the team
THE MIDLANDS, ENGLAND - UNITED KINGDOM
Email : Project Email Details
Travis Bham, Oliver Thomas founding members and initial project supervisors. Both are scientists who can draw on their limited scientific experience and develop it by applying to ECOCONOMY. Minimal experience in leading functional social projects, however both are environmentalist with passion for sustainable development ideas which could alleviate stresses and strains of society on people and the environment. Projects will draw skills and expertise directly from the communities where the projects are initiated. People with more specific skills sets will be required for different elements of the projects and also the initial food production business.
the objective
The objective of ECOCONOMY is dual-focussed on social and environmental issues. Facilitating lifestyle improvements for individuals and communities, and aiming to mitigate new and existing environmental concerns, are themes central to their motives. Sustainable development is the cornerstone whereby the two themes coincide, and can therefore be addressed simultaneously. By initiating sustainable-enterprise projects in communities we can make people well aware of the sustainability issues facing our planet through active participation and educational outreach, but also offering products and services which make their lives easier, cheaper and more secure. The eventual result will be self-regulating, eco-friendly and highly efficient systems which are managed by the people who benefit directly from them.
FOOd production project
The Initial capital producing project will focus on sustainable food production with incentivised waste recycling initiatives for community participation, and educational initiatives to improve community environmental awareness. Aquaponics and aeroponics systems offer a dynamic platform for vertical farming practices, and will be adapted to produce vegetables and fruits in a contained and controlled environment making production independent of typical seasonal constraints. Integrated renewable energy systems will be used to power the operations, with onsite rain water collection and waste water management systems to minimise the need for external utilities influence. The production will be an off-grid, fully sustainable model which can be exported to different localities for expansion.
why this project
Sustainable technology and innovation, offer viable solutions to many of societies issues; and, if implemented correctly, have the ability to seriously alter our trajectory toward a more positive future, providing:
- Secure Jobs for the future
- Better quality of life for individuals
- Independence and self-determination of communities
- Reduce environmental impact
- And Facilitate environmental restoration
Vegetable food produce is the most easily accessible commodity due to rapid production and frequent high demand, which means that cheaper produce produced via highly productive yet sustainable methods, will be competitive with wholesale prices. Low over heads and high income will mean higher net returns which will mean greater resources for reinvestment into new projects.
This also doubles as a capital producing enterprise for reinvestment into LOOK. and demonstration projects for alternative socioeconomic system – Copisos.
PROJECT PLAN OUTLINE
- Establish most suitable location for set-up – nearing finalisation (Initially likely to be midlands and west Yorkshire –UK )
- Research and develop detailed business plan including referenced literature to outline all aspects of the physical food production idea, building on already established operations:
o Land/space requirements – underway
o Energy requirements – underway
o Water requirements – underway
o Growing environment – underway
o Growth apparatus and required equipment – underway
o Product choice – underway
o Initial costs and potential overheads/returns
o Legal requirements
- Finding and networking with partners to bring different elements of the model into actualisation (councils, universities, cooperatives, garden centres, local businesses
- Create website detailing ethos, projects, future outcomes, product descriptions, ecommerce
o Will allow project progression documenting, vlog, blog
- Design media and PR strategies including Social media, visual aids
- Design a small-scale integrated and workable model to test scale-ability and ease of production with a rapid-growth species
- Funding strategy requires above progression
PROGRESS PLAN
We are in the initial stages of planning for ECOCONOMY. As part of this phase of project planning we are assessing the scope and feasibility of a localized technological community food production system that will require exclusive use of a portion of land, design blueprint for the first installation, materials for the first construction, a financial viability plan both short and long term and specialized skills in the following areas:
- Programming
- Web design and maintenance
- Marketing and PR
- Media and social media
- Community liaison
- Horticulture
- Electricians/ builders
- Sustainability consultancy
- Project design/architecture
We welcome interested individuals getting in touch with us at the email address above with their available skills and participation proposals. We are building the initial team and look forward to hearing from you.
PROJECT FUNDING / CONTRIBUTIONS
The initial investment required establishing a fully operational system, and production is quite significant compared to initial production capacity and therefor return. We will look to attract crowdfunding by employing a PR and marketing strategy through social media and direct community relations strategies and events.
A number of Grants and bursaries are also available which are specific to social and sustainable enterprise projects, as an alternative to conventional debt based lending which is counter to the enterprises ethos and motives.
The objective is to have a substantial business plan which can act as a suitable pre-requisite to grant applications.