Citizen Forum Norfolk and World VCC
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Reception

This is a forum for developing Action Plans for the key issues facing our communities. Cities and towns around the world have demonstrated novel and effective approaches that we can learn from. Thoughtful discussion can build engagement, social capital and community led movements ... which can then force action from our governments. Norfolk, VA is our test bed because that is where I live ... but the forum is open to all because crucial innovations are popping up all over the world and we need to know what worked well for others. Let's figure out what needs to be improved and build the political will to implement it.

Guidelines: 1) Respect for others is required and rudeness will not be tolerated. Respectful disagreement helps us learn from each other.2) We seek empirical evidence where-ever possible, however personal anecdotes and statements of ethical values are often helpful. Stewart Brand expressed the attitude we wish to foster: “My opinions are strongly stated and loosely held” (Whole Earth Discipline, page 21).

“Humans don’t mind hardships, in fact we thrive on it; what they mind is not feeling necessary” Sebastian Junger (Tribe: on homecoming and belonging, page xvii). All of us are necessary if we are to survive the crises in front of us. And our governments, mostly in thrall to the big-money elites, won't act unless we develop political muscle.

Welcome! As a guest you are able to visit the floors (via the elevator on the left) and to read those items open to the public. However, only registered members are able to post to the discussions. You are welcome to become a member by registering at the “Reception”. Please contact me via the "VCC Administration" door on the left if you have any difficulties or questions.

CitizenForum VCC Billboard

[Aug 11, 2026] News: The Citizen Forum Norfolk and World VCC is under construction. Visit again soon to see the progress.

News

Platform News

[Aug 29, 2026] TLNP VCC opened: The "Towards Less Noice Pollution VCC" has been initialized and is open now.

[Aug 03, 2026] Alliance of World Scientists Declares Planetary Emergency: In the paper “ World scientists’ warning to humanity: a third notice” the Alliance of World Scientists includes the “Declaration of a planetary emergency.” The declaration states: “We, the undersigned, recognize that Earth is now in a state of planetary emergency. Climate change, biodiversity loss, land and freshwater degradation, pollution, and unsustainable production and consumption are destabilizing the Earth system that supports all life.”
You can sign the declaration here ...

[Aug 03, 2026] Hothouse Earth: arriving sooner than you think…: Julian Cribb writes in his latest blog: “Latest measurements, carefully analysed to exclude anomalies such as El Nino, reveal a planet cooking up at a steady 0.48 degrees per decade since 2015, in what is thought to be the most rapid heating event in all its geological history.” We are experiencing the most rapid heating event in Earth's billions of years long history! We have caused this event with a few hundred years of sole focus on unlimited growth using all the ancient solar energy accumulated by Earth's biosphere over more than 250 million years - just because we could! That is something to reflect on!

[Jun 04, 2026] ‘An equal and habitable world is possible’: This is what the Global Justice Report published today makes very clear. Read the article by Jonathan Watts in the Guardian as an introduction. While this equal and habitable world is still possible, it is very unlikely that we will transition to this world as long as greedy and unethical billionaires supported by governments they own compete to be the first trillionaire. The report underlines that the fight for an equal and habitable world has to be a fight against a system that rewards extraction and depletion of all resources and requires infinitely growing consumption devouring the Earth's life-support system; a system designed to increase inequality and sustain the exploitation of almost all to serve the greed of a few!