9.3.1 Organisations

 

 

The organisations are here to show suggestions of types of groups someone wanting to embark on a career in sustainability might wish to apply to for an internship or a paid position.  The organisation's histories are also detailed as they show how quickly a shared idea of a few enthusiastic individuals can grow to national or international organisation making big changes in the world.

 

The Centre For Alternative Technology (CAT)

CAT was started in 1973 by a group of environmental enthusiasts and activists that wanted to create a "test bed" for new ideas and technologies related to sustainability.  They purchased a disused slate quarry in Mid Wales to  use as a base to live while researching, creating and testing eco-friendly technologies. Progress was slow to start, but the project gained momentum as word spread about what was happening and new volunteers arrived bringing a variety of skills and knowledge with them. In 1974 following a visit from the Duke of Edinburgh, part of the site was turned into a visitors centre to generate interest in alternative technology and demonstrate CAT's Vision.

CAT has since grown to be Europe's leading eco centre, with 90 permanent staff and volunteers and receiving around 65,000 visitors every year.  Today the mission statement of the organisation is as follows: "CAT is concerned with the search for globally sustainable, whole and ecologically sound technologies and ways of life."  They achieve this by inspiring, informing and enabling people to make positive change in their life towards sustainability.

Their themes of practice are diverse, covering topics such as land use, shelter, energy conservation and use, diet and health, waste management and recycling.  They stress that a holistic approach to sustainability is paramount.

The site itself contains a large range of demonstrations of renewable energy, sustainable build practices, and organic growing.  There is also a resident community and work organisation based on the site, which has evolved and formed from the original members living on the quarry. The community and work group are committed to the implementation of co-operative principles and best achievable environmental practices.

The services CAT offers include the following:

  • A visitor centre which is open 7 days a week, with 7 acres of interactive displays.
  • A free information service answering enquiries on all aspects of sustainable living.
  • A graduate school with a range of postgraduate degrees in environmental architecture and renewable energy.
  • Residential and one-day courses for the general public, as well as more specialised courses for builders, engineers, electricians and plumbers.
  • Curriculum-based education to visiting schools, colleges and universities.
  • Residential education trips for schools and colleges in unique eco-cabins.
  • Educational outreach work, including teacher training and school visits.
  • Publishing books on key environmental issuesand their solutions.
  • Long-term and short-term volunteer programmes for those that want to gain hands-on experience.

 

CAT also has conducted a series of research reports addressing scenarios for reducing the UKs emissions to zero in 20 years, called ZeroCarbonBritain

CAT has recognised the need to educate and inform and these concepts have been central to their goals.  As well as a quality training institution for engineers wanting to work in sustainability it is also an invaluable source of information for anyone concerned about the environmental degradation of the planet and interested in holistic solutions.
http://www.cat.org.uk/

 
Practical Action

Fritz Schumacher was a radical economist who is best known for his book "Small Is Beautiful" (published in 1973), which criticises conventional development strategies of large scale capital intensive industry and economic growth to reduce poverty.  Instead he suggested a strategy involving local solutions, with small scale technology that was appropriate to the needs of the community it was intended for.  The term he used for this thinking was "Intermediate Technology" based on the needs and skills possessed by the people of developing countries.

With these ideas in mind Schumacher set up an advisory centre in 1966 to promote the use of efficient labour intensive techniques that was called "Intermediate Technology". The group started by promoting the documentation and assembly of any data that could be found relating to intermediate technologies and techniques.  As the organisation grew requests for technical advice and information about specific tools and techniques increased so an enquiry service was set up which utilised voluntary experts from academic and research institutions, industry and government specifically for the purpose.

Soon ITDG had created panels for Agriculture, Building, Co-operatives, Education and Training, Food Processing, Water, Power, Rural Health, and Women in Development and was providing services to organisations such as the ODA, the World Bank, etc, on appropriate technology.  The group began to expand it's project involvement, which led it opening offices in developing countries.

In 2005 ITDG changed its name to Practical action, and now it now employs 300 staff in four continents, and has worked in over 60 countries. Practical Action recently published People and Technology: transforming lives, a new group strategy for 2007-12, and it is aiming to become the leading authority on the use of technology to reduce poverty in developing countries. The Schumacher Centre for Technology and Development is to evolve as a national and international centre for knowledge and expertise on technology, poverty reduction and the environment.

Practical Action has focused on reducing poverty through the use of technology, and there are many interwoven themes with what they do and sustainability. The powerful words of Shumacher's vision are still at the heart of this worthy organisation.

http://practicalaction.org/

 
Engineers Without Borders UK

EWB-UK is a national organisation with a goal to facilitate human development through engineering.  It was started in 2005 by a group of students from Cambridge University who all shared an interest in issues of poverty reduction and sustainability, and wanted to put their engineering skills to good use towards these aims.  They begun by organising talks and presentations informing their fellow students about rates of poverty, environmental degradation, and technical solutions to these problems through engineering. Placements were organised to developing countries to implement engineering designs working with partner NGO's.

The organisation has grown from a university society to a nationwide charity that has inspired and trained a multitude of young engineers and worked on a diverse range of projects internationally.

 
EWB-UK's key ideas are as follows:

  • Holistic Engineering - working with an interdisciplinary approach that takes into consideration the local knowledge, economy, culture and environment.
  • Active Partnerships - building long term relationships and working in collaboration with communities and local organisations
  • People Participation - believing in demand-led development and participatory change.
  • Small Footprint - Adopting a sustainable use of natural resources and minimising any impact to the local environment, biodiversity or global climate.
  • Appropriate Technology - Adapting existing low-risk technology and applying modern engineering methods.

 

The operations of EWB-UK are divided into the following sections:

  • Placements - arranging 3 month to 1 year placements for students to work with NGO's in developing countries and in the UK to gain experience in international development and implementing practically skills gained at university.
  • Training - facilitating practical training courses for engineering students about international development and sustainability
  • Research - Coordinating NGO's with a need for technical research with universities and students that have access to equipment and funds to complete the research
  • Education - Advising on course structure of university degrees to include more about international development and sustainability
  • Outreach - running engaging workshops oin schools based on the aims of the organisation

 
Within these operations, EWB-UK's work is divided into communities of practice, covering Energy, Water and Sanitation, Shelter, Transport, ICT and Health.

Most UK universities now have an EWB-UK society which organises its own events, talks, trips and projects.  It's not essential to be an engineer to join these societies, which reflects the diverse skills required in the area of development.  There is also a professional network for practitioners, experts and industry members from related fields to get involved.

As discussed in Chapter 9 - Social, environmental issues are often interlinked with social issues, and an organisation such as EWB-UK, by focusing on projects to reduce poverty in developing world will similarly be advocates of environmentally sustainable technologies.
http://www.ewb-uk.org