April 2012 – Transition Network Newsletter

The 2012 Transition Network conference

14-16th September“We’re thrilled to announce that the 2012 Transition Network conference will be held at Battersea Arts Centre in London in September. The event will start at around 6pm for an 7.30pm Grand Opening on Friday 14-Sept and end late afternoon on Sunday 16-Sept. Put it in the diary now, and we’ll be making further announcements soon. The theme is “Building resilience in extraordinary times”. There’ll be something for everyone – urban/rural/town; new initiative or well-established; core teams or project groups; ambitious or tentative. In particular, we’ll be exploring some of the key elements of the “Building” stage of Transition, focussing on how Social Enterprises can be the drivers of the new economy and foster change on a grand scale. As always, it’ll be a challenging immersion into the cutting edge of transition, whereever that is for you, with plenty of time to renew old acquaintances, make new ones, and gather experiences that will be of great benefit to your initiative back home.And to make sure your interests are considered as we pull the details together, please tell us your wants, needs and questions here: www.surveymonkey.com/s/TransitionConf-UK2012

March Round-up of What’s Happening out in the World of Transition

Stories from Germany, Ireland, Portugal, Canada, Australia, Brazil, USA and Chile; in the UK stories from Reading, Cheshire, Derbyshire, Exmouth, Honiton, Blandford, Penrith, London, Berkhampsted, Leamington, Chichester and Totnes.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/news/2012-04-04/march-round-what-s-happening-out-world-transition

March Round-up – US Edition

http://transitionus.org/stories/march-round-whats-happening-out-world-transition-us-edition

In Transition 2.0

The DVD and screenings are now available“In Transition 2.0 takes the viewer through an emotional journey that effectively charts the evolution of the movement from its humble origins in Kinsale, Ireland, to an international movement that now attracts the attention of politicians and world leaders.”http://www.intransitionmovie.com/

Researching Transition

Here at Transition Network we get a regular flow of research enquiries. You can help make sure that Researchers are doing work that benefits transitioners. Here’s how:https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/news/2012-03-29/researching-transition-making-sure-it-benefits-transitioners

Supermarkets

Goodbye Supermarkets!

In the last five years, according to the new economics foundation, Lewes has gone from being a ‘home town’ with a wide mix of independent shops supporting a strong local economy, to a borderline clone town.
https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/adrienne-campbell/2012-03/goodbye-supermarkets

Sleeping with the enemy

This article in defence of the Coop provoked a lively debate about supermarkets.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/ann-owen/2012-03/sleeping-enemy

Hello Just Markets!

Bananas are the single biggest profit making item sold on UK supermarket shelves.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/guest-blogger/2012-03/hello-just-markets

A Loyal Customer

No one persuades you to “change your behaviour”. One day you see the pattern and are shocked to find blood on your hands. So what does shopping with heart mean?https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/charlotte-du-cann/2012-03/loyal-customer

Funding

Funding and Transition Omagh

Grant culture and the insidious effects it has on organisations.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/marella-fyffe/2012-03/funding-and-transition-omagh

The Magic Penny

Getting funding from the “magic penny” of love or the gambled pounds of people hooked on a Lottery dream.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/caroline-jackson/2012-03/magic-penny

Funding for the Future?

Funding appeals to our convenience culture. Come up with a successful proposal and boom you can make your idea a reality. https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/kerry-lane/2012-03/funding-future

Reconnection with the Living Systems

Getting Connected!

‘We’ve lost our connection with nature’ is the kind of thing we can just say to each other without really thinking about what it means.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/mark-watson/2012-03/getting-connected

Mad for it…

How can folk heal stuck indoors, dulled by drugs and tranquilised by screens?https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/catriona-ross/2012-03/mad-it

Coming Home To The City

For me it’s all about coming home – to exactly where we are.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/guest-blogger/2012-03/coming-home-city

News

Local Entrepreneur Forum Marks New Economic Era for Totnes

https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/jay-tompt/2012-03/local-entrepreneur-forum-marks-new-economic-era-totnes

In Transition 2.0, Moss Side Fire Station

Skipping through the DVD on film night.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/guest-blogger/2012-03/transition-20-moss-side-fire-station

Letter from America (US)

Every Man a President

While ice caps melt and oil wars loom, the U.S. national media is aflame with talk about mandatory ultrasounds for women.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/guest-blogger/2012-03/every-man-president

Translating Transition: from Small Town to Mega-City

“Transition” in Los Angeles isn’t so much about pioneering activities, but instead a massive act of networking.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/guest-blogger/2012-03/translating-transition-small-town-mega-city

Transitioning a Low-income, Inner-city, Marginalized Community

Transition is powerful for our community because we are very hungry for finding ways to cope with emerging climate change issues, in the context of the enormous challenges our community faces. https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/guest-blogger/2012-03/transitioning-low-income-inner-city-marginalized-community

TRANSITION NORWICH BLOG

The Map is not the Territory

Even the deep green practices of Permaculture assign wild nature to an unspecified region known as Zone 5. Not in my garden. Not in my country.http://transitionnorwich.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/map-is-not-territory-remix-version.html

Some Notes on Tracks and Edges

How dare those rude, healthy, resilient plants push through those cracks in the polite concrete and tarmac.http://transitionnorwich.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/some-notes-on-tracks-and-edges.html

Mean Beans

To break the dependence on high-energy inputs, would mean dietary changes, changes in land use patterns and in agricultural practice.http://transitionnorwich.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/mean-beans.html

A Short Story about Sticks

This is a small story about cuttings and connections. About a bunch of bare sticks that links people, gardens, projects, initiatives, cities, nations. http://transitionnorwich.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/short-story-about-sticks.html

Risk, or Why Competition is Bad For Us

Is Risk unrealistic in giving such an unfair advantage to the person who is already winning?http://transitionnorwich.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/risk-or-why-competition-is-bad-for-us.html

Energy Shifts Involve Mind Shifts

Norwich Energy Look Outs group audits shops open door policy.http://transitionnorwich.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/energy-shifts-involve-mind-shifts.html

TRANSITION VOICES

Peak oil denial: How does this help?

What most four-year olds would agree is not much more than minimal common sense continues to confound some.http://transitionvoice.com/2012/04/peak-oil-denial-how-does-this-help/

The media, marmite and peak oil

In this last week, which has seen people panic-buying petrol across the UK, we have been reminded of two unpleasant facts which are likely to be rearing their ugly heads much more frequently in the future.
http://energybulletin.net/stories/2012-04-02/beware-the-black-sticky-stuff

The Bike as a Lens

Bikes are the mechanical embodiment of the Transition Movementhttp://transitionvoice.com/2012/03/the-bike-as-a-lens/

This Month’s Transition Podcast

The interview Rob Hopkins did recently with Lee Brain one of the founders of Transition Prince Rupert, in British Columbia, Canada, was one of the most inspiring he has yet published. In this installment, he gives a fascinating taste of what it looks like when an emerging Transition group gives over some time to getting the foundations of its work as solid as possible before proceeding any further. http://transitionculture.org/2012/04/02/transition-prince-rupert-the-first-question-should-always-be-how-are-we-going-to-work-together-rather-than-what-are-we-going-to-do/

Reflections on Energy Descent Action Plans

Rob Hopkins revisits the role of the EDAP in Transition, and how that has changed over time.http://transitionculture.org/2012/03/15/reflections-on-energy-descent-action-plans-a-response-to-vera-bradova/

Here are three ingredients. Now form an initiative

One of the questions Rob was asked at a talk in a school recently got him thinking about the whole question of getting things started.http://transitionculture.org/2012/03/13/here-are-three-ingredients-now-form-an-initiative/

More Community News

https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/news/community

Our Discussion Forum with topics including:

Gift Circles
Setting up as charities
Transition activities in the classroom?
Looking for green UK companies for new Accelerator prorgramme

https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/forum/recent

PROJECTS

COMING UP

The Big Lunch 2012 Sunday 3rd June

A very simple idea from the Eden Project that aims to get as many people as possible across the whole of the UK to have lunch with their neighbours in a simple act of community, friendship and fun. The Big Lunch can be anything from a few neighbours getting together in the garden or on the street, to a full blown street party with food, music and decoration that quite literally stops the traffic. Why not be one of them!http://www.thebiglunch.com/

UPCOMING TRAININGS

Transition LAUNCH- the training for people new to Transition

When: weekend of 21-22 AprilWhere: Birdwood House, in the heart of TotnesTrainers: Sophy Banks and Hamid Van KotenCosts: £105 for both days (Bursaries are available!)Contact: If you’d like to book a place, have any questions or bursary enquiries or can’t make April but would like to do the next LAUNCH training contact training@transitionnetwork.org

Transition THRIVE course – the training for people in established Transition groups

When: weekend of 16-17 June Where: Birdwood House, in the heart of TotnesTrainers: Naresh Giangrande (Transition Totnes and Transition Network training’s co-founder) and Jenny Mackewn (Senior lecturer at Bath University and member of Transition Bath)Costs: We are trying out a new financing model for the Thrive Training, inspired by the “Gift Economy” and Transition Portugal. So all we ask for is a payment of £40 prior to the course. The actual full costs of the training weekend is £105, but we leave it up to each participant to decide after the course, if and how much they want to contribute to this course as a way of gratitude and support of its continuity in the future.Contact: If you’d like to book a place, have any questions or bursary enquiries or can’t make April but would like to do the next Thrive training contact training@transitionnetwork.orgWant to know more about “Transition THRIVE” and if it is you? Click here for more info.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/events/2012-03-17/transitionthrive

Training for Transition, Siebenlinden, Germany 20-22nd April

https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/events/2012-04-20/training-transition-siebenlinden-germany-20-22-april-2012Click here to see all upcoming Transition Training courses.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/events/network-training

Fostering Active and Collaborative Learning

A five day course (free if you are in the European Union) which may be of interest to Transitioners in Europe who are involved in adult education, training or facilitation.https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/news/2012-03-25/fostering-active-and-collaborative-learning-five-day-course-adult-educators

RESOURCES

The Ingredients of Transition

Every initiative does it differently, and that’s part of the fun of the whole thing. Think of it like cooking. There are all kinds of amazing ingredients we can assemble in order to make, say, a cake, and the creation of every cook will be unique, reflecting his or her abilities and culture, and the local resources available. https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/ingredients

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“The first question should always be “how are we going to work together?” rather than “what are we going to do?”Lee Brain, Transition Prince Rupert, in British Columbia, Canada

Find previous editions of the newsletter herehttps://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/tags/transition-network-newsletter This newsletter is published on the first Friday of each month. Newsletter Editor: Mike Grenville from Transition Forest Row for the Transition NetworkContact: mgrenville@gmail.com+44 (0)7974 924289