Sustainability Solutions:
  1. Take a look at our Ten Minute Talk – a PowerPoint presentation that gives you a good feel for what we at The Sustainability Trust believe Rotarians can - and should be - doing to make our planet more sustainable.
  2. We take the view that the ideal Rotary project is a humanitarian project with sustainability built in!
  3. The theme of 2010-11 RI President Ray Klinginsmith, Rotary Club of Kirksville, Missouri is – ‘Building (Sustainable) Communities and Bridging Continents’ (we added Sustainable!)
  4. That’s a great theme …. and Clubs can really build Sustainability into it.
  5. There are all kinds of projects that your Club can do … just whatever turns you on….!
  6. For example, RC Fresno, D. California, has – through the efforts of Rotarian William Pimentel – spent 15 years developing environmentally friendly cooking, using easily made solar, high-efficiency wood stoves and hot boxes. They supported the Trust by providing 2 Club volunteers to teach people in low-income South African townships these techniques.
  7. RC of Sheffield, D.1270, England has a deal with the supplier of STANDBY SAVER – a power socket that switches 6 units, typically TV, VCR, DVD and cable or satellite. One click switches them all off stand-by together, saving considerable domestic power consumption and recovering the cost of the unit in less than a year. The Club sells the units at a discount on retail price and kindly donates $4 to the Trust for every unit sold.
  8. District 1220 in the UK aims to support District 3150, India, in building new starter homes. The Trust seeks to ensure they can be built using principles of sustainability in construction and future energy use.
  9. RC of Gabolin, in Goa, India is devising a re-cycling program for batteries, to avoid them going into landfill and polluting the water supply.
  10. WHAT IS YOUR CLUB DOING by way of a Sustainability project? Email details and we’ll put it here to help and inspire other Clubs around the world.

    Let’s just remind ourselves where things are right now……

  11. If the world carries on like this, we’ll need 2 planets to sustain our affluent lifestyles
  12. Some vital natural resources are getting scarce
  13. Peak Oil is approaching
  14. Water is in short supply in many places
  15. Natural disasters are getting more severe
  16. We have become a throw-away society
  17. We are in danger of poisoning the only home we’ve got...!
  18. Are we, as Rotarians, aware of the implications?
  19. Are we getting involved?
  20. Are we doing anything useful?

    Some examples:
    The USA has 4.5% world’s population… and uses 25% world’s annual oil
    IS THAT SUSTAINABLE?
  21. The UK currently imports 7 million tonnes of oil annually
  22. By 2030 it will have to import 8 times that amount = 56 million tonnes
    IS THAT SUSTAINABLE?
  23. Australia has been suffering drought for many years, yet its water consumption per person is three times that of the UK.
    IS THIS SUSTAINABLE?
  24. Rotary Clubs are putting some wonderful projects into other countries
  25. But many break down and get abandoned, like wells for clean water
  26. Some need kerosene for fuel, which is expensive and polluting
  27. Developing countries put batteries in the landfill and the chemicals seek into the groundwater
    IS THIS SUSTAINABLE?
  28. The Sustainability Trust aims to get Rotarians thinking outside the box
  29. How can we help others in ways that make their lives better?
  30. And how can we do it in ways that preserve our planet’s natural resources?
  31. We have, through the work of fellow Rotarians, provided solar oven training and manufacturing lessons in townships in South Africa
  32. We have promoted the sale of STANDBY-SAVER in the UK, which shuts off all power to TV, VCR and DVD, saving its purchase cost in less than one year.
  33. We are advising Districts in the UK and India about making new bungalows for shantytown dwellers into sustainable homes.

    YOUR CLUB CAN GET INVOLVED

  34. Educate yourselves about the issues
  35. Look for projects and make them SUSTAINABLE
  36. Devise ways to make new projects use sustainable resources.
  37. Seek help from relevant local companies and energy experts.
  38. Approach power companies as potential sponsors or advisors.
  39. ASK the Trust for advice if you need it. We may be able to put you in touch with an expert in the field where you need advice.
  40. SEND US YOUR IDEAS, so we can share them with other Clubs.
  41. DONATE to the Trust …..
    • by offsetting your travel or flights at our website
    • by becoming a Sustaining Member of the Trust…
      … and your donation will be used to support a Club project somewhere in the world
    Introduce the Four Way Sustainability Test into your thinking …

      The 4-Way Sustainability Test for all Rotarians: Are you.....

    • EDUCATING - yourselves, your Rotary colleagues and the public about how and why we should all conserve energy and adopt sustainable solutions.

    • DEMONSTRATING - how everyone can save money in the process.

    • INNOVATING - with ideas promoted by your Rotary Club to switch to sustainable resources in all Rotary projects, especially those with humanitarian benefits.

    • DONATING - via The Sustainability Trust - to a Rotary Club project that offsets your unavoidable personal carbon emissions.

    GOOD LUCK!

    Yours in Rotary,

    The Trustees of The Sustainability Trust

    10-03-31-Sustainability Solutions 2010