Our Future Planet

We have drawn a line in time.

Our present planet is on one side, and our future planet is on the other.

Our Future Planet enables you to rethink a future that does not follow on blindly from the ways of the past.

• http://www.ourfutureplanet.org

Global charity

Our Future Planet (OFP) is an online community and think tank designed to create global change in the real world today. The site allows you to share ideas, design your future and change the face of the planet as we know it. The charity evolved out of a desire to rethink the direction the world is heading in and aims to inspire people to create a better world in which to live.

How to Use the Website

We encourage you to join our community of "planetary citizens". We are people who care about the future of our planet and wish to step over the line and contribute to positive change. By becoming an OFP citizen you can:
Explore the Ideas Globe and daily Hot Topics posts to become informed about key issues and how they are connected
Create a personal profile and start designing your sustainable future

- Share creative thoughts through your profile with our micro-blog

- Develop your own sustainable Actions and follow other’s

Write Proposals for a new sustainable planet and adapt other citizen’s Proposals
Connect with other citizens and organisations from all over the world using our Citizen Search tool

- Find exactly who you want easily

- Search by interest, location, skills and activity

Start real change in your community and Create a Project or join existing Projects in your area

- Citizens can support or volunteer for all projects

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead cultural anthropologist

Join Us

We focus on solutions and a positive vision for the future
We maintain an integrated focus on the whole planet and not just one nation or geographic area
We incorporate all issues, and educate on how they relate to each other
We extend global ideas and projects beyond the online community
We bring people together from all nations and all professions to share today’s knowledge, take action,
and create our future planet

"What Our Future Planet is doing is creating the emergence of a new story of a world that truly can work for everyone. Without such explorations, there is very little chance of our survival into the next century.”

- Dr Jean Houston, philosopher, author and researcher

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Our Vision

"Our vision is to harness global co-operation to create a sustainable, beautiful, just and happy future.  You can be part of this creative community designing and changing their future. The more people sign up, the more ideas are shared; the larger and stronger our community grows, and the closer we come to achieving our vision."

Sign up today and start creating a better future!

This world is our only home. As the world population soars to nearly 7 billion, people everywhere have the choice to cooperate and rethink the direction the world is heading in. To a safe world with peace, abundance and prosperity in a sustainable environment with clean water, fresh air, biodiversity and beauty. A true home for people, animals and plants filled with creativity, cooperation, transparency, health, wisdom and happiness.

No other web-based community focuses on integrated systemic change at the grass roots level. There is no platform on which to build innovative visions of a better future or to harness creative ideas that can bring about positive behavioural change. There is no one facility that allows the people, and not just the leaders, to rethink the way we live, and to implement change.
On which side of the line do you want to be standing?

OFP has a passionate team, strong Advisory Board, dedicated Trustees and a powerful website. Has there ever been a time of so much promise, so much of a chance to make a difference?

By understanding global issues and connecting with others with shared interests it is possible to facilitate change at a local and international level.

Agriculture and Energy Education

The Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) has an online resource for integrating energy into agriculture lessons. The site includes activities, connections to career paths, and more. Check it out at: www.uwsp.edu/cnr/wcee/keep/Resources/Agriculture/index.htm

This site is dedicated to strengthening the connection between agriculture education and energy. In today's world, energy is becoming more and more important for students to understand. As fuel prices rise and energy resource reserves decline, our students need to be prepared for a future of new technologies and innovations in energy. Hydrogen filling stations, wind farms, and low emission coal generation facilities will all factor in to tomorrow's energy. Our students may be working, living, and consuming energy in a drastically different world.

 How can we prepare our students for tomorrow? By creating through our students a more energy-literate, energy-wise population! The choices they will make in the future will have an impact on the global agriculture, food, fiber and natural resources systems. Together we can ensure that the impact our students have will be positive.

More about KEEP
 
The Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) was created to promote energy education in Wisconsin. KEEP is the product of an innovative public private partnership between educators and energy professionals. The Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education (WCEE) launched this effort in 1995.

KEEP receives its primary funding through the Focus on Energy Residential, Business, and Renewable Energy Programs. Focus on Energy is a public-private partnership offering energy information and services to energy utility customers throughout Wisconsin. These services are delivered by a group of firms contracted by the Wisconsin Department of Administration's Division of Energy. The goals of this program are to encourage energy efficiency and use of renewable energy, enhance the environment, and ensure the future supply of energy for Wisconsin. For information about Focus on Energy services and programs, call 800.762.7077 or visit online at focusonenergy.com. Focus on Energy funds for KEEP are administered through the Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corporation (WECC).

Zero Waste’s #1 rule

by The Zero Waste Home

REFUSE, REFUSE, REFUSE: Zero Waste’s #1 rule. We have all been programmed to accept and take whatever is given to us. Every bit we accept and take, creates demand. Zero Waste starts by chasing and changing those habits, one by one. Here are seven ideas to get you started:

-refuse that plastic bag!: Even if the item, that you have not yet paid for, is already bagged. You know that the bag is probably going to end up in the can but you can let that one go: you’ll feel horrible seeing it go to waste (it will help you remember next time) and refusing helps cashiers change their compulsive bagging habits. Debagging being a time waster, only our incessant reminding will get them deprogrammed.

-refuse that bottle of water that you get handed for no reason, my husband went to a sports bar last month, the next day I found a bottle of water in his car (!!!) (#&%@%$#!)... He explained to me that although he barely drank, the bartender gave it to him, and that he felt bad saying no… come on! Show some strength, Love! Did he twist your arm to take his bottle of water? Were they out of tap water at the bar? …

-refuse freebies from parties, events, festivals, etc. (including green parties, green events and green festivals): I can hear you: “oh, but it’s free!”… well not really, nothing in life is free. Stop the demand for swag bags (and whatever crap it contains).

-refuse excessive packaging or toxic ingredients and write a letter to those that you wish would change (I try to write a letter of feedback every other day): I believe that consumers can change the world if they let manufacturers know what they want. Remember, you vote every time you buy…

-refuse the food/drinks served in disposables: tough, I know, but if you had brought your own, you’d be drinking and eating… you won’t make that mistake more that a couple of times.

-refuse to let junk mail go from your mailbox straight to your recycling can: you need to cancel those pesky mailings one by one (see “Junk Mail War”)

-refuse the extra school papers that come home: talk to your kids teachers and request less paper. I used to get a copy of the Community Center Activities Catalog from both my boy’s classes. What a waste, when the catalog is already sent out to all residents and can also be viewed online… at the beginning of the year, I opted-out with the kids teachers and they have been most cooperative. 

• http://zerowastehome.blogspot.com/2010/01/zero-wastes-1-rule.html