Ferney-Voltaire is in the middle of discussing the revision of the town planning rules. The town hall has done exactly what they promised and put all the presentations on their web site
http://www.ferney-voltaire.fr/215-revision-generale-plu-2007.htm
The International School has, from this year, joined the “Eco-responsible School” program, initiated by the Rhône-Alpes region. In this context they conducted a number of awareness events with students but they also wanted to involve the parents.
To this end, in partnership with the association “Eco Pratique” (organiser of the Green Film Festival), a film by Marie-Monique Robin “Les Moissons du Futur” was screened in the conference room of the High School on February 19. This film investigates the methods of agro-ecology around the globe, giving voice to many stakeholders (farmers, international experts, scientists). It provides a hopeful outlook about the possible solutions to the food crisis.
This session was open to all parents and led by a group of students from the class 1ES2 who’ve watched the film and are working on an interdisciplinary project. The screening was followed by a lively student discussion. The Eco-Practique Association hopes to repeat this collaboration with the International School of Ferney.
Soirée FFV au Lycée
On the 6th of October 2012, multiple associations made a citizens “Grand Forum”, on the subject of our ideas for the Agenda 21 program.
A video was produced, showing what we did during the day
and a document was written during the day, and presented to the CCPG.
The 7 projects will be followed by the “Colibris du Pays de Gex”. Project #5, the “Green Map”, will be led by Eco-Pratique and anyone else who wants to help.
The first thing you notice when entering Ferney-Voltaire is the colour green. Any space that has room seems to have Flowers, fruits and vegetables growing in it. It’s actually hard to see many of the buildings behind the vegetation. There are allotments all over as well as several active AMAPs. More than half of the food needed by the inhabitants of Ferney is grown in the town.
The next thing you notice is the wonderfully calm atmosphere. The city centre is not exactly off limits to cars, but the speed limit has been reduced to 20km/hr and most people in cars don’t drive around town. It’s a bit like the centre of Lucerne. There are bicycles of all types and shapes – with and without trailers for both goods and children. The velo taxi’s are great too, providing local employment and making sure everyone can get around town. The bicycle lanes have been extended throughout and both pedestrians and cyclists can move across town without ever needing to be on a road.
When it comes to housing we have had two major changes. Existing housing has been made slightly wider to fit external insulation and triple glazing, as well as mostly upgraded to solar panels. New housing is energy positive – generating more energy than it uses – and is designed with zero impact on growing space. All new buildings and many of the existing ones have green roofs where they are not suitable for solar. All parking is underground, but lit with sun-pipes during daylight to save power.
Local shopping is now based around the local economy. All shops and local tradespeople accept the local currency. We now have several local agriculture outlets (an extension of AMAPs) providing local, healthy, organic food. Similarly we have more cafés, also providing local food. Two car sharing/rental systems, a tool hire co-operative, as well as a thriving butcher, cheese shop, and bakers. The saturday market has been extended – it is now 100% bio, and 95% local and all residents have the right to sell their produce from their own gardens – being paid in the local currency of course.
La Poterie has been remade as a modern industrial zone, providing local manufacturing using local materials (like wood and clay) as well as materials from the small dechetterie/recycling centre. In addition there are several repair/re-use/up-cycling cafés, where people can bring objects to be repaired or re-used. This has provided more jobs in town, as well as teaching people all sorts of useful skills.
Local associative life is thriving. Having free wireless internet in all meeting rooms made it much easier to crowd-source innovations and speed up all sorts of projects in town – especially new arts projects. The ability to bring speakers in to conferences by Skype instead of in person, meant we could bring many more new ideas to Ferney. But overall, one of my favourite local projects is the two Party Trees in Parc de la Tire & Pace Abbé de Boisson – with a (free) booking system online at the Mairie. Anyone resident in the town can book the park area around a Tree for an outdoor party – not cleaning up after yourself simply means you will not be allowed to book again. This has significantly contributed, in summer, to the social interaction in the town.
You like this vision? You totally disagree? Send us (Enable Javascript to see the email address) your vision of the future.
Hello, after our meeting in May, we’ve found a way to put the results online.
Take a look here, and leave your comments, improvements or suggestions below.
Agenda 21 of associations and citizens of the Pays de Gex
Saturday 6 October 2012 St Genis Pouilly
The objectives for this day :
Note: this session will be held in French, but we are friendly and will help if you need it
WHERE
Salle Jean Monnet, St Genis Bus Y, stop « Jean Monnet »
PROGRAM
13h30 Welcome
14h-15h Plenary session
15h-17h Workshops
17h30 Workshop results in plenary session
19h Canadian Buffet
INSCRIPTION
(Enable Javascript to see the email address) 06 87 03 97 54
We received this email after our workshop, and we asked permission to publish on our website. If you have ideas or a vision of Ferney-Voltaire in the future, please send it to us (Enable Javascript to see the email address)to join the debate.
Hello,
I have lived in Ferney since 2002 with my three children. I unfortunately could not attend the workshop “Imagine Ferney until 2032″ and I’d like to send you my thoughts on the matter. Here is my vision for the future …
In an imaginative workshop, the team of Transition Ferney-Voltaire take you on a journey to the future of Ferney-Voltaire.
We will build our plan for the future of our town, with lots of creativity and happiness.
It will affect all subjects, as transport, employment, health, education, food, solidarity, skills etc..
The results will be taken to the opn space workshop for Agenda 21 at Fort l”Ecluse on the 21st of June
The loss of biodiversity is accelerating; malnutrition affects a billion people around the world as waste in the North peaks; the 2008 financial crisis that is dragging on and on, oil that is scarce and potential drilling for shale gas that directly threatens the Pays de Gex; nuclear dangers made ??more concrete by the accident of Fukushima …
With many signals of weakening ecosystems and of the ecological and economic challenges ahead we should be prompted to redirect our society towards a truly sustainable development.
To raise public awareness of these issues, the association Eco-Pratique is organizing on March 10 to 14 at Cinema Voltaire in Ferney-Voltaire, the very first French edition of the Suisse Romande Green Film Festival.
To this end, ten films will be presented across five themed evenings (biodiversity, finance, energy, food and waste, agriculture and transition); a “family film”; involved stakeholders, directors and regional actors will discuss with the public and answer questions.
More Information at :
http://www.festivaldufilmvert.fr
http://eco-pratique.org/category/festivaldufilmvert/ (trailers and schedule)
L’association Eco-Pratique
PS : Thank you for passing this message on to your friends.
Feel like re-doing your garden in a more ecological manner? Without pesticides, or fertiliser? Grow some food? Comme and see us to take part in garden design in a permaculture style: pretty and productive at the same time.
You don’t have a garden? No problem? We also have ideas for balconies, and even house plants.
And if you would like one, the Mairie is giving you a chance with their family gardens project.
We holding a permaculture workshop on Sunday the 19th of February from 14h00 – 1800 at the Salle du Preau, behind the line F bus stop “Ferney-Mairie”.
We’ll share our knowhow, our designs, and even our seeds, in a great atmosphere.
Bring your garden plans, or even just photos, your ideas for plants to grow, as well as sheets of paper, pencils and pens, and a cup for tisane or coffee.
Very Important! Indicate north on your plan!
Entry is free as usual, but we will have a hat for a collection as we have to pay for this room.
Hello,
the next Café Vert will be held next Monday, the 30th January. We will do more of an “open forum” style meeting which covers more topics at the same time, so if you have questions, ideas or something you’d like to discuss, this is for you! Some of the topics planned for this month include Shales Gas in the Pays de Gex, the Green Film Festival, Transition 2012 and probably more.
Everything starts at 19h45, at the salle du Preau, next to the Mairie in Ferney-Voltaire, behind the line F bus stop.
We will not be in a café but we will have tea and coffee. If you can bring a cup that will help.
Entry is free as usual, but we will have a hat for a collection as we have to pay for this room.
