With Cambridge2Environment - what would a Sustainable Economy look like?

The latest energy group meeting was a bit special – we had a joint discussion with students from Cambridge University taking part in Cambridge 2 Environment. The subject (our choice) was ‘What would a Sustainable Economy look like?’ It is a challenging and potentially controversial topic and I can't say we solved it in a single evening. However as Verner from C2E said: 'I think the main thing that we got out of this was the sense that we are all in agreement, amongst a group of people from a wide range of backgrounds, that something urgent needs to be done about our economy so that our planet can cope'.

Normally we have our meetings at the home of one of our members, but I had a feeling that this one was not going to fit comfortably into even Margaret's capacious living room. So I was grateful to C2E for booking a room for us at Pembroke which was very comfortable and provided a seemingly inexhaustible supply of chairs.

The Allotment

The energy group recently discussed co-benefits. These are sustainability measures that benefit both ourselves and environment. It turns out that growing food has many co-benefits. Nathan offered to tell us more about why he loves working on his allotment. Over to Nathan:

Crunch, squelch, crunch, squelch, a meditative repetitive sound from the spade blade cutting away.
A land abandoned, knee high weeds, runaway flora.
This allotment has indulged in its freedom engulfing all tools abandoned by the previous land hand.
The allotment, a transient establishment, attracts a broad crowd.
Some nosey, some private, working side by side.
The September sun was bright, low in the sky, but still warm.
The respite of summer rolls on to the bite of winter.
Quiet this evening and season, harvest toil ended, some leases renewed, however many released.
Ground stands abound ready for fresh hands.

The Cambridge Transition Energy group recently discussed eco actions that come with co-benefits. It was resoundingly agreed that gardening, or keeping an allotment, has many co-benefits. Although science is rarely used in a sales pitch, the science is nonetheless there. A meta-analysis elucidated a wide range of benefits [1] that arise from horticulture including reduced anger, anxiety, depression, obesity, fatigue, stress, and tension. The study also highlights improved mood, self esteem, life satisfaction, and sense of community. The causal mechanisms are unclear however I personally testify for these remarkable outcomes after taking on an allotment. A patch of land is just a tabula rasa. You make it great. Some use them to get some peace and quiet, others reach out and meet others in the community. I also find that through self sustenance a calm and open mind blooms.