Could we be more self-sufficient?

The population of St. Kilda was a self-sufficient community. Nothing was wasted. When sea birds were caught for their meat, for example, their beaks were used for nails, the oil in their feathers was burned to provide light, and their feathers were sold to the mainland to make pillows.
Today most people waste things and do not make the most of the resources they have. However, some people use their gardens to grow fruit and vegetables. Others might recycle their household rubbish. What do you do? Do you think we could do more to use the resources we have? Can you suggest ways that we could do this?

Repeating Past Mistakes?

We have found out that the demolition of terraced houses and their communities in the 1960s was a big mistake, leaving isolated and vulnerable people living in poor quality high rise flats. In recent years, however, we have seen a huge number of new tower blocks being built in Leeds to house young professionals living in the city. Are we repeating the mistakes of the past? Can high rise living work today when it failed in the past? Try to comment on the views of others.