Newsletter20120130

Hi Everyone,

There seems to be an emphasis on food this week; kicking of with the Food Group meeting tomorrow evening and followed up with lots of tasty fare cooked up by Cropshare and Foodcycle and the Incredible Veggie Roadshow at the weekend. Hopefully something to tickle all types of tastebuds!

CONTENTS

Transition News and Events

  • Tuesday 31 January: Food Group meeting
  • Saturday 04 February: Cropshare onions cooked up in Foodcycle feast
  • Monday 06 February: Energy Group Meeting
  • Tuesday 07 February: The Economics of Happiness (film) + talk by Sir Partha Dasgupta
  • Thursday 09 February: Cafe evening - Why does politics matter to Transition?
  • Friday 10 February: Organic Jam – of the musical variety!
  • Saturday 11 February: Hedge laying and building a living willow screen.
  • Monday 27 February: The Work that Reconnects through song, dance and poetry
  • Thursday 01 March: Growzones launch 2012
  • Thursday 08 March: Transition cafe: Off-grid renewable energy systems
  • Radical food ideas in the BBC's The Food Programme
  • Helping out at Transition stalls
  • Towards an EDAP for Transition Cambridge

Community News

  • Headway Cambridge Allotment Project - opportunity
  • Wanted: a little bit of land to support a sustainable lifestyle

Other News and Events

  • Monday 30 January: An Evening with Danny Chivers
  • Wednesday 01 February: Sustainable Materials with both eyes open
  • Saturday 04 February: The Incredible Veggie Roadshow
  • Monday 06 February: Growing, selling, buying food in your local community
  • Monday 06 February: Film: Living without money
  • Wednesday 08 February: The power of markets to protect nature
  • Wednesday 08 February: Winter Cookery Demo
  • Friday 10 February: Energise Cambridge student rally
  • Keeping pigs and goats
  • Otesha Cycle Tours + internship opportunities

Transition News and Events

Tuesday 31 January: Food Group meeting

18:30-20:30, The Emperor pub, 21 Hills Road, CB2 1NW

This is the food group's regular fortnightly meeting. We'll be talking about our current projects and plans for the future.

Saturday 04 February: Cropshare onions cooked up in Foodcycle feast

12:30, St Paul's Church, 2 Hills Road Cambridge CB2 1JP

Transition's Cropshare onion harvest is being put to good use: we've donated plenty to local foodwaste-fighting charity Foodcycle. In 2011, Cropshare volunteers had loads of fun and grew a bumper onion harvest in partnership with a local organic farm. Foodcycle use reclaimed food surplus from local Cambridge businesses to create delicious healthy meals for the community. Join us to tuck into a free onion-themed lunch and find out about both schemes.

Monday 06 February: Energy Group Meeting

20:00-21:30, Judith's house on Leys Road

We will be making final plans for our forum on Wood Burning Stoves on 15th Feb, and discussing more blue sky initiatives. Contact Nicola for details of venue.

Tuesday 07 February: The Economics of Happiness (film) + talk by Sir Partha Dasgupta

18:45-20:45, Cambridge Arts Picturehouse (St Andrews Street)

Transition Cambridge and Cambridge Carbon Footprint invite you to a showing of "The Economics of Happiness" at the Arts Picturehouse. The film will be followed by a talk and Q&A session with renowned economist Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta. “The Economics of Happiness” questions whether our current economic model is damaging our well-being. It explores the many negative consequences of economic globalisation – climate change, fundamentalism, economic insecurity and species extinction as well as the personal costs such as stress and depression. It then suggests a solution to these problems – economic localisation. Rob Hopkins (co-founder of the Transition Network) writes: "This passionate film presents a clear and articulate vision of what a shift in the scale at which we do things would look like... Very timely and powerful." The film will be followed by a question and answer session with Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta, who is the Frank Ramsey Professor Emeritus of Economics and has written several books including "Human Well-being and the Natural Environment". Tickets will be available through the Arts Picturehouse box office. You can view the film trailer and learn more about the movie here.

Thursday 09 February: Cafe evening - Why does politics matter to Transition?

19:30-21:00, CB1 cafe, Mill Road

What political context is Transition currently operating in? How do sustainability policies get made? and how can we influence them? What about local, national, EU and international policy-making? Leading this evening will be Phil Callaghan, OU lecturer and former senior government official working on sustainability and environment issues. Join us for a talk on sustainability policy making, followed by what we hope will be a lively discussion. Bring your questions - the gnarlier the better! Cafe opens at 7.00, the talk will start at 7.30.

Friday 10 February: Organic Jam – of the musical variety!

20:00, CB2 basement, Norfolk Street, Cambridge

Come join us on 10th February anytime from 8pm onwards for an evening of music making – no musical skills necessary! (but those with skills very welcome too!) This will be an experimental gathering to jam and make music together organically for expression and fun! You are invited to bring instruments to play and/or share - songbooks are also very welcome. (Acoustic instruments only, i.e. nothing that needs plugging in, and CB2 have asked us not to bring drums as they're a bit too noisy.) Primarily bring yourself and a willingness to get involved and have some fun… This event is free of charge and open to all, and is the first in a new series of Transition socials. Even if you have never been to a Transition Cambridge event before you can be sure of a warm welcome – hope to see you there!

Saturday 11 February: Hedge laying and building a living willow screen.

10:00-16:00, Trumpington Allotments.

We will be planting a living willow hedge to make the bees fly upwards when leaving the hives on the site. We will also be laying some more of the hedge which will improve biodiversity.

Monday 27 February: The Work that Reconnects through song, dance and poetry

19:30-21:30, Venue to be confirmed

Join us for an evening of The Work that Reconnects, an ecopsychological approach developed by Joanna Macy. This workshop will use song, dance and poetry to explore our feelings about the current state of the world. Suggested donation £3.

Thursday 01 March: Growzones launch 2012

19:00-21:00, Friends Meeting House Jesus Lane Cambridge CB5 8BA

Introductory meeting to the Growzones project, a fun way of giving your garden or allotment a makeover while meeting like-minded people!

Thursday 08 March: Transition cafe: Off-grid renewable energy systems

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

Have you ever wondered what it's like to live off-grid? Or perhaps you'd like to know how to fix up electricity on a boat or in a shed? Come and find out how to do it with Andy Rankin, member of the TC energy group and founder of local solar energy company Midsummer Energy. Andy has lots of experience of installing off-grid renewable power systems - from small systems powering scientific instruments in Antarctica, to medium-sized systems on narrowboats and yachts, to large solar arrays providing power to farmhouses that previously relied on diesel generators. The Transition cafe opens at 7pm, and the talk will start at 7.30pm, with lots of time for questions and discussion. Free.

Radical food ideas in the BBC's The Food Programme

From Dave: "This programme is a must listen for all those interested in alternative models of food production." Listen here.

Helping out at Transition stalls

We're getting lots of requests for Transition stalls at various events - would you like to help with this? It's usually a couple of hours on a Saturday or Sunday. Our stalls are usually quite relaxed, and most of the people we meet are enthusiastic and interested. We'll organise a session on the sorts of things that people ask and some possible replies. Stalls coming up include one at Seedy Sunday this coming Sunday (29th Jan), one at the Alternatives to Economic Growth conference (18 Feb) and a stall as part of the university students' Green Week (10 Feb). It'd be great to get together a team of us to share doing these! Get in touch if you're interested.

Towards an EDAP for Transition Cambridge

Transition Cambridge is nearly 4 years old and has accomplished so much already. To keep us moving forward and working effectively, it would be beneficial to develop a long-term vision and strategy for our role in building local resiliency and sustainability in Cambridge. I am therefore looking for other members of Transition Cambridge who would be interested in leading this initative. Generally it would involve organising backcasting sessions, gathering visions and ideas for a future Cambridge into a document, and working with TC groups and projects to develop their strategies for contributing to and achieving this vision. What would eventually result would be an Energy Descent Action Plan for Transition Cambridge, hopefully to be approved by the next AGM this September. If this sounds like something you would passionate about and able to commit to for the next 8 months or so, please get in touch with Stephanie so we can get started.

Calendar of events

Wednesday 15 February: Advice on Wood Stoves

 

Community News

Headway Cambridge Allotment Project - opportunity

From John Peck, Community Brain Injury Advisor, Headway Cambridgeshire: "We have an allotment at Headway Cambridgeshire which we are trialling with our clients. Our clients have all had a brain injury of some sort (stroke, brain haemorrhage, tumour, car accident, assault etc) and vary in terms of their problems because of that, but normally include memory problems, emotional problems, fatigue, disinhibition, impulsiveness, and impaired judgement. We are looking for a potential volunteer to help us to run the Allotment Project on Friday mornings, 10.30-12.30. The volunteer would need to be an experienced gardener and would ideally have some experience of working with vulnerable adults/be able to demonstrate an ability to relate to vulnerable adults. There is potential it could be a paid position for the right candidate." Please contact John for further information (e-mail, phone: 01223 576550).

Wanted: a little bit of land to support a sustainable lifestyle

Local photographer Wesley Stanford is looking for a bit of land, somewhere he could live for a few months as sustainabily as possible. It could be on someone's farm or in a big garden. Please get in touch with him if you could help!

Related News and Events

Monday 30 January: An Evening with Danny Chivers

19:30-21:30, Friends Meeting House, Jesus Lane

Cambridge Carbon Footprint is teaming up with the Cambridge World Development Movement to host an Evening with Danny Chivers. He will be presenting ‘Some good news about climate change,’ a fun interactive session for up to 40 people, looking at the latest climate science and politics but with a focus on the positive. It is still possible to achieve climate justice, and this session will help you to work out what role you can play in making it happen! Booking essential – email to book or call 01223 659962. Admission free but donations always welcome. More details here.

Wednesday 01 February: Sustainable Materials with both eyes open

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

The world target is to reduce industry’s carbon emissions by 50% by 2050. However, projections are that world demand for materials will DOUBLE by 2050, so to meet our emissions target, we have to achieve a 4-fold reduction in emissions per unit of material used. Dr Julian Allwood will present a practical, evidence based vision for change based on scientific detail. His lecture will not be about climate change—but about using materials wisely, and getting more for less. Part of the 10th Annual Lecture Series in Sustainable Development. More details here.

Saturday 04 February: The Incredible Veggie Roadshow

10:30-16:00, The Guildhall, Market Square, Cambridge, CB2 3QJ

This event includes lots of talks and cookery demos, including: 11am-11.30am: Five Easy Steps to Going Veggie, with Kat Affleck; 11.45am-12.15: Everything You Wanted to Know About Tofu but Were Afraid to Ask!, Jane Easton; 12.30pm-1.20pm: Saving the World With Your Knife and Fork, Tony Wardle; 1.30-2.10: Mood Food, Helen Rossiter; 2.20pm-3pm: Why You Don't Need Dairy, Tony Wardle; 3.10pm-3.50pm: 'Cheese-free' and Delicious, Jane Easton. Full info here. Entry to show, talks and cookery demos is free (there is space for 45 people at each talk/demo). Organised by Viva!.

Monday 06 February: Growing, selling, buying food in your local community

10:00-16:00, Sproughton Tithe Barn, Ipswich, IP8 3AA

The Making Local Food Work Food Co-ops and Buying Groups project presents it's 2nd East Anglian conference. This event is for you if you grow food on an allotment, community garden, or smallholding; or buy produce through a food co-op or buying group; or even forage wild food or scrump urban fruit! The theme this year is how we can link up the supply chain between our community-scale producers and our community-owned buying groups - in what novel & innovative ways have groups across the UK managed to get community-grown fresh produce into local residents' hungry mouths? Market stalls outside social centres selling allotment surplus, peddler's carts giving scrumped apples away for free, looking after a flock of chickens one day a week, specialising in one particular product, supplying a restaurant with all their salad leaves... Full info about the conference here. The event is free but you need to book: contact Gemma or ring 07971 863586.

Monday 06 February: Film: Living without money

19:00-22:00, The Graduate Union, 17 Mill Lane, Cambridge

Is it possible to feel rich without possessions? Can you live happily without money? In the documentary “Living Without Money”, we meet the German woman Heidemarie Schwermer (68) who made a deliberate choice to live without money 14 years ago. One day she gave up her flat, donated all of her belongings and started a new life based on exchanging favors – without the use of money. Her experiences totally changed her outlook on life. Today she is living an interesting and adventurous life, which is very much related to living in the moment without worrying about the future. She is constantly on the move and always trying to help others find their path towards a more simple and harmonious life. She gets a variety of reactions to her way of life: while some get angry and call her a parasite, others think she is a visionary and a great source of inspiration. The film considers the themes of materialism and over-consumption - how money influences our way of thinking, living and acting – and the consequences this has on our life, health and the environment. The film is 52 minutes long, and was directed by Line Halvorsen. This film showing is a Free Reels Cambridge Screening. Full info here, and more info about the film here. Other interesting links include the "Life is a gift (Cambridge)" facebook page here, the Cambridge Freecycle group and the CamLets group (a local exchange trading scheme).

Wednesday 08 February: The power of markets to protect nature

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

Ian Cheshire is Group Chief Executive of Kingfisher Group. He is lead non-executive member on the Department for Work and Pensions Board. He is also a member of the Corporate Leaders Group on Climate Change and a Member of the Employers’ Forum on Disability President’s Group. Part of the 10th Annual Sustainable Development Lecture Series. More details here.

Wednesday 08 February: Winter Cookery Demo

19:30-21:30, Cambridge Cookery School at Unit 9D, The Imre Building, The Michael Young Centre, Purbeck Road

Tine Roche, founder of the Cambridge Cookery School, will give a demonstration of how to cook gourmet food with local, seasonal ingredients in the middle of winter. Don't eat too much beforehand so that you have room to sample the results. The recipes will be mostly vegetarian. There are only 30 places so booking is essential. Entrance is free but donations towards costs (about £5/head) would be gratefully received. More details here.

Friday 10 February: Energise Cambridge student rally

12:00-13:30, Parkers Piece

The students of Cambridge University have launched a campaign called Energise Cambridge (www.energisecambridge.org), which aims to engage students on climate change in a creative way and, ultimately, to persuade the university to switch their energy source to renewable energy. We are having a rally on Friday 10th Feb at 12pm, as part of Green Week celebrations, where we will gather on Parkers Piece and form ourselves into a huge shape that will be photographed from the roof of the University Arms Hotel. All welcome and bring your friends! More info. (They have also asked if Transition Cambridge can bring a stall to this - please let us know if you could help with this. Thanks!)

Keeping pigs and goats

Defra are funding several pig-keeping and goat welfare workshops around the country over the next few weeks - full details here: Defra hobby pig keeping workshops and Defra Goat Welfare Workshops. Organised by ADAS.

Otesha Cycle Tours + internship opportunities

Do you want to make the world a better place this summer? Silly question, here’s your chance to become part of a sustainable mobile community. Pedal across the UK visiting schools and youth clubs, organic farms, fascinating sustainability projects and plenty more. Join an inspirational team of other volunteers, excited to share and learn all about environmental and social sustainability. Get skilled up in everything from bike maintenance to consensus decision making and learn lots about sustainable and group living. This year we’ve got three thrilling tours including Tastetastic! – a three week food-themed extravaganza open to anyone over 18. Totally Coastal and Western Quest will spend six weeks on the road in the classic performing, workshop facilitating and cycling Otesha style (age 18-28). Find out the what, when, where, why, who and how – and apply here. It’s first come, first served for these tours, so get your application in soon to avoid disappointment! Also Tour Liaison Internships: We're also on the look-out for six dedicated, organised, fun-loving tour liaisons. These fabulous folk will have some extra responsibilities, for things like team dynamics, ensuring performances and workshops are as good as possible, and health and safety. They'll also get a couple of weeks' office experience, helping with some last minute tour planning. The deadline for this internship is 27th January at 5pm. Contact Iona Collins for more information and an application form.

Please do get in touch if you're interested in helping out at one of our stalls. It's a great way to meet some like-minded people and get involved in some lively and positive discussion!

Cheers

Rob 

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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