The Converging World is based on the principle of 'contraction and convergence' in regard to climate change, which means reducing the ecological footprint of some while increasing that of others. As the pressures of population and consumption are stretching the planet's capacity beyond its limits, this convergence is an urgent necessity. This Briefing explores these ideas and describes how a new charity is forming to put these ideas into action. Inspired...

"how to use hydroponic growing for maximum commercial advantage, this book provides in laymans language and terms what you need to know about commercial hydroponic growing techniques and how best to design systems and structures to make the best use of all those advantages. how to provide the best conditions conducive to performance under all climate and location considerations. we show you how to propagate and grow your hydroponic plants and then...

"This compilation of important distributist authors delivers valuable insight into the manifest problems of society. Although most of the contributions were written more than 50 years ago, the questions raised by the writers have remained largely unanswered, and essays regarding topics like education, work, and freedom have lost little relevance in the ensuing decades. Featured authors include Eric Gill, Harold J. Massingham, and Dorothy Sayers."--...

In the last twenty years ecovillages (local communities which aim to minimise their ecological impact but maximise human wellbeing and happiness) have been springing up all over the world. They incorporate a wealth of radical ideas and approaches which can be traced back to Schumacher, Gandhi and the alternative education movement. This Briefing describes the history and potential of the ecovillage movement, including the evolution of the Global Ecovillage...

The Natural Step framework for sustainability was first developed in 1989. The framework and the organisation, The Natural Step International, have been through many changes during that time, yet the essence of this unique, science-based approach remains unchanged. It is a way of seeing the world that helps decision-makers put sustainable development into action. TNS is now well-known around the world: there are teams established in ten countries,...

Packed with real-life examples and the voices of people who have created innovative local businesses and invested in all manner of new enterprises, this call for local action argues that the seed of a new economy--and the answer to the desperate search for a new way forward in an increasingly economically insecure and ecologically unstable world--is an understanding by individuals that change starts with them. The aim of the Transition movement is...

The wave of anti-government protests that swept through the Arab world from December 2010 on started to transform politics and society in the Middle East. The protests came as a surprise to many observers-- but not to Rami Zurayk, an veteran Lebanese agronomist and social activist who had been analyzing the collapse of traditional agricultural livelihoods in the Middle East since the late 1980s. In 2007, Zurayk started writing the "Land and People"...

Economic globalization has led to a massive expansion in the scale and power of big business and banking. It has also worsened nearly every problem we face: fundamentalism and ethnic conflict; climate chaos and species extinction; financial instability and unemployment. There are personal costs too. For the majority of people on the planet, life is becoming increasingly stressful. We have less time for friends and family and we face mounting pressures...

This book analyzes the importance of maize worldwide and the special importance for Mexico as a center of origin and diversity (COD). By adopting a comparative approach, the analysis focuses on how developed and developing countries handle imports of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's). The book also analyzes the impact that GMO maize imports from the USA might have in Mexico as a COD of maize. This book illustrates the process of economic liberalization...

The Storytelling Workbook is a nine-week programme (based on Anthony Tasgal's 'rule of three') to help you learn to better tell your own narrative and present your story whether it be for your CV, your dating apps or your own personal writing. It is an entertaining, instructive and interactive guide to becoming a better storyteller across all facets of your personal and professional life. Including a mix of case studies, advice and exercises,...