Given the opportunity, most people want to travel. Almost any measure of mobility, from car ownership to international flights, shows that we are covering more miles than our parents, and many more than our grandparents. But moving around uses energy, and saving energy is the new mantra. Can we, and should we, square the new freedom to move with the desire to reduce the human footprint? Please note: This event is not free of charge, but is part of the Battle of Ideas festival. To buy tickets, please visit the Battle of Ideas website.
	Venue:	Royal College of Art, London, SW7 2EU
	Date:	Sunday 28 October 2007
	Time:	16:00-17:30
	Directions:	map

	Renewable energy looks like the answer to a 21st Century dilemma – our ever-increasing hunger for energy against our desire to limit the environmental impact of producing it. Electricity and fossil fuels make possible the transport, heating and mass production that underpin modern life. As millions expect to enjoy the higher living standards once limited to the privileged few, our appetite for energy can only grow. But many doubt that wind, wave and solar power can really replace fossil fuels and feed our growing demand for power. Instead, some argue that we should change our high-energy lifestyles and in the process discover a more rewarding way to live. Should we curb our hunger for energy? Or is feeding that growing demand one of the most important contributions engineering can make to human life?
	Venue:	The Lemon Tree, 5 West North Street, Aberdeen
	Date:	Tuesday 22 May 2007
	Time:	19:00-20:30
	Directions:	map

	Are we moving fast enough? Does more speed always mean a society is making progress? Or is it time to put the brakes on our breakneck world? This event was full of split opinions, as the concept of speed is one which resonates with everybody - speed is important because it can dictate what we have time to do and what we can’t fit into our busy schedules. Dr. Peter Martin thought that doing things faster in the necessary or mundane parts of life gives us more time to enjoy leisure, and lets us fit more into our short lives. On the topic of energy consumption, he argued that to stop people travelling and restricting our ‘love miles’ is a bleak project. Tracey Smith, who runs National Downshifting Week, was more in favour of releasing ourselves from the breakneck speed of modern life, and discussed her successful move to rural France, where she lives life at her own peaceful pace. So, should we embrace speed and use it to improve our lives, or go by Tracey’s motto of ‘slow down, green up, and extend your life’?
	Venue:	Wales Millennium Centre, Bute Place, Cardiff CF10 5AL
	Date:	Tuesday 17 April 2007
	Time:	20:00-21:30
	Directions:	map

	We shape our environment around human needs and desires. But do the places we build then mould the way we live? In 2007, for the first time, over half the people in the world will live in cities. But a city-dweller of 200 years ago would scarcely recognise modern Cardiff. How do we want to live in the 21st Century? How should our cities continue to change, to make possible the lives we want? Or does trying to predict human aspirations only limit our visions of the future? The arguments put forward were interesting and provocative. Professor James Woodhousen bemoaned ‘brown field brutalism’ - the continuous urbanization of small areas - and argued that the government must provide good quality new housing and start building on the plentiful green land we have left. Dr. Peter Martin applauded the achievements of engineering in enabling concentrated city life to run smoothly; he also contended that the old contrast between urban and rural life is eroded with our modern ability to travel far and fast - thanks to engineering. This all provoked lively discussion at the live debate - feel free to participate in the virtual one!
	Venue:	the Gate arts centre, Keppoch Street, Cardiff
	Date:	Wednesday 21 February 2007
	Time:	19:30-21:00
	Directions:	map

	Are we moving fast enough? Does more speed always mean a society is making progress? Or is it time to put the brakes on our breakneck world? Part of the 100 Ideas to Change the World Festival. Listen to the highlights of this event via our podcast(mp3 format, 8.5MB approx).
	Venue:	Hayward Gallery, South Bank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XZ
	Date:	Wednesday 7 February 2007
	Time:	18:00-20:00
	Directions:	map