Green Futures

25/02/2015

This Page is now archived. We've evolved to an exciting new platform: thefuturescentre.org.

Like Forum for the Future for the best of our new futures content!

We are a leading global sustainability non-profit. For over 20 years we’ve been working in partnership with business, governments and civil society to accelerate the shift toward a sustainable future.

18/11/2014

Co-creating the future, tools for building brands with integrity, and fascinating insights into the wonderful mind of Giorgia Lupi....

Just a few highlights from the Future of Brands special edition. And guess what, you can download the whole thing for FREE!

http://www.forumforthefuture.org/greenfutures/shop/special-edition/future-brands

Brands shape how we see the world and relate to it. They amplify cultures, influence perceptions, and create new norms. We shouldn't underestimate their power. But as the world changes, so will the role and manifestation of brands in it.

22/10/2014

Our latest special ed has landed in the office, sneaky peak below. We're VERY excited to share it with you. A full version will be available online next week - read, digest, and let us know what you think!

07/10/2014

Everybody go check out https://collectively.org/en/

New global platform inspiring millenials to drive sustainable innovation. Powered by VICE and with some of the world's largest companies on board, it's well work a look!

Collectively is a global platform celebrating the people, places and cutting edge ideas creating the change we need to see in the world.

29/09/2014

Drones are being used to aid wildlife conservation in India:

http://www.forumforthefuture.org/greenfutures/articles/drones-aid-conservation-efforts-india

It's all about TIGERS!

A successful project at the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh could see Unmanned Aerial Vehicles deployed at a national level for wildlife protection. Earlier this year, technology came to the aid of India’s endangered wildlife, where human intervention had proved inadequate. For the first time,…

12/09/2014

Founding Editor Martin Wright has been looking into the past to see what we said about the future - gosh, it's all getting a bit time-warp-y for a Friday! Fascinating insights from 18 years of sustainability publishing:

http://www.forumforthefuture.org/greenfutures/articles/martin-wright-looks-back-future

The founding Editor of Green Futures reflects on early predictions featured in the magazine, and asks what trends will shape the world in future. In the future, in 2014 say, we could be driving our hydrogen cars to a microwind-powered community telecottage deep in the countryside, where thanks to th…

09/09/2014

For the latest on GF's new plans, where we're headed and why, follow us on Twitter @ greenfutures. And if you've got questions, ask us!

09/09/2014

The sun is back! And our spirits are high. We're especially excited about Community Energy Fortnight 2014 13-28th Sept

http://ukcec.org/events/community-fortnight-2014

Get involved!

The Community Energy Fortnight is an opportunity to explore and celebrate how communities across the UK are generating, owning and saving energy. Doors will be opened to projects up and down the country – from seeing inside a wind turbine to building your own solar panel – giving you a chance to see…

02/09/2014

For all those pondering the future on their way home this fine Tuesday:

http://www.forumforthefuture.org/greenfutures/articles/where-practice-futures-heading-next

James Goodman, Forum's Director of Futures, explains how futures techniques prompt creative thinking, and why prototyping the future is the next logical step. ‘Futures’ is a field that, since it was conceived in the 1960s, has existed to make the future better. Why have all those conversations about…

01/09/2014

Sometimes the creativity in the world blows our minds here at GF... Check out this glow in the dark pavement, resourceful AND beautiful:

http://www.forumforthefuture.org/greenfutures/articles/glow-dark-%E2%80%98starpath%E2%80%99-lights-cambridge-park

The successful trial of a light-emitting mixture that can be applied to paths, cycle lanes and other surfaces could lead to wider rollout. A low-energy glow in the dark path trialled in a municipal park in Cambridge could be expanded to other areas of the city. Around 150 square metres of path in Ch…

31/08/2014

The wheels are well and truly in motion for our special transition edition in October - new approach, new look - we can't wait to share it!

30/08/2014

Coca-Cola Enterprises reveals recycling challenge finalists! Exciting!

http://www.forumforthefuture.org/greenfutures/articles/coca-cola-enterprises-reveals-recycling-challenge-finalists

Apps, social movements and customisable bins are among the eight short-listed ideas from CCE and OpenIDEO.com’s 13-week challenge, which aims to increase recycling rates at home. After 13 weeks of research, idea creation and refinement, the finalists of the OpenIDEO.com Recycling Challenge, which ai…

28/08/2014

What will you do with your old phone when I shiny new one arrives? O" have been making them into butterflies! Check them out:

http://www.forumforthefuture.org/greenfutures/articles/interactive-bugs-put-spotlight-e-waste

Robot butterflies built from discarded smartphone components are on display at the 02 arena, as part of 02's campaign to raise awareness about e-waste. Old mobile phones. They may not be the obvious material for designers building model butterflies, but these are no ordinary butterflies: they are in…

27/08/2014

David Cameron in GF? Yes, that's right!

We've been looking back at the promises made by politicians in GF over the years: http://www.forumforthefuture.org/greenfutures/articles/did-they-really-say

A look back at some of the political promises reported by Green Futures over the past 18 years. In the very first issue of Green Futures, Joan Ruddock, the UK’s then Shadow Minister for Environmental Protection, put her faith in “a groundswell of public opinion and the assiduous attention of pressur…

28/07/2014

Heard about our plans? Got questions? You can read our FAQs here: http://bit.ly/1rgaRoR, or drop us an email at [email protected]

Since 1996, Green Futures has inspired change by showcasing leading innovations and best practice for a sustainable future. We have built up an incredible archive of briefings, case studies and articles to show us how the world is changing.

26/07/2014

A battery that can dissolve in the body, an app to help farmers use land more efficiently, and the rise of the collaborative commons - just some of the many treat in the latest issue of Green Futures.

Read all the latest content online: http://www.forumforthefuture.org/greenfutures

A stand-alone photovoltaic power container is being trialled in an Indonesian school prior to a potential wider rollout in off-grid areas.

24/07/2014

Founder-Director of Forum for the Future, Jonathon Porritt looks back on 18 years of Green Futures, and the exciting journey ahead: http://bit.ly/1nxCWXr

At the heart of Green Futures has been a constant desire to celebrate innovation, says the magazine’s founder, Jonathon Porritt, looking back on the journey so far. I first dreamed up the idea of Green Futures almost exactly 20 years ago – the year Forum for the Future was officially incorporated as…

23/07/2014

We’re heading in a new direction! More responsive, more interactive, more cutting-edge than ever before. Check out Editor Anna's article on our plans here: http://shar.es/N8psn

Anna Simpson, Editor of Green Futures, explains why we are seizing a new opportunity to connect future shapers across the world with crucial information about change. “Change is the only constant in life.” So said Heraclitus, some 2,500 years ago. And yet change is also a stubborn mule, as failures…

22/07/2014

So, what's the verdict? We're delighted with the spangly new July edition, but how about you - we'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback!

25/06/2014

We've been super busy over here at Green Futures getting content ready for the July issue, and it's looking great! Very excited to see the first proofs coming in!

02/06/2014

Ever marvelled over bubble-tea bubbles? Why on earth don't they dissolve?

'Ooho' is an edible drinks sachet that uses the same technology to hold water - a bottle to chase down your drink with! Check out the story here: http://bit.ly/1p14y4Y

A new, open-source edible sachet disrupts the packaging market for drinks. Waste plastic bottles and cups are a major source of litter – most noticeably perhaps when discarded by hasty racers on marathon routes, but they also drift down water courses far out to sea, contributing to the Great Pacific…

13/05/2014

Tell us your Green Futures story!

We’d like to hear your experiences of Green Futures. How did you come across us? Which articles stand out in your memory? Have you ever read a something in GF and been particularly inspired by it? Perhaps you have written for the magazine, or perhaps you have just enjoyed reading it.

Whatever your connection, share your thoughts!

Contact: [email protected]

13/05/2014

Re-programming the mind for greener living - do you 'decide' to recycle, or turn off the tap? http://huff.to/1hVyo4K

How can we intervene in this process to create moments of change? We might consider two ways of promoting habit formation within such 'moments'. First, we are all attuned to the environment around us and there is clear evidence that getting the 'choice architecture' right is critical.

29/04/2014

The Community Energy Coalition are looking for events to feature as part of Community Energy Fortnight 2014 (13th - 28th September). If you're hosting a community energy event during those weeks, or have ideas for one, let them know! http://bit.ly/16ZxFOh

28/04/2014

Long used to rats and cockroaches, residents along the Estero de Paco canal in Manila are welcoming more appealing wildlife. "We now have butterflies", says Gloria Solomon, 53, who, lives beside the 2km waterway, effectively an open sewer for some 10,000 people. It is dramatically cleaner thanks to a patented treatment system designed by Scottish company, Biomatrix water. Floating 'active island reactors' oxygenate the sewage-laden water while providing a habitat for pollution-digesting bacteria on the roots of aquatic plants. Fish are also returning.

Image: Galen Fulford, Biomatrix Water

22/04/2014

Young or old? There's merit and value in both our youth and golden years. We report on why urban planners should take kids into consideration, and on the wealth of invaluable experience that comes with old age:

http://bit.ly/1sZYOeq

http://bit.ly/1kWf2l1

A child-friendly city is better for everyone, finds Duncan Jefferies. “Get these cars out of the way, we want to play!” a child chants through a loudhailer, as he and his young comrades march down a street in the Pijp area of Amsterdam. This remarkable scene comes from a 1972 documentary, which foll…

14/04/2014

The latest issue of Green Futures is OUT NOW! And it's crammed full of fascinating articles on topics ranging from fashion to farming to childhood to old age and more.....

Check out our latest content online: http://bit.ly/mpU00i and if you like what you read, why not subscribe?

The Executive Director of YTL Singapore talks to Anna Simpson about sustainability, stewardship and environmental evangelism in her family business.

01/04/2014

Do you know where the clothes you're wearing came from?

The fashion industy is gearing up for a system-wide shift, says Heather Connon:http://bit.ly/1gXqHjt

31/03/2014

Check out this great interview with Paul Miller of Bethnal Green Ventures: http://bit.ly/1gSE0lm. He did the Forum for the Future masters in 'Leadership for Sustainable Development'...

Imagine where it could take you?

Paul Miller of Bethnal Green Ventures describes his journey from Forum Masters student to start-up accelerator. Paul Miller Currently: Partner at Bethnal Green Ventures Class of: 1999-2000 People who have inspired me: Tim O’Reilly for urging techies to work on stuff that matters Organisations I most...

26/03/2014

WWF UK's Earth Hour is this Saturday! Join the movement! Sign up to turn out your lights on March 29th at 8:30PM, your local time. http://wwf.to/1dex8hl

Turn off your lights for Earth Hour on March 29

25/03/2014

Nifty little device from Velvetwire solves the problem of 'vampire' power wastage: http://bit.ly/1hA95q6

And they're nice and colourful too!

Powerslayer uses algorithms to assess when gadgets are fully charged and cuts off the power supply.

25/03/2014

Carbon finance puts Jaguar Land Rover on the fast lane to delivering change. Really interesting perspective piece from one of our partners, ClimateCare:

Carbon finance puts Jaguar Land Rover on the fast lane to delivering change. Can a motor manufacturer make a difference to millions of lives? That is the goal of Jaguar Land Rover, which set an ambitious target to improve health, reduce poverty and create new opportunities for employment and educati...

19/03/2014

Green Futures had a lovely evening at the launch of 'The Brand Strategist's Guide to Desire', a new book by our very own Anna Simpson! Check it out!

http://www.palgrave.com/products/title.aspx?pid=689346