ECOWEEK Releases New Book#1: 50 Voices for Sustainability

 Climate Change denial unites people behind the position of one person, very much like a dictatorship, serving the interests of the very few against the well-being of the majority. In contrast, when it comes to embracing sustainability and putting creative and innovative minds to making in happen, then a sea of positions is generated, rich, colorful, and diverse. These positions are unexpected and free to look at the different aspects of how to design and build things and buildings, how to generate energy, how to reduce waste, how to create better urban communities, and how to give people decent jobs. These positions come from varying angles, creating connections, synergies and making cooperations as opportunities for a better future for everyone. It reminds one very much of how Mother Nature itself works.

ECOWEEK has been embracing diversity, education and cooperation for the past 12 years. Established in Greece in 2005, and in Israel in 2007 - based in Jerusalem, ECOWEEK is a non-profit organization with the mission to raise environmental awareness and to promote the principles of sustainability. ECOWEEK is active today in 17 countries with members in 56 countries. ECOWEEK brings a message of sustainability to people, communities, and cities. Through sustainable design workshops in real sites, ECOWEEK young and established professionals and students of Architecture, Design, and Landscape Design, generate creative and innovative ideas to give solutions to neighborhoods and cities in Israel and abroad.

To celebrate its 10th year anniversary, ECOWEEK launched a unique project: a book to inspire young and established professionals to engage in sustainability. The book itself was inspired by Leonardo DiCaprio’s “The 11th Hour” (released in 2007 - http://11thhourfilm.com/). In the documentary many voices - scientists, professionals, politicians and leaders - formed a rich puzzle of scientific knowledge, traditional wisdom, and common sense, laying down the facts of Climate Change and the change needed to avert its consequences.

The ECOWEEK book hosts 50 articles and interviews by architects, landscape architects, designers, environmental leaders and young professionals who share their work and vision on sustainable design, urbanism, and architecture in public spaces and cities around the world. The articles weave a rich texture of knowledge, built examples, academic and professional leadership, with young professional voices and initiatives, to engage the reader in a journey to sustainability. To understand, to learn, to be inspired, and to adopt ideas and solutions in their personal, professional and academic work.

What brings these extraordinary voices together is the ECOWEEK platform. They lectured and/or led design workshops at ECOWEEK events around the world in countries like Israel, Greece, Italy, Poland, Denmark, UK, Serbia, Turkey, and Kosovo since 2005. Among them are award-winning architects Kengo Kuma, BIG, MVRDV, DIRT Studio, Gehl Architects, and Diebedo Francis Kere, grass-roots and hands-on practitioners Rural Studio, Orizzontale, ARCo, OSA, and DEVEBERE, and environmental leaders Prof. David Orr of Oberlin College and Antarctica explorer Robert Swan. From Israel they were joined by Dr. Galia Hanoch Roe, director of the Tel Aviv Yaffo communities of the Israeli Society for Nature Protection, prof. Isaac (Sakis) Meir of the Desert Architecture Unit of Ben Gurion University, architect Braha Kunda lecturer at the Holon Institute of Technology, Dr. Yossi Cory architect of the new Porter building at Tel Aviv University, David Knafo architect of the Israel pavilion of EXPO Milano 2015, architect Barak Pelman lecturer at Bezalel Academy, and architect Gil Peled of 'eco-challenges'. They joined their voice to amplify a stronger message through their creative, innovative, and inspiring work.

The ECOWEEK Book #1: 50 Voices for Sustainability was edited by Dr. Elias Messinas, ECOWEEK founding chairman, architect, environmental consultant, social entrepreneur and senior lecturer at Holon Institute of Technology, and architect Dan Price lecturer at the Technion. The project was made possible thanks to the support of Goethe-Thessaloniki, pre-sales crowdfunding, and professional practices from around the world.

The ECOWEEK Book #1: 50 Voices for Sustainability is a reminder of the common vision for a sustainable future. Now more than ever, as American leadership chooses to put environmental concerns aside, the ECOWEEK book serves as one more empowering tool for young and established professionals to be inspired and to find their own voice for sustainability.

 

ECOWEEK The Book#1: 50 Voices for Sustainability

ISBN 9786188311206 – 398 full color pages - English


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