HIPS - a need for systems thinking?

Last week saw a delay in HIPS - the home improvement packs to be provided by home owners. I can't work out whether a HIP is designed to improve the home selling and purchasing process, make people more aware of energy management and carbon footprint or to provide more employment for those doing the certification that's needed. Or all of these and more? If giving benefit of the doubt I see the Government wrestling with issues of sustainability....though as much economic as environmental. But as they continue to climb down from it on grounds that were in some cases predicatable and others not, I see an intervention that has failed to take systemic factors into account. Can't help but think that this might be more about political point scoring and economic growth rather than sustainable development.

At least the rain makes everything grow!

OU Ethics Centre launch

A good event yesterday to launch the OU's ethics centre. We had a diverse set of speakers in the morning and went on to a panel discussion that was one of the most interesting I've heard for a long time. I'm not a great fan of panels but the presentations were all interconnected and questions brought out some of those links and new ideas. The speakers were our new Chancellor David Puttnam, Catherine Cameron, co-author of the Stern Review on Climate Change and working with the consultancy Agulhas; Professor Brad Hooker, Professor of Moral Philosophy at the University of Reading and Sir John Drysdale, a member of the executive board of Transparency International UK, The Coalition Against Corruption. All were good but I was particularly inspired by Catherine's very clear and well argued points. I went on to run a workshop with her in the afternoon and besides learning a lot about the Stern Review, I found her conviction to do something about Climate Change very refreshing.

Jonathon Porritt - new blog

Interesting to see that Jonathon has recently started blogging on sustainable development. Looks good and with some interesting links.

Colours of Spring

Interesting distinction

......heard on telly last night from Karan Bilimoria, founder of Cobra Beer

Leadership makes change possible
Management makes change happen

As I'm just getting going on my contribution to one of our System courses that will have a managing change flavour it's something to think about. Many people at all levels in organisations make contributions to both leadership and management and I agree that both are needed in bringing about certain kinds of change. But some leadership and management styles seem to me more likely to bring about 'positive' changes than others. Does adaptation of social systems that accompanies climate change for instance need both leadership and management? Depends what sort of changes I suppose.

Why Science?

Nothing quite like a big question for a rainy day! This week I was part of an OU group that welcomed a group of Science Managers from the UK Environment Agency. We were exploring areas of mutual interest. I'm also preparing for the launch of the OU ethics centre in which I'm running a workshop with Catherine Cameron reviewing the Stern review on Climate Change. In both cases there's a strong focus on 'Science'. I've nothing against science.....my first degree was in Environmental Sciences and I get as hooked as the next person on its explanations for how the world works, on 'scientific evidence' and on how science informs or doesn't inform what we do. But it's a 'catch-all' and whether we want to talk about climate change and adaptation, about technology, about the 'natural' world or about ethics, I don't find it's always helpful to frame it primarily as science. More later on this I think....

A new blog

A rainy Sunday here so I've been setting up this new blog. I've been blogging for a while now elsewhere and I'm finding starting again quite liberating.

Exotic birds

A recent visit to a Cotswold bird park had me taking pictures of exotic birds, looking splendid in their Spring plumage. The mandarin duck is usually seen as dull compared with the drake but on this occasion at least had the light on her side.

Landscapes and Renoir

I finally managed to call in to see the National Gallery's exhibition of Renoir's Landscapes last week. Well worth it! It was a really diverse exhibition and I thought some of them were quite stunning in use of the whole picture and of colour. I excelled myself by trying, but not succeeding, to find the figure of Allie in 'Allee in the wood'. It did make me take a good look at the picture though.

Readings related to environmental responsibility

I've long been part of the course team for the OU course Environmental Ethics . We're in the process of developing a new course, shifting our focus to 'Environmental Responsibility' and looking around to check how what we have in mind sits with recent writings. Although I have access to an excellent library through my work I find there's nothing quite like a good bookshop. At Gower Street's Waterstones on Friday the following were among books I'd like to come back to:

• Environmental Justice and environmentalism. Ronald Sandler and Phaedra C. Pezzillo
• Business, Ethics, the Environment. Imagining sustainable futures. Joseph DesJardins
• Environmental Values. Linda Kalof and Terre Satterfield

Bluebell woods

The bluebell woods at Ashridge were amazing this year - they seemed to go on forever. Evening times were best for the light and after a warm April day the fragrance was wonderful. Enjoyable too to talk with many others who were out appreciating them. I was reminded of Rachel Carson's comments about cultivating our 'sense of wonder'.