Resilience and wisdom to stay happy in the years ahead
This section contains several specific resources:
Climate change is already impacting food supplies, and is forecast to create much greater disruption in the years ahead. Seeding our Future commissioned research to understand both the threats and the scope for positive adaptation: two versions are available, one for Wales and the Borders, one of the focus areas for Seeding our Future’s work, … Read more
This new report was commissioned by Seeding our Future and the Schumacher Institute. It is based on online research using the best available forecast data to highlight the specific aspects of eight key risks likely to affect the UK by 2030, and to outline practical responses to these issues. The aim of the report is … Read more
For groups and communities wanting to buy land for local food production, there’s now a comprehensive online toolkit at www.communityfarm.land. It has been created by the Ecological Land Co-operative and Co-op Culture, who have assisted dozens of projects to get started. The website is well-organised, and includes sample document formats, lists of organisations and advisors, … Read more
Some pearls of wisdom Because of my experiences as founder of the Magdalen Farm Centre, and two cohousing projects, I am asked this question regularly. This document is an attempt to sum up some of the general conclusions from my experience, hoping this may be helpful to others exploring intentional community or other pioneering projects. … Read more
If you’re working with hazardous materials, you need good methods and equipment. The future really is hard to face: it can easily feel bleak and overwhelming. Many people feel pain and despair about the state of the world and the environment, and blank out to avoid these feelings. One of the best processes I’ve found … Read more
Back in 2018, the sense of urgency about the climate crisis rose sharply, helped by several key voices, including Greta Thunberg, and Professor Jem Bendell. Jem uses the term Deep Adaptation as a focus for facing and adapting to the major climate and related challenges of the coming years, to emphasise that we need to … Read more
A case history of the Threshold Centre An ecological footprint is a measure of how much productive land area your lifestyle requires, and how far this is from sustainability. The UK average footprint is between 5 and 8 global hectares per person, based on different experts’ views. This is a story of how simple measures … Read more
Would you agree that for most people, life and work have become a lot more demanding and uncertain in recent years? And is that trend likely to grow in future? If so, what’s the positive response to the challenge? This is what I’m calling super-resilience. Currently, I see many individuals, communities and work teams struggling … Read more
Do you ever feel that you spend hours in a state of high alert, where one more hassle feels like the last straw? The research quoted in our November issue (book blog – Your Brain On Nature) shows that many of us do indeed spend far too long in this state. To help you wind … Read more
Here are some specific ways to handle a crisis situation, whether personal, local or national. Discerning Beware of scapegoats and puffball simplistic solutions: they both pop up in many crises. Realise that you and other are heated about this situation, and common sense may have flown out the window. Start by calming yourself down: mindfulness … Read more