The Wholesome Photo of the Month Thu May 09, 2024 11:01 | Anti-Empire
In 3 War Years Russia Will Have Spent $3... Thu May 09, 2024 02:17 | Anti-Empire
UK Sending Missiles to Be Fired Into Rus... Tue May 07, 2024 14:17 | Marko Marjanović
US Gives Weapons to Taiwan for Free, The... Fri May 03, 2024 03:55 | Anti-Empire
Russia Has 17 Percent More Defense Jobs ... Tue Apr 30, 2024 11:56 | Marko Marjanović Anti-Empire >>
Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
Julian Assange is finally free ! Tue Jun 25, 2024 21:11 | indy
Stand With Palestine: Workplace Day of Action on Naksa Day Thu May 30, 2024 21:55 | indy
It is Chemtrails Month and Time to Visit this Topic Thu May 30, 2024 00:01 | indy
Hamburg 14.05. "Rote" Flora Reoccupied By Internationalists Wed May 15, 2024 15:49 | Internationalist left
Eddie Hobbs Breaks the Silence Exposing the Hidden Agenda Behind the WHO Treaty Sat May 11, 2024 22:41 | indy Human Rights in Ireland >>
Christians Slam Paris Opening Ceremony for Woke Parody of ?Last Supper? Sat Jul 27, 2024 13:00 | Richard Eldred Awful audio, bizarre performances, embarrassing gaffes and a woke 'Last Supper' parody that has outraged Christians turned the Paris Olympics opening ceremony into a rain-soaked disaster.
The post Christians Slam Paris Opening Ceremony for Woke Parody of ?Last Supper? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Victorian Laws Against Priests Meddling in Politics Are Now Needed More Than Ever ? To Prevent Imams... Sat Jul 27, 2024 11:46 | Steven Tucker The Muslim Vote wants Labour to abolish Victorian ?spiritual influence? laws that prevent religious leaders from swaying voters, but Steven Tucker argues that in cities like Leicester these laws are more vital than ever.
The post Victorian Laws Against Priests Meddling in Politics Are Now Needed More Than Ever ? To Prevent Imams Doing the Same appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Live and Let D.E.I. Sat Jul 27, 2024 09:00 | Dr James Allan Law professor James Allan has had a bet on Donald Trump to win the Presidency for two years. He's even more confident of winning now that Kamala Harris has become the Democratic nominee.
The post Live and Let D.E.I. appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Three Generations of Waughfare: Alexander Waugh (1963-2024) Sat Jul 27, 2024 07:00 | James Alexander Politics professor James Alexander pays tribute to Alexander Waugh, the grandson of Evelyn Waugh and master of non-fiction prose who died aged 60 last week.
The post Three Generations of Waughfare: Alexander Waugh (1963-2024) appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
News Round-Up Sat Jul 27, 2024 01:48 | Toby Young A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
The post News Round-Up appeared first on The Daily Sceptic. Lockdown Skeptics >>
Voltaire, international edition
Netanyahu soon to appear before the US Congress? It will be decisive for the suc... Thu Jul 04, 2024 04:44 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N°93 Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:49 | en
Will Israel succeed in attacking Lebanon and pushing the United States to nuke I... Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:40 | en
Will Netanyahu launch tactical nuclear bombs (sic) against Hezbollah, with US su... Thu Jun 27, 2024 12:09 | en
Will Israel provoke a cataclysm?, by Thierry Meyssan Tue Jun 25, 2024 06:59 | en Voltaire Network >>
|
"Every crisis contains in itself an opportunity"
(Letter regarding Pat Kenny`s upcoming radio show)
Dear Pat, (Wednesday 21 January, 2009)
Strange times indeed!
Yesterday Martin Luther King’s dream was realised with Barack Obama becoming the first black president of the united States. Today sees Ireland celebrating, after much movement building based on Hope and Bold-ness of vision, the 90th anniversary since the first meeting of Dail Éireann.
But strangest of all is that we are living in times of such climate catastrophe, which threatens our collective existence regardless of nation and race, and in Ireland this fact is neither sufficiently recognised, nor is sufficient assistance given to those with visions for sustainable change.
![Click on image to see full-sized version Crisis : Danger + Opportunity](../attachments/jan2009/crisis__danger__opportunity2.jpg) Crisis : Danger + Opportunity Since time immemorial, the Chinese symbol for “crisis” has been expressed by the combination of the two words “danger” and “opportunity.” There-in lies not only a sentiment for Ireland’s present woes, but also a notion that these days could lead to something truly positive: an opportunity for our “Green Isle” to become a model sustainable community for both Europe, and indeed the world…
We must re-evaluate our understanding and use of the words Progress and Health. We must move from the idea of GDP (gross domestic product) to EPI (environmental performance index). That being, moving from how much stuff we move around the planet and at what cost, to what is the environmental impact of these actions and how they can be improved upon. In short, we need to stop burning tonnes of oil to import tonnes of New Zealand apples to Ireland, and seek ways to develop local food production zones and markets, like Seedsavers or Dolphins Barn community garden, which re-establish community and tradition, while not costing the earth.
What we are calling a “global financial crisis” is the first inevitable problem arising from a faulty economic system, built on the absurd idea that infinite economic growth is possible, fuelled by the endless supply of cheap oil. Apart from the disastrous CO2 emissions of this approach, a direct cause of Irelands recent summers rains?, scientists have made it clear; World Oil demand has peaked, we are running out of it and need to quickly build alternatives to survive. Thankfully some exist:
The Cradle to Cradle approach, which is based on the observation that in nature “Waste equals food” uses smart eco design powered by the sun, and is developing and building clean eco processes and buildings. The Netherlands is firmly embracing the concept and US architect, Bill Mc Donagh, has been asked to design 12 new eco cities in China. Can we imagine what a Cradle to Cradle island of Ireland might look like?
The Transition Town movement, originally developed out of ideas from Kinsale permaculture college, has expanded rapidly in only 2 years and sees communities coming together to imagine how they will exist with less oil dependence. Recently Sommerset county council in the UK embraced this practical philosophy.
I am an architect and eco-urbanist who left Ireland 2 years ago and now live, work and learn in the Catalan city of Barcelona. Prior to that I was involved with a group seeking to make the Botanic Spine, that being an 18km eco corridor, bikeway and linked route of food gardens joining Dublin’s 2 canals, the Phoenix park and the derelict train line that splits Cabra in two. With a bit of vision and support from the government, this ring could be a major catalyst for change that might help Ireland realise her opportunity, and take another BOLD and Visionary step, in these troubled times: to attempt to become Europe’s “Green Isle”.
Regards,
Duncan O`Cruadhlaoich, architect, EIG (eco intelligent growth), Barcelona
http://www.ecointelligentgrowth.net/eng/02duncan.html
Notes:
The above letter was sent to Pat Kenny, after a request on his show last Monday for people to send in ideas for a “Brainstorming session to try to get us (Ireland) out of this (economic) mess”, in light of the current economic crisis that has gripped the country, for Fridays show which will be a 2 hour discussion resulting from such inputs. Email Pat if you want to add your views.
Today With Pat Kenny -
http://www.rte.ie/radio1/todaywithpatkenny/
Email Pat Kenny at todaypk@rte.ie
Related links
Martin Luther King + Barack Obama
http://www.rte.ie/news/2009/0119/uspolitics.html
90th anniversary since the first meeting of Dail Éireann.
http://www.rte.ie/laweb/ll/ll_t15_main.html
climate catastrophe
http://climateactioncafe.wordpress.com/2009/01/05/what-...2008/
Chinese symbol for “crisis”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_translation_of_crisis
Progress and Health.
http://www.resurgence.org/magazine/article250-HOW-WEALT....html
GDP (gross domestic product)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gross_domestic_product
EPI (environmental performance index).
http://epi.yale.edu/Home
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_Performance_...Index
New Zealand apples to Ireland
http://www.maf.govt.nz/mafnet/rural-nz/statistics-and-f...1.htm
local food production zones and markets
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/mar/26/cityf...print
http://transitionculture.org/essential-info/book-review...puls/
Seedsavers
http://www.irishseedsavers.ie/
Dolphins Barn community garden
http://dublincommunitygardens.blogspot.com/
“global financial crisis”
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/89482
CO2 emissions
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/05/kin...hange
Irelands recent summers rains?
http://blog.cjwriting.com/2008/08/09/summertime-and-the...oggy/
Scientists have made it clear; World Oil demand has peaked,
http://www.oildecline.com/
Cradle to Cradle
http://www.mcdonough.com/cradle_to_cradle.htm
http://itsafunnyoldworld.wordpress.com/2008/03/13/billm...ough/
“Waste equals food”
http://www.vpro.nl/programma/tegenlicht/afleveringen/36...2706/
watch film in English: http://www.vpro.nl/programma/tegenlicht/afleveringen/36...1824/
The Netherlands is firmly embracing the concept
http://www.duurzaamgebouwd.nl/images/pdf/Designing%20Cr...y.pdf
US architect, Bill Mc Donagh, has been asked to design 12 new eco cities in China.
http://www.mcdonough.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY4o3WzCfmM
The Transition Town movement,
http://www.transitiontowns.org/
http://itsafunnyoldworld.wordpress.com/2008/10/16/trans...tion/
Kinsale permaculture college,
http://www.kinsalefurthered.ie/permaculture_course_leve...2.htm
Sommerset county council in the UK embraced this practical philosophy.
http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/28/something-wonde...rset/
architect eco-urbanist Barcelona
http://itsafunnyoldworld.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/towar...lona/
http://www.wiserearth.org/file/view/129467181ccddcda2ab...f31fd
Botanic Spine,
http://www.indymedia.ie/attachments/feb2007/botanic_spi...e.pdf
http://itsafunnyoldworld.wordpress.com/2005/11/15/botan...pine/
Online thesis: http://www.wiserearth.org/file/view/ee418f0d85252453f94...42161
|
View Full Comment Text
save preference
Comments (4 of 4)