FEASTA Quarterly Bulletin, Summer 1999

Contents

1. Feasta Publications.
2. Herman Daly. Hear him on RTE Radio 17th of June at 7.05 pm.
3. New FEASTA web site at www.sustainable.buz.org
4. Feasta stall at international festival this month.
5. Feasta newsletter and page in the Earthwatch mag.
6. Financing sustainable communities meeting.
7. Questionnaire on ethical /green credit union.

FEASTA was established in October 1998 to explore the characteristics - economic, cultural and environmental - that a society would have to possess in order to be truly sustainable. Its membership is not confined to Ireland and it wants to involve people from all types of background in its work.

(1) Feasta Publications

Later this year FEASTA intends to publish a reader in sustainability designed for people and groups anxious to educate themselves on the subject. A Feasta Annual is also being developed, the theme for the first is the use of indicators in the attainment of sustainability. The editor of the annual is Ruth O'Brien and the editorial advisory committee for the first issue consists of Catherine Kavanagh (UCC), Gill Weyman (DIT, Bolton Street), Christiano Morganti (TCD) and Richard Douthwaite. Only two-thirds of the material will actually be on indicators; book reviews and articles on other related topics will be welcomed by the editor. Send to Ruth O'Brien, Flat 1, 11, Scotch Street, Downpatrick, Co. Down, BT30 6AQ.

Feasta has recently secured funding from a charitable trust to enable the Annual and the Reader to be printed and for a part-time co-ordinator to be paid for the next twelve months.

Anne Ryan of the department of adult and community education, NUI, Maynooth, and David O'Kelly have recently joined the Feasta steering committee, replacing Davie Philip who is now our co-ordinator. Elections to the committee will be held at our AGM in October.

(2) Herman Daly

The first annual FEASTA lecture with the 'heretic' economist Herman Daly took place at Trinity College on the 26th April. This was a great success attracting over 300 people. A transcript of his speech will be posted on our new web-site.

An interview with Herman Daly by John Quinn will be broadcast on RTE Radio's 'Open Mind' programme on Thursday the 17th of June at 7.05 pm.

(3) FEASTA web site

Our new website can be accessed through www.sustainable.buz.org This is still being constructed but there are a number of articles and pages up and is worth a visit. If anyone has any links to other relevant sites or articles that could be posted, e-mail us at feasta@anu.ie.

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(4) Mallow Festival

FEASTA will have a stall at the sustainability feature at the Mallow International Garden Festival, which takes place from the 23rd to the 27th of June at Cork Racecourse in Mallow. The feature will contain three definable but overlapping presentations from, Muintir na Coille, The Coppice Association of Ireland, the Ecological Trades Community and a selection of Ireland's NGO's, groups and businesses working in the area of sustainability who will be highlighting their work in the Sustainability Tent co-ordinated by LOW IMPACT. This event promises to be a great day out, more details from the Festival Office at 021 270657.

(5) First FEASTA newsletter

The first FEASTA newsletter is out next month and will be mailed out to members. Membership only costs £5 per annum for individuals and £10 for groups and organisations. Send cheques and postal orders to: FEASTA, Crolly's Cottage, Kilcroney, Readypenney, Co Louth, Republic of Ireland.

Earthwatch the Irish environmental magazine now has a FEASTA page which will be a regular feature in the magazine. Issue 45 has an extract from Herman Daly's address to the International Society for Ecological Economics. The magazine is available from Earthwatch at 20 Grove Road, Rathmines, Dublin 6. With 36 packed pages is well worth the pound that it costs.

(6) Financing sustainable communities

Feasta and IEVIN (the Irish Eco-Village Information Network) held a meeting on financing sustainable communities with Triodas, the Credo Fund and the Credit Unions on the 28th January at Enfo in Dublin. A second meeting was held with the Irish League of Credit Unions on April the 1st and a questionnaire is being distributed following this.

(7) Questionnaire for Eco Credit Union

Please complete and return.

Credit unions have positively transformed the face of finance in Ireland since their inception in the 1950s. Ireland currently has the highest per capita membership of credit unions in the world such is their success. The movement has helped hundreds of communities and thousands of individual families take control of their finances;- supporting prudent saving and borrowing. The credit union treats you as a responsible person not as an economic unit and enhances community cohesiveness through the concept of 'common bond'. Flexible repayment, transparent charges, insurance of savings, no requirement for collateral or guarantees has made the credit union a growing alternative to the banks.

However, some of us feel that the credit union movement could deliver even more benefits to communities facing the challenges of the new millennium. These challenges include the chronic shortage of affordable housing for young people, the depopulation of rural areas, the degradation of the countryside, depletion of natural resources, the growth of waste and pollution, the lack of local, healthy, affordable food, and the desire to make an living which does not threaten the livelihoods of others.

We believe that a credit union focused on supporting community-based ethical and ecological lifestyles and projects is now urgently needed to help deliver a better future for us and our children.

Such a credit union would set interest for member savers at the minimum to cover expenses and risk so that member borrowers can benefit from low cost loans. Lending guidelines would ensure that members money would be spent on renewable energy projects, energy and water saving measures, ecological housing using local materials, shared transport, organic food production, new green and ethical businesses and education to support all of the above. The normal safeguards to limit risk would be put in place.

Returns on capital would include not only interest but also the many benefits of local sustainable development;- invigorated communities, the enjoyment of greater natural diversity, more beautiful environment, renewable energy supplies and good healthy food.

We need your help to develop this initiative with the Irish League of Credit Unions.

Please take the time to fill out this short questionnaire:-

Are you currently a member of a Credit union ?

Based on the idea for an Eco Credit Union described above would you be
[_] Very interested in joining
[_] Interested in learning more before joining
[_] Not interested in joining

If you are already a member of a credit union and are interested, would you be willing to ?.
[_] Move your membership to the Eco Credit Union from your existing credit union.
[_] Join the Eco Credit Union and retain membership in your current credit union

If it were possible, would you prefer to be able to earmark your current credit union savings or / and shareholding in a Special Eco Fund at low interest?
[_] Not interested
[_] Yes, but only for a limited sum
[_] Yes, for all of my savings and shareholding.

If any of the above answers are positive, can you say how much you would be capable and willing to save per month in the Eco Credit Union or in a Special Eco fund ?
[_] Less than £20 per month
[_] More than £ but less than £50 per month.
[_] More than £50 per month.

To support the aims of the Eco Credit Union or Special Eco Fund and the immediate needs of its borrowers, would you be or capable and willing to invest larger sums of money for a predetermined period for a very low rate of interest?
[_] No
[_] Yes, £1000-£5000
[_] Yes £5000-£10,000
[_] Yes £10,000 +

Do you need to borrow for a sustainable projects or lifestyle and have the capacity to repay a loan (size see below) at low interest within 10 years?
[_]No
[_]Yes up to £1000
[_]Yes, £1000-£5000
[_]Yes £5000-£30,000
Would you willing to meet weekly for a number of months and go forward for election as a Director of the Eco Credit Union?
(_) Yes (_) No

Name:
Address if you want further information:

e-mail:
Telephone:

Replies to :
Feasta (Eco Credit) : Emer O'Siochru, 39 windsor Road, Rathmines Dublin 6, Tel. 4972564, e-mail siochru@iol.ie

This initiative is being facilitated by Feasta, the Foundation for the Economics of Sustainability with IEVIN, Irish Eco Village Information Network and other individuals who are members of linked organisations such as The Irish Ecological Design Association, The Dublin Co-Housing Group, the Dublin Food Co-op and Dublin Citizens Agenda 21.

Thank you very much for your replies. We very much appreciate your time and interest.