Welcome to our August 2020 Newsletter. Whilst we haven't been able to have any of our usual members' meetings during the past few months of lockdown, there has been lots of activity behind the scenes, including nurturing what has now become the 'What If Network'
"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."

Introducing
The What If Network

The What If Network of local groups will work together to create and deliver a community-led action plan for Dunbar and district to be 'a home to thriving people, in a thriving place, while respecting the wellbeing of all people, and the health of the whole planet'.

What if COVID-19 stimulated our communities to be even stronger and more thriving?
What if we, and others, put the energy and resources we applied to the immediate response to COVID-19 into creating a better future – right now?
What if we could influence local and national social, environmental and economic policies to create the sort of society we want and need?

The What If Network offers local groups, local people and key stakeholders spaces to think big, work out what’s most needed, and make it happen. We look forward to working with the Community Councils, Area Partnership and East Lothian Council. Together with our allies we can bring additional resources, enthusiasm and energy to help shape a new and better future for everyone.

More from Kate Raworth in this introduction to how the 'doughnut economy' model is being applied at local scale -well worth 11 minutes of your time!

BELHAVEN COMMUNITY GARDEN

A handful of stalwart volunteers have been tending the community garden in the grounds of Belhaven Hospital during the COVID-19 lockdown. Now, regular volunteer work parties have restarted, with appropriate hygiene and physical distancing precautions in place. New volunteers welcome, just come along on Saturday afternoons anytime from 1pm to about 4pm.

Two perspectives on creating a more resilient food system:

A blog from Nourish Scotland: Desire Lines: what our food practice during COVID tells us about the system we want
And from 'The Conversation': Coronavirus exposed fragility in our food system – it’s time to build something more resilient

Two upcoming online events that may be of interest

Storytelling Workshop: Finding One Thousand Better Stories

How can stories help us 'build back better' and create a green and just recovery?
Join (SCCAN) Scottish Community Climate Action Network's first online Storytelling Workshop on Tuesday 11th August from 6-8pm. Paul Bristow, SCCAN's new 'Story Weaver' will introduce SCCAN's search for A Thousand Better Stories and explores how to find and tell stories about the work you do that will help inspire change. To tackle the climate crisis, we also need to tackle the crisis of imagination, to reframe and retell the stories we experience every day to show that positive change is possible. REGISTER HERE

Black Lives and Climate Justice: Prof Sir Geoff Palmer

Join Sir Prof Geoff Palmer on Tuesday 8 September 6pm-8pm for an interactive workshop on intersectional dimensions of race and climate justice. This is an invitation to reflect on how structural racism impacts not just people of colour but also all of us in a country dominated by a continuing colonialism - benefiting from extraction of resources from the Majority World to maintain our profligate lifestyles, despite being one humanity, nothing less. Sir Geoff Palmer DSc OBE is ELREC’s Honorary President - Professor Emeritus in the School of Life Sciences at Heriot Watt University and human rights activist.
Book here: https://race8sept.eventbrite.co.uk

ALL IN THE SAME BOAT
A 5 minute animation from the UK wide Build Back Better campaign

Since launching in April 2019, Outrage + Optimism has become the most widely listened to climate change podcast. Now in its second season, each weekly show highlights how we can channel the outrage we see on the streets (and online) about incremental actions in the face of the climate crisis, toward the stubborn optimism needed to forge ahead with ambition.

Electrification of Heat Demonstration Project

Warmworks has been awarded funding from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to deliver the Electrification of Heat Demonstration Project to householders in South-East Scotland. Changeworks are looking for participants to install 250 free heat pumps in homes across South East Scotland. Find out more and register your interest here ELECTRIFICATION. This is an opportunity to future-proof homes and reduce their environmental impact.

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