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Monty Don: gardeners of the world must unite to subvert the system
Charlotte Higgins, Guardian
Writer, broadcaster and national treasure Monty Don was in revolutionary mood at his first public appearance yesterday since a stroke led to his retirement as presenter of Gardeners’ World.
… Don was certainly on fighting form as his new role as president of the Soil Association was announced at the Guardian Hay festival.
Sharing a platform with Patrick Holden, the Soil Association’s director, Don spoke of his ambition to turn the organisation into a people’s campaigning body that would transform attitudes to food and the environment.
“My attitude to politicians is that they are a pretty useless bunch,” he said. “You have to become a rabble. One should scare them and pressure them, and subvert the system from the ground up.”
He said the movement should mobilise Britain’s 11 million gardeners, involving everyone from large-scale farmers to those growing a single basil plant on a windowsill.
Holden said that, in light of environmental concerns and what he believes is an impending oil crisis, he was calling for “a national policy of self-sufficiency in staple foods”.
(27 May 2008)
Incentives for farmers to grow organic
Bill Hoffman, Sunshine Coast Daily (Australia)
Farmers may receive rates concessions as an incentive to encourage greater production on the Sunshine Coast.
A policy being considered by the Coast council’s economic development entrepreneurship chairman Lew Brennan may reward rural industries which contribute to the food chain and use environmentally responsible land management.
The idea would deliver rate relief to biodynamic, organic and permaculture growers.
Mr Brennan said yesterday the proposal was still at an embryotic stage but it was in line with the council’s vision of sustainability.
(28 May 2008)
Advice to Teens and Parents: Peak Oil (video and audio)
Peak Moment via Global Public Media
As a mom of two teenagers, Deborah Lindsay is deeply concerned about their future. As a peak oil educator, she paints a vivid picture of a post-petroleum world, with an emphasis on preparedness. With teens she talks about career choices and practical life skills. With parents, she focuses on safety, economic and energy contraction, and steps to begin now. In 2006 she began the daily talk radio show “Tomorrow Matters – Giving a Voice to a Better Tomorrow” to amplify her message. (www.deborahlindsay.com, www.sustainablemontereycounty.org).
(15 May 2008)
Sustainable Bellingham – Grassroots Organizing is Key (video and audio)
Peak Moment via Global Public Media
Sustainable Bellingham has built a solid infrastructure to be as effective in their community as possible. Team members Sandy Hoelterhoff, Lynnette Allen and David Kowalsky discuss their decision-making tool QET (a Quick Effective Tool), as well as a natural-systems model to define roles for producing events. Called ACORN, it includes roles based on directions of the compass (e.g., physical logistics tasks are in the south, oversight in the north). With a mission of education and communication, they network people, projects and groups with similar interests. Among Sustainable Bellingham ‘s activities are film showings and a Sustainable Transportation Fair. (www.sustainablebellingham.org)
(1 May 2008)
