EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED

We sat in a large circle in the local Unitarian community meeting house separated into 8 groups based on different themes (i.e. energy, transportation, education, etc.) Each group was given a different color ball of yarn that represented their theme. Each group split into two teams, one team held onto one end of the yarn while the other was tasked with visiting the other groups to discuss how different themes were connected. If a connection was made, the group sitting would hold on to the other's yarn while they visited the next group. Twenty minutes later, we sat in our circle with 56 strings of different colored yarn extending from group to group.

The scene above comes from a local community action group's meeting where environmental activists and residents come together to support carbon reduction initiatives in their London Borough. The purpose of the activity was to visually demonstrate how "it's all connected." This idea of connection is central to the findings of this research project: the environment, energy and the smart meter are all connected.