Horizons

Sustainable living festival top tips: Convergence, the annual sustainable living festival which starts on Thursday and runs for 10 days, aims to provide the foundation stones for healthier urban and rural communities by offering creative solutions to economic, social and environmental problems.

Listed below are what promise to be the most interesting meetings of minds at Convergence 2004. All events take place in Cultivate, the sustainable living centre, 15-19 Essex Street West, Old City, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. See also www.sustainable.ie.

1 As the idea of making a profit in an ethical manner gains more attention in the business world, a workshop in which companies can learn how to integrate principles of sustainability into their core strategies and operations seems like a natural step. Hence the development of Natural Step, an international organisation which provides companies with a set of rules, training and development techniques to achieve these aims without subverting the profit motive. Mark Cahill, CEO of Natural Step UK, will speak about new directions for business following the Natural Step model on Friday, April 23rd from 2 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. See also www.naturalstep.org.uk

2 Drawing on the knowledge of architects, urban planners and urban strategists, the Rethinking the City: Maximising Creativity conference on Friday, April 30th from 9 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. should provide practical ideas to improve our car-dominated cities. Speakers include Charles Landry, adviser to the World Bank and author of The Creative City: a toolkit for urban innovators (Earthscan, 2000) and Danish architect Jan Gehl, who designed Seaton, a new Canadian town for 90,000 people with infrastructure based on sustainable principles.

3 Designing a house which is aesthetically pleasing and innovative in its use of eco-materials and renewable energy technologies is a challenge embraced by more and more Irish architects. And as householders learn about the environmental and health impact of materials such as chemical sealants and concrete, the demand for alternatives is growing. These issues and lots more will be discussed at the Green Building conference on Saturday, May 1st from 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. Speakers include broadcaster and architect Duncan Stewart, Paul Leech from the GaiaEcotecture architects and Kevin O'Rourke from Sustainable Energy Ireland. Duncan Stewart will also lead an evening's discussion, Rethinking the Houseon Friday, April 30th at 8 p.m.

4 There is an increasing number of people opposed to the Government's plans to authorise the growing of genetically modified crops in Ireland. A workshop, exploring the business, environmental, health and security benefits of keeping Ireland GM free, will take place on Monday, April 26th from 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.

5 Finally, Convergence has appropriately chosen Earth Day as its opening day. Tickets for Thursday's feast of wild, local and organic food and wine sold out well in advance, but anyone keen to celebrate Earth Day can attend the neighbourhood fair next Saturday from 10 a.m. in Temple Bar.