Building Back Better - ideas from my community

Walking during lockdown in the quiet paths and roads around St Just, I had many conversations with neighbours about what we were experiencing and ideas about how we could come out of this changed and better seemed to flow naturally. We have carried on these conversations in socially distanced Saturday morning get togethers in the centre of town. Some of the ideas so far:

Keep shopping locally

buy less, mend more

have Sundays back as a day of rest for all

encourage working on the land/ decent wages /food security

move away from over-reliance on tourism

conserve energy - jobs in renewables and retrofitting homes

training people for sustainable jobs

stop flying

very cheap and clean public transport - cut down private car journeys

support cycling

work from home more

take time to care for people

Out of town parking in summer

More alfresco drinking and dining in summer - creating less traffic in town and greater sense of safe community

Creativity on the streets - singing, music and dancing to enhance wellbeing

Involve people in politics more - Citizens Assemblies to make decisions using expert information that councils and government then have to carry out (Ireland have done this successfully)

the conversations will continue, let's hope the actions follow...