Fair trade coffee

Fair trade coffee

Why Food Forests?

Why Food Forests?

Climate Justice Conference

Climate Justice Conference

Eco-Architecture & Permacultural Planning CIC has accepted invitation to attend the event on the 12th November 2011 at Institute of Education.
We will be doing a workshop from 2-3pm and also we will have a stall at the event.

Social Enterprise Mark Company ownership changes announced

rise and Social Enterprise UK, who have to-date run the Social Enterprise Mark Company as a joint venture, today announced changes to its ownership. rise will now become the sole shareholder, while Social Enterprise UK will continue to support the Mark Company through promoting the Mark nationally.

Social Enterprise UK is to concentrate its efforts on growing the market for social enterprise, attracting more partners from mainstream business, the third sector and the public sector through campaigns, influencing, and growing the evidence-base for social enterprise. The national body said with the company established and the number of Mark holders growing, it was confident to transfer the running to Rise, which has robust and ambitious business plans for its future.

Social Enterprise UK will promote the Mark as the accreditation for social enterprise.

Lucy Findlay, Managing Director, Social Enterprise Mark Company, said:

“The Social Enterprise Mark now has a solid base to use as a platform for the next stage. We will continue to work closely with Social Enterprise UK and our aims remain closely aligned and complementary. We have exciting plans for the future which are soon to be announced.”

Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said:

“We will continue to work with the Mark Company to grow the number of Mark holders in the UK. Mark holders benefit from immediate recognition as a social enterprise and it will be particularly useful to those spinning out of the public sector. A great deal of hard work has gone into starting up the Social Enterprise Mark and we wish it every success in the next stage of its development.”
http://www.riseforsocent.org.uk]/

BBC OXFORD -ABINGDON HYDRO

Abingdon Hydro - a scheme to generate electricty for about 200 homes from the River Thames is exepcted to appear on BBC news, Oxford this evening at 6.30pm. Together with my husband Martin, I am a director of this Community Interest Company and EAPP is helping on this project. www.abingdonhydro.co.uk

filiming at the Abingdon Community shop for Oxford evening news.

Letter to Editor

Dear Editor

Many people today would like to move out of cities to live a more spiritually satisfying life in the countryside.*

Will the Localisation Bill make it easier for the young enterprising to get land to build themselves home, grow food and have self-sustaining energy systems? Credit crunch, soaring energy and food prices make the latter not just desirable but increasingly very necessary.

In UK we seem to be moving very slowly towards this, as many people are getting disillusioned with the materialistic consumer way of life, as it doesn't bring enduring happiness or deepening spiritual satisfaction. With an ever-rising population here most will argue that there isn't enough land for a more cooperative family land-based self-reliant localised economy to emerge; but when you consider that around 90% of land in the UK is owned by 5% of the population – mostly aristocrats and corporates – it perpetuates an apparent land shortage especially for self-build housing.

There must be lots of readers of this who would love to help build their own eco-home to live this more satisfying fulfilling life. While government ministers seem to support the idea of localised self-reliance, land ownership by the privileged few and planning law restrictions in no  way encourage this.

Most young can't get a mortgage even if they do get a job (credit crunch!) so the only affordable way is to join a housing coop or community share housing self-build group. One hopes the Localisation Bill will enable local councils to release and earmark more land for low-impact self-build eco-housing.

The up and coming frustrated edge of our consumerist society are longing for a more eco-spiritual life and a decent house to live in.

Our contribution is to help these kind of pioneers who've invested all their resources to purchase land to create a Permacultural woodland garden, to get planning permission for their eco-house.

We are inviting readers to track progress of 3 of our current projects having these aims:

1) Muxbeare Orchard, Willand near Tiverton, Devon – muxbeareorchard.com

2) Karuna Project on West Shropshire uplands – karuna.org.uk

3) Silent Haven self-built project mid-Devon – silenthaven.org

EAPP have signed The Earth Charter Initiative

The Earth Charter Initiative:

Mission, Vision and Goals

Mission

The mission of the Earth Charter Initiative is to promote the transition to sustainable ways of living and a global society founded on a shared ethical framework that includes respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy, and a culture of peace.

Vision

We envision individuals, organizations, businesses, governments, and multilateral institutions throughout the world, including the United Nations General Assembly and UN agencies, acknowledging the Earth Charter, embracing its values and principles, and working collaboratively to build just, sustainable, and peaceful societies.

Goals

1. To raise awareness worldwide of the Earth Charter and to promote understanding of its inclusive ethical vision.
2. To seek recognition and endorsement of the Earth Charter by individuals, organizations, and the United Nations.
3. To promote the use of the Earth Charter as an ethical guide and the implementation of its principles by civil society, business, and government.
4. To encourage and support the educational use of the Earth Charter in schools, universities, religious communities, local communities, and many other settings.
5. To promote recognition and use of the Earth Charter as a soft law document

Mission
The mission of the Earth Charter Initiative is to promote the transition to sustainable ways of living and a global society founded on a shared ethical framework that includes respect and care for the community of life, ecological integrity, universal human rights, respect for diversity, economic justice, democracy, and a culture of peace.

EAPP is Memeber of WSSET - World Society of Sustainable Energy Technologies

WSSET is a non-profit organisation led by Saffa Riffat, Professor in Sustainable Energy and Head of the Institute of Sustainable Energy Technology at the University of Nottingham. WSSET has played an important role in consolidating practical partnerships between academic and industrial organisations, as well as promoting sustainable development/technologies worldwide. The role of WSSET is becoming increasingly important as the world seeks new solutions to problems arising from climate change, energy shortages and economic crisis.

EAPP is a member is the WSSET- World Society of Sustainable Energy Technologies

WSSET promotes sustainable development to minimise the impact of climate change and has a mandate from the world community to set the proper direction for development of a sustainable urban environment as our legacy to future generations. WSSET supports its members in the advancement of sustainable technologies in various ways:

• Bringing together industries, academic institutions and private individuals worldwide through communication, co-operation, support and exchange;
• Promoting work on sustainable energy carried out by academic institutions and industry worldwide;
• Organising international seminars and conferences (e.g. SET international conferences) on the latest developments in the field of sustainable energy and encourage collaboration between researchers, scientists and industry from different countries;
• Publishing newsletters (WSSET newsletters) to promote innovative work carried out by universities and industry worldwide;
• Editing refereed technical journals (e.g., Int. Journal of Low Carbon Technologies);
• Encouraging collaboration between industry and academic institutions of different countries through the organisation of special workshops/seminars targeting the need of various countries;
• Running the HOPE Group for Africa to address issues related to developing countries such as the impact of climate change on energy, food supply and jobs;
• Assisting students from poorer nations and developing countries by seeking sponsorships to support their education in sustainable energy;
• Assisting the commercialising of new technologies developed by universities and private individuals;
• Organising public engagement activities;
• Assisting industry and individuals to attract grants to develop new ideas/demonstration projects; and
• Publicising innovative sustainable technologies carried out by academics in collaboration with industry.