists have been waiting to see some commitment to sustainable issues from governments post covid19. Some have been very concerned that climate issues will take a back seat, at a time when we need to see things ramp up. SO, its good to see some news and collaborations happening in MANY cities around the world to initiate significant changes.

Mayors coordinating efforts to support a low-carbon, sustainable path out of lockdowns

Cities around the world are already planning for life after Covid-19, with a series of environmental initiatives being rolled out from Bogotá to Barcelona to ensure public safety and bolster the fight against climate breakdown.

Mayors from cities in Europe, the US and Africa held talks this week to coordinate their efforts to support a low-carbon, sustainable recovery from the crisis as national governments begin to implement huge economic stimulus packages.

Many cities have already announced measures, from hundreds of miles of new bike lanes in Milan and Mexico City to widening pavements and pedestrianising neighbourhoods in New York and Seattle.

New York has unveiled plans to open up 100 miles of streets for “socially responsible recreation” during the Covid-19 crisis, with a focus on areas with the most need, while Oakland, in California, is closing off 75 miles of its streets to passing cars and setting aside up to 10% of streets for recreation.

Forget fast fashion! Six ways to bring clothes back to life – from darning to stain removal

A fun and practical article from the Guardian, sharing Six ways to bring clothes back to life. With shops closed, and our budgets tight, now is a great time to get into your old clothes stack and see if you can bring them back to life!

Forget fast fashion! Six ways to bring clothes back to life – from darning to stain removal

Fixing holes

“Darning is easy,” says Layla Totah, a sewing teacher at Nest in London. “It’s the same method for holes in socks as it is for moth holes in jumpers.”

If you have never used a needle and thread, it would be worth going through the basics before you start darning. Totah recommends Wendy Ward’s Sewing Basics for Every Body and Tilly Walnes’s Love at First Stitch as good books for beginners. Lily Fulop’s new book, Wear, Repair, Repurpose has some good illustrations for newbies, too.

This article includes information on the following:
Bringing frayed jeans and jackets back to life, Fixing hems and seams, Replacing a button, Removing stains, Repurposing your old clothes

About the Sustainable Development Goals

This website is beautifully presented and makes it easy to play and look at what the priorities and types of changes we may start to see around the world!

Learn what the worldwide sustainable development goals are for 2030. The Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The 17 Goals are all interconnected, and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve them all by 2030. Click on any specific Goal below to learn more about each issue.

Global Ecovillage Network in Findhorn Are Hiring!

In July 2020 FIndhorn will invite 2 ESC volunteers to the Global Ecovillage Network main office in the Findhorn ecovillage, Scotland to participate in a one year long ESC programme. You will be working closely with passionate and inspirational individuals committed to strengthening connectivity between sustainable communities worldwide. If this sounds interesting check their post out, this might just be for one of you in the UK or Europe!

This year will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of GEN both global network and organisation, offer the opportunity for you to sharpen key interests and skills in network-building, communications, NGO operations, sustainable development, and of course, will offer a chance to become meaningfully engaged with the renowned intentional community Findhorn, in Northern Scotland.

This is a primarily office-based role, although you will have regular opportunities to engage in additional, more practical activities within the community such as gardening, maintenance, and meal preparation. There will also be educational and personal development courses available for you to participate in. Actually, the opportunities available are really only limited by your creativity!

ESC is the European Solidarity Corps, a programme allowing young people to go abroad, learn and contribute to a better world with support from Erasmus+ funding. It provides an opportunity to join meaningful work and experiential learning while your food, accommodation, travelling, pocket money, insurance and mentorship are fully covered.

When?
This ESC project will take place for one year between 1st July 2020 and 30th June 2021. All accommodation, food, and travel expenses are covered.

Where?
The programme will be held in the renowned and pioneering ecovillage of Findhorn, Scotland, the location of GEN ’s Head Office. During the first 3 months of the programme, you will live in communal accommodation in Findhorn Foundation’s Cluny Hill, where you will participate in experiential training courses such as Findhorn’s ‘Being in Community’ week and ‘Living in Community Guest’ Programme. After becoming acquainted with the community, you will have the opportunity to move into rented, or continue in communal accommodation depending on availability and your interest. Your time will be split between working in the GEN office and working closely with the Findhorn community.

MORE INFO:
https://ecovillage.org/esc-opportunity-2020/

AND FINALLY!

The Lazy Person’s Guide to Saving the World

This is a brilliant website with your options to save the world laid out in 4 levels of lazyness: things you can do on your couch, to things you can do at home, to things you can do outside your home and at work. Its fun, its inspiring, and maybe you can discover a few simple ways to help make a difference.

End extreme poverty. Fight inequality and injustice. Fix climate change. Whoa. The Sustainable Development Goals are important, world-changing objectives that will require cooperation among governments, international organizations and world leaders. It seems impossible that the average person can make an impact. Should you just give up?

No! Change starts with you. Seriously. Every human on earth—even the most indifferent, laziest person among us—is part of the solution. Fortunately, there are some super easy things we can adopt into our routines that, if we all do it, will make a big difference.

Have a look at just a few of the many things you can do to make an impact!