Ultimately what future do we want for our world?

Ultimately what future do we want for our world?

Research participant, Wimmera PCP, August 2016

I am hoping to submit the thesis tomorrow, finally. For some time I have been meaning to finish the post I started on this theme, and now seems a good time to do it.

I took this photo some weeks ago while waiting for the tram

This is Kings Way, South Melbourne, in peak hour morning traffic. It's in the inner south east of Melbourne, where this project started.

In the words of the research participant above, I asked whether this is the future we want for our world. This is the society which has got us to where we are - basically facing an ecological crisis. As I've discussed on the blog before, it sometimes seems to me as if many policy makers in our society think we can just go on pretty much like this, only with renewable technologies and smart cars. 

Whereas I, and others in this project, have a different vision - a society that is much greener, and fairer and healthier - one where cars would be less dominant, an inclusive and healthy society where everyone could walk or ride in safety, where there were plants, including food plants, and other species could also flourish.

So I tried to envisage this, and I did it in an embodied way - drew it.

That's Kings Way as it might be, in the future I want. It's not the greatest drawing, but it was interesting to draw it, to use the body as well as the mind, after writing all the thousands of words in the thesis.

Others might envisage it differently - sing it, write in imaginative poetry or prose, act it out in (in the street maybe) - but it is an interesting exercise.

I encourage everyone to imagine what the future might be.

Update - project formally closed, writing up almost finished.

This is to note formally that the research project 'Promoting equity, environmental sustainability and health' is closed. Ethics approval for research with participants finished on 12 September last year, and the project is now formally closed, although we have not yet lodged the formal final report with the Ethics Committee (that should be completed soon).

I am still writing up the thesis and will continue to put updates here from time to time.

I have removed the statement on the comments section about comments being used as evidence, and won't quote any comments after 12 September 2016. Everyone is still free to comment and I will still consider comments background information, but they won't be used as formal evidence.

I have been granted another extension on my thesis so it is now due at the end of October.

I read back through this blog as part of my final reflections, and it mortifies me somewhat to see that everything has taken much longer than I thought it would. I take my hat off to PhD students who complete everything within their allotted three years!

The thesis will be finished soon ...

Projects addressing equity and environmental sustainability

Below is the table of projects addressing equity and environmental sustainability in this research project, as it is in the almost complete thesis draft

No.	Brief description of project	Potential benefits for environmental sustainability (ES) and equity (EQ)	PCP area
1	Council audit of community facilities for environmental sustainability, including potential development of community gardens at facilities (led by council staff)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of community centres/facilities; care for natural environment; increase environmental sustainability of food system. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups (key users of community facilities) – increase contact with nature, increase access to local fresh food/healthy eating/food security. (Reducing the cost of running the facilities could potentially also give Council more money to spend on facilities or services for low income groups.)	ISEPICH
2	Council policy development supporting community gardens and ensuring they are socially inclusive (led by council staff)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of food system; care for natural environment. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups – increase access to local fresh food/healthy eating/food security, and contact with nature; social inclusion/build community.	ISEPICH
3	Community garden at housing estate, led by partnership of agencies and community members (CoPP ND)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of food system; care for natural environment. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - increase access to local fresh food/healthy eating /food security, and contact with nature; social inclusion/build community in the estate, including Indigenous participation.	ISEPICH
4	Wominjeka BBQ - Regular Indigenous barbeque/ get together at community garden, follows sustainability principles of garden. Led by partnership of agencies and Elders, service providers may attend and provide information (ISCH 2017)	ES: care for natural environment. EQ: Indigenous participation, community building/health; benefits for low income/vulnerable groups (Indigenous people) – increased Indigenous cultural awareness/cultural safety in mainstream health and community services, increased access to services; social inclusion/build community.	ISEPICH
5	Indigenous cultural garden at recreation centre, led by partnership of agencies and Elders (St Kilda Sea Baths 2017)	ES: care for natural environment; Indigenous knowledge of country. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - increased awareness of Indigenous culture/cultural safety, increase contact with nature; Indigenous participation (also involved bringing generations together and involving young people); social inclusion/build community.	ISEPICH
6	Equity principles in environmental community group (GEEG 2015)	ES: overall aim of group is to increase environmental sustainability. EQ: through equity policy group aims to increase social inclusion.	ISEPICH
7	Environmental community group advocacy to council on environmental and equity issues	ES: through advocacy to council the group aims to promote environmental sustainability and care for natural environment, including protection of biodiversity and open space EQ: social inclusion/build community; benefits for low income/vulnerable groups – contact with nature.	ISEPICH
8	Proposed advocacy by ethnic senior citizens’ community group to council to increase access to community gardens for members	ES: care for natural environment; increase environmental sustainability of food system. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - increase access to local fresh food/healthy eating/food security, and contact with nature; social inclusion/build community.	ISEPICH
9	Ethnic senior citizens’ community group plan to invite Council environmental officer to address group re reducing household energy use.	ES: increase environmental sustainability of housing. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups – reduce living costs for energy and improve housing comfort.	ISEPICH
10	Community centre developing and implementing sustainability policy and kitchen garden associated with social meal	ES: increase environmental sustainability of community centres/facilities; increase environmental sustainability of food system, including using food from the kitchen garden and from Second Bite (2017) food rescue and redistribution service; care for natural environment. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - increase access to local fresh food/healthy eating/food security, contact with nature; social inclusion/build community. (Potentially reducing the running costs of the centre also allows more money to be spent on programs for low income/vulnerable groups).	ISEPICH
11	Creating healthy environment on public housing estate eg not smoking in lifts, recycling, reducing litter, led by residents’ committee	ES: Increase environmental sustainability through recycling; care for natural environment. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups – contact with nature; social inclusion/build community	ISEPICH
12	Community Kitchen on public housing estate, led by partnership of agency, volunteers, residents (Mr AVINALAUGH 2010)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of food system through reduced food waste, including using food from Second Bite food rescue and redistribution service, and reduction of energy costs associated with food preparation (communal kitchen); EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - increase access to fresh food/healthy eating/food security; social inclusion/build community.	ISEPICH
13	Reduce energy and water use on public housing estate, led by residents’ committee, assisted by local environmental group.	ES: increase environmental sustainability of housing, care for natural environment (save water). EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - reduce living costs associated with energy use and water use and increase housing comfort.	ISEPICH
14	‘Ibutton’ pilot housing sustainability/climate change adaptation project in small town (SGGPCP, Rance et al. 2013, p. 5, Brown and Rowe ND)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of housing; EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups – reduce living costs for energy and increase housing comfort; social inclusion/build community.	SGGPCP
15	‘Pass the Parcel’ –  housing sustainability/climate change adaptation project, focus on low income, vulnerable groups (Brown 2013, SGGPCP, Rance et al. 2013, pp. 5-6)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of housing. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - reduce living costs for energy and increase housing comfort; social inclusion/build community.	SGGPCP
16	Implementing climate change adaptation project (SGGPCP, Rance et al. 2013)	ES: education and awareness raising on climate change and potential responses. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - build capacity; social inclusion/build community.	SGGPCP
17	Healthy communities projects -  aim to increase physical activity, also have environmental aspect by increasing active transport (Glenelg Shire 2014)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of transport; EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - increase active transport/physical activity, reduce transport costs.	SGGPCP
18	Community kitchen and community orchard (De Rose, Roberts et al. 2011)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of food system; care for natural environment. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - increase access to local fresh food/healthy eating/food security, and contact with nature; social inclusion/build community.	SGGPCP
19	Transport connections project -  shared transport for isolated rural residents with limited access to shops and petrol (SGGPCP 2013)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of transport EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - reduce living costs for transport, increase access to shopping/services; social inclusion/build community.	SGGPCP
20	Telehealth development and research projects  (SGGPCP 2013, p. 6)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of transport (ie by reducing motorised transport) for access to healthcare; EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - reduce living costs for transport, increase access to healthcare; social inclusion/build community.	SGGPCP
21	Glenelg SAVES - energy efficiency training for Home and Community Care workers, and clients, and community workshops (Lynch, Tuck et al. 2016)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of housing. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - reduce living costs for energy, increase housing comfort.	SGGPCP
22	Filling the Gaps (housing) workshops with local hardware store, through community house	ES: increase environmental sustainability of housing. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - reduce living costs for energy, increase housing comfort	SGGPCP
23	Promoting other forms of transport than cars, such as public transport and car pooling	ES: increase environmental sustainability of transport. EQ: potential benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - increase physical activity/active transport and reduce living costs for transport.	SGGPCP
24	Point of contact for distribution of energy efficient globes, draft stoppers and similar, to public housing tenants	ES: increase environmental sustainability of housing. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - reduce living costs for energy, increase housing comfort.	SGGPCP
25	Retrofits to homes for older people via Victorian Government’s Energy and Water Taskforce (Brown and Rowe ND, p. 5)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of housing; care for natural environment (save water). EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - reduce living costs for energy and water, increase housing comfort.	SGGPCP
26	Communal gardens for older people in residential units	ES: care for natural environment. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - increase contact with nature; social inclusion/build community.	SGGPCP
27	Bicycle recycle – repairing bikes for community, in partnership with organisations including Aboriginal community controlled organisation	ES: increase environmental sustainability of transport. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - reduce living costs for transport, increase active transport/physical activity; Indigenous participation; social inclusion/build community.	SGGPCP
28	Food swap and food production – sharing knowledge, skills re local conditions, through community house	ES: increase environmental sustainability of food system; care for natural environment. EQ: increase access to local fresh food/healthy eating/food security (with potential benefits for low income groups).	SGGPCP
29	PCP involved in climate resilient communities project (Victorian Government 2013, WDA 2017)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of food system and other agriculture through more effective and sustainable farming practice. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - build capacity; social inclusion/build community.	Wimmera PCP
30	‘Good Tucker, Good Health’ nutrition and gardening project in school - includes focus on Indigenous  plants and involvement of Indigenous families (Phelan and Williams 2014)	ES: care for natural environment, including through indigenous plant use; Indigenous knowledge of country; increase environmental sustainability of food system. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - increase access to local fresh food/healthy eating/food security, contact with nature; Indigenous participation and cultural awareness/safety; social inclusion/build community.	Wimmera PCP
31	Heatwave response protocols (Victorian Government 2009, p. 7)	ES: education and awareness raising on climate change. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - build capacity through identifying groups vulnerable to climate change (heatwaves); social inclusion/build community.	Wimmera PCP
32	PCP advising agencies re Home Energy Saver Scheme (HESS) at forum (program defunded by federal LNP government in 2014) (Macklin 2013, Australian Government 2017)	ES: increase environmental sustainability of housing. EQ: benefits for low income/vulnerable groups - reduce living costs for energy, increase housing comfort.	Wimmera PCP

(References not linked here but details available on request)

I posted some earlier information about these projects in  2013 and 2014, as:

Project update - projects addressing environmental sustainability and equity/social inclusion

38 people, 33 projects, 9 action areas and more

I also wrote a case study in 2013

Local community action case study - Christ Church Community Centre

There's also been a number of references in other blogposts and presentations.