Futureperfect reflections

Last weekend I attended the Futureperfect festival. It was a great opportunity to meet awesome people interested in sustainability and approaching it from their own fields. A lot of talks and forums, interesting work and contradicting opinions. Too much to take in in three days... that ended with a lasting mind buzz for me. Non the less, I would like to share with you some  of the most relevant issues for me, stuff to think a bit about:

In the Design forum, What is the role of the designer? How can we manage to take industry into a sustainable society? Should we just get rid of the current economic system because it is plain evil?

Two comments from the audience that I think are important where: 

- "The last thing society needs is just another chair." 

- "I would like a future where I can by new t-shirts. So, can we design that in too?"

Personally I do not believe that for us to become a sustainable society we all should get rid of all our worldly possessions and go live like ascetic monks. There has to be a way to balance out the extremes of a materialistic society with a more mindful and spiritual one.

The festival was a great combination of smart discussions, concerts and outdoors activities (guided walks through the permaculture garden, berry picking, yoga, etc).

One of the most important things to reflect on, for me, is that becoming sustainable as a society does not mean suffering or getting depressed by the current situation. It shouldn't even be very complex mind-stressing work. It  is rather an enjoyable and fun reminder of the deep connection and dependence we have with other people and nature.

I'm sure everyone that attended took back something different from the festival. There where so many interesting people with a lot of things to say! So, here are some links to different people I met that inspired me, a couple of them blogged about the festival too:
- Young philosopher blogging about his experience while he visits eco-villages and transition town around the world for one year.
- Open source platform solutions for development aid projects.
- British entrepreneur focused on helping people work well and achieving a "digital well-being".
- British food focused writer, that reconnects cities to food and vice-versa.
- Interesting character, hard to describe. Aims in bringing the talk to the walk with is company, the Doors of Perception (design for resilience).