Do you have a passionate commitment to sustainability in Canberra?

Tomorrow's world is not only about finding solutions to today's problems, but about inventing strategies that are so inspiring, powerful and efficient that they bring us to new places: where yesterday's limitations are no longer relevant.

We invite you to join us in a series of networking events to regenerate the long-term health and sustainability of Canberra. Contact Mark Spain on 02 6249 1344 or mark@globallearning.com.au.

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enACT for the future 3 — Awakening the dreamer, changing the dream

enACT3, Awakening the Dreamer Changing the Dream was held at the Majura Community Centre on 15 August 2009. About 80 people (young and old) attended from the ACT region with attendees arriving from as far away as Bega, Newcastle and Townsville. [ PDF promotional flyer 158 KB ]

Participants examined and analysed our biggest challenges and opportunities today:

• The state of our industrial world and the thinking that got us to where we are
• A new dream: new ideas about what really matters — leading to deep connections and surprising solutions
• How you can be part of what is emerging — because you already are!

Sustainability marketplace
As part of the symposium, individuals and groups were invited to share their projects and actions in their area of passion and expertise.

Post-event survey
A summary of the feedback that came from participants [the full survey output is available here PDF, 154 KB ]:

1. The most valuable part was connecting with local groups and wonderful, hopeful, inspiring people. There was a mixed reaction to the video presentations ranging from excellent, confronting, funny, to too American and not as valuable as personal engagement with others. The sharing of food also worked well.
2. What might have worked better: less preaching to the converted, more face-to-face interaction, more Australian flavour to the video material, less reading from presenters and a better ending and way to mix with and meet local groups.
3. Suggestions for future enACT venues and ways to share food and drink: partnering with Canberra Organic Gardening Society, the Farmer's Market, in-season food from within 100km, a community pot-luck meal together (Majura Community Centre was a good venue), Steiner school in Weston, meeting at houses where people already grow some food, a local winery, a tent at the Aboriginal tent embassy, a tent at Government House, a tent at Floriade, meeting at a friendly café.
4. Future compelling topics: obtaining financial freedom, how to make my house sustainable, how to live with a minimum carbon footprint, local sustainable organic food, how to have sustainable community and how to work together, food security for Canberra, a focused target — sustainable transport, climate change movement — empowering the masses, bridging movements and how to use resources wisely, dialogue methods, respecting the work of people who have gone out of their comfort zone and chosen to live a sustainable life, a regional summit to develop a cross-group strategic plan of action on the climate for ACT groups, and educating young people for the reality and the hope.
5. Topics that would most attract more people: empowerment and joy and every person counts, targeting industry groups and non-climate change groups, something that is personalised — amount of CO2 emissions for your house; estimating how much water and power you consume a day and how this adds up, meeting with others in silence, stillness and with as little superfluousness as possible involve aboriginal elders, Transition Towns, Peter Garret (important people), bringing all sides of politics, industry and community to the table, "hip pocket" - ways to save money that also save the planet, (in)adequacy of the Rudd Government's bill on CPRS, can enACT marshall the changes at institutional/corporate levels, a sport/fitness event, a mix of Women's Chorus and Canberra's ANU Impro theatre to creatively involve people in crossover roles and imaginative play on tackling change intergenerationally, ethical shopping of sustainable food and clothes, bedding (to sleep with some good conscience), low emissions transport options and heating and cooling our houses, and much more...
6. Ten participants volunteered to help plan and organise future enACT events. It was also suggested that the next event (enACT4) could be a market place of ideas and food pivoting upon 'Sharing the present, shaping the future' — a way to get a better understanding of the various dimensions of change happening in the region. enACT5 could then be more outreach-orientated, with the focus on getting complete outsiders to come to the hub.