ivili's Page

Hey Jeremy!

Wonderful to be in touch. I came across this brilliant site of yours via Tyler, who contacted me this weekend. I'm back in the UK for a year, so would definitely like to reconnect and discuss all things India, climate and sustainability solutions and much else. Hope you're having a wonderful time away, and speak when you're back! (amedacosta@gmail.com)

Hi Jeremy,

Yes, love what you are doing here. Simon Robson, the director of 'Coalition', emailed me with an enthusiastic message: 'This is precisely the kind of thing we're talking about in the film!' I confess I haven't yet had time to take a good look around - hopefully tomorrow. Even if I can't help out with suggestions, I'll be directing people your way whenever I talk about the ideas in the film.

All the best,
Tim

Hello all,

Looking forward to contributing what I can to this forum, and will start with comments and feedback within the next few weeks.

Cheers,

Bodhi

Job = government/public sector. Job title = senior policy strategist

Hello,

Well this is very exciting. You will have to tell me about how this all came about latter.

The 'other' is just me being reserved while I look around. A few of those boxes apply to me.

The thing I most fear about social networks is the distraction. I am easily distracted.

Looking forward to seeing you latter old chap.

L

I think you should keep it running. I constitute only one opinion on this. I was also excited about it as a concept - but was just disappointed by their response to further enquiries. We thought about including one at our Chelsea garden - hence my contact with them to see how we could possibly add value, as opposed to simply providing a nice marketing tool (for which they could also not find any money!). however, others may have other experiences - or may benefit from my experience. Who knows? And yes, presumeably this is exactly what this site it for. Keep going - most of us need to be prompted!

My primary problem with all pumps is that the NGOs that flog them rarely go the distance in supporting the communities that buy in to them (or the goverment agencies that purchase them in vast amounts - as, let's face it, this is really the objective of the pitch). When contacted, PPs seems not to be very different. Asked if they work with communities to assist them to understand the value of the resource (the aquifer, not the pump) they sounded perplexed. This is typical of people who develop technology - however simple it may at first appear. If PPs didn't understand this question, then how are communities expected to? A community which cannot see its resource, and the depletion of it, requires assistance in understanding that is is not infite, and that they must therefore 'feed' it, by plannning and planting around it - as well as creating a communal system for management and responsibility. When we offered to come on board to assist in this regard, they stated that they didn't have the budget. Not sure why not - company with substantial profits. That they didn't sound interested in issues of resource sustainability, did not fill me with confidence (same issue with OXFAM et al). Especially as this material could be simply integrated in to their existing installation workshops. The first step for any school would surely be to capture & store rainwater. This would be our starting point. And not until it has shown willing, would we attempt something more involved, which requires serious committment.

More amusing concerns re this systems is the accusation of child labour - when children should be inside learning (or in our case, outside in the garden learning). But the reality for the community- based care takers of any school garden is that holidays are long, and this is the time when school gardens are at their most vulnerable from drought and neglect. Children naturally don't walk long distances to school in the holiday, having other chores to attend to - even if there is a playpump.

Added to which, I have so far come across 2 (out of 3) PlayPumps which are out of service, and apparently had been for some time. I gather that people from PPs had been contacted, but no-one had been to fix it - despite the mechanism being simple to maintain and repair. Not so sustainable afterall?

Well hello! Yep - heavy defra report is now done and dusted, so am more relaxed, and with time for visitors. You are most welcome - so let's see you down here one day very soon.
Love the solar water heating idea. Not sure about PlayPumps - have done some research on them for our programmes. Critical and fundamental problem is that kids don't play during long school holidays when gardens still need to be irrigated. Mechanisms seem problematic, and PPs don't seem to come out to fix them! Seen a few lying broken already. Happy to report. G

Thanks J.I will be away from tomorrow until 21st May and would expect exiting stuff when I join back on my return.