One Planet Centre

For all those who dream of low impact living in a zero carbon home, working the land and helping to heal nature.

We offer courses to organisations and communities of any length in how to do a One Planet Development, from a single day’s workshop to a weekend, week, or part-time year depending on the amount of depth required.

The next weekend workshop in the real world is  21-22 November 2020, at Y Plas, in Machynlleth, Powys, mid-Wales. (moved from 7-8 Nov due to lockdown).
Price: £80, £140 couples (conc. available).
To book email Lisa Sture: lovinglifesmagic@gmail.com or call 07971 148531.

• You’ll be guided through an overview of the necessary stages in writing a ‘One Planet’ Development (OPD) management plan, which is crucial for the planning application.
• We’ll discuss how to find and evaluate suitable land, the planning process, regenerative land management, zero carbon building, renewable energy, food provision, water provision, ecological sanitation, community relations and Welsh culture, business management and marketing, and low carbon transport, with examples from existing OPDs in Wales.
• We will also discuss the possibilities for intentional ‘one planet’ villages with affordable homes, sustainable employment and training opportunities, guided by a new community land trust we’ve set up.

A key course book will be workshop leader David Thorpe’s The One Planet Life: A Blueprint for Low Impact Development.

Online training

We are also offering online workshops for individuals and groups, conducted by Skype/Zoom and email. Students proceed at their own pace. There are 7 units:

You are sent a module with a simple and enjoyable exercise or two to help you visualise and develop your plans.  Once you’ve done it David gives feedback to you and answers your questions in a 15-30 minute Skype or Zoom chat. Then you get the next module, and so on. There is final online chat

At the end you will be able to navigate the planning system, produce a management plan, and identify and evaluate suitable land. You will have focused on your house design, land-based business design, water sourcing and treatment, renewable energy demand and supply, and so on.

These cost £80 for one person, £45 each for two; £35 each for three; £25 each for four. If you can’t afford it, discounts are available. Get in touch for more information.

To sign up, please transfer the appropriate amount by BACS (Bank transfer) to: The One Planet Centre Community Interest Company
Sort code: 089299
Account number: 65893838
Co-operative bank Community Direct Plus account.
In the reference field please put: OPDOC and email david@theoneplanetlife.com to inform us.

Below: previous course participants.

What else do you learn on a short course?

The chief purpose of a short workshop is to map out a management plan for a ‘one planet’ project and understand the other requirements.

Topics include: land assessment, agroecology, renewable energy, food, land-based businesses, zero carbon building and transport, water supply, ecological sewage treatment, land management, monitoring, and planning applications.

Projects may vary in size from a single household to a neighborhood, to a town or city. Businesses may also work towards ‘one planet’ status.

The goal of the work is to measure and reduce the project’s total ecological footprint. The plan shows how to achieve this in a sustainable fashion.

A ‘One Planet’ Living is a way of living without harming the planet – and actually repairing it.

You will turn your vision into reality by making a draft of your own management plan and by the end of the course have a thorough overview of what is involved.

Please contact us if you want us to run a course in your area or online.