Newletter18-03-2013

Hi Everyone

Money seems to be the main focus of Transition events coming up this week - something which affects us all - so do go to the "97% owned" film at the Transition cafe this Thursday and the discussion on investment the following week.

CONTENTS

Transition News and Events

  • Thursday 21 March: Film: "97% Owned" at Transition Cafe
  • Thursday 28 March: Discussion on investment - saving in times of uncertaintely
  • Wednesday 03 April: Rolling out energy efficiency for homes and community buildings
  • Greeniversity events coming up
  • Food Group appeal for new meeting venue
  • Events for your calendar

Other News and Events

  • 17 - 24 March: Arctic Film Festival at Arts Picturehouse
  • Monday 11 March - Sunday 24: Cambridge Science Festival
  • Monday 18 March: start of Eat Vegan challenge
  • Monday 18 March: Launch event for Promoting Credit Unions
  • Wednesday 20 March: Lecture - Economics for a finite planet
  • Saturday 23 March: Fulbourn Forum Community Market
  • Saturday 23 March: Fulbourn Community Market + seed swap
  • Monday 25 March: Green Enterprise Community - David Jones on 'Living Landscape' conservation
  • Tuesday 26 March: Future Transport in South Cambridgeshire
  • Saturday April 13: Beginners' sewing workshop
  • Saturday 13 April: Cam Cleanup
  • Monday 22 April: Community Food Enterprises - Cropshare, Cambake and Sustainable Souk
  • Book now for Carbon Conversations group starting 17 April
  • Events for your calendar

Transition News and Events

Thursday 21 March: Film: "97% Owned" at Transition Cafe

19:30-21:00, CB1 Cafe, 32 Mill Road, Cambridge

When money drives almost all activity on the planet, it's essential that we understand it. Yet simple questions often get overlooked - questions like: where does money come from? Who creates it? This film, made by Positive Money, explores these questions. The film will be followed by a discussion, possibly including some discussion of a local currency for Cambridge. All welcome, free.

Thursday 28 March: Discussion on investment - saving in times of uncertaintely

19:30-21:00, CB1 Cafe, 32 Mill Road, Cambridge

Does it any longer make sense to save for your retirement in the current economic climate? If so, what kinds of sustainable savings or investments will offer you the best returns? Come along to discuss these issues in the context of peak oil and the global financial climate, and share ways to take a positive look at managing your money. This is the second meeting, where we hope to explore the practical options in more detail with a view to enabling us all to make informed decisions. The notes from our first meeting are here. All welcome, free.

Wednesday 03 April: Rolling out energy efficiency for homes and community buildings

19:00-21:00, Stoneyard Centre (Lower Hall) , 43 St Andrews Street, CB2 3AR

Nationally we need to upgrade millions of buildings and adopt energy saving habits to save energy but there are difficulties: not knowing what to do, about the financing, about who to trust to do the work. This workshop will discuss the issues and explore example projects to show what can be done, and what is important to make things work. The examples include schools and churches and also some local projects you may know about: Open Eco Homes, the e-Coton solar panel bulk buy and Rampton Drift. We will develop some criteria to evaluate these and your project ideas. If you come to our workshop with a project in mind, you will come away with a more thorough understanding of how to make it a success. If you didn’t have any particular ideas to start with, you will have lots to consider afterwards. This workshop if free but a donation to cover hall hire would be helpful. We will serve tea in the break and if you wish to bring something to eat as well we can provide plates. More details here.

Greeniversity events coming up

In the next few weeks there are Greeniversity skill-shares on how to give a back massage and housing a swarm of bees. If you'd like to attend any of these classes, sign up here!

Food Group appeal for new meeting venue

After 18 months of meeting in the room over the Emperor pub in Hills Road, the Food Group needs a new meeting venue. If you know of somewhere which is central, free and suitable for our fortnightly evening meetings (which at the moment are Tuesdays, 6.30 till 8.30), please contact us. It could be a room over a pub, or a community space or any other creative idea you come up with. Thank you!

Events for your calendar

Other News and Events

17 - 24 March: Arctic Film Festival at Arts Picturehouse

The Cambridge Arts Picturehouse has a series of films about eh Arctic, including free screenings. All shows have sessions afterwards with Inuit specialists and Q&A. <a href="">See here for more details.</a>

Monday 11 March - Sunday 24: Cambridge Science Festival

09:00-09:00,

Our local Science Festival returns for another year. There's masses of variety - archaeology, polar science, physiology, astronomy as well as physics, maths and chemistry. Events include tours, lab demo's, talks, exhibitions and hands-on stuff. Many events are suitable for children. Most events are free, and you need to book for some.

Monday 18 March: start of Eat Vegan challenge

It's not to late to join Cambridge Carbon Footprint's Eat Vegan! challenge, which starts today, with a shared meal on Friday. The last challenge was a great success and you can read about it here or find information about vegan food here. Email bev@cambridgecarbonfootprint.org if you are interested.

Monday 18 March: Launch event for Promoting Credit Unions

16:00-18:00, The Guildhall, Cambridge, CB2 3NH

Cambridge & District Volunteer Centre is leading a new Cambridge City Council funded project, working with Cambridge CAB’s Consumerhub, Cambridge City and Cambridge Rainbow Savers Credit Unions. (See our earlier news item). To get the ball rolling you are invited to a launch event on 18th March with tea and sandwiches from 4pm and guest speakers from 4.30pm. If you would like to come, please register with Louise Walker by email or tel:01223 356549 by 12pm Friday 1st March

Wednesday 20 March: Lecture - Economics for a finite planet

18:00-19:30, Engineering Department, Trumpington Street

Tim Jackson is Professor of Sustainable Development at the University of Surrey. His best-known book is 'Prosperity without Growth', based on the work of the Sustainable Development Commission. He has been at the forefront of research and teaching on sustainable development for over 20 years, and has served in an advisory capacity to a number of government departments. Part of the Distinguished Lecture series on Sustainable Development. More details here.

Saturday 23 March: Fulbourn Forum Community Market

14:30-16:30, The Fulbourn Centre, Home End, Fulbourn, CB21 5BS

Seasonal seed swap and plant sale. Return of CamBake’s delicious artisan breads and welcome to newcomer Suffolk Pudding Company's fresh, local puddings and savouries. Riverdale Organic Farm’s regular fruit and veg stall, and Big Village organic ethical skincare. Sumptuous chocolate for Easter and wooden, fabric, knitted and other crafts and affordable jewellery. Swift nesting boxes. Forum table offers home produced cakes, biscuits, jams, chutneys. Refreshments prepared by the W.I. For further details please call 01223 881103 or email us More details here.

Saturday 23 March: Fulbourn Community Market + seed swap

14:30-16:30, Townley Hall, Fulbourn, CB21 5BS

Fulbourn Community Market is always a good place to get local produce - anything from tasty veg to honey, apple juice and more. Cambake will be there, so you can sample and buy some of their very delicious bread. There's also a seed swap alongside the market, so you can bring (viable) seeds, swap seeds, and there may also be some plants for sale. More details here.

Monday 25 March: Green Enterprise Community - David Jones on 'Living Landscape' conservation

19:30-21:30, Friends Meeting House, Jesus Lane, CB5 8BA

David will share with us the Wildlife Trust’s new ‘Living Landscape’ approach to conservation which aims to benefit local communities, while protecting wildlife and reconnecting people with the natural world. One of the first and most exciting ‘Living Landscape’ projects is The Great Fen, between Cambridge and Peterborough. He will also discuss how the Wildlife Trust works as a ‘business’ and how it engages with its supporters, the implications of this new approach, and the challenges they’ve faced. The evening should be of interest to anyone interested in new approaches to financially sustainable conservation, or just wanting to hear the story behind one of the UK’s most important new conservation projects. The evening will be participative, with plenty of time for discussion. Cost £5. More details here.

Tuesday 26 March: Future Transport in South Cambridgeshire

19:15-21:30, Coton Village Hall, High St, Coton, Cambridge, CB23 7PL

A chance to meet some of the people working on sustainable travel in the district, and bounce around some ideas as to how we might work together to make it easier to get around by bike, bus, train or liftshare. For those involved in the Sustainable Parish Energy Partnership plus anyone else interested in improving sustainable travel in South Cambridgeshire. Coffee at 7.15, talks from 7.30, discussion from 8.30. The speakers will be: - Richard Hales, SCDC Community Transport & Buses - Robin Heydon, Cambridge Cycling Campaign - Susan van der Ven, Meldreth, Shepreth & Foxton Rail User Group - Mark Webb, Travel for Work Partnership

Saturday 13 April: Beginners' sewing workshop

Cambridge Carbon Footprint is holding a beginners' sewing workshop to help you mend and alter clothes. Booking essential. Read more about it here.

Saturday 13 April: Cam Cleanup

10:00-13:00, Sheep's Green (near Mill Pond), Midsummer Common (near the Fort St George) and Stourbridge Common

Can you help clean our rivers and Commons of litter? Last year 100 people came and filled countless bags of rubbish. City Council staff will provide bags, gloves and litter pickers - all we need from you is a little time. If you can help please let Andrea Reiner know, so that they will know how many people to plan for.

Monday 22 April: Community Food Enterprises - Cropshare, Cambake and Sustainable Souk

19:30-21:30, Friends Meeting House, Jesus Lane, CB5 8BA

This green enterprise session focuses on “Community Food”, looking at three different early stage community food enterprises in the Cambridge area: Cropshare (a Community Supported Agriculture scheme working with a local farmer), Cambake (a community supported bakery), and Sustainable Souk (an online ordering and cycle delivery service for local food). All have been incubated in the Transition Cambridge Food Group. We will hear the inside story – the principles that underlie a community food enterprise, and the vision, opportunities and challenges for each. Do join us to learn more about these inspiring local examples, contribute your ideas about how they can overcome the challenges they are facing, and discuss how we can build a resilient local food system. As usual in Green-enterprise events, the evening will be participative and will include plenty of time for discussion with the speakers and other participants. All welcome, cost £5. More details here.

Book now for Carbon Conversations group starting 17 April

There will be a fortnightly six-session Carbon Conversaions group in the station area starting Wednesday April 17, run by Cambridge Carbon Footprint. This award-winning course can change lives and is enjoyable as well as informative and thought-provoking. Cost £15, including handbook. See here for more details and email alana@cambridgecarbonfootprint.org or phone 01223 301842 to book.

Events for your calendar

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Transition Cambridge aims to help Cambridge make the transition to ways of life that are more resilient in the face of rising energy prices and a changing climate.

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