PRESS RELEASE : HOUSING AND ENERGY – FAIRNESS FOR ALL – Workshop 24th January 2015
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HOUSING AND ENERGY – FAIRNESS FOR ALL – Workshop 24th January 2015
Green Christian will be holding another workshop in the “ecocell” series in the New Year, this time on the topic of energy use in the home environment and how this ties in with economic justice in the housing sector.
British under-25s are becoming progressively economically disadvantaged, as their job security has decreased, their wages have not kept pace with inflation, social benefits are being treated to austerity measures, private landlords are charging mortgage-level rents, and the retired “baby boomers” are sitting in over-valued houses.
In addition, much housing stock is highly energy-inefficient, private landlords and even some social landlords will not renovate homes for energy efficiency, even under the new Green Deal scheme, energy costs are rising, and several successful Government schemes to “cut the carbon” have been axed.
An expert panel on these aspects of Fair Housing will assist with workshops for Green Christian on Saturday 24th January 2015, between 11.00am and 4.30pm. The event will be held at St Aloysius Church, 20 Phoenix Road, London NW1 1TA, just around the corner from Euston station, and is open to the public, but places will need to be reserved.
Tony Emerson of Green Christian asked, “How do we put adequate roofs over all our heads, without damaging the global ‘roof’ that protects us from climate catastrophe? The younger generation in particular needs adequate ‘roofing’ of both types.”
Angus Hanton of the Intergenerational Foundation, supporting the event, says that, “For millions of young people housing has become their biggest concern, but the older generation, mostly comfortably-housed, are ignoring it. How we use our housing speaks volumes about our priorities – through it we can share, we can downsize and we can slash our energy use.”
For the Intergenerational Foundation, fairness between the generations is the new focus of social justice, “the older generation have been disregarding the young for too long and are now realising the scale of the debt and debris we are handing on to our children and grandchildren. Many people want to leave their homes to the next generation, but the young need housing now. The young are the new poor. The older generation are hogging housing and jobs, perhaps without even realising it.”
This Green Christian event is designed for all who are interested in exploring, within a faith-based context, the concept of intergenerational justice, including issues such as how we can make best use of our homes, and the impact on our energy footprint.
Angus Hanton emphasised, “Housing and energy are vital to all of us and at this workshop we are hoping to come up with ideas about how to ‘do them better’ and, more adventurously, how our government could do them better.”
In the morning, small groups and a panel discussion will answer questions on social justice, such as asking where the justice is in many people going homeless, or living in crowded housing, while some houses are kept deliberately empty? Have the young and future generations been dealt an unfair hand with current housing policies and social changes? Is it fair that some housing is very much under-occupied?
The afternoon session will ask : Can construction programmes solve these issues : will building more houses help – or just add to climate damage and other environmental problems? And what we can do about energy use in our homes, as this is one of the main contributors to carbon emissions and climate destabilisation?
We will have several speakers, plenty of time for discussion and an inter-generational game. The aim of the day is to explore creative solutions to housing and its related climate emission issues – from a Christian perspective – which ensure intergenerational justice.
A panel of speakers at the workshop will include :-
Ann Morisy, an associate of PSALM, (Project for Services Around Long Life Ministry) a London wide ecumenical organisation working with churches to encourage thoughtful responses to the challenges and opportunities that come in later life. Ann grew up in Bootle but now lives in south London. She is a freelance community theologian and is an internationally acclaimed lecturer and writer. Her presentations are always down to earth but informed by scholarship and honest faith as well as engaging and light-hearted.
Angus Hanton is a Co-founder of the Intergenerational Foundation, a vehemently independent and non-party-political think tank that focuses on intergenerational fairness in the UK. A self-confessed baby boomer, Hanton believes that successive governments have unwittingly overseen the transfer of assets, benefits and resources to older generations, whilst passing increasingly unsustainable liabilities to younger and future people. From housing to education, employment to benefits, taxation to democratic participation, health care to the environment, Angus believes intergenerational inequality is increasing and will affect generations to come unless long term thinking wins out over short term political gain. Angus has appeared on national TV and radio to debate intergenerational fairness. He is an economist, businessman, and parent, who feels that we are not meeting our duty to safeguard the future for generations to come.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Tony Emerson
tony@greenchristian.org.uk
Amy Willshire, Information Officer for Green Christian
info@greenchristian.org.uk
0845 45 98 460
ENDS
NOTES FOR EDITORS
1. Green Christian is a registered trading name of Christian Ecology Link (CEL) :-
https://www.greenchristian.org.uk
2. Christian Ecology Link (CEL) is to officially change to using the Green Christian name from :-
1st January 2015
3. The webpage for this event :-
https://www.greenchristian.org.uk/archives/7384
4. Booking is essential as space is limited. The deadline for registration is :-
17th January 2015
5. To register for your place at this event :-
http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/housing-energy-fairness-for-all-tickets-13897974215
6. The event is open to the public.
7. The event is free of charge, but donations on the day are welcome.
8. Drinks are served, but participants are invited to bring food to share at lunchtime.
9. The workshop is jointly organised by CEL/Green Christian and the Intergenerational Foundation.
10. Intergenerational Foundation is a London-based charity which researches fairness between generations.
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