There research showed that living standards for workers and producers had improved dramatically.

Although there was a big improvement there is still a long way to go.

To support existing campaigns and initiatives for social justice and development – like Make Poverty History and direct, local efforts in the Chew Valley to alleviate poverty and improve healthcare in the ‘South’.
To develop personal links between the Go Zero communities and Social Change and Development (SCAD) in Tamil Nadu.
To promote ecotourism and sustainable travel.
To promote and encouraging fair trade – obtaining FairTrade Village status.
The Converging World is now a new charity based in Bristol but with world wide ambitions!

To support it please visit www.theconvergingworld.org.

What does “Converging World” mean?

The Converging World concept is large and complex. The converging aspect derives partly from the ‘Contraction & Convergence’ principle proposed by Aubrey Meyer of the Global Commons Institute (see Schumacher Briefing No 5), which sees, across the world, an equal per capita right to emit ‘carbon’.

The Converging World idea goes beyond carbon trading, although this is a fundamental aspect requiring emergency attention. It is a vision of a world where everyone has a fair and equal share of all the resources that the Earth can easily provide without jeopardising its potential to support life in all its diversity. It is also a world where everyone has a fair and equal share of, and access to, human created resources such as knowledge. The vision extends to an indiscriminate right, and equal access, to the functions of our institutions for justice, health, education and security. In this converging worldview environmental issues are inseparable from social justice.

Values and aims
The Go Zero project has the following values and aims at the heart of its vision:

* Regard the planet as something we should care for and cherish
* Live sustainably so as not to deplete the planet’s finite resources
* Modify our behaviour so that we can live in harmony with nature and demonstrate our commitment to equity for all residents of our planet
* Help to influence the behaviour and attitudes of others in working towards sustainable communities
* Constantly look for new ways to minimise use of resources and to strive for a community where waste doesn’t exist
* Set up systems within our own community to enable ourselves and others to reach these objectives

Guiding principles
The Go Zero project has the following principles at the heart of the organisation

* Inclusiveness – to involve all who wish to take part
* Transparency – open and complete communication
* Clarity – for decision making and acceptance of responsibility
* Effectiveness – to communicate the aims of the project
* Respect others, no destructive criticism – only lead by example
* Measure, monitor and report on progress and achievements
* Organise our own lives according to this vision.
* To help others, anywhere in the world, to move towards a fulfilling life style with zero waste, equity and justice.