Retrofit Game

The Empire State Building is getting a Green Retrofit at the moment. Our 'FootSteps building is also undergoing some sustainability inspired changes. Have a go at the Empire State Building Retrofit game! Click HERE to start!

Hint: Try dragging something you look through first!

The Autumn Programme is nearly over!

Our Autumn Programme here at 'FootSteps' is drawing to a close, it has been really successful, thanks to everyone who came along to our events! For the sake of posterity and so that we can all still access specific webpages below is the Autumn Programme that was. But, do not fear for when the Autumn ends winter begins and we have lots of things going on to get you through the colder months, please keep and eye on our events page:

Autumn Programme

Friday 28th August, 2009. 12.00pm - 11.59pm: Fundraising Event: Tour de Inner Ring Road @ 'Footsteps' and Cheltenham Inner Ring Road

Thursday 10th September 2009. 6.30pm - 8.00pm: Global Footsteps Gardening Community: Inaugural Meeting @ 'Footsteps', 16 Portland St, GL52 2PB

Thursday 17th September, 2009. 6.30pm - 8.00pm: Global Footsteps book club: Inaugural Meeting @ 'Footsteps', 16 Portland St, GL52 2PB

Friday 18th September, 2009. 4pm onwards: The Handbook of Sustainability Literacy Launch event (Invite only) @'Footsteps', 16 Portland St, GL52 2PB

Sunday 20th September, 2009. 7.30pm : Hiroshima!!! - Remembered; Revisited; Regretted? @ Friends Meeting House, Warwick Place, Cheltenham

Saturday 26th September, 2009. 4pm onwards: Positively 16 Portland Street: Totally unplugged music @ 'Footsteps', 16 Portland St, GL52 2PB

Thursday 8th October, 2009. 6.30pm onwards: Freinds of Nowder @ 'Footsteps', 16 Portland St, GL52 2PB

Thursday 15th October, 2009. 6.30pm onwards: Stitch and Bitch Club @ 'Footsteps', 16 Portland St, GL52 2PB

Thursday 22nd October, 2009. 6.30pm - 8.00pm: Global Footsteps book club @ 'Footsteps', 16 Portland St, GL52 2PB

HRA Foundation / Curry With Love

Global Footsteps is partnered with a Bangladeshi Community Capacity building project called The HRA Foundation. It has recently run into difficulties, Global Footsteps director Morgan Phillips has written a report outlining the problems and is trying to raise awareness and support. This message is currently being sent out to journalists:

The HRA Foundation, a community capacity building project based in the Bishwanath sub-district of Sylhet, Bangladesh, has been forcefully and illegally closed down by powerful and self-interested local members of the ruling Awami League Political Party. The Awami League promised in its recent election manifesto, Vision 2021, that it is ‘committed to freeing Bangladesh from its current state of crisis and building a country whose citizens are able to live prosperous and happy lives.’1 The HRA Foundation was set up along very similar principles to the Vision 2021, it is supported by UK partners The Rendezvous Society (UK registered charity: 293357) and Martin Horwood MP (Cheltenham, Lib Dem). Its closure clearly contradicts Awami League promises and is an example of the political obstacles standing in the way of economic and social development in Bangladesh. Awami League public representatives with dual Bangladesh and British citizenship are implicated by their non action. They have thus far failed to attempt any arbitration and have willingly and very wrongfully painted the closure of the foundation as a simple family feud over property rights. The reasons for its initial closure were due to disagreements at a micro level, its continued closure highlights worrying truths about the Awami League at a macro level.

The HRA foundation was founded by Arosh Ali and is financed purely by the Curry With Love Bangladeshi takeaway and delivery service in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. I have uploaded a report outlining the origins and current situation of the HRA Foundation and Curry With Love to the Global Footsteps news page. Please read it here

News from Jeff Murphy

Jeff Murphy attended two of our conferences: Footstep 10 and Footstep 11. He recently sent us news of what he is up to now (congratulations are in order!):

I work as an Analyst for Sightlines LLC, a consulting firm that works with higher education to extend the life of buildings and building systems as well as create more efficient and effective facilities departments. My emerging role in the company is with our newest product called GreenLine, which seeks to identify and quantify all of the sources of greenhouse gases (GHG) on campus. I have already finished analyses of the University of Vermont, Champlain College, Vassar College, Oregon Institute of Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Eastern Oregon University and Wagner College. I am also working closely with the Vice President of Product Development to introduce a supplementary product, which helps colleges and universities that have completed an emissions inventory select and track the progress of projects that make tangible reductions to their campus emissions. We will be starting this at our first pilot school, Smith College, next month.

I have also recently proposed to my long-time girlfriend and am in the planning stages of, what I hope to be a green if not carbon-neutral, wedding. We are looking into buying wedding rings made of recycled metal, we are having the ceremony and reception at a inn/farm in Vermont that focuses around local and seasonal foods, we hope to buy carbon offsets to eliminate travel emissions by our guests and will be providing re-usable bags, re-usable water bottles and a seedling as part of our party favors for our guests (kind of a green starter-pack).