Copy
Another World is Possible!

We might look back longingly to the time before the pandemic and the restrictions it's brought. But while life was easier for many of us, below the surface, often out of sight and out of mind, "normal" was a mess. "Normal" meant rising inequalities, with food banks getting ever busier across the country, mental ill health, loneliness, social and political divisions and, of course, the environmental and climate emergencies. These problems are still there and getting worse.

That's why governments, NGOs, think tanks, business groups and even the Financial Times are saying that as we recover from the pandemic we must fundamentally rethink the economy so that we can tackle these social and environmental crises together. The massive shock to the system that we have experienced is opening up new opportunities to reimagine the future and for radical action. How can we grasp this moment?

There is a lot to be learnt from the local COVID-19 response which has demonstrated how communities can respond very rapidly, using their local knowledge and collective intelligence to innovate and quickly put in place locally appropriate solutions to meeting local needs. Dunbar and East Linton is and has always been a community-minded place with a fiercely responsible get-it-done attitude to solving problems for local folk, by local folk. This resilience has been put to the test in this pandemic, and multiple community-led initiatives have risen to this huge challenge proactively and with agility. Read more what local groups have been up to HERE.

The framework of the Doughnut Economy, developed by Kate Raworth, provides a straightforward way to think about how we can ensure a good social foundation for everyone whilst staying within planetary environmental boundaries. These great short animations from Doughnut Economics Action Lab explain the idea. 

This framework of a ‘Doughnut Economy’ is gaining increasing traction and interest. You can find out more in this online event at 6pm on Thursday 25th June being organised by Transition Edinburgh with Katherine Trebeck from Wellbeing Economy Alliance Scotland.

 The ‘Virtual’ Exhibition

This exhibition was scheduled to be installed in John Muir’s Birthplace and opened on 1st April but that has had to be postponed because of the pandemic. The exhibition focuses on John Muir’s legacy and his relevance for our situation today in addressing the climate crisis. It is interesting how relevant many of the themes being explored in the exhibition are to COVID-19 -for example the greater impact of both crises on the poorest and most vulnerable people in the world. However, both also present an opportunity to reflect on what is actually important for our wellbeing and the sort of future we want to create. John Muir had a lot to say on our need for nature as an essential element for our mental health and spiritual nourishment.

The exhibition was always intended to be a catalyst to a series of events and activities over the summer, in conjunction with other groups. "How we do this will now have to change and we are exploring other ways to engage with and highlight the incredible range of existing community-led activity in our area.

We want to ask – ‘What if?’ questions to spark people’s imaginations for a positive vision for the Dunbar and East Linton ward in the context of the climate emergency."
Take a look HERE

Many different groups are now lobbying Government to put in place what we need in order to ‘build back better’.
The Build Back Better campaign is organised by Green New Deal UK and you can sign up here

In Scotland, Friends of the Earth Scotland are working to build a broad coalition in support of the Just and Green Recovery  Sustaining Dunbar was among 80 organisations that signed this letter to the First Minister. You can add your voice to this campaign here.

And Common Weal envisages a Scotland whose economy is about growing, making, building, innovating, service and caring; about Scotland becoming a productive nation again, and moving quickly to a Green New Deal to avert climate crisis so as to create the good jobs, the economic equality, the environmental sustainability and social cohesion which means we can deal with what is happening now and be ready for what comes next. Common Weal has spent lockdown preparing a detailed plan for how we can achieve all of this.
ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE!

 

Today, over 1.5 billion children are unable to go to school. Coronavirus’ impact goes beyond the health and economic crisis; it is also jeopardizing the education of students around the world.

Teachers are scrambling to offer students lessons online and parents are desperate for activities that will keep their kids engaged and connected to the outside world.

An unprecedented coalition of over fifty environmental and education experts are collaborating to launch The Earth School: 30 adventures for learners of all ages to discover, celebrate, and connect to nature. 

“I’ve often considered it strange that the most intellectual creature ever to walk the earth is destroying its only home. This wonderful story, What Happened When We All Stopped, helps parents and their children to overcome the disconnect between our clever brains and our loving compassionate hearts. We must find a way of living in harmony with nature so that both may thrive.I hope this story book inspires people of all ages to play their part in healing the harm we have inflicted so that together we can create a new future.”
DR. JANE GOODALL
Local Food Hub
This special episode of Farmerama podcast focusses on the Bowhouse, in the East Neuk of Fife. The Bowhouse is a food hub that links local producers to customers in the community, while providing opportunities for collaboration between producers.
SUSTAINING DUNBAR
OPEN TO NEW MEMBERS
SIGN UP - SIGN IN - WELCOME OTHERS
the active place to be for change in our world
MEMBERSHIP FREE- REGULAR NEWLETTERS
MORE HERE
Subscribe to our online discussion group: 
SusDun+subscribe@groups.io
and on Facebook
Copyright © 2020 Sustaining Dunbar, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp