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Fostering and Communicating Sustainable Lifestyles Report with UN Environment

2/14/2017

One Earth is co-author of a UN Environment report that sets out a strategy roadmap for fostering and communicating sustainable lifestyles, illustrated by cases from around the world.

Fostering and Communicating Sustainable Lifestyles: Principles and Emerging Practices furthers understanding of sustainable lifestyles to accelerate their widespread adoption. This report offers a four step strategy roadmap for success with eight operating principles to guide the design, adaptation, and evaluation of sustainable lifestyles campaigns and initiatives.

Download the summary report here.
The full report, case studies and handouts can be downloaded from our website here.

Step 1: Understand Audiences

Stakeholder-Focused: Engage in participatory, relevant, and grounded ways

Step 2: Set Goals

Better Living: Focus on aspirations
Impact: Set clear goals and demonstrate sustainability results

Step 3: Determine Strategies

Systemic: Consider the systemic nature of lifestyles
Dynamic Life Changes: Take advantage of life stages and transitions
Diversity: Accommodate the diversity in lifestyles
Collective Action: Show that lifestyles extend beyond individual action

Step 4: Measure and Respond

Responsive: Learn and adapt to changing conditions

16 cases explore how sustainable lifestyle campaigns intersect with key aspects of meeting core domain needs around food, shelter, mobility, leisure time, and human connections. The report uses the principles to interpret and evaluate these cases and offers insights on how to apply key learnings.

Effective communication increases understanding, reframes aspirations and priorities, supports behaviour change, and shapes new social norms and values toward the ultimate goal of creating tangible changes in the way people live their daily lives.

This report was created for UN Environment to support the design and implementation of effective communications campaigns. It is also intended for professional communicators and sustainable lifestyles experts. The report can be used in a wide range of contexts around the globe, from the rapidly growing economies, to the highly developed industrialized countries, and places that are in the early stages of development.

The report co-authors are:

Philip J. Vergragt and Halina Szejnwald Brown (SCORAI – Sustainable Consumption Research and Action Initiative),
Vanessa Timmer, Dagmar Timmer, Dwayne A. Appleby (One Earth),
Cara Pike, Sutton Eaves, Rebecca McNeil (Climate Access), and
John Stutz (Tellus Institute).

The co-authors gratefully acknowledge the team at UN Environment for their support, as well as the project advisors and others who contributed key insights and support.

Voices of New Economies report launched

6/18/2015

The Voices of New Economies report is inspired by all those who are rising up to shape new economies that work for people, places and the planet.

One Earth and the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet) joined forces to crowdsource definitions of new economies. What began as a series of blogs has been assembled into this compendium report.

The compendium gives voice to innovative leaders who are finding different paths forward, and we encourage you to continue this dialogue and map out key ideas, patterns and perspectives and chart new economic approaches.

With thanks to The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation for supporting this series and report as part of Cities for People.

Read it here.

Conversation with Chiara Camponeschi on everyday democracy in Vancouver

5/20/2015

Repair cafés. Ethical smartphones. Community-owned renewable energy.

Join Enabling City and One Earth for an exciting evening discussion. Chiara Camponeschi leads us in exploring the creative community movement and how it's re-defining our economy, our cities, and our ideas about expertise.

Hear how countless citizens are joining forces to prototype solutions for greater livability and resilience, and how inventive acts of everyday democracy can lead us toward an 'enabling' society.

Date: Wed 20 May - 530pm-8pm, The HiVE
128 W Hastings St #210, Vancouver
Register here (free admission)

This event is in support of the Enabling City Volume 2 book tour and marks the launch of the Voices of New Economies compendium report - a collaboration of One Earth and the Canadian Community Economic Development Network (CCEDNet), and part of Cities for People. Thank you to The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and The HiVE for their generous support of this event.

About Enabling City:

Enabling City is an organization that works to advance social innovation as a form of active citizenship, particularly in the areas of urban sustainability and participatory governance. We strive to creatively respond to today’s most pressing issues by harnessing community imagination as a tool of social transformation. Our work and writing spark new ways of thinking about participation, encouraging experts and enthusiasts alike to generate engaging insights that lead to positive change.

For more information, read Volume 2, watch the video trailer, or follow Enabling City on Twitter.

About the Voices of New Economies report:

One Earth and CCEDNet have joined forces to create the Voices of New Economies report launched at this event. We are inspired by all those who are rising up to shape new economies, recognizing that our current economic system is no longer serving us well - ecologically, socially and even financially. What began as a series of blogs to crowdsource definitions of new economies is now assembled into this compendium. The report gives voice to innovative leaders who are finding different economic paths forward. We encourage you to continue this dialogue and develop new economic approaches that serve people, place and planet.

About Chiara Camponeschi:

Chiara Camponeschi works at the intersection of interdisciplinary research, social innovation and urban sustainability. She has spoken about the power of ‘social networks for social change’ at several high-level events such as the International Forum on Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the European Commission in Belgium, and has shared her insights about ‘enabling’ frameworks for participation at the inaugural SXSW Eco conference in Austin, Texas, as well as the White House GreenGov Symposium in Washington, DC. For her work with Enabling City, Chiara was selected as Italy’s only Oxfam Action Partner for 2010-2013, and was recognized as a Young Agent of Change by Toronto’s Centre for Social Innovation (2011). A 2013 Trudeau Scholar, Chiara holds a Master in Environmental Studies and a BA in Political Science & Communications Studies from York University. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Geography with a focus on emerging approaches to urban resilience.

Vanessa and Dagmar inaugural members of Women for Nature

3/3/2015

Happy World Wildlife Day!

Vanessa Timmer and Dagmar Timmer are honoured to be among the 75 inaugural members of Nature Canada’s Women for Nature initiative who have pledged to make a difference, and work together to leave a legacy of respect for Canada’s great natural heritage.

Members include the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell (Lieutenant Governor of Ontario), Senator Nancy Greene Raine, author Margaret Atwood and Member of Parliament Elizabeth May.

The Women for Nature initiative brings together the leadership, knowledge, experience and passion of amazing women across Canada who are committed to nature. Having reached the goal of 75 members in time for Nature Canada’s 75th anniversary, the Women for Nature members have set an ambitious goal to be 150 women strong by Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017.

“This is an opportunity to celebrate a diverse group of women who have chosen to join Nature Canada in championing nature,” said Eleanor Fast, Executive Director of Nature Canada. “These women are incredibly influential and they are at the heart of our efforts to engage and empower Canadians to save species, protect habitats and connect children to nature.”

Nature Canada was founded in 1939 because of the passion and initiative of Mabel Frances Whittemore, a teacher and nature lover whose main goal in life was to share her passion for nature with others. Today, Nature Canada represents a network of more than 45,000 members and supporters and more than 350 nature organizations across the country and with affiliates in every province. Over the past 75 years, Nature Canada has helped protect over 63 million acres of parks and wildlife areas in Canada and countless species that depend on this habitat as well as engage hundreds of thousands of Canadians in nature through its activities.

Voices of New Economies Series – February

2/16/2015

As part of the Cities for People initiative, One Earth is continuing another week of stories as part of Voices of New Economies.

Voices explores the elements and principles that comprise new economies as well as how these economies relate to cities and ideas of real wealth.

This month features:

Portia Sam – Social Enterprise, Miscellany
Sean McHugh – “Cities, Fair Trade, and the 21st Century Economy”
Victoria Wee – “Nature As the Reflection of Our Best Selves”
Mike McGinn – A Mayoral View on the Important of Health and Friends
Lis Suarez – Women’s Economic Independence

Voices of New Economies, collectively curated by One Earth and The Canadian CED Network, is a blog reflecting the movement toward urban resilience and livability through connecting innovation networks.

This series is an exploration of what it takes to build the economies we need - ones that work for people, places, and the planet. The project connects key actors, explores patterns, notes differences, and highlights key concepts and initiatives. Together, this series offers insights into the new economies movement as it develops.

Stay tuned for more stories in March.

Voices of New Economies Series - January

1/19/2015

As part of the Cities for People initiative, One Earth is continuing another week of stories as part of Voices of New Economies series.

Voices explores the elements and principles that comprise new economies as well as how these economies relate to cities and ideas of real wealth.

This month features:

Mike Sandmel – “What do we mean by "The New Economy" and what does it have to do with cities?”
Pallavi Roy – “New Economies and the Energy Sector”
Alex Wood - The Sustainable Prosperity Framework
Charles Montgomery – Happy Cities
Todd Scaletta – “Interdependencies Required for Sustainability”

Cities for People Forum 2014 – Toronto

11/17/2014

In November, One Earth and members of the Cities for People network will participate in an interactive three-day forum focused on “Building a Movement”, hosted by Evergreen CityWorks.

Cities for People is a group of action-oriented decision makers and innovators representing a variety of perspectives working to improve Canada’s urban environments. The initiative seeks to better cities by exploring issues relating to the natural and built environment, new economies, civic engagement and art in society.

The forum will explore what a movement dedicated to improving the livability and resiliency of Canadian cities could look like. And—perhaps most importantly—what is needed to move these ideas and visions into action.

One of the forum’s objectives is to engage the local community of city builders, connecting them to innovative projects and inspiring action. On November 12, a free public Keynote Address will launch this exciting and important event, featuring presentations and a discussion with internationally-renowned thinkers Jan Gehl and Sasha Issenberg. Together they will explore how we can better design cities for people, and how we can empower people to take action towards accomplishing this goal.

Read more about the forum here and find the participant bios here.

Social Finance Forum – Toronto

11/5/2014

The leading conference on social finance and impact investing in Canada is returning this November 6th and 7th.

Hosted by the MaRS Centre for Impact Investing, the 2014 Social Finance Forum: Building markets that matter will welcomed over 300 attendees and 65 speakers from across Canada and the world to Toronto for workshops, pitch fairs, the Social Finance Awards, and more.

Social Finance is changing the way we work together in Canada to address critical problems facing people and the planet.

More than any other time Canadians are joining forces, using the best of business and community approaches to invest and grow impactful ventures and initiatives that provide a financial return to investors. This conference will helped participants to:

Identify impact investing opportunities
Develop your social finance strategy from social innovators and thought-leaders
Explore innovative cross-sector funding opportunities
Network and engaging with forward-looking investors
Scale your impact & diversify your portfolio
Be a part of the global momentum

Cities for People is participating as a content partner and Nabeel Ahmed will host a popular panel and interactive session on behalf of the Cities for People in collaboration with the Social Finance Forum staff and Barry Martin from Hypenotic. The New Economies, Cities and Social Finance panel discussion, facilitated by Nabeel, will serve as an introduction to the new approaches being taken to developing cities that serve people and planet. Innovations include unlocking untapped civic assets and supporting new ownership, investment and business models. Participants in this session will gain an understanding of the opportunities and challenges at the intersection of social finance and cities. Our two panelists are Adriana Beemans, Director of the Inclusive Local Economies Program at Metcalf Foundation, and Elissa Beckett, Vice President of Philanthropy at Tides Canada. An interactive workshop on Social Finance to Advance Cities for People will engage participants in generating solutions to address an important challenge facing our cities. Participants will be exposed to innovations that are transforming cities and will have the opportunity to apply their learning to a practical case.

For more information visit the Social Finance Forum website.

Canadian Eco-Fiscal Commission launches

11/4/2014

November 4th marked the launch of Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission and their inaugural report, Smart, Practical, Possible: Canadian options for greater economic and environmental prosperity, which presents the case for smart, practical, and achievable policies and sets out a roadmap for the work the Commission will undertake over the next five years.

Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission also funded by the McConnell Family Foundation was formed by some of Canada’s most prominent economic policy experts with the aim of modernizing fiscal systems across the country to achieve better economic and environmental outcomes for Canada.

For more information visit www.ecofiscal.ca. View McConnell’s post here.

Cities and Sustainable Consumption Workshop –Eugene

10/31/2014

From October 29 – November 1, 2014, the One Earth team gathered with researchers, policy experts, municipal governments, and NGO representatives from across North America in Eugene, Oregon for the “The Role of Cities in Advancing Sustainable Consumption” workshop.

Sponsored by The Sustainable Consumption Research and Action Initiative (SCORAI) and the Urban Sustainability Director’s Network (USDN), this workshop was a unique opportunity to examine what action cities can take to promote sustainable consumption at the community scale. The workshop was attended by Vanessa Timmer, Bill Rees, Jennie Moore, and Rosemary Cooper on behalf of One Earth / Cities for People who also participated in early design of this workshop and are active in the follow-up documentation and working group. The workshop idea originated at the meeting of the North American Roundtable on Sustainable Production and Consumption (NARSPAC).

Further details (including the workshop agenda, list of participants, and selected presentation slides) are available here on the City of Eugene’s workshop.

SCORAI posted an overview of the workshop and links to the videos on their website here.

The recording of a follow-up webinar organized by the West Coast Climate and Materials Management Forum is available here.

Videos of all the key presentations and plenary sessions can be found here.

The following article is from our friends at Shareable.net; the original can be found here and on the Cities for People site here.

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