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<P><FONT SIZE=2>G'day Everyone and hope the New Year is a good one!</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>I think Open Space Technology is the best tool I know of to move us along the path of sustainabilty. Last week I attended the New Zealand Environmental Education conference. I was fortunate enough to be allowed to facilitate an "Introduction to Open Space" workshop. The space was opened and although we had only two sessions of ten minutes each, we acomplished the same intro,postings and market place that would have happened if we were having a three day event. Unfortuntely with only 75 minutes in total we had to close but I really sensed people could have chatted all day.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2>The great thing for me was all the talk during the conference of participatory consultation, bottom up initiatives, empowering "the people" and inclusiveness. The only problem was the whole conference was run using conventional, heirarcharcal, pedagogic techniques of having guest speakers, lectures, and a tight schedule. The morning and afternoon 30 minute teabreak were once again relegated to the most meaningful action of the conference!</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2>What I am rapidly realising with open space is it is the best tool I know of to advance sustainabilty (and I talk here of personal, relational, work and organisational sustainabilty)as it in itself is a sustainable process! So much of the talk about sustainablilty and the new cultural shift etc. is left high and dry when we use non sustainable realtional and oraganisational processes. Open Space in itself mimics ecologically sustainable processes.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2>I for one am increasingly being tainted for any other form of conversation or realtionship unless it uses open space principles. This pertains especially in personal relationships where I am finding it helpful in sorting out responsibities. So often I've experienced angst when someone wants "me" to do their bidding, like washing the dishes, when I really have no worries letting them sit for another day. Open space, I am finding, has as much pertinance in the furnace of the everyday, as it does at some huge political level.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT SIZE=2>A penny for ya thorts?</FONT>
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<P><FONT SIZE=2>Mike Copeland </FONT>
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