Cavass your MP

Ahh democracy, the much-discussed, rarely exercised political utopia of the modern world.

Democracy often translates into electing someone into power who then decides things on your behalf. I think very few of us continue to use our rights as citizens in a democratic land to influence the decision making process on the other side of our vote.

The next installation of the story that started in Westminster last Monday is here and it's very democratic. Exactly one week after our Black Swan Event, our site went live and the canvassing commenced. Turning around strategy, website, admin, design and various other things in 7 days is no mean feat. It has taken buckets of effort and hard work from a passionate group of people.

Over the weekend, no fewer than a dozen emails were sent between the group as the team at Make Hay worked their faces off to get the site up and running and the rest of us collated all the info needed to allow people to:

1. Find their local MP
2. Find out how to get in touch and when the next surgery is
3. Report back on whether their MP was going yay or nay

The result is brilliant. A testament to democracy, environmentalism and citizenship.

I encourgae you to pay your local MP a visit, exercise your right to be fairly represented by them. If you need reasons for why we need an 80% reduction in carbon emissions by 2050 visit WWF who have also been campaigning for the amendment.

If you want to hear more about the story and get other points of view, be sure to visit my fellow bloggers' sites:

lifegoggles
GreenGuysGlobal
Greenormal
Turnfront
Beth Eats Local
People Against Dirty
TreeHugger

Black Swan Event in Westminster?

A former colleague of mine, David Zolkwer, shared the theory of Black Swan Events with me a few weeks ago. For those of you who aren't lucky enough to have worked with such brilliant people as Mister Zolkwer, and therefore have no idea what a Black Swan Event is, here's are the three characteristics that define it:

1. It is an outlier, as it lies outside the realm of regular expectations, because nothing in the past can convincingly point to its possibility.
2. It carries an extreme impact.
3. In spite of its outlier status, human nature makes us concoct explanations for its occurrence after the fact, making it explainable and predictable.
[Taken from the New York Times]

The notion of it is incredibly fascinating. I find the third characteristic especially intriguing. In fact, it's made me question things in life that seem to have an obvious cause - could the cause actually be a Black Swan?

All of this thinking accompanied me to Westminster on Monday night.

A group of bloggers (you can see the lovely group in the picture - links to blogs at the bottom of this post) were invited to join an MP to discuss the vote on CO2 emissions taking place later this year. The vote will decide whether to replace the 60% targetted cut in CO2 emissions by 2050 with a tougher 80% target, which is supported by environmental groups and leading scientists.

There are umpteen reasons for MPs to vote for this tougher target. But according to our host, Steve Webb, these reasons are not enough. In fact, he told us that apart from those who were going to vote against the amendement, there were others who are still unsure of how to vote and there are a few who wouldn't vote at all. Together, we worked on how best to target MPs by using the one thing that really influences them (i.e. their voting block) to make them do the right thing.

We haven't reached a final conclusion yet (and I will continue to post updates as we solidify our thinking) but we know that it will include some of the things that we were surprised to learn. Like the fact that anyone can make an appointment to see their local MPs. And how voting on things like this really works: which is more about fitting in than standing out for those MPs trying to climb the "bureaucratic ladder".

Of course, I was delighted to be involved in such a democratic conversation and would like to thank Steve Webb and Mark Hanson for making it all happen.

As I left I couldn't help but think we could have all just attended a Black Swan Event. You see, if we do work together - and what we do actually works - 2050 will be a very different world to the one we're aiming for at the moment.

And I guess, in 2050 people might talk about the bill and remember how people 'voted to do the right thing', when in fact a large part of what happened started when a group of citizens/bloggers got together in Westminster to talk about how they could influence the vote of the people who represent them.

Here's the list of fellow bloggers - do pay them a visit:

John Grant
Chris Anderson
Beth Tilston www.betheatslocal.org
Tom Fishburne www.peopleagainstdirty.typepad.com
Judit Jakab
Dave Birss
Asi Sharabi www.greenguysglobal.com
Leonora Oppenheim

Are you a citizen or a consumer?

Over the past ten years the growth of charities and business have both remained static. The growth of social enterprise - the businesses with a foot in both camps - has shot through the roof. I reckon this is a telling sign of the times.

In fact, I can't help but wonder if we're all just a bit over it. Over the whole capitalist, American Dream thing that is. Perhaps we're after a life with a bit more substance? Is such a thing possible? Could it be that we're after a greater reward than simply financial remuneration? I think there is a growing trend in this direction.

For me, it raises a question that I seem to be encountering a lot these days: can we be citizens AND consumers?

As someone a few days ago quite eloquently pointed out, we live in a world where we have stronger connections with brands than we have with our neighbours. How much of your behaviour is that of a consumer vs. citizen? It's a very intersting aspect of modern life. Even more so when we consider the great sway towards greater citizenship within society today.

The combination of our shift in desire and the shift in business patterns is a fascinating cocktail.

Because if there is a social back-to-basics desire in society for us to feel less like a consumers, more like a citizens. And there's a general trend towards people doing work they believe in and find personally fulfilling and then trying to make money out of it. Then surely there is an interesting segue between these new businesses and the citizens they communicate and engage with. Yes?

This thinking really starts to get juicy when we think about what this could mean for government - especially in times of financial (ahem) uneasiness. Where government fails us or simply has its hands tied, perhaps ethical business can step in?

If this all sounds like a hippy pipe-dream then think again.

I listened to the radio for about an hour yesterday and heard two stories which fit this mould.

First there was a debate discussing the possibility of licensed premises in areas with a high rate of alcohol-related crimes being made to contribute to the policing of these areas. If a business is going to make money from selling alcohol to people in an area known for alcohol-related crimes, perhaps these businesses should use part of their profit to counteract these crimes? This could be a great example of businesses selling to consumers and caring for citizens.

Second there was discussion around the climate change bill, where one member of parliament suggested that instead of penalising people for not being green, he would rather work with business to reward people for being green. Again, the example here would be rewarding consumers for being good citizens.

Either way, business is changing and people are changing too. And it looks like the businesses of the future will be built around citizenship will be tantamount to creating business success.

Imagine, using the first example, a pub opening in your neighbourhood that chose to use a percentage of its profits to ensure its patrons were safe as they arrived and left their premises. I bet the citizen in you wants to buy a pint there next time you're out.

I'd love to hear your thoughts - especially if you disagree.

Congratulations to our winners

This month Time Out announced the winners of their shopping awards.

Of course, no list of the best shops in London would be complete without a liberal sprinking of Unchained stores.

We'd like to say a big congratuations to all the Unchained stores who were nominated for the awards. You make us very proud.

For the full list visit http://www.timeout.com/london/shopping/features/4879/Time_Out_Shopping_Awards_2008.html

Don't forget to add recommend your favourite Unchained stores to us if they're not already in the guide.

A right pig's ear

Following on from Lea's last post, this is how bad things have got for pig farmers. I don't know if you've seen the above poster recently, or even been compelled to visit their site pigsareworthit.com, but the situation these guys are in is awful. Many of the farmers have been struggling on because the farm is their inheritance. Their great grandfather started pig farming over a century ago and if they quit they will be letting several generations down. But how can they continue when they're losing money on every pig they sell?

The farmers are in this situation because the price of grain has more than doubled in the past year. And yet the supermarkets are keeping the pressure on the farmers to keep prices down while they still make a healthy margin.

I don't see how this situation can continue. Are we going to lose our agricultural industry in the same way as we lost manufacturing? And what can we do about it? Is this our government's responsibility or do we need a different approach?

What shape is your food chain?

I remember learning about the food chain when I was a kid.

I grew up in JHB so my education may differ slightly from the British way, but I'm quite certain the principles that underpinned the food chain were the same: all creatures enjoy the abundance of the land and then become part of this land for creatures that are bigger, stronger and wiser.

In the year 2008, in the first part of what looks set to be an enduring recession, I see a food chain that's very different. And big business is perched right at the very top.

Most of us (certainly every person I know) rely on business for their most basic human right to food. In fairness, I am yet to meet a self-sufficient allotment-owner, (and if you are one do drop me a line). As for everyone I have met, we rely on the businesses around us to stock (or over-stock as the case may be) our fridges and feed our children.

For as long as I can remember this has been part of life's natural course. No big deal. But now, in this bizarre climate (both literal and economic) this little fact is making me feel more about more vulnerable.

Without these businesses, I would literally have no food. Other people I talk to are feeling the same. The lack of self-sufficience is scary enough. It's even more scary when viewed in the context of our current international economic meltdown.

Yesterday The Observer reported the huge and petrifying thrust of it:

Butter - up 60% since 2007
Beef - last year farmers lost £150 on every animal they sold
And bread - 7p in 1990 but you'll pay £1.15 for the same loaf today

If there's one lasting thing that I've remembered about the food chain it's the shape.

Not a graph with ups and downs, nor is it a big fat arrow pointing out of the local community.

The food chain was always represented as a circle. Human beings have seemed to have forgotten that they are part of a dynamic eco-system. What we put out there comes back to us - so it only stands to reason that by putting money in big business that takes our money away from us and towards shareholders in another country will reveal a shorfall sooner or later.

What do you think? Have you noticed things getting unreasonably more expensive? Where do you buy food and why? I'd love to hear from you.

Not my words

The Truman Brewery area on Brick Lane is a haven for independent shops and market traders. I noticed at the weekend that UniQlo opened a shop there. And I wasn't surprised to see that a budding street artists had something to say about it.