There is no point having a 'sustainable environment' but ending up living in a land of oppression, dullness and uniformity. A vigorous, creative and vibrant culture is also needed if humans are to live fullfilled lives. Understanding the world around us and making best of our skills and capacities are key to this process.

Education approaches

• Home education
• Steiner and Montessori
• Innovations in state eduation

Learning and thinking approaches

• Accelerated learning
• Mind maps
• Action learning
• Appreciative Inquiry
• Edward De Bono thinking tools. A wide range of thinking tools have been developed, mainly as part of his CoRT curriculum for thinking (Cognitive Research Trust). Edward De Bono believes (rightly!) that thinking is a skill, rather than an inherited trait or genetic endowment. It is different from intelligence, and can be practiced just like tennis. His tools and lessons enable systematic thinking, both individually and as a group.

Living in place

• Reading the landscape
• Spirit of place
• Bioregions
• Parish maps

Participatory culture

• Transition towns
• Art and creativity