This decade may have just started, and got off to a shaky one at that. However, perhaps what the world is experiencing now will only serve to contribute to some of the reshaping and change that trend-spotter Li Edelkoort predicts. Seeded by a dedication to conservation, we could see empathy through clothes lending libraries, creativity…
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The idea of a ‘circular economy‘ seems simple – obvious even – especially when it comes to concerns around sustainability. But we’re not doing it. As this video from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation says, we “take, make and dispose”. The circular economy is what some have termed a ‘cradle to cradle‘ concept, having recognised the…
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At the Institute of Imagination, picturing and creating our future is central to what we do. Where that strive for progress and discovery takes us is always a surprising journey. That’s why we found this list of the possible science stories of 2020 so fascinating. What’s on the horizon? How are bright and bold minds…
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We wrote about Fab City earlier this year so it’s great to see more. We explored it in terms of 3D printing, but this article from GreenBiz looks at how local Fab Labs are inspiring makers and fostering community connections all over the US and Europe. We love the idea of creating a formal movement…
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Beavers and the imagination might not seem like an obvious connection, which is why we value the inspiration of authors like Ben Goldfarb. Here, environmentalist, blogger and imagination champion Rob Hopkins explores Ben’s ideas with an interview about his new book and the work behind it. What we found interesting was positioning beavers as the…
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What’s really interesting about this piece are the links to not only formal learning but social and personal education too. More time outside and thinking about the environment are worthy enough on their own, but gardening also provides crucial developmental insights such as understanding processes, unpredictability and teamwork. From the water vole to the Scottish…
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It’s encouraging to see innovation in practice to look at an often forgotten part of the food production supply chain – agricultural waste. So much focus is given to the consumer journey and end user recycling. However, looking at the beginning of the process not only changes our thinking around all production, but supports those…
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This interesting and useful piece from Ensia on resilience looks not at what’s changing about the world around us, but how we survive and thrive in it together. It’s important to remember that experiences and understandings of change and how to adapt will vary across different communities. The term ‘resilience‘ is everywhere. And everywhere, it seems,…
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A couple of weeks ago we looked at how sci-fi can be a positive way to understand social issues such as climate change. Here, NPR continues this thought by tracing how we get from today’s world to that future. It’s inspiring to see the growing support for imagination and creative thinking being applied in this…
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At first, “deep time” sounds quite mysterious, like an astrophysical phenomenon. And in reality it is just as intriguing. These initiatives champion the importance of context on a grand scale. It’s about seeing ourselves as part of a continuum; understanding what’s past as part of the future. Particularly for when we need to remember to…
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