Nils Klinkenberg presenting the four systems conditions of the Natural Step Framework: 1) No increasing amounts of substances from the earth’s crust, 2) No increasing amounts of human-created toxic compounds, 3) No systemic elimination of natural systems, 4) No endemic poverty or structural injustices.
Monday, January 24th, 6:30-8:30pm @ 64 Wendell St (the COOP!)
Sustainability is an important concern for everyone. We all want to live in a world which is safe and fair to all people, where our actions are beneficial to nature – or at least not actively degrading the ecosystem – and where our efforts and enterprises can support us indefinitely. But how do we know if something we’re doing is sustainable or not? There are many ways people are evaluating the relative sustainability of an action. There are ecological footprints, carbon footprints, toxic release inventories, habitat and greenhouse gas mitigation…what are the right things and what are the best things to focus on?
The Natural Step (TNS) is a framework for considering the ultimate concerns of our actions. The framework helps people to consider the ramifications of their daily routines and the practices of the firms and organizations they rely on in the context of a big-picture consideration of what the idea of “sustainability” actually means. When you take the baseline conditions of TNS and compare them to a situation, like driving a car a certain distance or having a diet with dairy products, you can draw some conclusions as to its ultimate sustainability.
Join us at the Cambridge Cooperative Club for our first Sustainability Salon Series gathering of 2011. We will have a conversation and multi-media presentation with Nils Klinkenberg, MSc Blekinge Institute of Technology, Sweden, who studied under the founder of TNS, Karl-Henrik Robèrt. We will look at the four systems conditions of The Natural Step and talk about how each of us, in our local communities, can engage in more sustainable activity patterns in order to support a more sustainable world. We look forward to seeing you Monday night, January 24th from 6:30-8:30pm. There will be some light vegan refreshments but do consider having dinner beforehand!
On November 29th, we kicked off our new Environmental Awareness Series of talks at the Coop by hosting Greg Wells from the Herring Alliance and the Pew Environment Group. He gave a presentation on the Atlantic herring, sustainable fishing, and policy actions that are in progress regarding the herring populations and current fishing practices.
Thanks again to Greg and all who joined us for this important event!
*If you are interested in reserving a date to give a presentation in an area of environmental or community sustainability please contact Bridget at: Cambridgecoop@gmail.com*
~Bridget~
Event Information:
Atlantic herring is one of the most important fishes in New England, serving as an energy rich staple for many of the region’s ocean predators – including the fish we love to eat and the whales, dolphins and seabirds we love to watch. This presentation provides an overview of the role herring play in the ecosystem, the history of the fishery and the problems associated with the growth of industrial-scale herring fishing in the region. Contact The Herring Alliance, to learn more ways of advancing efforts to improve fishing management.
Greg Wells coordinates public outreach and organizing for Pew Environment Group’s fisheries campaign efforts in New England. He has a master’s degree in marine conservation from the University of California, San Diego.
This Halloween, we celebrated coop style with lots of friends and festiveness. Thanks for all who came out to celebrate with us, and also to support our cause for this year’s party: KOFAVIV, a women’s organization in Haiti. We were able to raise over $600 for this important cause!
Several housemates also participated in this year’s Halloween Critical Mass bike
ride, cruising the streets of Boston and Cambridge to raise awareness about the importance of creating bike-friendly cities as one
way of reducing carbon emissions.
* KOFAVIV is an organization established by and for rape survivors from the poorest areas of Port-au-Prince. KOFAVIV combines support for individual women with the power of grassroots women’s organizing to transform the underlying conditions that give rise to sexual violence against the poor.
The Coop’s 47th Birthday party held last weekend was a great success. Old and new housemates came together from all over New England. For current housemates, it was a chance to hear stories about the ‘old days’, when the porch was built, the house sided, mortgage paid off. Barbara Brown told about how the FBI taped the phones because an activist was living here. We hope this tradition continues, and we’ll have a big ‘ol party for the 50th coming up in 2013. Thanks for everyone who came!
Spence (1973-1976) telling coop tales
Paul (1996-now), Litu (1987-1997), Betty Dexter (??), Pat O’Mally (1984-2002), Paul Hollings (1988-1993)
Coop timeline
Coop Stories
Pat O’Mally
The Cambridge Coop is turning 47 this April. To celebrate we’re inviting all past, current, future friends and neighbors of the coop over!
All are welcome to our Open house and BBQ. Bring your grandchildren, partners, children, friends, grandparents, dogs and most importantly…. bring your memories and photographs of the coop to share! We don’t even know who has lived here over the years so please e-mail us with names (and contact info if you have it) of old housemates so we can invite them!
Even if you can’t make it, send a message, photo, updates.
In this photo: Laura R, Grey, Paul, Laura H, Dan, Liz, (regular guest via Eric) Sarah , Leah, Nancy, Ratasha, and Eric!
