Newsletter20090803

Transition Cambridge Hi everyone!

August is a quieter month for Transition Cambridge, but somehow there's still lots to say, with the training workshop coming up, the Zero Carbon Caravan passing through Cambridge in September and various transition holidays. Thanks for continuing to send in your items for this bulletin!

CONTENTS Transition News and Events

  • Calendar, holiday and future groups
  • Transition Training weekend workshop - 5-6 Sept
  • Zero Carbon Caravan - 10th Sept
  • Growing tip - collecting seed from your plants
  • Garden share helper wanted
  • Transition Trail 2009 - a week's holiday near Totnes
  • South East Transition Camp - 25 - 27th September

Related news and events

  • Recycling old computers
  • Ed Milliband's big plan for UK carbon reduction - new publication
  • Some interesting links!

Transition News and Events

  • Calendar, holiday and future groups

The steering group are taking a holiday in August! The Transition Café will re-open on 3 September, and bulletins will be a bit less frequent till then. We already have quite a few events lined up for September:

3 Sept - Café night
5-6 Sept - Transition Training weekend workshop (more info below)
10 Sept - Zero Carbon Caravan evening event (see below)
17 Sept - Café night
24 Sept - Talk by Samina Khan "Finding your heart's purpose amid turbulent times" (7:30pm, Friends Meeting House, Jesus Lane)
If you have other ideas for events, let us know.

There are also several sub-groups that may form soon, including ones on business, awareness-raising, economics, media, a university group (already getting started) and a group for children and young people. Let us know if you're interested in joining one of these or starting another one!

  • Transition Training weekend workshop - 5-6 Sept

This is nearly full so book soon if you want to take part! Thanks to grants from Cambridge Sustainable City and a charity called 'Educational Services', the training now costs £50 (£25 low waged). The workshop will cover the context of transition, the transition model, the main steps of transition, working out a plan of action for ourselves and our localities, the inner and outer aspects of transition, and how to give a Transition talk. So it's basically an introduction to how to get involved in Transition and how to go about setting up and running transition groups. For more info and to book, see the training web page. Please send cheques as soon as possible (and by 22 August at the latest) to confirm your place.

  • Zero Carbon Caravan - 10th Sept

The Zero Carbon Caravan http://zerocarboncaravan.net/wordpress/ are a bunch of cyclists going all the way from Wales to Copenhagen in order to deliver a message of action on climate change to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (7-18 December, http://unfccc.int/2860.php). They will be coming through Cambridge on 10 September and Histon on 11 September, and have organised a series of speakers in Cambridge on the evening of the 10th (7:30-9:30pm, Friends Meeting House, Jesus Lane): Tony Juniper will speak about the Green New Deal, Steph Whitfield of the RSPB will speak about wind farms, and Ro Randall will speak on the psychology of climate change. Everyone is also welcome to join them cycling from Bedford on the 9th or for a larger/shorter part of their journey.

Contact Chris Keene for more details.

  • Growing tip - collecting seed from your plants

From the food group: This is a good time of year to be collecting seed from your vegetables and other plants to grow next year. If you have not done this before, do have a go; it isn't hard and there is good advice available on the internet, for example at Garden Organics http://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/hsl/seed_saving/. If you save seed now you could bring it along to the next seed swap in January, and exchange some for other seeds that you need!

  • Garden share helper wanted

From the food group: The Garden Share Scheme has more gardeners than gardens. We would like to reach out more to elderly people who perhaps do not have internet access. To do that, though, we need someone to help who is likely to be available by phone during the day. Please email jacky if you'd like to get involved.

  • Transition Trail 2009 - a week's holiday near Totnes

Not quite finalised your holiday arrangements for this summer? Hal Gilmore, of Transition Town Totnes, invites you to join the Transition Trail 2009 - a new unique summer break for the 'holiday at home' season. "Join us for a fun, healthy, active time in a beautiful and historic part of England and a quality experience learning about this thing called Transition." This holiday week aims to provide a different way to engage people in Transition and be more accommodating to the increasing number of people that come on 'pilgrimage' to Totnes. More info here: http://tinyurl.com/TransitionTrail2009 (pdf, 716kb)

  • South East Transition Camp - 25 - 27th September

The second Transition camp will take place on Wapsbourne Farm in Sussex at the end of the Bluebell Railway. Come for a weekend of camp fires, sauna, stars, workshops, kids activites, music and delicious food and of course much more. Register here: http://transitiongathering.ning.com

Related news and events

  • Recycling old computers

Got an old computer or printer that you'd rather recycle than chuck out? Reboot, based at the social enterprise centre on Newmarket Road, will take it off your hands! They also sell second-hand computers. On their web-site, they say: "Reboot is more than a computer shop. We can offer you value for money computers, servicing and a facility to continue the life of your unwanted IT equipment. We are looking for 21st century IT equipment, if you are unsure about what you have please ring us on 01223 365917. All computers are security wiped and most will be sent abroad. More recent machines will be retailed by us from our shop at Eastern Court. All equipment that does not meet these criteria will be dismantled for material recovery and recycling. By buying computers from us or using our services you will be helping people with various needs gain skills that will improve their chances of starting or returning to work." Reboot: http://www.aflsocialenterprise.org/reboot/, Eastern Court, Social Enterprise Centre, 182 - 190 Newmarket Road, Cambridge, CB5 8HE

  • Ed Milliband's big plan for UK carbon reduction - new publication

Last month saw the publication of Ed Milliband's big plan for UK carbon reduction. You can read about it here, and download it through a link from this page: http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/publications/lc_trans_plan/lc_trans_plan.aspx It's a bit gigantic though, 228 pages, so not recommended for the faint hearted.

There's also some very interesting analysis from Rob Hopkins here: http://transitionculture.org/2009/07/17/a-transition-take-on-the-uk-low-carbon-transition-plan/ along with some insightful reader comments.

Some interesting links!

A great way to consume less and get rid of unwanted junk is the 100-thing-challenge - let us know how you get on if you try this! You can recycle things you don't need using Freecycle There's a great little video about climate change (it's pretty scary, but wait till the end for the more positive bit): and an article from todays Independent on-line about Peak Oil Finally a heart-warming poem about how wonderful our planet is.

Have a great summer, and see you in September!

Anna

Our Mission

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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