December 2008 – Transition Network Newsletter
By Noemi Andacs 9th January 2010
CONTENTS
————
Thankfully the survey in the last newsletter 89% thought that the length of the Newsletter was ‘Just right’ and 76.5% agreeing that the content was ‘spot on’. To the 23% who thought we could do better if tried harder, all I can say is that I will try!
Slightly less like the appearance of the newsletter with 61% thinking it excellent though by adding the 22% who thought it ‘alright’ that makes a healthy 83% who can handle it for now.
There were a few calls for articles of different content. As one person put it so well – “but then I suppose I could write one”… Likewise there were requests for more stuff about what’s going on in different initiatives. Again this dear reader is where we need your reports.
Now I know how a politician feels as some readers wanted more direct links and others wanted less.
The answers to last month’s question about what an ‘inside leg measurement’ is was unprintable in a family publication. For those who seem to be in some doubt Wikipedia says this is the ‘distance between the crotch and the soles of the feet, measured in a straight vertical line with the subject erect, feet slightly apart, and the weight of the body equally distributed on both legs’.
Keep the feedback and articles coming.
Job Opportunity with Transition Network
Transition Network is now completely re-doing its web platform, and as part of this, there is a position for 3 months for someone to project manage the first stage of this process.
Read the article: job-opportunity-with-transition-network
World Transition Training Tour
Sophy and Naresh report on the three month tour taking Transition training to other parts of the world.
Read the article: world-transition-training-tour
Transition Cities Conference 2008
Nearly 150 people from across the UK gathered in Nottingham, supported by the City Council for the first ever Transition Cities Conference. The event brought together those who have been testing the Transition model in the cities in an Open Space conference format to share ideas, insights, tools and techniques, exploring what works and what doesn’t in urban Transition.
Read up on the notes from the sessions and a great movie about it.
Read the article: transition-cities-conference-2008
Transition: Food and Farming in 21st century Britain
Last year’s Soil Association conference offered delegates a deep immersion in the peak oil/Transition debates, and was, for many, a seminal experience. This year’s took the discussions deeper and offered delegates an update on progress since and a re-energiser in terms of the scale of the work needed to be done for food and farming to truly be ‘in Transition’.
Read the article: transition-food-and-farming-in-21st-century-britain
Another Council Endorses Transition
Following the Somerset County Council motion a couple of months ago, a motion was put forward by the county council in Leicestershire declaring support for the Transition movement and pledging to support the county’s Transition groups in their activities.
Read the article: another-council-endorses-transition
Government Minister Bigs Up Transition
The newly appointed Minister for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Milliband, gave a talk to the Environment Agency conference in London and pointed to the essential role that Transition Towns are playing.
Read the article: government-minister-bigs-up-transition
Netherlands Starts Transition Groningen
With the Transition Initiatives Primer translated into Dutch, a report about the transition initiative in Groningen and about what is going on in the whole of The Netherlands.
Read the article: netherlands-starts-transition-groningen
Bags Of Cash
Langport’s Transition Town in Somerset was awarded £1,000 from O2’s It’s Your Community Awards to help create sustainable cotton bags for shoppers.
Phil Edge from Langport’s transition group said “We are also using some of our award money to create a display to take to other towns to spread the word on what we have achieved in Langport. Our next plan is to produce our own renewable energy from farm waste!”
Read the article: Source: somersetcountygazette.co.uk
Unleashing Local Money
Green Books in the UK will be publishing a guide to alternative currencies as part of their “Transition Guides” series called: “Money: how to unleash a money revolution where you live”.
Peter North is putting out a call for input to a forthcoming book about local currencies.
Read the article: unleashing-local-money
Lewes Pound News Update
It has been an extraordinary time for us volunteers promoting the Lewes Pound, as the backdrop of rapid global economic change compels us to develop the it into an effective, mature mechanism.
Read the article: lewes-pound-news-update
Green New Deals and the Unreal Economy
A report called the ‘Green New Deal’ by a group that includes such luminaries as Larry Elliot Economics Editor of the Guardian, Caroline Lucas Green MEP, Jeremy Legget and others claims to tackle ‘triple crunch’ of credit, oil price and climate crises. It is a response to the credit crunch and wider energy and food crises, and to the lack of comprehensive, joined-up action from politicians.
But at this time of crisis Brian Davey questions whether it is the green response we need or has an opportunity to bring out some refreshing and useful new thinking been missed?
Read the article: green-new-deals-and-the-unreal-economy
Film Review: Blind Spot
This latest peak oil film looks at the cultural dimensions of Peak Oil and the social challenges in trying to get society to change course. Does it offer any new insights or any new way of telling the story that previous examples of the genre haven’t? The answer is unfortunately no.
Read the article: film-review-blind-spot
Ground Rules For Groups
There have been a number of requests for guidelines around what ground rules could help to set a useful background for all of us in making our groups function well. Sophy Banks (co-founder of Transition Training) and Peter Lipman (Transition City Bristol member) have come up with a document as a starting point.
Read the article: ground-rules-for-groups
—–
Next Newsletter
So that we can best share what is going on around the world in Transition we need your news!
Next Edition 30th January 2009
Content Submission Deadline Wednesday 28th January
——–
Contact
Editor: Mike Grenville
Contact: transitionnews@there.is
01342 825169
http://transitionnetworknews.org
http://transitionnetwork.org.dedi2835.your-server.de/
Click Here To SUBSCRIBE to the monthly Transition Network Newsletter