November 2013 – Transition Network Newsletter
By Mike Grenville 31st October 2013
We have several posts about Extreme Energy in the newsletter this month, as well about the impact of ‘the cuts’, news of REconomy ideas spreading out across Europe plus some inspiring words from Paul Hawken.
Website theme: Austerity
The theme for November on the Transition Network website is austerity. Rob Hopkins introduces the month’s theme below, a month that will include interviews with Jeremy Leggett, Tim Lang, Felicity Lawrence, Jason Roberts and others. If you have ideas for what else might be covered during the month, please contact Rob at robhopkins@transitionnetwork.org
Imagination: an antidote to the plague of austerity
One of the key and most valuable roles Rob Hopkins believes Transition can play, and is playing, in these times, is keeping alive imagination and the telling of different stories.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2013-10/imagination-antidote-plague-austerity
NETWORK NEWS & NEWS OF THE NETWORK
TN – what are we here for? what should we do next?
The Transition Network (TN) team have been having a collective think recently about how the organisation relates to the wider world and where they need to focus energy and resources to make the greatest difference. This new strategy is a work in progress and the team are keen to hear your ideas and reactions as it develops. Sarah McAdam, TN’s new Delivery Director, will be reporting regularly on the process during November and beyond.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/sarah-mcadam/2013-10/tn-what-are-we-here-what-should-we-do-next
Job: Training and Events Co-ordinator for Transition Network
Based in travelling distance of Totnes or Bristol
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/news/2013-10-31/job-training-and-events-co-ordinator
In Transition 2.0 Screened in Russia
Emma Goude reports on her visit to Russia as guest of an activist film festival in Moscow and wonders how to fan the Transition embers she found there.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/news/2013-10-30/transition-20-director-visits-russia
To boldly train where no-one’s trained before
May East has lead Transition trainings in jungles, favelas, kibbutzim, and more.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2013-10/boldly-train-where-no-trainer-has-trained-chat-may-east
Ten years on from ‘The Party’s Over’
Richard Heinberg, renowned author of great books, spokesperson for peak oil, author of seminal Peak Oil book The Party’s Over, reflects on how accurate the book was and what has turned out since.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2013-10/10-years-after-partys-over-interview-richard-heinberg
“We choose a path of regeneration”
Growth, change and the power of action are some of the topics covered by Rob Hopkins’ interview with Paul Hawken.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2013-10/interview-paul-hawken-we-choose-path-regeneration
Rob Hopkins USA Visit
Videos and press reports of the tour available online
http://www.transitionus.org/rob-hopkins-visit
Change Makers Programme
Monica G. Picavea from Transition Brazil and Transition Sao Paulo on how to help your workers transition to a more resilient and happy life by connecting them to their own purpose.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/ben-brangwyn/2013-10/transition-corporate-setting-brazil
STORIES FROM OUR SOCIAL REPORTERS
Unkind Cuts in Lancaster
Caroline Jackson on how the UK cuts are affecting Lancaster and how Transition could respond
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/stories/caroline-jackson/2013-10/unkind-cuts-lancaster
Street School Economics
After learning about economics Gail Bradbrook of Transition Stroud understood the world better and discovers what activists can do.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/stories/guest-blogger/2013-10/street-school-economics-public-understanding-corruption-and-economics
Extreme Energy and Reason
How to combat energy extremism asks Jay Tompt when the debate is a domain often dominated by Very Serious People.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/stories/jay-tompt/2013-10/extreme-energy-and-reason
Practical Transition Responses To Fracking
There are many ways of doing direct action that don’t have to involve direct action Mike Grenville finds at the anti-fracking protest in Balcombe.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/stories/guest-blogger/2013-10/practical-transition-responses-fracking
Fracking: a Battle to the Death with Denial
Diana Korchien reflects on losing a great activist
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/stories/diana-korchien/2013-10/fracking-battle-death-denial
Of Vegetables and Venison
Knowing what we eat is more important than eating one thing or another suggests Chris Bird.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/stories/chris-bird/2013-10/vegetables-and-venison
Not Another Energy Fair!
Caroline Jackson finds herself at another community energy fair and asks ‘is it worth it’?
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/stories/caroline-jackson/2013-10/not-another-energy-fair
The Rise of the Undercover Guerrilla Volunteer
The impact on community resilience of changes to the Working Tax Credit is explored by Ann Owen.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/stories/ann-owen/2013-10/rise-undercover-guerrilla-volunteer-0
TRAINING
Transition Launch online
Our first online course has begun and is great! Read one of our participants blog:
http://villagesurrey.wordpress.com/2013/10/08/permaculture-series-transition-training-week-2-inner-transition/
Transition Thrive
Want to help taking your Transition Initiative to the next level? This two day workshop will help you to Thrive.
Next courses:
St Andrews Scotland, November 16/17th
Totnes, England, December 7/8th
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/training/courses/thrive
REconomy
Interest in REconomy is growing around the Transition movement. Here are two items that show what this is starting to look like, firstly in an informal self-organising way within one country, and secondly as a pilot collaboration of a group of hubs. Finally, there is a course that can help you get started wherever you may live.
Public REconomy Event in Paris attracts 80 economic activists
“As we began preparing for our regional festival for Transition and Permaculture in Sep 2013, the proposal to hold a REconomy evening was taken up immediately. “But what does REconomy mean?,” people asked.” Corinne Coughanowr tells us how it went.
http://www.reconomy.org/french-reconomy-evening-brings-together-80-people/
New group of national hubs to explore REconomy in 5 different countries
Fiona Ward reports on the Transition national hubs of Belgium, Croatia, Italy, Latvia and the Netherlands who have joined forces with the UK’s REconomy Project to explore what REconomy might look like in each place.
http://www.reconomy.org/new-group-of-national-hubs-to-explore-reconomy-in-5-different-countries/
Want to do your own Economic Evaluation?
Help is now available online
Tuesday 12th November 18:00 – 19:30 (UK time)
Find out more at our webinar led by Jay Tompt: Helping you do your own Economic Evaluation
pre-registration advised
http://www.reconomy.org/want-to-do-an-economic-evaluation-this-webinar-will-tell-you-more/
SOME MORE BITS AND BOBS
LebensWERTraum: a Short Film Competition
This German wordpuzzle is a combination of the words “Life = Leben”, “Worth=Wert”, “Dream=Traum”, “Room, Space=raum” : Life, Worth, Dream, Room, Space! It is a short film competition and has a 2,000 Euro prize for films envisioning the world in 2025.
http://www.lebenswertraum.de/en/
Monitoring and evaluation for Sustainable Communities
Led by the Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford, a knowledge exchange and research project in 2013 focused on UK Transition Initiatives and Low Carbon Community Groups. Dr Kersty Hobson (Project leader), Jo Hamilton, Ruth Mayne investigated current Monitoring and Evaluation practices and experiences, and assessed the future needs of groups.
The background research survey on M&E can be found here:
http://media.wix.com/ugd//caf2de_fd61a89150c88692722b9b0ea329ec98.pdf
and a full report of the project and the Monitoring and Evaluation resources are on the project website:
http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/research/technologies/projects/monitoringandevaluation.html
More events here
https://www.transitionnetwork.org/events
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
“When change is done to people they experience it as violence; when done by them they experience it as liberation”
Beth Moss Kanter
https://twitter.com/RosabethKanter
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Find previous editions of the newsletter here
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/tags/transition-network-newsletter
Read this newsletter online
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/news/2013-10-31/november-2013-transition-network-newsletter
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This newsletter is published on the first Friday of each month.
Newsletter Editor: Mike Grenville,
from Transition Forest Row for the Transition Network
Contact: mgrenville@gmail.com