More Transition information

[Rod]

For your information, I'm copying the contents of an e-mail I've just
received - although I'd better warn you it's quite a long one!

:) Rod...

From: Admin Ecos <ad...@ecostrust.org.uk>
To: julian brooks Brooks <j...@julianbrooks.com>
Subject: Fwd: South Somerset Climate Action News Aug 2008
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2008 10:19:48 +0100




Begin forwarded message:

From: "Joe Burlington" <j...@jburlington.co.uk>
> Date: 29 August 2008 21:46:54 BDT
> To: "Undisclosed Recipients" <j...@jburlington.co.uk>
> Subject: South Somerset Climate Action News Aug 2008
>
>
> Wed 10 Sep
7.30
Ilminster
Note:
New venue


South Somerset Climate Action – Public meeting
New venue: GLADE Centre, Frog Lane, off East Street, Ilminster TA19
0AP

Petrol, gas, electricity … will prices go even higher?
Are TRANSITION TOWNS the answer?
How can we shape the future?
+ film clips and discussion.



"Transition Town" means …

Simply put, a ‘Transition Town’ is seeking to encourage local
solutions to the twin problems of climate change and ‘peak oil’ – the
world-wide run down of oil supplies. This is to prepare the community
to be more resilient in the face of rising oil prices and to reduce
the damage of climate change.


Cheerful disclaimer!

"Just in case you were under the mistaken impression that Transition
is a process defined by people who have all the answers, you need to
be aware of a key fact. We truly don't know if this will work.
Transition is a social experiment on a massive scale.
On the other hand, this model, is brought to you by people who are
learning by doing - and who understand that we can't sit back and wait
for someone else to do the work. People like you, perhaps..." Rob
Hopkins



Exciting Council decisions



The Transition model has been adopted by communities in Australia,
New Zealand and the USA and by 70 in the UK ranging from Bristol,
Bath, Exeter and Taunton to smaller towns including South Petherton
and Frome.

Now both Somerset County Council and South Somerset District Council
have passed resolutions (below) in support of this approach,
Rob Hopkins is the initiator of the Transition Town Movement. His blog
has a feature headed: Something Wonderful Just Happened in Somerset.
(see http://transitionculture.org/2008/07/28/something-wonderful-just-happened-in-somerset/)
which highlights this achievement.
It is just the sort of political support that South Somerset Climate
Action (and other local groups) have been campaigning for.



MORE ABOUT TRANSITION TOWNS FOLLOWS

Read on if you want to!



SOUTH SOMERSET DISTRICT COUNCIL (SSDC) passed a resolution
(24 JULY 2008)

(GREEN indicates the same wording in both County and District
resolutions)

That this Council:
1. Fully endorses the Transition Town Movement and subscribes to the
principles and ethos of the organisation’s goals to reduce dependence
on fuel oil and create more sustainable communities including
developing local 'energy descent plans'.
2. Commits to providing support and assistance to all towns and
villages in South Somerset that wish to join this initiative to help
them achieve the goals they set for themselves as local communities,
and requests officers to provide support in the revised Corporate
Plan.
3. Recognises that the South Somerset Together Local Strategic
Partnership, having worked closely with Sustainability South West,
will continue to place action on carbon reduction and climate change
as one of its top priorities in the Sustainable Community Strategy.
4. That SSDC commits to declaring the Authority a Transition District
when a majority of our Market Towns have achieved Transition Town
status.


SOMERSET COUNTY COUNCIL (23 July 2008) RESOLVED:

That this Council:
1. Acknowledges the work done by communities in Somerset on Transition
Towns and that the independence of the Transition Movement is key to
its grass roots appeal
2. As demonstrated in its Climate Change Strategy, fully endorses the
Transition Town Movement and subscribes to the principles and ethos of
the organisation’s goals to reduce dependence on fuel oil and create
more sustainable communities
3. Commits to providing support and assistance to all towns in
Somerset that wish to join this initiative to help them achieve the
goals they set for themselves as local communities, as demonstrated
under the ‘Community Initiatives’ section of the Climate Change
Strategy
4. Therefore, requests the Scrutiny and Executive Committees to
consider through the council’s strategic planning process:
• allocating funds to assist in achieving the outcomes of the
Transition Towns Movement in Somerset.
• requiring all directorates to engage with and provide support for
Transition Initiatives in Somerset
5. Through the work outlined above, seeks to become the first
Transition Authority in the UK
6. Agrees to undertake a review of its budgets and services to achieve
a reduction in dependence on fuel oil and produce an energy descent
action plan in line with the principles of the Transition Initiative.



What is a Transition Town?
(or village / city / forest / island)



A Transition Initiative asks:
"for all those aspects of life that this community needs in order to
sustain itself and thrive, how do we significantly increase
resilience* (to mitigate the effects of Peak Oil) and drastically
reduce carbon emissions (to mitigate the effects of Climate Change)?"
(see: www.transitiontowns.org)
After going through a comprehensive and creative process of:
awareness raising around peak oil, climate change and the need to
undertake a community lead process to rebuild resilience and reduce
carbon
connecting with existing groups in the community
building bridges to local government
connecting with other transition initiatives
forming groups to look at all the key areas of life (food, energy,
transport, health, heart & soul, economics & livelihoods, etc)
kicking off projects aimed at building people's understanding of
resilience and carbon issues and community engagement
eventually launching a community defined, community implemented
"Energy Descent Action Plan" over a 15 to 20 year timescale
This results in a range of projects across all these areas of life
that strives to rebuild the resilience we've lost as a result of cheap
oil and reduce the community's carbon emissions drastically.
The community also recognises two crucial points:
that we used immense amounts of creativity, ingenuity and adaptability
on the way up the energy up-slope, and that there's no reason for us
not to do the same on the down-slope
if we plan and act early enough there's every likelihood that we can
create a way of living that's significantly more connected, more
vibrant and more in touch with our environment than the oil-addicted
treadmill that we find ourselves on today.

* Resilience 1 - Floods devastated acres of Gloucestershire last
summer. If (when) such heavy rains hit Somerset, how well will we
cope?
Resilience 2 - The UK was self-sufficient in gas until 2004. It now
imports about 40% of its needs but that is increasing by about 5% per
year. The country stores an average of 14 days supply – but in the
winter that might not last a week. How will we manage if (when) Russia
escalates the price or turns off the taps? (Details from Timesonline
19-8-08)
Resilience 3 – below


Tantalising glimpses of resilience

from the introduction to

The Transition Handbook

by Rob Hopkins

Central to this book is the concept of resilience - familiar to
ecologists, but less so to the rest of us. Resilience refers to the
ability of a system, from individual people to whole economies, to
hold together and maintain their ability to function in the face of
change and shocks from the outside. This book, The Transition
Handbook, argues that in our current (and long overdue) efforts to
drastically cut carbon emissions, we must also give equal importance
to the building, or more accurately to the rebuilding, of resilience.
Indeed, I will argue that cutting emissions without resilience-
building is ultimately futile. But what does resilience actually look
like?
In 1990 I visited the Hunza Valley in northern Pakistan, which until
the opening of the Karakorum Highway in 1978 had been almost
completely cut off from the outside world. When I visited I knew
nothing about the concept of resilience, or even a great deal about
food, farming or the environment, but I knew when I arrived that this
was an extraordinary place.
Here was a society which lived within its limits and had evolved a
dazzlingly sophisticated yet simple way of doing so. All the waste,
including human waste, was carefully composted and returned to the
land. The terraces which had been built into the mountainsides over
centuries were irrigated through a network of channels that brought
mineral-rich water from the glacier above down to the fields with
astonishing precision.
Apricot trees were everywhere, as well as cherry, apple, almond and
other fruit trees. Around and beneath the trees grew potatoes, barley,
wheat and other vegetables. The fields were orderly but not
regimented. Plants grew in small blocks, rather than in huge
monocultures. Being on the side of a mountain, I invariably had to
walk up and down hills a great deal, and soon began to feel some of
the fitness for which the people of Hunza are famed. The paths were
lined with dry stone walls, and were designed for people and animals,
not for cars.
People always seemed to have time to stop and talk to each other and
spend time with the children who ran barefoot and dusty through the
fields. Apricots were harvested and spread out to dry on the rooftops
of the houses, a dazzling sight in the bright mountain sun. Buildings
were built from locally made mud bricks, warm in the winter and cool
in the summer. And there was always the majestic splendour of the
mountains towering above. Hunza is quite simply the most beautiful,
tranquil, happy and abundant place I have ever visited, before or
since.
If (at that time) Hunza had been cut off from the world and the global
economy's highways of trucks packed with goods, it would have managed
fine. If there had been a global economic downturn, or even a
collapse, it would have had little impact on the Hunza Valley. The
people were resilient too, happy, healthy and with a strong sense of
community.
I do not intend to romanticise or idealise it, but there was something
I caught a glimpse of when I was in Hunza that resonated with a deep
genetic memory somewhere within me. I grew up in England when the
fossil fuel party was in full swing, in a culture ceaselessly trying
to erase all traces of resilience and rubbishing the very idea at
every opportunity, portraying country people as stupid, the
traditional as ‘old-fashioned' and growth and `progress' as
inevitable. In this remote valley I felt a yearning for something I
couldn't quite put my finger on but which I now see as being
resilience: a culture based on its ability to function indefinitely
and to live within its limits, and able to thrive for having done so.
However, even then, in 1990, things were starting to change. When I
was there, empty sacks of nitrogen were visible in the corners of some
of the fields. Sacks of cement were appearing as were refined sugary
foods and fizzy drinks. The process of undermining that resilience had
begun in earnest as had happened in most parts of the world and
continues at a frantic pace.
From the introduction to The Transition Handbook by Rob Hopkins £12.95
from Green Books or online from www.transitionculture.org


>
>
> Some of ‘Transition Town Totnes’ projects
>
>
> Name

Group(s)

Short Description


Energy Descent Pathways (EDP)

All

Create vision of Totnes in 2030 then define pathways to take us
there


Business Resource Exchange (Swapshop)

Economics & Livelihoods

One company's waste/spare resources used as input to another


Energy Efficient Lighting for Business

Economics & Livelihoods

Driving a switch to low energy lighting for high street retailers


Green Energy for Business

Economics & Livelihoods

Helping businesses to switch to renewable energy tariffs


Oil Vulnerability Audits

Economics & Livelihoods

Helping businesses quantify their exposure to rising oil prices and
assess risk


Resource Efficiency for Business

Economics & Livelihoods

Free audits and advice for small local businesses from Envirowise -
pilot project


My Story

Education

Elders sharing knowledge of how things were in the low carbon past


Transition Library

Education

Wide collection of transition-related books now in local library


Solar Thermal Challenge

Energy

Bulk purchase and promotion of solar thermal kit for hot water on 50
homes


Garden Share

Food

Matching unused garden space with garden-less growers


Local Food Guide

Food

Promotion of local produce and independent outlets


More Allotments

Food

Campaigning with existing Allotments Group to increase availability
in Totnes


Nut Trees

Food

Planting nut trees around town and training tree guardians


Seed & Plant Swap

Food

Retaining local plant diversity and promoting ‘Grow Your Own’(GYO)


Home Groups (Transition Teams)

Heart & Soul

Create formation of small social based groups that take on own
transition agenda


Totnes Cycling Group

Transport

Removing the barriers to cycling and promoting participation


> Some history of the County Resolution – for those who want it

Alex Malcolm of Sustainable Frome wrote: "Back in April this year I
became very concerned about the escalating oil prices to such an
extent I was compelled me to write an email to all Somerset County
Councillors, and similarly all Mendip District Councillors and Frome
Town Councillors, to try and raise awareness and a response to this
disturbing situation.
I followed this up in June with a copy of Mark Lynas's article (http://
www.newstatesman.com/print/200806120030) to which I received a
response from Cllr. Paul Buchanan Chard North, amongst others. The
document he is referring to is the "Strategies for Local Government
and Sustainable Communities" (See: www.alexmalcolm.co.uk) that I have
developed over the last year or so.
Thanks to Paul Buchanan and Glastonbury Town Councillor Linda Hull
(Transition Glastonbury) I was made aware of the full Council Meeting
23rd July [which] with the help and support of all those involved in
the Somerset Transition Network, [resulted in the County Resolution].



Some SSCA history – for those who want it

The County Council resolution in support of Transition Towns, and the
similar resolution of the South Somerset District Council [Somerset
has five District Councils of which South Somerset is one] are
significant steps. They are the result of a huge amount of work done
by dozens of people that helped to create an atmosphere of interest an
knowledge.

What follows shows that (a) people have been working on these matters
for years and (b) there is more support in local government circles
than people sometimes imagine.
Our bit of the history: South Somerset Climate Action (SSCA) started
in Ilminster October 2005. We held a series of small meetings and in
April 2006 we invited Mayer Hillman who wrote, "How we can save the
planet" and the journalist Rosie Boycott who has a smallholding
nearby, to address a meeting in our 150-seat theatre. It was a sell
out! Mayer Hillman also went to the Council Offices where he met
Councillor Paull Robathan, then leader of the District Council,(see
below) and County Councillor John Sharpe together with the District's
Climate Change Officer, Keith Wheaton-Green (Yes! the Council already
had a Climate Change Officer - One of his activities has been to
instigate/oversee the installation of a series of micro-water power
generators).
SSCA continued to hold public meetings and in early 2007 twice filled
the theatre for screenings of "An Inconvenient Truth" - each followed
by a lively discussion.
In September 2007, Somerset Wildlife Trust (20,000 members) encouraged
us to participate in their Climate Change Fortnight and we showed "An
Inconvenient Truth" once more - followed a week later by Al Gore's
sequel on the same DVD - each followed by a discussion, one led by
former County Councillor David Gordon who also founded the Ecos Trust
- the award-winning eco-house builders - and which also organises the
annual Homes for Good Exhibition. The other was led by another former
County Councillor, Catherine Le Grice Mack who is an organic farmer.
Both of these two were battling away on the Council about
environmental matters up to 11 years ago.
Other County Councillors who were involved in one or more of our
meetings were Sam Crabb and Henry Hobhouse. Henry produced a booklet
on environmental matters and is taking action to inform those who live
in flood planes how they can protect their property.
For recipients of this note who may not know, Central Government has
decreed that, within any county (etc) all bodies that are funded by
taxes, must cooperate in creating a "Sustainable Community Strategy"
and setting goals and priorities. To do this, the County Council has a
"Somerset Strategic Partnership" and South Somerset District a "Local
Strategic Partnership" called "South Somerset Together".
Paull Robathan (see below) is chair of the latter and he appointed me,
Joe Burlington, to the Board last September. I was suspicious at first
that "they" were trying to tie me up in committees but they have in
fact given me every opportunity to speak and to present PowerPoint
slides etc. about the climate and ‘Peak Oil’ etc. A presentation I was
asked to give to the Annual Meeting of South Somerset Together was
described by a leading Councillor Patrick Palmer - a farmer and Chair
of Area North - as "the most important thing said today. ... The two
combine harvesters on my farm need 130 gallons of diesel a day.
Holidays abroad are optional. We must have that diesel!" [He's right
at least in the short term.] Deputy Leader of the County Council,
Justin Robinson, has also been serving on this committee.
I also represent South Somerset Together on a sub-committee of the
Somerset Strategic Partnership called the Environmental Leaders Group.
County Councillors Hazel Prior- Sankey and Anthony Trollope-Bellew
have both been serving on that and confronting us with the realities
of the politics.
Ilminster's County Councillor, Tony Shire, is also supportive of our
work.
District Councillor, Andrew Turpin, has set up a group in his village
(Tatworth) and is a great enthusiast for our work (and he travels to
Council meetings on his bike!) Andrew was responsible for the District
Council Resolution (above) supported by Councillor Paull Rowbathan.
Rather than seeking credit for our group, I wanted to acknowledge the
work particularly of councillors who spend hours and hours on
committees and are often blamed for perceived shortcomings even when
they must work within tight constraints of Central Government Policy
and electoral imperatives. Obviously, other groups have also been
talking to their County Councillors and doing similar work.



Emails …

If you know someone who wants one please send an email to
j...@jburlington.co.uk
call 01460 55323
or drop a line to SSCA 27 East Street, Ilminster TA19 0AN.


Views

Do let us know what you think. or tell us how you could help.


>
>
>

[Rod]

I've just received a MUCH shorter update from Ilminster... I found it
interesting to read about their sub-groups.

From: "Joe Burlington" <j...@jburlington.co.uk>
> Date: 24 September 2008 00:37:22 BDT
> To: "Undisclosed Recipients" <j...@jburlington.co.uk>

> Subject: Notes of South Somerset Climate Action Public Meeting -- Wednesday 10 Sep 2008
>
>
> What are TRANSITION TOWNS? With rising fuel prices, how can we create stronger, more resilient communities?
>
> Notes on Public Meeting –— Wednesday 10 Sep 2008 — 7.30
> Glade Centre, Frog Lane, East Street, Ilminster
>
> Present: about 30 people including Ilminster Town Councillors: Linda Vijeh, Elizabeth Beatie and David Miller and representatives of ‘Transition Town’ South Petherton
>
> Apologies – Councillors: Carol Goodall (The Mayor) and Margaret Excell


Joe Burlington introduced the topic with a brief overview of the twin
threats of climate change and ‘peak oil’. This latter is the principle
that the planet is of limited size. Oil that remains is generally of
poorer quality and more difficult and costly to extract. Though more
and more people would like to use petrol, etc. there is less to go
round. Fuel and energy costs will rise – probably steeply. Both
problems require a ‘transition’ to a low carbon economy.

As well as confronting these challenges, the ‘Transition Town’
movement suggests that these issues also present the opportunity to
create stronger, more resilient communities.


Everyone in turn, was invited to make a response or to say something
of how they have altered their lives in the face of these threats.

The following groups/ interests emerged:


Energy theme

Energy efficiency support

Mary Williams, Charlotte Revely, Di Russel Williams, Wendy Best


Microgeneration Company

Wendy Payne, Elspeth Waldie, Peter Lansdown, Wendy Best, Charlotte
Revely, Marta W


Horticulture theme

Plant, seed and produce exchange



Rachael Shirley, Margaret Merrison, Wendy Best


Gardening Group + Those who want a vegetable patch finding someone who
would be happy to see their garden cultivated

Mary Williams, Jo Read


Tree planting

Pamela Sellars


> Other achievements or interests that were expressed included:

Energy theme

Cycling and using public transport; not flying or reduced flying; not
driving cars or reduced car driving; car sharing

Fitting Solar PV (electricity generation) panels; fitting a ground
source heat pump (This is a system which works like a refrigerator
taking heat from one place – the ground – and delivering it to another
– the inside of a house. Each kilowatt of electricity can produce
perhaps 3 kilowatts of heat.); insulation; draught proofing


Advocates of nuclear power and those who thought nuclear unwise and /
or unnecessary appeared to be about evenly balanced.


Horticulture theme

Community compost; allotments; buying locally grown food; selling
produce in local shops with all proceeds going to local projects – as
is done in Combe St Nicholas; increasing use of water butts.


Support of Somerset Wildlife Trust


> Next meetings to follow up on this theme:

Wednesday 15 October – 7.30 at GLADE, Frog Lane, Ilminster

Thursday 13 November - 7.30 at GLADE, Frog Lane, Ilminster