Sunrise Project

SUNRISE
PROJECT

 Sunrise Project
Welcome | Introduction | A Beacon Project | Aims | Current Work
 

How Will the Project Achieve its Aims:
 

Our Main Aim - Sustainability:

The main aim of the Sunrise Project is for it to be sustainable within itself, and to spread the message of sustainability on a larger scale. While the sections below have been grouped into the four pillars of sustainability, it must be remembered that sustainability is a holistic aim, and each part of our work is by nature linked to the others.
 

Political Sustainability:

Political sustainability is key to solving some of the most significant problems of today's world, such as rioting and terrorism. The Sunrise Project will directly involve every member in the political process of the groups running, giving a fair say to all, and making everybody a part of the democratic process. We aim to reinvent democracy.

The community will be divided into small groups by geographical area. Each of these communities will include one member who will represent the views of his/her group in the political process. It is a keystone of the Sunrise Project policy that every member, of any age, must have direct, equal and fair access to the democratic system. An overall committee, taken from the membership of the community will be responsible for the day to day decision making involved in the running of the site. This committee will also meet with a panel of experts in various fields of sustainability, in order to make policy decisions for the future of the Project. By doing this, we will ensure that all decisions are made with the approval of the members who will be living and working in our community.

Candle
(Photo by Matthew Bowden)
 
Aspects of Social Sustainability - Wellbeing, Design, Art, Onenes, Creativity, Community, Equality, Balance, Music, Spirituality
'Aspects of Social Sustainability'
 (Richard Lees, Project Co-ordinator)

Social Sustainability:

Social sustainability is a hugely broad area and is beyond the scope of this website - many books are available on the subject. The Sunrise Project will promote social sustainability within its centres by using the design to maximise the sense of community. Shared areas and communal spaces will predominate. The economic principals of the Project will encourage people to work close to the community centre, reducing the problems of dormitory towns so common today. We will also work to promote the arts in our centres by providing support to resident artists to help them promote their work. The Sunrise Project will also aim to be a beacon for religious tolerance. In an age of religious division, SRP offers an alternative, where the emphasis is on spirituality rather than the division offered by fanaticism. We will encourage this by holding inter-faith events for our members and the surrounding communities.
 
Movement into and out of the community will be encouraged and it is hoped that as some people move on to other things, they will take the message of the Sunrise Project with them into wider society. In this way, the Sunrise Project will be an interactive learning experience for us and for society at large.
 

Economic Sustainability:

One of the principal aims of the Sunrise Project is that the community should be entirely sustainable. This includes the economic viability of the Project and we feel that, in order to be truly sustainable, the Project must be self-financing. The Project will set up a variety of businesses in its communities to generate hubs of sustainable industry. These companies will be owned by the SRP but will not be directly managed by it. Companies will be expected to contribute to the Project annually, the amount depending on the contribution the company makes to the SRP community and to its sustainability. Some may be subsidised if this is necessary. In this way, members will be able to take salaried jobs on site as well as in nearby towns. They will then pay an income related membership fee to the Project. Funds thus generated will be used for: Money
  • The provision of basic food and housing to members
  • The maintenance of the site
  • Support for those members of the community who need more assistance
  • The growth and development of the project
  • Promotion of the Sunrise Project's principles on a national and international scale
  • Development of new communities
It is also a key point in the Sunrise policy that members will take an active part in the running of the community. This will help the community financially but will also be significant in generating the social fabric of the community.
 
Earth

Environmental Sustainability:

The environmental sustainability of the Project is critical on every scale. At the micro level, the Project must be sustainable in the use of any sites which it acquires since these places will be people's homes and must remain a pleasure to live in. On a local level the Project must avoid harming in any way the surrounding environment. Apart from being part of the Project's own principles, this is critical to the success of the Project's relations with the wider community. We seek to make a positive impression so that the Project's values are taken seriously. Finally, on a global scale, the Project seeks not only to be sustainable as a self-contained unit, but also to improve the sustainability of our modern civilisation by changing the way people think and act towards their environment. Industries on our site will play a key part in this respect by showcasing a range of sustainable technologies and practices that could be adopted on a wider scale.