We are a group of Canadian and American advocates, academics, activists and funders coming together to take action on transforming systems of production and consumption of materials and energy – or, how we make, use and throw away stuff – to be more sustainable, equitable, healthy, prosperous and just.
August 2014 - July 2015
Systems Thinking and Sustainable Consumption and Production Pilot Practicum
Participants in the October 2013 Convening Workshop expressed great interest in gaining applied systems thinking capacity for sustainable consumption and production changemakers, organizations and networks. From August 2014 - July 2015, we are engaged in a systems thinking pilot practicum that is immediately useful and impact focused, and that supports repeated practice and habits. Linda Booth Sweeney (systems educator, researcher, expert and author) and Vanessa Timmer (Executive Director, One Earth; Cities for People) with Joe Hsueh (Second Muse) and others are leading this practicum. More information can be found here.
7-9 October 2013 – Convening Workshop
The Convening workshop brought together 40 participants from across sectors. This meeting was part of the evolving process aimed at aligning our efforts in order to create tangible strategic changes in consumption and production systems.
The final workshop report can be found here. This conference was co-hosted and co-sponsored by One Earth, The Story of Stuff Project, The Sustainability Funders, the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts - Lowell, The Garfield Foundation, The Summit Foundation, Clean Production Action, Johnson Family Foundation, Cities for People, The J.W. McConnell Family Foundation and The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread. The workshop was hosted by the Johnson Foundation at Wingspread, a 14,000 square foot conference center constructed of Kasota limestone, red Streator Brick, tinted stucco, and unstained tidewater cypress. The Johnson Foundation at Wingspread embraces the prairie, with floor to ceiling windows and skylights bringing air, light, and landscape into the venue. |
Workshop objectives:
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A systems approach and the tools of systems thinking help prioritize our actions. Leverage points are places to intervene in a system which offer the greatest change-making opportunity including:
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Creating Networking Infrastructure
We are beginning to put networking infrastructure in place that help participants easily connect, align and collaborate and keeps all members informed about progress and challenges. The networking infrastructure includes the facilitation of a backbone organization and Planning Team, a web-based platform, and capacity-building for participants in systems approaches and effective collaboration. Taking Action on 2 – 3 Identified Solutions
We aim to facilitate two to three “deep dive” sub-groups / sessions with existing partner networks to explore specific promising solution spaces that emerge from the Convening Meeting, discover the linkages among these areas, and take action. We will bring together new sub-groups on topics that don’t have an active existing community or bring new people and a systems approach to existing networks and meetings. Thank you to the Planning Team, Funders and to graphics created by Backyard Creative. |
The best way to understand a system is to try to change something in it. |