Have you heard of the LUSH Spring Prize? Each year LUSH Cosmetics and Ethical Consumer give £200,000 to a range of groups across the world who are working for positive environmental and social change - the ordinary people who are making extraordinary differences and working for a world that's beyond sustainability.
Georgina Wilson-Powell
Thu 29 Mar 2018
So how do you move beyond 'sustainable?' The LUSH Spring Prize rewards environmental and social groups around the world that look to increase the capacity of communities and societies to thrive in harmony with nature and each other.
Each year, LUSH and Ethical Consumer work together to run the annual prize, where there is £200,000 up for grabs across four groups, between young and established, an influence and intentional prize.
This year there's 53 groups shortlisted from all over the world, with the winners announced in May.
So who's on the shortlist this year? We take a closer look at just seven of the shortlist...
Intentional projects
Farm2Plate Malaysia, Malaysia
Farm2Plate Malaysia takes the organic farmers' market one step further. The group arranges workshops and demonstrations to show shoppers how to cook and eat local produce. The group gives 65% of the profits back to small scale organic farmers and has helped to build a community with local schools and farms.
Jewels in the Desert, Algeria/Belgium
For the last 43 years, the Sahrawi people have been forced to occupy five ‘temporary’ camps in the Sahara Desert. Jewels in the Desert provides support for micro businesses in the desert that leverage existing waste streams, close loops and nurture collaborative growth. They encourage environmental regeneration, food sovereignty and youth empowerment as part of a more sustainable future.
Agroecopolis promotes permaculture solutions for food sovereignty in Greece
Young projects
AGROECOPOLIS, Greece
AGROECOPOLIS was only established last year but it's a Greek grassroots NGO that focuses on tackling food sovereignty by teaching more people farming and growing skills and supports small agroecological Greek farmers. It wants to encourage more permaculture initiatives in Greece.
Permaculture in Ukraine, Ukraine
Permaculture in Ukraine promotes agroecology and eco-heritage in the Ukraine, supporting transitional towns and bioregions. There's a free permaculture course for displaced persons and it wants to set up a network of permaculture education centres across the countries for people of different nationalities.
Established projects
Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods (SOIL), Haiti
Formed in 2006, SOIL aims to improve the lives of Haitians by working to improve the social and natural environments. Part of its business is a household sanitation business, where consumers pay an affordable monthly amount and the waste is safely transformed into compost. It wants to prove that sanitation can produce resources, restore ecosystems, nurture solidarity, create dignified livelihoods and build health and resilience.
The Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute makes sure disadvantaged people have access to permaculture courses
Influence award
African Biodiversity Network, Kenya
The African Biodiversity Network is based in Kenya but works in 12 countries across Africa to promote biological and cultural diversity through exchange programmes and knowledge-sharing to strengthen rights, legislation and a new generation of leaders. It also helps local communities protect their sacred natural sites and territories.
Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute, Australia The Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute works to help people normally excluded from farming and growing into permaculture programmes. Free places on courses are given to young people, refugees and helps to cement people's rights to access permaculture strategies and work on long and short term solutions.
Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute, Australia
The Blue Mountains Permaculture Institute ensures that people who don't normally have access to farming and growing knowledge have access to permaculture courses. It gives free places to young people and refugees and works with people on long and short permaculture solutions to regional solutions.
