Day: August 27, 2014

Ecological-FabLab in the Geneva region

Dream, Build, Repair, Learn, Share

My main project right now is the creation of an ecologicalfablablogo Fablab here in the Geneva region.

“Fab Labs give people the tools they need to create technology and make (almost) anything”

Professor Neil Gershenfeld – Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Eco-Innovation is at the cutting edge of the third industrial revolution.  When you combine innovations in energy production with the open source hardware movement you create very low cost & high value technologies.

We are building a creative space to stimulate local innovation.  We dare to dream big, start small and grow fast. This has become Pangloss Labs. If you’re interested in joining us, take a look at our web site

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Festival du Film Vert in Ferney-Voltaire

The fourth edition in Ferney will be held on 18th-22nd March 2015.

In 2012, the Eco-Pratique association decided to put on a green film festival.  Rather than start from scratch we joined with the Swiss Romande “Festival du Film Vert” and brought it across the border into France.

Each year we choose from dozens of the best new documentaries in both English and French and choose 11-12 for the film festival.  To be chosen they have be a great film first, show a problem and propose a concrete solution to the problem.  No “we’re all doomed” films at our festival

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Eco-Pratique

In 2010 I looked around for a local ecological group to join. I was completely fed up with people telling me what I should and shouldn’t do, but no-one telling what my life would be like if I did these things. I wanted to know if a compost bin smells bad in the summer (no), how dangerous it is to cycle to work in Geneva (fine as long as it’s not icy), or what it’s really like to eat a vegan diet (not for me, but cut back on the red meat). and I wanted to find answers to these questions from people that weren’t trying to sell me something. Nothing existed around me so I started a local ecological association in Ferney-Voltaire, Eco-Pratique.

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Leman Make

In early 2014, Thomas Joubert approached me with an idea.  He wanted to know if I thought there were enough makers around Lake Geneva to put on an exhibition of making.  I didn’t know, but said “why don’t we find out?”.  We sent out an email to everywhere we could think of inviting makers to get together to see if there was interest. The first meetup was held at Post Tenebras Lab.  A few months later, when it was clear we did have enough interest, the LemanMake association was formed in Lausanne.

The LemanMake festival will be held on 27 & 28 June in Nyon, Switzerland.

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Post Tenebras Lab – the Geneva Hackerspace

A diverse group of geeks, engineers and hackers got together back in 2009 by asking the question online “is there a kind of makerspace in Geneva?”. Eventually we found each others emails archived online and decided to meet up. After several sessions in Les Brasseurs it was decided to form an association to try to create a physical space in Geneva for such a space. The Post Tenebras Lab association was born. Like many in Geneva it took us a LONG time to find a space, but PTL opened it’s doors in May 2012, and has held open evenings every Tuesday ever since. You’ll find more details at the web site, but everyone is welcome – just be aware that Post Tenebras Lab is a DO-OPOLY. i.e. if you want something done you have to do it 🙂

And no, a hackerspace is not where the bad guys meet to drain your bank account, it’s where the good guys meet up to make stuff, or hack it into shape – whether this be electronic, physical, mobile app or anything. Just come along on a Tuesday to find out for yourself.

Paul Leave a comment