Contents

1. Welcome to the 21st Century by Richard Douthwaite
2. Feasta event; 'Energy, Money and Growth' in February
3. What is Feasta doing?
4. Dublin based LETS
5. New publications to look out for.
6. Events
7. Membership

(5) Publications

'The Growth Illusion'
A new edition of Richard Douthwaite's book The Growth Illusion is available in bookshops now. Richard says that about a third of the material in the book is new, although the basic argument - that present economic growth is damaging rather beneficial - is, of course, the same.

The sections of the book on energy use, population growth, genetic engineering and the Irish experience of growth have been completely rewritten.

'The Ecology of Money.'
A Schumacher Briefing by Richard Douthwaite.
Green Books Ltd. 1999
ISBN 1 870098 81 1
In this Schumacher Briefing, Richard Douthwaite argues that just as different insects and animals have had different effects on human society and the natural world, money has different effects according to its origins and purposes. Was it created to make profits for a commercial bank, or issued by a government as a form of taxation? Or was it created by its users themselves purely to facilitate their trade? And was it made in the place where it is used, or did local people have to provide goods and services to outsiders to get enough of it to trade among themselves? The Briefing shows that it will be impossible to build a just and sustainable world unless and until money creation is democratised. Richard says that it is potentially the most important thing he has written.

Copies are available from Feasta at £6, post paid.

From Walnut Books
'FACTOR FOUR.' The new report to the Club of Rome
Amory Lovins
£19.95 from Walnut Books
This book shows working examples from around the world of how to use half the resources and yet be twice as productive.

'AFTER THE CRASH.' (new edition)
Guy Dauncey
£12.95 from Walnut Books
This book is full of stories of communities facing economic problems and the solutions they created to solve them.

Available from Walnut Books, The Hollies, Castletown, Enniskeane, Co.Cork
Tel: 023 47001 - email: thehollies@eircom.net
Send a stamped addressed envelope for a mail order catalogue.

'The Sustainable Ireland Source Book.'
Ireland's Social, Environmental and Holistic Directory.
A low impact production by SOURCE MEDIA in association with VOICE. (Voice of Irish Concern for the Environment). Published by United Spirit Publications. ISBN 0 9537445 0 7

Available now in all good book shops and newsagents or directly from SOURCE, price £5.95. plus £1.50 p&p

The Source Book features articles and listings in the following areas;
Environment; Food and Drink; Global and Local Issues; Renewable Energy and Transport; Work and Money; Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry; Green Building and Ecological Design; Holistic Health / Mind-Body-Spirit; Community and Family; Waste; Art and Leisure; Media.

Contributers include;
Darina Allen, Richard Douthwaite, Sean McDonagh, Mathew Fox, Martin Khor, Judith Hoad, John Seymour, Fr. Harry Bohan and George Monbiot.
For more information; sustainable.Ireland@anu.ie
Source Media, 166 Lower Rathmines Road, Dublin 6. 01 4911711

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(6) Events

Earth Festival 2000
Sustainable Ireland and Temple Bar Properties are co-ordinating a festival on all things sustainable from 'Earth Day' (22nd of April) to 'Labour Day' (1st May).
Feasta plan to hold its annual lecture during the festival and other groups planning an event at this time are invited to add their dates to the festival program. Full details will be available on or from sustainable.ireland@anu.ie

Voluntary Service International
Voluntary Service International is organising its sixth Voices from the South Film Festival at the Irish Film Centre in Dublin from 10th-12th of March. The festival is part of VSI's Development Education Programme in Ireland and will include:
* 10-12 feature films made by directors from Africa, Asia and Latin America
* two educational workshops ' Ethical Investment-The Power in our Pockets' and 'The Arms Trade-Ireland's Role'
* a small schools programme.

The festival aims to give an opportunity to film goers to see and hear different stories from the countries of the South than what is normally reported in the western media.

More details from VSI, 30 Mountjoy Square, Dublin 1.
Tel: 01-8551011 e.mail: vsi@iol.ie

Schumacher Ireland Initiative.
On Monday 7th February 2000 from 7.00pm to 9.00pm in The Canada Room, Queen's University, Belfast there will be a meeting to hear about the work of SCHUMACHER IRELAND and THE NEW ECONOMICS FOUNDATION and see the CD ROM 'Brave New Economy'
Light Refreshments will be served. RSVP 02866 327158 {Enniskillen Together} between 9.00am and 1.00 pm weekdays
Further details Tony Weekes 02890 244772
tony.weekes@cwcom.net

WINTERTIME TALKS IN TEMPLE BAR:
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT BUT IS IT ORGANIC?
A series of talks on Tuesday evenings at 7pm
18 Eustace Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2
There are only two talks left in this series.
February 1st, Biopatenting by Ruth McGrath
February 8th Worm Composting by Sadhbh O'Neill
Please note that there are only 50 places available for each lecture
Price per evening: £2 per person
For further information and booking
please contact Ellie O'Donnell at 01 677 2255
Or e-mail info@temple-bar.ie

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(7) Feasta Membership

Membership of Feasta entitles you to a Feasta annual (due out by summer), which will go into themes relating to sustainable economics in great depth, four newsletters, e-mail bulletins invitations to seminars and lectures and concessions on some books. Realistically, we need to charge £10.00 for years membership and a £5.00 concession for students and unwaged. If you are not already a member please consider becoming one and send your details and a cheque or postal order to:
Feasta, Crolly's Cottage, Kilcroney, Readypenney, Co Louth, Republic of Ireland.