Make Do and Mend: Industrial Conversions and Sustainability Transitions

The authors critique current European economic strategies as failing socially and environmentally, advocating instead for a 'green conversion' of industry. Drawing on the 1970s Lucas Aerospace and LIP factory examples, they propose shifting production from energy-intensive consumption to resilient products through worker-led innovation and democratic work organization. The paper suggests implementing 'Ecological Enterprise Zones' in post-industrial areas of Britain and refocusing EU convergence funding to support circular economies and social ownership, arguing that moving away from corporate profit-driven models is essential for achieving a sustainable, low-energy economy.

• The authors argue that current European economic strategies, which focus on investment to kickstart growth or austerity measures to cut deficits, are failing economically, socially, and environmentally.
• A 'real Green New Deal' should go beyond specific employment or energy efficiency programs to encompass fundamental structural changes to the economy, specifically a 'green conversion' of industry to move away from energy-intensive consumption.
• The Lucas Aerospace conversion project of the 1970s serves as a model for industrial policy driven by workers, where engineers proposed producing socially useful items like kidney machines, solar collectors, wind generators, and electric vehicles instead of arms.
• The LIP factory experience in Besançon, France, demonstrates the potential of 'auto-gestion' (self-management), suggesting that popular capitalism focused on a low-energy economy could accelerate structural economic changes.
• Green conversion is projected to create significant employment; for example, replacing intensive farming with organic agriculture could increase employment by 40%, and expanding public transport to reduce carbon emissions by 30% by 2020 could create 8 million jobs in the transport sector.
• The authors propose 'Ecological Enterprise Zones' (EEZs) in Britain's post-industrial areas, which would use government grants to innovate green technologies and sustainable lifestyles in exchange for cuts in carbon emissions, waste, and resource usage.
• To achieve a circular economy, the authors suggest creating clusters of eco-social enterprises where waste from one process becomes feedstock for another, prioritizing repair, reuse, and energy efficiency over simple economic growth.
• The authors recommend that EU convergence funding be refocused to encourage workplace innovations and social ownership, arguing that corporate profit-driven models inherently drive unsustainable exponential growth.

APA

Cato, J. E. M. S. (2013). Make Do and Mend: Industrial Conversions and Sustainability Transitions. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/make-do-and-mend-industrial-conversions-and-sustainability-transitions/

Chicago

Cato, Jonathan Essex, Molly Scott. Make Do and Mend: Industrial Conversions and Sustainability Transitions. Green European Journal, 2013. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/make-do-and-mend-industrial-conversions-and-sustainability-transitions/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Cato |first1=Jonathan Essex, Molly Scott |title=Make Do and Mend: Industrial Conversions and Sustainability Transitions |publisher=Green European Journal |date=1 October 2013 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/make-do-and-mend-industrial-conversions-and-sustainability-transitions/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{cato2013make, author = {Cato, Jonathan Essex, Molly Scott}, title = {{Make Do and Mend: Industrial Conversions and Sustainability Transitions}}, institution = {Green European Journal}, year = {2013}, month = oct, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/make-do-and-mend-industrial-conversions-and-sustainability-transitions/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }