But how many of these fantastic festivals are actually doing their bit for the environment? He also won the Channel 4 Politicians’ Politician Award in 2006. Jane is passionate about promoting a culture of repair, creativity and resourcefulness, one which she feels has been lost in recent generations. ( Log Out /  It uses regenerative agriculture as a base to live in harmony with nature. Wind Energy. RGS-IBG is not responsible for the content of external internet sites. It forms a strong bond to aluminium, steel, ceramics, glass, wood and other materials including some plastics. It is about meeting the diverse needs of different communities to create a better quality of life and future for all. Not with today’s business thinking but with a new set of skills.”. Liz Wootton explores the best sustainable festivals in Britain, so you can enjoy all the festival-vibes without destroying the atmosphere. It is a small, mixed-use community that has been developed with very energy-efficient housing with access to social facilities, public transport and so on. (Source: http://www.statistics.gov.uk). The denial dam: Sustainablility. Transport systems are central to sustainable place-making, from sustaining the viability of remote rural communities to reducing carbon emissions within eco-cities. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Today the team has grown to 18 and is looking to build sugru to become a meaningful brand which can create a movement of repair, improvement and making. 21st Century Challenges held a panel discussion on 1 December 2010 to discuss the issue. The Sustainable Communities Act 2007 provides an opportunity for communities to identify legislative barriers that prevent them from improving the sustainability of their local areas and discuss them with their local authorities. Consumption, behavior change and sustainability. example of other international institutions in identifying a core set of headline indicators to highlight sustainable development priorities for users and government. They are safe and inclusive, well planned, built and run, and offer equality of opportunity and good services for all. Is it the key concept of the age, or has it become meaningless? The Sawyer Hill EcoVillage is situated in Berlin, Massachusetts. Steffen was an environmental journalist in Seattle when he realized that the tools and methods for improving society’s ecological profile by and large already exist — they just need better PR. Stuart was appointed Executive Chairman in June 2008. social inclusion, sustainable communities and personal wellbeing. Sugru, a play on the Irish word ‘súgradh’ meaning ‘play’, is a new silicone that’s like play-doh or modelling clay that you can form into whatever shape you like before it air cures into a tough, flexible, colourful silicone rubber. He contested Ealing North in the 1983 and 1987 General Elections. Not later, but now. These differences are felt across a number of aspects of the environment, including air pollution, access to green space and exposure to flood risk. A sustainable community manages its human, natural, and financial capital to meet current needs while ensuring that adequate resources are available for future generations. In 1987 he moved to Cornwall during which he discovered the remains of gardens dating back to the 12th century. Environmental inequality in the United Kingdom is the way in which the quality of the environment differs between different communities in the UK. The story behind the world-famous eco-development. In 2012 35% of municipal waste was recylced in Europe, an increase of 12% from 2001. The winter and summer Welsh agricultural shows in Llanelwedd, near Builth Wells, are both environmental examples of sustainable community initiatives. The designs were fed directly to a machine shop, where an automated production line computer controlled the cutting of the components. Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Sustainability targets have been set for all public sector construction. The Government has also set out a Sustainable Communities plan which it expects sustainable construction to play a major part in delivering. He developed the Union Learning Fund and was closely involved in the drafting of the Learning Age green paper. Jane was studying product design at the Royal College of Art in London in 2003, when she had a big idea. Sustainable communities are making all the possible endeavours to eradicate these issues, and they have developed mechanisms to curb these calamities by planning green, building, and growing their own food in sustainable ways. ( Log Out /  This report discusses how hundreds of communities across … He was appointed CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2002 New Years Honours List and awarded the Kilgerran Award of the Foundation for Science and Technology in 2003. These were then numbered and delivered to the site flat packed, complete with assembly instructions. They can work well IF the people who live there buy in to concept (whatever it is). A "sustainable community" effort consists of a long-term integrated and systems approach to developing and achieving a healthy community by addressing economic, environmental and social issues. The main complex consists of a series of connected geodesic domes (biomes), which were designed using 3D computer modelling. In the UK there are four ‘eco-towns’. What if, instead of having to buy new things all the time, people could adapt and improve the things they already had to work better for them? Sustainable communities are strong communities. The Sustainable Communities Network website connects citizens with the resources they need to implement innovative processes and programs to restore the economic, environmental, and social health and vitality of their communities. Hilary worked for MSF as Head of Policy and Communications and represented the union on the Labour Party’s National Policy Forum. Before re-joining Marks & Spencer as Chief Executive in 2004 he was Chief Executive of Arcadia Group plc from 2000 until 2002. Triple Bottom Line: The idea that it is important to consider social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainability. The UK is home to a bunch of brilliant music (and cultural) festivals - fact. One not included in this list, which is “interesting” is Slab City (Southern California) has been around for some time. Quite a tall order. Energy – changes in the national grid from coal to gas as well as renewable technologies. Jane ni Dhulchaointigh is the Irish inventor and CEO of sugru, an innovative new product which Time magazine named alongside the iPad as one of the 50 best inventions of 2010. This site uses cookies from WordPress.com and selected partners. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. In 2007 he stood for the Deputy Leadership of the Labour Party. 21st Century Challenges is a programme run by the Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers). Is it the key concept of the age, or has it become meaningless?, Geographical Magazine, March 2015, Measuring sustainability across scales, Geography Directions, February 2015, Consumption, behavior change and sustainability, Geography Directions, June 2013, Opportunities for sustainability, Geography Directions, September 2010. Case study: Curitiba, Brazil They illustrate how community action is essential to achieve sustainable development. In Stafford Borough we are committed to supporting stronger, cohesive and more caring communities, which are economically robust and environmentally aware. An older person may also need help with shopping and someone on their street might be interested in doing this. He played a leading role in putting the Climate Change Act and the Marine and Coastal Access Act on the statute book, and he established the South Downs National Park. Stuart was Chief Executive of Argos plc in 1998 and later became Chief Executive of Booker plc. Stuart began his career in retail at Marks & Spencer in 1972, before going on to the Burton Group in 1989, becoming Chief Executive of the Multiples Division in 1994. His current research interests include consumer behaviour, sustainable energy systems, ecological economics and environmental philosophy.In the last twelve years he has pioneered the development of an ‘adjusted’ measure of economic growth – a ‘green GDP’ – for the UK. In Abu Dhabi they are creating the world's most sustainable development. Sugru is designed to stick to as many other materials as possible. E 21cc@rgs.org © 2015 - 2016 21st Century Challenges, Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers). After serving as a minister at the Department for International Development and the Home Office, he was appointed to the Cabinet as the Secretary of State for International Development in 2003. ( Log Out /  With the ever rising demand to build more homes and create more communities, are we in danger of creating socially dysfunctional environments? In the UK there are four ‘eco-towns’. We focus on how companies can bring about structural and lasting social, environmental and economic changes through running their businesses responsibly. Nicola Bacon . For me a classic example of a successful sustainable community is the BedZED development in south London. Most of the components were hexagons and triangles, with the odd pentagon to make all the pieces fit together into a dome. – Reuse of certain waste items ( Log Out /  Sustainable communities are popping up all over the place, which is a very good sign that this way of living is working. Sign up to garden waste collection - Brown Bin, Check the Christmas bin collection changes. Landfill is becoming less viable due to high costs, land-use issues and greenhouse gas emissions. The United Kingdom increased the share of municipal waste recycling from 12 to 39 % between 2001 and 2010. However, there are some great examples of where this is happening and where communities, neighbourhoods and groups are working together to reduce their carbon footprint, minimise their waste, adopt healthier and more active lifestyles, and generally become more eco-friendly. He also served as Deputy Leader of the Council. In this article, we are going to focus and provide everything you need to know about social sustainability. Examples of socially sustainable communities? Read about the Ellen MacArthur Foundation who are working towards a circular economy. Today Tim Smit is a well renowned and successful business man, however he began as an archaeologist before taking an unexpected leap into the music business, working as both a song-writer and producer receiving seven platinum and gold discs. 3. From ending extreme poverty and hunger, to ensuring resilient communities, to ensuring water security, to sustaining life on land and life below water, this agenda defines the world we want in 2030. Andy is also an honorary member of the Scientific Committee of AICA (International association for environmental communication) and a trustee of Jonathon Porritt’s sustainable development charity Forum for the Future. What exactly is it? Sustainable communities are places where people want to live and work, now and in the future. Stuart was knighted in 2008 for services to the retail industry and corporate social responsibility. But how many of these fantastic festivals are actually doing their bit for the environment? Tim Smit, Chief Executive of the Eden Project Andy co-founded award-winning environmental movement Green Thing (Dothegreenthing.com) which inspires people to lead a greener life. Since 1991, ISC has worked with thousands of communities, organizations, institutions and companies in more than 30 countries. What are some examples of Sustainable Development? “We are now coming face to face with the consequences of our extraordinary ability to interact with the Earth; to make things, to create things, to build things, to change things” Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP. From that initial spark of an idea, Jane has led a long and dedicated scientific development process involving a small team of material scientists, designers and business people to develop an entirely new material that could make the idea a reality. E policy@rgs.org. Quite a tall order. In June 2010, Green Thing was awarded the annual prize at the Cinemambiente (Environmental Film Festival) in Turin for “Communicating The Kyoto Protocol”. Alex Steffen is cofounder and executive editor of WorldChanging.com. Another example, and one that has further engaged with the community by actually developing training and providing jobs in the building phase, is Walterton Neighbourhood Builders. Since 2007, people from 205 countries/territories have saved over one million tonnes of CO2. She believes that Sugru can help tackle the spread of an increasingly throwaway mindset in society. A former President of Ealing Acton Constituency Labour Party, Hilary was elected to Ealing Borough Council in 1979, becoming the youngest ever Chair of the Education Committee. The city uses 30% less fuel per capita than the average city in Brazil. Recycle for London works in partnership with The Greater London Authority and Waste and Resources Action Programme with three principle objectives: – Reduction of waste The EU has set a target of 50% of household waste recycyled by 2020. After having researched 12 of the biggest social issues that unsustainable communities face, we have analysed various examples of organisations in the UK that are trying to solve these issues and we have assessed them according to our fund’s investment criteria: how innovative, scalable, commercially viable, inclusive and evidence-based they are.