Preparations for this unusual and inspiring community event are gathering momentum and are headed for fever pitch in the next couple of weeks. We have had so many offers of contributions that the programme is now quite packed with activities – you are sure to find something of interest for yourself and your families and neighbours.

Here is just a small selection of topics that you will be able to find out more about and to discuss:
- car clubs: how – at least for many of us - participating in a car club may provide us with reliable transport that is always available within minutes and will cost us significantly less than having our own car (standing in our drive)
- gardens: how to build a good compost heap
- grow your own food: how Cuban communities – both rural and urban – have coped with fossil fuel shortage over decades and have learnt to grow a lot of their own food, and what we can learn from this
- housing: how the principles to achieve a zero-heating building can be applied to the refurbishment of existing homes
- transition: what the most significant steps are that we can take to make the transition to a low-carbon future
- reliable transport: how to maintain your own bicycle (for teenagers and everyone)
- renewable energies: how you can participate in local initiatives to make our energy use more efficient and reduce our carbon foot-print
- food production and distribution: you can hear – from the horse’s mouth - how to put wholesome food within the reach of all sections of the community, by the founder of a German organic supermarket chain

As well as substantial information in lectures and workshops, there are films, hands-on demonstrations, lots of stalls and activities for people of all ages, including a variety of creative and arts workshops for children. And for your own sustenance throughout the day there will be various offerings of wholesome food for any budget.

What is ‘sustainable consciousness’ ?

One aspect of ‘Thriving Sustainably’ that is unusual for such a day is the inclusion of some events on ‘sustainable consciousness’. This is based on the idea that our unsustainable life style is based upon – and goes hand in hand with – unsustainable attitudes, beliefs and personal behaviours. Such an unsustainable psychology manifests in a multitude of modern addictions and self-destructive patterns, individually and collectively. These are not just bad for the planet, they are bad for ourselves and those around us. And all kinds of practitioners – psychologists, counsellors, therapists – find that these patterns are difficult to change unless we also develop a new kind of psychology. We can think of an ecology of outer reality (nature, the environment), but our efforts in that direction will remain limited unless they are matched by an ecology of inner reality - of mind and body. A variety of presenters will make this topic accessible.

We need some help with:

- accommodation for some of our presenters coming from further afield (Devon, Germany) for one or two nights (Fri. Oct. 16th and/or Sat. Oct. 17th)
- video and/or sound recordings of the overall event and some of the presentations for posterity (to be shown on the internet)
- people to volunteer as stewards on the day
- and generally publicity in every shape and form (by the time you read this we will have leaflets and posters available for you to distribute)

To find out more, visit: thrivingsustainably.org.uk or contact Michael on 01865 725205.

Two Showings of “The Age of Stupid”

As an introduction and to set the scene for our Thriving Sustainably event, there will be a showing of the climate change film ‘The Age of Stupid’ (in the film there’s an engineer working for an oil company who uses that phrase and says that’s what the last few decades of the 20th century will be remembered for).
This will take place the evening before (Friday, October 16th at 7.30pm at West Oxford Primary School). Mark Lynas, local journalist and author of the book ‘Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet’, will be present to answer questions and support the discussion after the film (if you can’t make it on Oct. 16th, another showing will take place on Thursday 29 October, 8pm at West Oxford Community Centre). Both showings are free – just turn up.