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    How new straw-bale homes could help solve the housing crisis

    In an ordinary street in Bristol, UK, something extraordinary is happening. All of the seven houses are made with straw. Read more

    Bring back scrumping! Here’s how…

    Local Fruit Futures manager Anne-Marie Bur plays a key role in turning schools across Sussex into grounds for the next generation of scrumpers. “It’s really heartening seeing kids picking fruit and eating it fresh.” Read more

    Psst…. want to buy a straw-bale building – off the back of a lorry?

    This strawbale building is suitable as a demonstrator building, a box office, an information centre, an office, a guest room, a teenage crash pad, a studio etc. and can be located in your garden or near your premises, subject to suitable access. Read more

    Are we forgetting what pristine nature looks like?

    Paul Jennings of Criafolen | 25-Mar-2015 | 7

    Singing about the environment, Joni Mitchell reminded us “that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone”; maybe the truth is that very quickly after things are gone they are forgotten, not only lost, but unmissed Read more

    Natural beekeeping: should it replace conventional beekeeping?

    I’d like to set out how the stance of the Natural Beekeeping Trust (NBKT) evolved and to contrast this with both the conventional approach and with that of others on the so-called natural beekeeping spectrum. Understanding this is important if confusion is to be avoided. Read more

    Ecological Land Co-op publishes its first annual report; feedback welcome

    NB: the Ecological Land Co-op set a precedent in England (following the success of Lammas Ecovillage in Wales) by gaining planning permission for homes on smallholdings outside the development zone (in Devon), by agreeing to abide by strict ecological criteria Read more

    The elephant in the room that will be present at all pre-election debates

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 19-Mar-2015 | 47

    Last night I attended an event organised by our local Transition group, Transition Town Tooting, where local people were able to meet and chat to parliamentary candidates for the upcoming general election. Read more

    Who wants to help resurrect the Straw Bale Building Association?

    Dear all, This is an open invitation to a meeting to discuss the resurrection of the Straw Bale Building Association (For Wales Ireland Scotland England). Read more

    Protest to save food-growing land in Bristol

    Protestors are occupying trees in Bristol, UK, on food-growing land threatened by a controversial road-building scheme. Evictions started yesterday, after Bristol City council won a High Court possession order. Read more

    Mark Lynas thinks that corporate capitalism can solve climate change – that’s like burning your house down to keep warm

    Paul Jennings of Criafolen | 12-Mar-2015 | 7

    Oh do beware someone who comes before you and claims to be the voice of reason. Mark Lynas does exactly that in this morning’s Guardian and it doesn’t wash. His argument is barely an argument at all, more like a sort of faux man-in-the-street flimflam. Beware. Read more

    Help Brighton Permaculture Trust build a straw-bale ‘fruit factory’

    Brighton Permaculture Trust are Scaling Up the Scrump – and need your help to make it happen! For several years we’ve been turning waste fruit from local orchards and people’s homes into delicious produce such as jam, chutneys, and juices at pop-up scrumping events. Read more

    Putting up a polytunnel: fresh fruit & veg all year round

    Paul Jennings of Criafolen | 08-Mar-2015 | 12

    There’s loads of information around when you come to put up your polytunnel. The one I’ve just finished erecting came with really good instructions and the company website provides a whole host of instructional videos for the fiddly bits Read more

    Interested in rural cohousing? Introducing the Agroecological Land Initiative

    The Agroecological Land Initiative is an new organisation founded to advocate and implement agroecological methods in the UK to help secure food sovereignty, energy independence, and environmental regeneration in a way that is financially viable and socially just. Read more

    One Planet Development opportunity next to Lammas eco-village in Wales

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 26-Feb-2015 | 2

    Here’s an opportunity to you potential smallholders / rat-race escapees: A thirty acre field next to the Lammas ecovillage has come up for sale.  Read more

    You can help a low-impact, off-grid community obtain permanent planning permission

    Ed Morriss of Drawfire | 24-Feb-2015 | 0

    This is an opportunity to represent and to support our friends at the Steward Community Woodland in their application for permanent planning permission. After 15 years of successful experimentation in sustainable living, they are now applying for permanent planning permission Read more

    Here’s our new ‘manifesto’. We’d be interested in your feedback

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 23-Feb-2015 | 7

    Our manifesto We now know that the richest 1% of the world own the same amount of wealth as the other 99%. But it’s worse than that. Read more

    To all applicants for our publishing job (except one): sorry

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 16-Feb-2015 | 1

    We had 53 applicants for this job, and I have to say that (almost) all of them were absolutely bloody brilliant. The applications represented an embarrassment of riches for us, which means that I’m embarrassed (and sad) to say ‘no’ to all but one of them. Read more

    What to say to people who claim that economic growth can continue forever

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 11-Feb-2015 | 15

    Have you ever had an argument with someone who believes that the economy can grow forever? Difficult, isn’t it? What appears completely clear and logical to you seems to confuse them. Read more

    Getting off-grid: developing a wood gasifier in the woods in darkest Buckinghamshire

    Ed Morriss of Drawfire | 06-Feb-2015 | 10

    As industrial society continues on its capitalist and consumer-led treadmill, its detrimental effect on ecology and the environment are accelerating whilst the returns diminish. As a counter to this, a growing number of people across the world are building communities and working to become independent Read more

    Part-time work available in the Lowimpact team

    Dave Darby of Lowimpact.org | 27-Jan-2015 | 11

    This is the second of a series of jobs that will hopefully become available this year. Read more

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    The human impact on nature and on each other is accelerating and needs systemic change to reverse.

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