We have some big ideas!
BIG IDEA 1: how can we change land ownership so that we act as collective stewards? What does stewardship even mean? What does collective mean?
In 1947, a really radical thing happened. The post war Government nationalised the right to develop land. That meant that even if you “owned” the land, you had to get public consent from locally elected government to develop it. A step further, and land itself would have gone into public ownership (you can see how that might have changed things a bit!)
If land was stewarded and not owned, you would first and foremost have to act in a way that always have the next ‘seven generations’ in mind. So we’re just stewards, and while on earth, we’re here to take care of the land. That means all of us, collectively, have a shared responsibility for land. Let’s make it happen - one acre at a time.
Find out more…
I need help…(on my planning case / development near here)
I want to….grow things [replacement/entry point for Right to Grow] focussed on advice for getting access to land?
BIG IDEA 2: we need an office for empathy.
Yes, you heard right. We think that lots of people in power lack that spidey sense of what it’s like not to live in the Westminster bubble but to live in Lowestoft or Hull or Taunton. So we want to create a safe space to talk about and to feel empathy. A place for the imagination if you like - but one that helps us to care for each other, and to feel better.
Find out more - Office For Empathy (coming soon!)
BIG IDEA 3: Cynefin
Our relationship with the place we live is a bit broken. How can we change the way we think about the ‘environment’ or ‘nature’? Cynefin is welsh for the place in which we belong and where we come from and how it sustains us - the closest English word is ‘habitat’. How about if we all think of ourselves as people who are living in our ‘habitat’ in an environmental sense. How can you look after and be part of your habitat?
BIG IDEA 4: Everyone in power should be responsible for acting on climate change.
For too long it’s been the usual thing - pass a law that makes a single Minister responsible for the biggest issue facing us, on behalf of 60 million people. Well, we are the 60 million, and we think that the thousands of decision-makers, not the single one, should be thinking about and being responsible on climate change.
I want to….change the law [link to each of the legal advice / opinions on the four big ideas? - we can then set it up with a form to write to someone about the idea?]
Local Action
Our team have experience of working in and with communities for a looooooong time on lots of different issues that affect them. We know that the real power lies with you and our job is to help you harness it and make the changes you need.
We help you to BE HEARD. This could be working with you to understand what’s happening in your area and who can help; creating community art and events that bring you together, expresses what you want to say and grabs attention from those that need to listen; training you to understand local planning processes; taking legal cases to stop those in power making the wrong decisions; lobbying parliamentarians to make the right decisions.
Find out more about our current work and get in touch if you think we can help you!
Environmental Rights Centre
I need to….know what my rights are!
I need help…on my planning case / a development near me
Community Mapping
People’s plan for Places