peter francis: writings : 1 of 4

http://www.thefifthestate.com.au/archives/36495

A good article about The Sustainable Communities Plan I’ve been working on. Shows how bureaucracy gets in the way of change, often for no apparent reason. Pity about the editing.

The Sustainable Communities Plan

I’ve been working on this campaign to make the suburb of Chippendale, in Sydney, Australia, sustainable, and healthier and safer for residents. If the campaign succeeds it will benefit more than just Chippendale. It will provide a model for how a city suburb can become sustainable for other communities all over the world.

Please visit the website, read up on The Plan and, most importantly, sign the petition addressed to City of Sydney’s Lord Mayor Clover Moore.

It is God’s fault

This story was first published in issue 25 of Wet Ink.

28 January 2011

I’ve been sneaking glances at him in the rearview mirror ever since he boarded the minivan back in Aleppo. Despite my driver Abuddin’s explanation I’m still puzzled as to his presence. His name is Samir, he’s Abuddin’s friend, he works as a teacher and apparently he’ll be able to educate me in some way on our tour. I wonder if he costs extra. He’s been eating a zaatar and cheese mankoushe and, now finished, he tosses the greasy, translucent paper it came in out the window. He sees me watching and smiles.