Choosing Optimism
Ben Stocking
?? Regeneration Catalyst ¤ Business Energy - Innovation & Savings ¤ Ecologist ¤ Futurist ¤ Let's work In-SynQ ¤
Thankfully, there is plenty of good news to share, despite the chaos :)
Firstly, I wanted to thank you for subscribing, hope you enjoyed the 1st newsletter :)
I was over the moon to get 2300 + subscribers in the first month!
Wow, is it just me or is the world getting crazier by the day?
From energy, finance and food systems in turmoil, and heart-breaking war, to ever more extreme weather events and sewage killing our rivers, chaos is rife...
As an nature nut, it can be hard to stay positive, but the more I learn, the more I see good news, people and organisations working tirelessly to save and protect nature and social justice.
#Rewilding is a buzz word being used ever more frequently. With the Beaver's glorious return to many UK rivers creating more diverse and resilient ecosystems! Better for people and nature... more life, less flooding! Before they were hunted to extinction in the 16th century, Britain had beavers in abundance, their return is hugely positive.
#Ecosystemrestoration is happening. Nature has immense powers of recovery, and just needs space and a helping hand. Accelerating the regeneration and protection of wild places is key to a sustainable future :)
Getting involved is easy, with small actions at home and in the garden, to supporting, joining or volunteering with one of the many grass roots community groups shifting the needle from the ground up.
Choosing optimism gets easier when you see the green shoots and are part of the collective momentum. Yes we can't change the world in isolation, but all actions make a difference and together we can create a sustainable future!
For an insightful take, check out the article by Hannah Ritchie from Big Think in my curated content list below "AN END TO DOOMERISM, Or why I’m coming out as an impatient optimist" Thanks Hannah, guess I am also an impatient optimist.
The biggest risk for any business is failure to adapt to sustainability and climate change pressures.
This may be scary and doing so may require certain business models to radically transform, or become extinct. Transition is possible for many and for those who want to do more, leading the change has vast benefits to an organisations success, check out Richard Hagan content, since beginning their sustainability journey turnover has quadrupled, it is a great case study for the authenticity and cultural transformation led by an inspirational leader of a typical manufacturing company who decided to go green and is now remarkable.
If you are a business owner or executive thinking about where to start, to get valuable strategic insight without someone trying to flog products, give me a shout!
From extreme weather, disruption to food, water and energy security, to species extinction and destruction of nature, the current path is unsustainable, we are all part of this and businesses have a great deal of power to create positive change and future success.
I have had enough of seeing people talking about climate change like it’s just another topic on the agenda, just something to be fixed with technology and box ticking.?Electric vehicles and solar panels won't save us whilst we are polluting and killing our life support system provided by nature. Water, soil, biodiversity and safe temperature are kind of business critical right!?
Nature teaches us that chaos and change are part of life. Chaos is the way of the Universe and whilst order exists temporarily, change is constant. adaptation to change is the key.
When a mighty tree falls, light creates new life where it's leaves once shaded the ground, it's 'dead' wood alive as food and home for countless creatures.
What human constructs, are intrinsically unsustainable and about to fall, or need an axe taking to them? I can think of a few, but that will be something for another article. Most importantly, what can we can reimagine, or re-learn from indigenous people, kids and elders?
Love this picture, taken in a nature reserve in Leicester City Centre, my precious daughter inspiration. This place is a haven for biodiversity and crucial breeding ground for the abundant creatures, in and around the River Soar. The volunteers and work by Ian in particular at Green Circle Nature Regeneration CIC is truly impactful and continues to inspire.
Another source of inspiration is Ian Wilson and Deana Bamford drive and imagination regenerating community and place in Coalville, Leicestershire. Our towns and cities have been degenerated by the same forces which have driven over consumption... huge supermarkets and warehouses, selling stuff, which breaks or is not trendy too soon, far too much packaging with transportation miles to die for, no foot fall in towns, empty buildings and there are green shoots, Leicester city itself has seen some big ticket successes with the council really leading in green transport, but still lot's of empty buildings and not enough green. What if some of those empty buildings were turned into community resources and hubs created by community for community? This is what Ian and the team are doing :)
The only limit is imagination and determination and these guys have an abundance.
Despite huge impacts and successes, this amazing community project was usurped by the council in favour of housing. The work undertaken however is invaluable and will flourish. There is an amazing office in the centre of Coalville, running events, office spaces, hot desks and co-working, genuinely worth going to connect with Ian and Deana.
VegVan Community Farm Update:
It was Ian who advised me when I co founded Green Circle, and later introduced me to Terri Mowle , founder of a permaculture non profit and I was privileged to support. Terri is a multi talented powerhouse of goodness, a cultural development expert, driven to create a place for kids and oldies alike to learn about the permaculture principles of earth care, people care and fair share, found in many societies and all indigenous cultures.
The earths resources have limits, and we have taken too much, not stealing from distant future generations, but our children, grandchildren and even ourselves now, as we see the impacts on economies, floods, drought, energy and food disruption.
I have been inspired by so many good news stories in farming, food, rewilding, ecosystem restoration and community projects.
Helping Terri, the amazing wider support team and volunteers, turn a relatively barren field, into the early stages of permaculture project has been hard work but fun. Soil is difficult to move with barrow and shovel, blackthorn is a pain to drag up a hill, but it is always heart-warming growing, preparing, planting and nurturing...
Below is an aerial shot taken in the late spring, the pic at the top is from the bottom end, still blooming now with flowers, veg and grain, like the hidden gem Amaranth.
Well the site was not barren, it has lovely wildflowers, ancient hedges, decent fauna and fauna relative to the UK's degraded agricultural land, and the rest was typical compacted soil, grass cut or fed to horses like so many places, The manure / grass taken away not assimilated into the soil ecosystem.
#Soilhealth is finally getting the attention it deserves. The picture at the top is our first completed bed, a layer of cardboard then a mix of soils, diverse plants grown, some self seeded natives encouraged.
This is the grand design
Do follow Terri and the VegVan LinkedIn page, soon to share some exciting work with the younger generation.
So why have we polluted our planet so badly? Damaged it's basic life support systems so many of us take for granted... water, air, soil, food, not being underwater?
Why did the UK extract all it had and then start abroad, then America turbo boosted consumerism, then China, initially cheap labour and tech, now a global superpower and one with shocking environmental practices?
Selfish genes? Humans better than bacteria?
Originally published in 1976, Richard Dawkins' book?the selfish gene argues that genes are the basic unit of evolution, not individual organisms or even species. Due to their naturally selfish behaviour, genes merely use organisms as mechanisms to ensure their own survival.
But humans are different right?
Well yes, since our cave dwelling ancestors learned how to create fire and pass on cultural learnings through cave paintings, our ability to create, invent and 'manage/change' nature has accelerated out of control, extinctions litter our history.
Not so long ago we were sending kids into mines and telling kids that smoking was good for you, so lets also have compassion for ourselves as a species.
Following a period of relative stability, technological explosion and vast gains in social / health care, consumer culture has carried us along, well most of us, it is very hard to be sustainable in the current system, yet the changes needed will create a better society, we only have one chance!
Most people who have benefitted, have sat back and enjoyed the ride, mostly western cultures at the expense of indigenous peoples. The pace of change has rapidly accelerated over the recent small chunk of time, a mere nanosecond of earths history.
Now, we need our spark of conscience or whatever it is that made us different to our fellow creatures, and collective powers to cause an even more rapid change, so we have a chance to leave a positive legacy as a species.
The technology causing so much exploitation of earths resources only exists because of a cooperative hive mind: hundreds of scientists and engineers working together. The same unique intelligence and cooperation also underlies more positive advances, such as modern medicine, lets ensure our great grandchildren look back at our generation as the ones who bucked the selfish gene trend and regenerated nature, human nature included!
CURATED CONTENT QUICK LOOK
Snapshot and some comments??
The topics and challenges that I have been working on, support or learning about, I have categorised as below, and pleased to share a range of articles of interest specially curated for you.
Energy
We are a very energy intensive species. Since the first cave fire, heat and energy from burning stuff has enabled our species to evolve and develop in ways that no other species ever has.
Technology and innovation is really bubbling away, with solar cells breaking the 30% efficiency barrier, and existing solar delivering ROI and payback in record levels.
Energy efficiency is also super popular as sky high energy costs, bring reducing consumption to front of mind for many UK organisations. This is the silver lining from the energy crisis.
Talking about crisis, and after years of shoddy governance, planning and regulation found UK businesses facing costs that could cripple them, the UK government stepped in with measure to protect and limit the increases for non domestic customers.
Read my summary on the Government measures below, the fallout is still yet to settle.
Domestic customers have seen the latest price cap kick in, still far higher than before and the 'switching market' is further failed following all the suppliers going bust, and lets not remember it was the very domestic price cap which was to late and too inflexible, which caused the crisis in the first place.
Are you a business and other non-domestic energy user worried confused or just appreciate a second opinion, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Check out some of the good and scary news and articles I found relevant over the last month, in the curated content, including:
Agrovoltaics - solar and farming in symbiosis
Carbon Capture - Carbon Recycling Breakthrough Converts 100% Of CO2 Into Ethylene
领英推荐
Vertical Axis Turbines ‘Dramatically’ Increase Power Density at Offshore Wind Farms
Whilst obstructing solar,?Liz Truss Government has paved the way for a big enlargement of onshore wind in England after it introduced it could scrap onerous planning restrictions which have in reality banned the renewable know-how since 2015. Action for Nature & Climate
?Action for Nature & Climate
Nature and climate heroes, are too many to mention, so all of you awesome people on LinkedIn which I have shared, liked, commented, connected, met and explored regeneration THANK YOU. Here are some of the posts and articles that I found impactful over the last month, mostly good news ??
Small actions at home and work outdoors, really can boost nature and wellbeing, plus climate positive, such as home composting, saying no to weed killers and pesticides, to simple actions like not being too tidy. Who can say no to less effort and better results?
Leaving leaves on grass (or at least some areas) is one of the most important actions to support pollinators and other invertebrates is to provide them with the winter cover they need. Check out this ace blog by the Xerces Society.
National Trust , the RSPB , and WWF-UK are joining forces to make sure the public’s voices are heard, and together create a plan to protect and restore nature that no one can ignore.
‘We are not going away’: the volunteers fighting back against England’s polluted rivers.
Determined fishers are testing their stretches of river for pollution as citizen scientists take on the water companies. Angling is one of the most popular outdoor sports / activities, yes it can be strenuous or lazy, depending upon your mood. Has been great to see the mental health benefits of fishing using rod and line, getting recognised and now subscibed by the NHS instead of chemicals - great work by David Lyons and Tackling Minds pioneering this.
Angling with a tiny barbless hook, catching, marvelling at a fish to be returned and grow bigger, or sustainable game and sea fishing for ones own food, with rod and line is possible and generally good for the environment with huge amounts of habitat protected. The sport does have to look at itself in some respects and be better for the environment - like most industries, what do you think Angling Direct PLC ? It is the factory farming, trawlers, habitat destruction, pollution, lack of regulation, salmon farming etc that are unsustainable. Bar a minority, anglers are a force for good for nature, we see it, observe it and many like me have done since infancy, we all want life not sewage in our rivers hey!
African farmers to UK: stop funding ‘climate-stupid’ agriculture on our continent "Millions of African people have demanded that the UK and others?cease funding an agricultural initiative?on the continent. They say that the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) locks farmers into dependence on corporations and environmentally destructive practices. Instead, farmers, along with faith leaders and other civil society organisations (CSOs), have urged funders to redirect financing to initiatives that are ecologically sound and offer self-sufficiency for people."
Africa is on the frontlines but not the front pages Young Climate Leader Vanessa Nakate on her climate fight. Climate and social justice are inextricably linked, this quote says it all "Vanessa Nakate knows what it’s like to be Black and overlooked. In January 2020, an Associated Press photographer cropped Nakate from a picture of youth climate activists at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, leaving her friend Greta Thunberg and three other white young women in the shot" To be inspired read on
Leeds: People asked to collect conkers and other tree seeds Good to see council braver than uk government when it comes to raising awareness and getting people taking community and green actions "Four types of seeds can be left at collection points to then be sown and grown at Leeds Council's garden centre."
Conservation groups brand mini-budget an ‘attack on nature’ "“Make no mistake, we are angry. This government has today launched an attack on nature,” the?RSPB?tweeted. “As of today, from Cornwall to Cumbria, Norfolk to Nottingham, wildlife is facing one of the greatest threats it’s faced in decades.”
Acting now to stop biodiversity loss French banking giant BNP Paribas newsletter actually looks decent
Wales takes it's own journey with agricultural reforms designed to battle climate change by paying farmers for protecting nature.
AN END TO DOOMERISM Or why I’m coming out as an impatient optimist.
Direct action not ruled out by conservation groups over environment policies "The National Trust, RSPB and Wildlife Trusts said they could urge millions of members to take to the streets in demonstrations."
Climate justice: UN rules Australia violated islander rights. The United Nations Human Rights Committee ruled last week that Australia failed to protect people living on four islands in the Torres Strait from the effects of climate change, and has ordered it to pay for the harm caused. It is the first successful claim of its kind.?
One of continued great posts by James Godfrey-Faussett "Interestingly - (in a world obsessed with carbon) canopy soils have been shown to contain three times the amount of organic carbon as found underfoot in the same forests and again shows we know little about the potential of complete intact forest ecosystems."?
Cooling the planet drop by drop Whilst water management is one of greatest challenges, it may also hold the key to our salvation when it comes to climate change. Really good article from Zairah Khan. Follow Michael Stanley-Gallisdorfer for more water insights.
Anthropocene Impacts
Human activities influence on climate and the environment such a changes to whole earth systems, climate, plastic / C02 / other pollution, species extinction, the real scary stuff.
Study shows 'unprecedented' changes to world's rivers
Poyang Lake and surrounding wetlands in Jiangxi province are parched, and rice farmers in the region are fearful about the coming harvest. Despite the drought, analysts say China has ample rice reserves and a drop in output this year is unlikely to cause volatility in global prices. How long will this last?
Increase in LED lighting ‘risks harming human and animal health’ This looks an issue in terms of light pollution, LED's of course save energy and are key to reducing energy consumption, turning them off helps!!
What would Australia look like in 2030 if we simply listened to the needs of its people? Regenerating Australia is the latest film from Damon Gameau, the award-winning director of 2040 and That Sugar Film.
Are We In the Midst of a Silent Mass Extinction? A new modeling technique aims to help scientists and policymakers detect declines in genetic diversity based on habitat loss.
Cultural Development
Working towards the realisation of a desired sustainable equitable future, leading and driving authentic green cultural revolution or shifting the needle. Working to help organisations transform and grow through genuine green cultural development is my passion.
The desire for meaningful work, was interesting and evidence that workers need purpose, people want to work for companies that are good for the environment and and have asocial purpose
Social systems require the same level of care, attention, and kindness as ecosystems. They are incomparable yet inseparable. The state of the environment accurately reflects the violence, injustice, disrespect, and harm we do to people of different cultures, beliefs, and skin color.
The two recent good news stories below, really are exciting, Britain's culture is rich and diverse, recent centuries seeing an attack on nature beyond belief. Regeneration is possible and these projects, also the brilliant work of others who have led the way like Alan Watson Featherstone Glen Affric, and Knepp before, give great hope that a culture shift is happening in Britain, let's accelerate!
Wellbeing & Food
Connecting with nature and food, creating local circular systems can solve multiple social and climate challenges.
Those who connect with and become more connected with nature, report huge benefits in wellbeing, reduced anxiety, increased focus and also physical benefits are wide ranging, with the simple act of handling soil, giving us a boost of happy brain chemicals thanks to friendly bacteria.
This is a great resource from WWF & Mental Health Foundation to help give ideas, inspiration and ways to facilitate nature connectedness.
A highlight of the last year has been supporting Linda Neville at Strive with SanaMente mental wellbeing experts, with some nature based ideas and content for their innovative strive programme for organisations, making proactive mental wellbeing accessible.
How We Misunderstand Anxiety and Miss Out on Its Benefits Important research, most neurodiversity and anxiety stems from how we evolved and was mostly positive, research shows that human brains diverged, because working together the diverse hive mind has super powers, we need this more than ever, right?
This is one from someone you should follow for nature activities, connectedness and insights Danny English - Nature Art & Craft- Autumn Leaf Wreath Autumn leaves certainly provide a great opportunity for you to get your kids distracted for a few hours, away from screens - start with free play and exploring, collecting some leaves for this...
.. or this MAKE AN AUTUMN LEAF BOWL
Important research which again shows another reason that gut health, more diversity of food with pre and probiotics, more plants, nuts fungi... not to mention touching soil etc and keeping ones immune system healthy is vital. Alzheimer’s Might Not Be Primarily a Brain Disease: A New Theory Suggests It’s an Autoimmune Condition
Container Veg Gardening: 30 Edibles To Grow In Pots & Why You Should
31 Indoor Plants You Can Grow from Cuttings
20 Perennial Fruits & Veggies To Plant Once & Harvest Year After Year
15 Practical Ways To Improve Your Garden Soil
Director of Spa & Retail
2 年Thankyou , I am a graduate from the School of Architecture and Environmental Design as well as a Spa Director. Thankyou For this !
Captain & Marine Conservationist
2 年#savesoil
Passion for a healthy world
2 年Yes, we need optimist - otherwise, how do we create a better future for humanity?
Children's author - Environmental educator - Investing in children's futures
2 年Choosing Optimism is the way forward, as young people know. Listen to Stow Primary School students in the Scottish Borders. They are eleven years old: https://www.facebook.com/StowPrimary/videos/1431345210655232/
Humbly Serving A Sustainable Energy and Transportation Systems #Future #sustainability #innovation #technology #greentech
2 年Wealth of information in this article ??. This is absolutely true: "Electric vehicles and solar panels won't save us whilst we are polluting and killing our life support system provided by nature. Water, soil, biodiversity and safe temperature are kind of business critical right!?" I'll only add the oceans especially the whales (to pre-whaling numbers) to that list. Great job, Ben Stocking ??????.