SRD AGM Convenor's report 2011+ . change design for the better by advancing sustainably responsible design practices

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A big year where Positive change continues... many more are recognising that they can and need to assist. Now is the time to design and implement significant change. SRD can help ...
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SRD AGM 2011 Intro:
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Welcome everyone, from the SRD Convenor. I'd like to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land, the Eora peoples. Though all gathered here may be from many places, we are all really one tribe working on interconnected parts of the 'global solution'. And Change is happening.
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For over two decades, the Society for Responsible Design has sought to promote discussion and present examples of Responsible Design thinking and practice. We have worked to transform old mindsets and move the collective frame of thinking from incremental improvements to making the best responsible designs right from the start. We have continued to promote design examples showing how we CAN change the system and discourage the mentality that supports the continuing production of 'throw away stuff'. There is no 'away'. SRD is proud of the efforts we have forged: to get information out there; to present tangible examples of how to do things better; to work on collective change, and to encourage conversations and discussions on Responsible Design thinking that advance a global Paradigm shift in practice. For the AGM talk, SRD is very pleased to be presenting a very special speaker. An author with a holistic business Plan for the Planet! But first a few highlights of the past year.
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Convenors Report:
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2011 marked another turning point for SRD with the move, and much preparation, to hold the first National SRD Change Exhibition. (report below). Prior to this major event...
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SRD attended Creating Climate Wealth Australia (CCWA), [part of the Carbon War Room] on 7,8 July 2011. Future Journeys hosted a well structured two day workshop focusing on 6 streams working to make Gigaton reductions (yes the goal was gigaton reductions). Every group had great ideas and the finance group I joined was very interested to create and promote an "Innovation Central" green group comprising half green inventors and half SRD Change Responsible Design type concepts. The conference offered good business level networking and regular conferences continue globally. I was able to introduce myself to Sir Richard Branson and presented him with an SRD Change 10 catalogue encouraging him to note the great ideas it contains. I was one of only a few participants at the conference who was interviewed by ABC's Andrew Robertson with my comments aired Nationally on Lateline Business and replayed continuously at the event the next day. CCWA continues globally and online.
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SRD Change 11 National. After seven years annually featuring the cream of sustainable graduate designers, SRD Change with it's shoestring budget and virtual resources set about creating a fully National event. Contacting all major Universities around Australia plus our past experience resulted in the biggest, most interesting and well publicised event in the exhibition's history. The key enabling technology was skype, making weekly online meetings possible for our interstate graduates. Marketing, media, exhibiting, adaptive re-use, up-cycling and more was used to best effect. Investa Property Group again were great supporters with provision of an excellent and fully appropriate space at 40 Mount St North Sydney, being the highest green star rated office building in the state. A six star rating for design and as-built plus 5 for energy complete with it's own tri-generation gas-fired energy plant and a Sydney precinct energy sharing plan. Several of us enjoyed a fascinating and revealing site tour.
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A positive buzz. The exhibition opening of around 300, enjoyed an exceptional vibe with live and DJ music, catering and graduates from other states subsidised by SRD to attend. Opening speeches by Janine Cahill from Future Journeys/ CCWA and Nick Gowing from Investa confirmed good enquiring energy was present and that with the buildings average 50% less carbon emissions (over other buildings) meant only 50% to go and why does such a great place not have a rooftop garden or significant renewable energy harvesting? The exhibition gained good press from New Scientist, green magazine and internationally Treehugger online. We again were part of Sydney Design and had great competition from 90 other design events but visitor numbers could have been better for all the effort which included the first SRD Change professional video to promote the event and process. vimeo.com/srdchange/11national
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SRD Change National completed with a prize giving of over $11,000 including two leading Adobe Creative Suite software packages and $3,000 cash. These 26 projects add to the online collection making over 150 ideas that exemplify Responsible Design Thinking from talented graduates who again spoke very highly of the process and it's value to them as a learning, networking and growing 'transitional' experience.
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The next event, September 2011 International Conference of EcoIdeas celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Manly Environment Centre. A perfect opportunity for SRD to deliver a talk on it's long history and present a compact yet impressive selection of SRD Change sustainable design concepts. Held over four days at the historical and scenic juxtaposition of an ex-artillery school and native sanctuary at North Head. http://mec.org.au
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SRD also supports the efforts of Andrew Gaines from Transform Australia who continues to develop strategies for positive change that include Responsible Design via a Whole System Change process. This includes individual kitchen table conversations and separate seminars and workshops. SRD has attended a meeting and hosted Andrew for 2 days of discussions.' TA' had a 60 person summit photocatalyses' in Geelong last October that bonded a diverse group including NGO leaders, scientists, business people, educators and more. They say "We aim to catalyse an expanding wave of thoughtful understanding" http://www.transform-australia.net/
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Ian Cleland from Towards Sustainable Futures is planning a larger format About People magazine + Expo of Arts and Design for later in the year with great local content on responsible design with good opportunity for a story or two and SRD shall be interested to follow. http://www.aboutpeople.com.au/apTALS.html
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Other SRD members continue to make great advances towards sustainable goals such as Selena Griffith a Deputy Convenor who's rewriting art and design curricula, developing a Masters degree on Design Management, rebuilding her home and even finds time for an award winning permaculture garden while nurturing her family and distributing organics for food connect. SRD have many active in positive works in the community and I plan to improve on this briefly reviewed item for later online reports.
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SRD online Social Media with FB + Twitter has grown to include regular posts, tweets and info on Responsible Design with an increasing following (please go there and Like or Follow too). SRD Smedia : http://www.facebook.com/SRD.Change . twitter.com/changeDesign Also, many thanks to all SRD's fantastic sponsors who give such great aid for all this to happen and all whose contributions through the year helped to make SRD shine. (Anita individually thanked all sponsors listed on c11 catalogue)
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Enough of the SRD focus for now. Time for our AGM speaker with a grand plan. Ian Chambers, author. He shares good connections with planning and design for the future...

Ian Chambers, M.B.A (AGSM), B.S.W. Ian's career has spanned business management, government, health and community action programs. His work in the global telecommunications industry over the last 15 years in a range of executive roles including sales and marketing, business strategy, planning and implementation and program director has provided the frameworks for global corporate change management programs including corporate growth and sustainability strategies. A member of the advisory committee of the Green Economics Institute, where he's worked on practical approaches to green business development. These included speaking engagements, workshops and the overall approach plus piloting and trialing the practicalities of the Plan for the Planet approach. Welcome Ian Chambers... (summary) Ian motivated us with highlights of his 'plan' & book. He postulated that while the global village is in a "really big mess" we are still just barely doing 'catch-up. Big business has still not found solutions as there is no coordinated plan. From his research, Ian identified several core actions necessary to reverse these negative trends. Key among these were addressing world population growth and the destruction of many global resources. He recommended embracing current elite technology as evidenced by the amazing turnaround of 'Apple' (from near bankrupt to mega corporation in 12 years) and using existing technology to engage people through clever and viral methods to get the good message out there. Ian's book offers an exhilarating read for a way forward, filled with facts, figures and ideas for a truly better Planet.

NB: SRD members offered a 20% discount for the paperback. You may view more details online: http://iplanfortheplanet.com : (Q&A followed) * Many thanks to Ian, I'd like SRD to explore further and develop means to promote, contribute and implement this important work.
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(completion of Convenors Report) ...and on to the SRD AGM which is quite late and almost didn't happen as my lovely house began falling apart. (But all is well as it now sports a passive solar balcony 'repair-novation' featuring recycled timbers with a shading system so we can be more energy efficient and sleep dry again). So there will be a shorter term this year.
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The world requires a concerted effort to right the many social and environmental wrongs that globally currently exist. SRD always saw Responsible Design as a significant answer to the world's ill's but it was never going to be a solo act. Indeed, many others have come to the conclusion that every single soul on this planet must be aware and contribute towards positive change lest the results will be far less than we would desire. The overwhelming positive here is that concerted effort with great design can release wonderfully unexpected benefits to enjoy that seem to be a mystery beyond appreciation for the many of 'in denial' in relation to the multiple current global environmental crises.
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On a local level, I thank all SRD for the personally enriching opportunity to lead the group for the last 6.5 years and feel it's the perfect time for some new input, though I'm still more than ready to assist the new team. Over the next year, personally I need to concentrate on my own objectives for a while, earning a fair income again but never forgetting greener principles and further developing the existing treasures of the SRD's past and future using connections and experience gained to maximise the positive results. For SRD these include growing our Web / Smedia / Corporate / Education and Government Links while maintaining full independence. For the SRD Change series; development from a local student run show to a National event with wider design content, substantial cash and prize awards, ongoing corporate sponsors and a growing online history forming a solid body of reviewable work. I'd like to confirm that if we can find suitable funding models and opportunities, I would be happy to return to these roles full-time and grow them further.
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Opportunities and Ideas include ; * developing a larger professional design collective of our already talented membership past and present. * creating firstly an improved and broader online presence then secondly an International version of the SRD Change series (why keep it a secret) * develop commercial aspects of Responsible Design to better market and promote its strengths while accessing more funding. * Global research and promotion of the SRD and its ideals. * devise better means of promoting fusion of SRD concepts and workable global sustainability plans. (and for myself being able to have a holiday knowing that SRD work is not overdue).
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SRD Accounts update confirms our modest but solid standing (details advised to members). Running large National exhibitions leaves little time for follow-up admin, however, all accounting and auditing has been completed for fiscal 2010 and 2011 with a small profit the end result. Financial Year Reports are available for members review. In two months will need to start on fiscal 2012 some help here or a new treasurer would be appreciated. Thanks to our auditors and business advisors, Colquhouns who currently service a few of our members and would happily service a few more, just call Neil and tell him you're from the SRD.
SRD has great potential to grow its value though it requires more input and new energy to implement this. (I plan to continue to assist and maintain and upgrade web and social media as possible)
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SRD AGM and Talk: Left to Right: Shows most of SRD 2012 Management committee members : Catherine Bolton, Tara Andrews, Greg Campbell, Ian Chambers (Author "Plan for the Planet"), Michael Cameron, [not in committee, Andrew Gaines from Transform Australia] Anita Marosszeky (UTS), Cheryl Campbell : not in pic; Fiona Morris; Costa Giorgiardis, Selena Griffith (COFA), Abby Lopes (UWS); Susan Stewart (UTS); (some positions are pending). Catalysts meeting: Greg Campbell, SRD Convenor discussions with Andrew Gaines from Transform Australia.
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New Business Items
Other opportunities are also on offer for SRD. Living Now magazine wants to do more stories on SRD Change graduates if they supply suitable text and images and will interview and assist some as well (great free PR). They've already done Rachael Cassar whose "up-cycled fashion" features on the March 2012 cover + good text + photo editorial, all seen by .25mil readership. Fiona Morris, 'Eco-Fridges' has a chance for June and Balin Lee 'Kopper', chemical free hand cleaner or an SRD Responsible Design article may be the next.
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Sydney Design with PHm is scheduled later in the year for 27 OCT - 11 NOV and has a great theme this year DESIGN RE-THINK that just about sounds like SRD wrote the brief "... Can re-thinking design have the power to transform, replenish and restore the well-being of our world and create a cleaner, more beautiful and more functional society?" We could again participate or it may be even better to aim to exhibit ours before!
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Many options to develop just await our considered input to make our 23rd year another significant positive step towards a truly sustainable future by design.
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Greg Campbell_DesignOz
SRD Convenor 2005-2011
SRD Change series curator / manager
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Throughout the year SRD committee members attend numerous functions and seminars to ensure good contact with our current and future members and supporters. We also have regular governance meetings to man ita in good momentum through the year. The SRD to continue to show design and sustainability are truly symbiotic solution creating processes to achieve a positive future. We're looking forward to more great support and input from all to assist and we're are planning some great projects to achieve this.
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