Greenspeak: climate change and well-being

October 2008

Climate Change and Well-being
A public discussion

Thursday 16 October 08
at 7pm for 7.30 start

At Terraces Bar & Grill Madeira Drive, Brighton
200 yards east of Brighton Pier, Downstairs – food & drinks available, including veggie specials! (www.the-terraces.co.uk)

Speakers:
Dr Caroline Lucas
Leader of the Green Party, Euro MP, 2007 Observer Ethical Politician of the Year and parliamentary candidate for Brighton Pavilion constituency, the Greens' strongest bet for a returning a Westminster MP at the next election.

Martin Jordan
Senior Lecturer in counselling, psychotherapy and mental health at the University of Brighton, with a long interest in Ecopsychology and Ecotherapy.

After a summer break, we return to explore the connection between the challenge of climate change and the way we feel about our lives; the interplay between what's going on 'out there' and what's happening 'in here', and how to stay sane in a mad world.

With rising depression, stress, alcoholism and substance abuse, suicide rates, fuel poverty, with the assumption that economic growth leads to increasing happiness being challenged and the cost of living spiralling,

We ask:

What if our response to climate change will also lead to better, more meaningful and fulfilling lives?

What if addressing our relationship with each other and the planet might lead simultaneously to personal rejuvenation and to a fairer, smarter world that could be better for everyone?

What if climate change could be the catalyst for a positive transformation in societies and in ourselves that might otherwise not have happened?

What do you think?

See you there?
Martin G, Alison, Ian, Tim and team

Greenspeak is organised in association with Brighton & Hove Green Party, aiming to stimulate discussion and engagement around the issues.

www.brightonandhovegreenparty.org.uk / 01273 766670 (promoted by Nigel Tart on behalf of B&H Green Party, 39-41 Surrey St, Brighton BN1 3PB).


Read on for community news and links to more info on the subject

Notes to editors:

Further info around the subject

Caroline Lucas' keynote speech to the Green Party conference, September 08, including themes of climate change and well-being: www.carolinelucas.com
link

Martin Jordan's website - www.ecotherapy.org.uk

For more on ecotherapy, here's Vicky Bigmore's article for Rocks, 'Healthy mind, healthy planet' : http://www.rocksmagazine.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=179&Itemid=33

The New Economics Foundation centre for well-being, including links to the Happy Planet Index
http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/well_being_top.aspx

Green Party Philosophical Basis and Core Principles, with links to all policy areas - http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/mfss/mfsspb.html

The Green New Deal is a collaboration between Andrew Simms, Ann Pettifor, Caroline Lucas, Charles Secrett, Colin Hines, Jeremy Leggett, Larry Elliott, Richard Murphy and Tony Juniper and published by the New Economics Foundation. Watch this space for an event in Brighton & Hove on Mon 10 Nov 08.

The global economy is facing a combination of a credit-fuelled financial crisis, accelerating climate change and soaring energy prices underpinned by encroaching peak oil.

The group, drawing inspiration from the tone of President Roosevelt’s comprehensive response to the Great Depression, propose a modernised version, a ‘Green New Deal’ designed to power a renewables revolution, create thousands of green-collar jobs and rein in the distorting power of the finance sector while making more low-cost capital available for pressing priorities. http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/z_sys_publicationdetail.aspx?pid=258

Community News

Thurs 9th Oct - Transition Brighton & Hove present: Power of the People: Energy Descent and the Effective Community with David Fleming, founder director of the Lean Economy Connection, Gordon McKerron, Director of Sussex Energy Group and Doly Garcia co-ordinator of the Transition B&H Energy Descent & Resilience Plan. How do we live well and sustainably without cheap energy?

What are the most effective community responses to this challenge? 7pm for 7.30 start, until 10pm at the Brighthelm Centre, North Road, Brighton £3. See website for more info and mailing list to keep updated on (or join in) the various initiatives and group meetings - www.transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk or look up the Facebook group.

...Rob Hopkins' inspirational 'Transition Handbook: From Oil Dependence to Local Resilience' was voted the 5th favourite book read by MPs over the summer; it is now available at the excellent City Books, Hove or at a discounted rate by contacting books@transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk or coming to Transition talks and events.

After a long summer of IT kerfaffle, including a tangle with hackers, the new Greenspeak website is up and running and will get better as we get round to improving the content, as is the new Greenspeak Facebook Group, both with discussion forums:
www.greenspeak.org.uk

http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20252811852
Meanwhile, we are always looking for volunteers to help us make Greenspeak bigger and better, in return for the right to brag to people you fancy about how cool you are and feel good about how many karma points you have. Get in touch and let\\\'s chat.

Rocks magazine has reappeared on-line in a puff of magic for your round up of what\\\'s happening and relevant in the city, from an ethical slant - www.rocksmagazine.co.uk

...While Schnews has been a rare window into reality alongside the mainstream media for a decade, and is more relevant than ever - www.schnews.org.uk

...And Reverb, the city's only non-profit, advert free community radio is on air (&internet) 24hours - 97.2FM www.radioreverb.com

Tue 7th Oct - Hands Off (www.watchingthewarmakers.org.uk) present: 'China - How is the economic rise of China affecting the balance of power in the world today and what are the implications for the USA and Europe?' a discussion with Charlie Hore - 7.30pm – 9.00pm @ Brighthelm, North Road, Brighton BN1 1YD

Fri 10th - Sat 11th Oct - Doorways to Diversity: Alternatives to Us and Them. Processing conflicts around race, religion, diversity and beyond. Organised by Community Dialogue for Change, using World Work methods to deepen our understanding of conflict dynamics and resolution - Last few places left:

http://www.cfor.info/doorwaysflyera4opti.pdf / Contact Femi: 01273 323524 communitydialogueforchange@googlemail.com

Learn facilitation skills for generating high-quality collaborative decisions in this introduction to running Formal Consensus meetings. Essential for anyone interested in effective group dynamics. One introductory class will be scheduled each month, beginning Oct 08. For more info, contact Nathaniel White (white@magicatechne.com) and put Formal Consensus in the Subject line.

Thurs 9 Oct - www.NO2ID.net presents a £FREE showing of the film 'Taking Liberties'. This shocking and hilarious film charts the loss of liberties in Britain over the last ten years... upstairs at the Caroline of Brunswick pub, 7:00pm for 7:30pm start, The London Road side of the Level (39 Ditchling Road, BN1 4SB).

and also on Thurs 9th Oct - Book Launch for local resident Tom Lines\\\' Making Poverty: A History - 7pm at Waterstones book store, North Street, Brighton (by the Clock Tower) £3.00 (towards price of book). See www.tomlines.org.uk

Carrotmob is a constructive direct action idea spreading virally around the world from it's origins in the US:

Step 1: Find the local business that will invest the greatest portion of an afternoon\\\'s sales in energy-efficient upgrades. Step 2: Mob them! Get as many people to make their necessary purchases at the winning business as you can. By organising to all buy the things we need, en masse, we can use our purchasing power positively.

Local businesses win. The planet wins. And hey, it's lots of fun, so everyone's a winner! Change the world while buying beer or toilet paper. www.carrotmobuk.org + Facebook http://www.new.facebook.com/group.php?gid=28592461565

It has been estimated that we now have less than 100 months to turn round our carbon emissions in order to avoid \\\'runaway climate change'. How we will get there? The clock is ticking - www.onehundredmonths.org

Monsanto boss buys organic! This made me smile and I couldn't resist including it here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/17/1

(Monsanto are suppliers of GM crops, crippling debt, lawsuits and reasons for suicide to struggling farmers, herbicides and pesticides to our soil and wildlife, and Agent Orange to the American military and generations of ordinary Vietnamese, illegal dumpers of toxic waste, including PCBs, in countless places and corrupt bribers in Indonesia to avoid Environmental Impact Assessments of their GM cotton.

Here's a quote from Phil Angell, Monsanto's director of corporate communications, explaining the company's regulatory philosophy in 1998: “Monsanto should not have to vouchsafe the safety of biotech food. Our interest is in selling as much of it as possible. Assuring its safety is FDA's job." - source Wikipedia)

[ENDS]