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.
- 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 issues – and 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 UK’s emissions to zero in 20 years, called ZeroCarbonBritain
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.
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.
http://www.ewb-uk.org