So I’m under pressure this morning. Lots of meetings as ever and a deadline of around 17 minutes to get a post out about Blog Action Day. There’s also a bunch of bloggers across my company that are taking part as well, which is nice (see below). I’m clearly not going to match the level of detail and effort from my counterpart in the security industry Brian Sims. So no wide analysis of where my industry is. But here goes. I’ve been blogging for nearly three years on sustainability in architecture construction and property (875 posts no less, not all my own) and what have I learnt? A bizarre correlation: as we seem to get further proof of what’s happening to our environment we are further frozen (unfortunate word) in inaction.So how do we unlock ourselves? Keep scaring ourselves collectively into extinction, cowering into submission? Well that wouldn’t be a great future.
Having always had an innate distrust or cyncism about joining movements or pledging support to things I’ve shied away from collective action. Hence a wariness about the 10:10 campaign or even endeavours such as Blog Action Day itself. But rather than picking holes in these we’re going to have to sign up and act. Not to grand gestures or unachievable targets (zero carbon anyone) but real steps now.Without any evidence of movement from us how’s anyone else in the world going to believe us or follow us? let’s not hide behind the recession (to be honest it’s easy to do it) and step up. In the spirit of action I’m going to team up with my fellow UBM blogger and try and get us as a company signed up to 10:10. There my 17 minutes are up.
(the other UBM blogger are Grahame Morrison, Matt Parsons, John Welsh Rob Enslin Ron Aalouf and Anthony Hildebrand)
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on Oct 15th, 2009 at 9:04 am
Great to see that you are supporting Blog Action Day. Lets hope they get the message!
on Oct 15th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Great post for 17 minutes! I really hear you on the cynicism of joining up with schemes and campaigns, but I’m learning something that is rapidly becoming my truth:
Lots of people making small actions, leads to significant change.
I think it’s time for us, as a society to move into a more ‘community’ based way of living and to create pockets of change so that they can spread like the proverbial ripples on a pond.
It seems weird that one of the most powerful ways to do this can be through the internet – both divisive and whatever the opposite of divisive is (lack of sleep!)
Anyway, I commend your take on this and look forward to hearing how you get on with the 10:10 campaign
. I’ve signed up too and am having a read of No Impact Project handbook for next week too 
The only thing that concerns me is whether we are a nation of people who do something for a day or a week and how many of us continue with the things we have learned. Are we into ‘quick fixes’ or do you think these changes are long lasting ….
on Oct 15th, 2009 at 9:16 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Phil Clark, myzerowaste and martin brown, Sustainability Now. Sustainability Now said: RT @Zerochamp: Blog Action Day post http://bit.ly/OdIgq with added hashtag #BAD09 [...]
on Oct 15th, 2009 at 9:23 am
[...] Other UBM colleagues who have written for Blog Action Day 2009 are Anthony Hildebrand, Brian Sims, Ron Alallouf, Phil Clark. [...]
on Oct 15th, 2009 at 9:23 am
Good post – and have faith in collective action. This week’s Trafigura case showed what can be done (I’ve written my own Blog Action Day post on it here: http://livingwithrats.blogspot.com/2009/10/trafigura-climate-change-and-power-of.html )
on Oct 15th, 2009 at 9:52 am
[...] Sims, John Welsh, Ron Alalouff, Phil Clark, Grahame Morrison Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Hot headlines…Microsoft [...]
on Oct 15th, 2009 at 10:03 am
[...] Zerochampion Blog Action Day: bike facilities Blog Action Day: waste bins Blog Action Day: automatic stopping faucet Blog Action Day: light sensor Blog Action Day: sugar dispensers Blog Action Day: waste sort [...]
on Oct 15th, 2009 at 10:13 am
[...] Zerochampion.building.co.uk [...]
on Oct 15th, 2009 at 2:48 pm
Here’s my post for Blog Action Day:
http://selfdestructivebastards.blogspot.com/2009/10/wake-up-humanity.html
Everyone else go make one too!
on Dec 9th, 2009 at 6:43 am
you have probably a good support for blog action day, be sure to continue it until it is known by many people. The only thing that concerns me is whether we are a nation of people who do something for a day or a week and how many of us continue with the things we have learned.