Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre

On the weekend 24/25 May I attended the Going Local Convergence at New Farm, Brisbane. I got the chance to catch up with our neighbours from the Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre and the Sustainable Maleny Project who also attended!

Apart from meeting some great people from as far north as Cairns and as far south as Melbourne, all interested in relocalisation of their regions, I came away with some deeper questions, such as what is truly of value? And, what is the real meaning of security? I encourage everyone to think about these questions. Does it matter how much money you have if you don't have access to fresh food? What if all the money in the world couldn't provide clean air to breathe or fresh water to drink?

Judy Wicks, who runs the White Dog Cafe in Philadelphia in the US and co-founded Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) spoke at the convergence and made some profound points: security is belonging, not belongings. She told of her experience living in an Eskimo village for a year, how the locals share everything, so no-one ever feels vulnerable, lonely or fearful, knowing they are taken care of by the entire community. It made me think about how much relationships have broken down in some communities, especially in larger cities, and to consider how to reestablish stronger community relationships. Do you know your neighbours?

Judy also spoke of her concept of "growth" in business; rather than subscribing to a view of success as one of exponential growth in profits and size, Judy spoke of a "deepening" of her business- keeping her one cafe, while exploring educational opportunities in her business, running community events, building genuine relationships with her employees and engaging in a variety of ways in her community, rather than expanding into a chain of generic franchises. Judy has built a successful business that enriches her community, but still makes decisions from her heart. It is possible!

There was also a presentation and discussion on sustainable investment strategies, the idea of investing directly into local business and community initiatives rather than other options like term deposits at a large bank, or the global stock market. Maleny provides examples of this with co-operatives (you can now borrow a DVD about Maleny's Co-ops from the SustainaBundy section at the Bundaberg library!). The co-operative concept usually involves a larger number of investors within the community, with smaller amounts to invest, pooling their financial resources to own shares in a business. It can be more risky in the short term but has more community benefits over the long term. I also think all local businesses should consider how to invest more in their local area, not only financially but with other forms of support as well. What can you contribute to our region?

There were some other fantastic speakers, including Helena Norberg-Hodge, founder of ISEC (International Society for Ecology and Culture) and leading anti-globalisation speaker, and Robert Pekin from Food Connect. We did a lot of interactive workshops and discussion about future solutions- my brain hurt afterwards, but it was great to make so many connections!

You can view the notes from the conference at www.climateleadership.net.au