Tackling Climate Change at Home

April 7-11, 2008
(One week only)

Peter Harper, Julia Hailes, Alastair Sawday

During this course, participants will develop a way forward with their own activities, finding out where to focus energies first, how to locate green/ethical products and the unexpected benefits of a leaner, greener way of life.

Course Overview

Bookshops and magazines are full of tips on how to live in a more environmentally friendly way and reduce your carbon footprint. This course will take this further, helping participants engage with these practical in-depth issues through understanding and applying solutions to their everyday life.

Participants will hear from leading UK experts in the fields of sustainable energy and water usage, green consumerism and socially responsible travel and tourism. Discussions between participants and course teachers will help the group to understand the challenges, choices and practicalities of changing ingrained habits. Schumacher College itself aims to model a sustainable lifestyle and you’ll be able to contribute to this on-going project and share in the lessons we have learnt.

The course is for all those who know they could be doing more at home to reduce their carbon footprint and want facts, inspiration, and motivation to make it happen.

Teachers

Peter Harper is Head of Research and Innovation at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales, UK. His publications include Radical Technology an influential early textbook of technical alternatives, The Natural Garden Book and Lifting the Lid on low-impact sanitation systems.

Julia Hailes is a consultant and speaker on sustainability issues and co-founder of SustainAbility. She is author of many books, including most recently The New Green Consumer Guide.

Alastair Sawday set up a green publishing company in 1994, and his Special Places to Stay series and Little Earth Book seek to encourage environmental awareness. He was a pioneer of ethical travel in the 1980s, running a company that specialised in cycling and walking tours.

Timetable/Course content

Monday
Arrival by 1pm. Introduction to each other and College; Gaia theory and Schumacher philosophy.

Tuesday
Energy and Water in the Home – with Peter Harper:

Wed/Thurs
Green Consumerism and Food Issues – with Julia Hailes:

Friday
Tourism and Travel – with Alastair Sawday

Alastair will encourage debate about the overall impact of tourism on development and on the environment, and how it is possible to travel responsibly. Tourism is the world’s biggest industry and has perhaps done more to undermine cultural and economic autonomy than any other industry. Or has it educated us to the impact we can have upon other people? Is travel a ‘Good Thing’ per se, or are we just escaping ourselves and our inability to solve problems at home?

Action plans for participants: Taking what’s been learned into the home.

Departure around 4pm.

Course Fees

For businesses: £1,100.
For individuals, NGOs & Educators: £900.
These include accommodation, food, field trips and all teaching sessions.

How to make an application – click here

For further information about Schumacher College please see About the College

New feature – reserve your place now

To provisionally reserve a place for 5 days, email us your contact details and the name of the course admin@schumachercollege.org.uk

We will hold the place for five working days for reservations – three weeks before a course or earlier. After five days we will automatically offer your place to someone else if we have not received your application.

Schumacher College is part of the Dartington Hall Trust, a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and as a charity (company no. 1485560, charity no. 279756). Registered office: The Elmhirst Centre, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6EL, UK.