Future FRM>A new perspective: opening the flude-gates>SCAMPER>Rearrange

Rearrange

Creativity, it could be said, consists largely of rearranging what we know in order to find out what we don’t.  Rearrangement usually offers countless alternatives for existing ideas, goods and services.

Change the order

LAND      SEA      RIVER      WATER      RAIN

FLOAT, DO NOTHING, PIPE IT: ABOVE, BELOW, AROUND, PLUMBING

CAUSE and EFFECT?

I drew a diagram of the sea, land and the water cycle from sea to land with ridges in the land to represent rivers, lakes etc.  This reminded me of a tyre.  One of a tyre’s functions is to shed water as quickly as possible.  This set off the following thoughts:

• Shed water more quickly
• Water shed
• Sheds full of water
• My own private supply
• Water collection like blackberry picking ie something that is free and enjoyable
• Use of new swim suit material to shed water more quickly

Timing

I then thought about timing and the impact of human activity ie pollution levels and cloud seeding.  What is it that we do at a local level that could affect the weather?  Pollution levels can affect local weather as sulphates can precipitate rain.  Therefore, if we changed the timing of our travel patterns, for example, would it affect the timing of rain?

Layout

I thought about the layout of the issues ie lakes, rivers, land, channels etc.  This made me think about storage, then big sponges, then using trees to control the flow of water (more CO2, higher temps=good for trees).  Could we make a big plug hole?  Could we have a contest to drink more water?

Pattern

Thinking of patterns made me think of reflections and the occurrence of natural incidences eg Severn Bore.  Could we replace it with another, flood related, phenomena?  Could we get something worthwhile like a new natural phenomenon, for giving something up?  Then I thought about what this might mean for certain groups of people eg residents of Norfolk losing their homes.

Rearrange the words

I then rearranged the issue into:

• Not enough water, in the right place, at the right time.  For who and when?  Could we export excess water?

I thought that we needed some new words, not flood risk management.  We should try to change attitudes to flooding.  Sell it, market it.  The water’s coming home, coming to tea.  What do people want from their flood?  What colour should it be?

Diagram

The local flood chart/diagram eg Nileometer.  For Leicestershire it would be the Soarmeter.  It would show you the flood.  Create interest.  Look forward to the flood because it irrigates, helps habitats, use for transport etc.

Habits

Routine – the flood gets in our way.  So what?  It slows things down.  Do we care?  It’s someone else’s problem, not ours.  Make it ours.  Flood dialogue.  Live with it.  Response: it’s a bit of fun, if we respond well.  Who wouldn’t find it fun?

I also thought about genetically modified rain, floods etc which led onto thinking about chemical sand bags ie a substance that expands on contact with water and dries out later.  This could be stored in a garden, on/under a roof etc.