Transition Communities Up North – Get going Canada

I love Brit speak. Some groups are not undecided they are mulling things over. Anyway there is a great list at the end of this article so go check it out.

http://citizenactionmonitor.wordpress.com/2010/09/23/canadas-transition-communities/

Canada’s Transition Communities

23 Sep

No 67 Posted September 23, 2010

IMPORTANT UPDATE, Jan. 7, 2011: Ten *NEW* communities added to the List of Canadian Transition Communities (below).

What is a Transition Community?

The following text is excerpted and adapted from Ball’s research paper, Transition Towns: Local Networking for Global Sustainability?

The Transition Movement, promoting an action-based approach to (local) sustainability, has in the past four years grown to incorporate a large network of individual Transition Initiatives. Informed by ideas and values within environmental organizations, yet, in its practical organisation it is distinct from past models of sustainability by incorporating broad grassroots support in a diverse range of places within the framework of a coherent networking model.

Sustainability challenges the dominant, market-based capitalism of industrial society, on economic, social, environmental and ecological grounds, citing devastating ecological and environmental exploitation. Sustainability, in contrast, calls for production and consumption within long-term ecological limits.

While local sustainability has become a politically important goal, in practice neither top-down government nor grassroots community models have gained widespread uptake or success: the former have failed to connect with or involve a grassroots public; the latter generally have few resources and limited capacity.

The Transition Model, a non-governmental community-led model, advances an action-based approach. With its fast-growing network of Initiatives, the Transition Movement is akin to a non-profit franchise operation, combining the advantage of a centralized support base with the capacity and resources of a decentralized networking organization.

The Transition concept, co-founded by Rob Hopkins, who has a background in permaculture, builds upon a core thesis: that the modern industrial capitalist economic and social system, based upon cheap oil and resources, is unsustainable, making a major restructuring of economy and society imperative, and inevitable. Transition contends that citizens and communities need to act proactively and positively at the local scale, in a process of ‘Transition’ and ‘Powerdown’ to build localized and resilient communities in terms of food, energy, work and waste. The vision holds that decarbonized local communities will be resilient in their capacity to “hold together and maintain their ability to function in the face of change and shock from the outside.” Transition is modelled to be a self-organizing community-led model, for people to “act now and act collectively.”

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More tomorrow.

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Transition Communities – Live in the flesh

This is a pretty good discussion of the sustainability component of it. I apologize up front for just posting the video connection and not much more. I am terrible at posting videos.

http://vimeo.com/28881870

Five minutes with Dave Hamilton
2 days ago
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See all Show me 
nu project’s videos
 
5. Five minutes with Dave Hamilton 
12 days ago
 
2. Hackney City Farm  
by nu project1 year ago
Dave Hamilton has a degree in Nutrition, is a professional foraging,food and gardening writer. He lives in Devon, where he grows and forages for most of his own food and teaches horticulture.

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But here is more about the guy.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Hamilton_%28author%29

Dave Hamilton (author)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

David John Hamilton (born 1974) British author, Journalist, Gardener and Forager.[1][2] Born in Northampton he now lives in Totnes, Devon.

He attended Weston Favell School in Northampton where he slipped through the education system graduating with only three G.C.S.E’s above C grade including English language.

He has lived all over the UK and amongst other things has worked as a market trader in Camden Stables Market and in Anjuna India, a postman and a gardener in Oxford and a driver’s mate and factory worker in Northampton.[3]

He later returned to education and whilst studying a BSc in Nutrition and Food Science at Oxford Brookes he began growing his own food.[4] Realising there were still bills to and full self-sufficiency was very difficult he coined the term ‘Self-Sufficientish’ which later was adopted by the website he runs with his twin brother.[5]

The website led to the publishing of his first book, with Andy Hamilton, The Self Sufficient-ish Bible: An Eco-living Guide for the 21st Century (ISBN 978-0340951026) [6]

He now lives in Devon where he is following another of his passions, that of plants, by training to be a sustainable horticulturist at the Dutchy College run course at the Schumacher College in Dartington. Along with fellow students on the course Dave has started up a sustainable bee keeping group using methods championed by Phil Chandler.[7]

He occasionally appears on TV and radio and writes a regular column for Alan Moores underground magazine Dodgem Logic.[8] He also contributes to Grow It Magazine and Country Small Holder.

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More tomorrow.

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400 Transition Communities Worldwide – That’s pretty impressive

I honestly do not know whether I could live in a transition town or not. I took a hitch hiking tour of “intentional communities” here in America in the early 80s. Now I am not trying to compare Ttowns to communes, but some of them were low tech attempts to be agricultural communities. Unfortunately, it seemed to be a question of how you fit in with the people more than what they were doing, per se. Still they are interesting ideas.

http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/climate-solutions/communities-in-transition

Communities in Transition

Less carbon – more skills and connection

Doug Pibel wrote this article as part of Stop Global Warming Cold, the Spring 2008 issue of YES! Magazine. Doug is YES! managing editor. Photo of Doug Pibel

posted Feb 01, 2008

 

Transition Town Westcliff: community gardens. Photo by Fred Robinson
Citizens of Transition Town Westcliff, in the United Kingdom, are exploring how to prepare for a carbon-constrained world. The town is creating an Energy Descent Action Plan. This photo: community gardens. Photos by Fred Robinson

Rob Hopkins was teaching permaculture in Kinsale, Ireland, when he encountered the concept of peak oil. Hopkins and his students were shocked at the looming prospect of a world without cheap energy, and at the absence of plans to deal with the repercussions. Rather than wait for someone else to act—government or otherwise—they figured out how to address the problem, one community at a time.

Hopkins says, “The idea emerged that the future with less oil could be preferable. But we need to rediscover what was actually good about life before cheap oil.”

Their work led to the Transition Towns movement, which claims 26 communities as members in the United Kingdom, with 400 more worldwide expressing interest in becoming transition communities—people taking charge of preparing their communities to make a graceful entry into a low-energy world.

The essence of the Transition Town concept is building resilience at the community level. As Hopkins points out, it is only in the last half-century that oil has become the central force in all aspects of our lives, moving people, moving food, and removing both the sense of community and the skills for local mutual support.

During World War II, Hopkins says, Victory Gardens were an important part of the food supply. At the time, growing food in the back yard was not a great challenge—most people were at most a generation away from some sort of home food production. Those who were not had ready access to the knowledge of neighbors or elders.

Transition Town Westcliff: sustainable transportation. Photo by Debbie Burnett
Transition Town Westcliff, in the UK. This photo: sustainable transportation. Photo by Debbie Burnett

In the years since World War II, we’ve so absorbed the notion that food should come from trucks that a Victory Garden would be beyond the capability of most. Similarly, cheap clothing shipped across the world has made sewing a quaint thing of the past. Skills that were commonplace less than 100 years ago have disappeared. What we’ve lost, says Hopkins, is resilience.

The Transition Towns movement aims to rebuild that, from the ground up. One key to the success of the movement has been that it invites people on a journey of change, starting where they are right now, rather than using fear or guilt as motivators. The news about peak oil and climate change is still poorly understood by many; helping people adjust to what seems very bad news is part of the Transition Town program

 

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More next week.

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Transition Culture – Flee hydrocarbon culture

I think the real questions here are, can enough of us flee in time and can the different technologies required to do it handle climate change. Unfortunately we shall see.

http://transitionculture.org/about/

About this site and me

robintotnesFor more about this website and what is all about take a look at the page Why Transition Culture?. This section is to tell you about myself.  It is written in the third person not due to delusions of grandeur, but so that people who need biog pieces can cut and paste it from here.

Rob Hopkins is the co-founder of Transition Town Totnes and of the Transition Network. He has many years experience in education, teaching permaculture and natural building, and set up the first 2 year full-time permaculture course in the world, at Kinsale Further Education College in Ireland, as well as co-ordinating the first eco-village development in Ireland to be granted planning permission.

observerethicalawards2009logonewHe is author of ‘Woodlands for West Cork!’, ‘Energy Descent Pathways’ and most recently ‘The Transition Handbook: from oil dependence to local resilience’, which has been published in a number of other languages, and which was voted the 5th most popular book taken on holiday by MPs during the summer of 2008.  He publishes www.transitionculture.org, recently voted ‘the 4th best green blog in the UK’(!).

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More tomorrow.

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Permaculture And Transitional Communities – What Wiki says

Those fleeing a hydrocarbon existence use many different rationales. Like Thoreau, they want to lead a simpler life, while resisting the constant wars the US seems to be in. Like Schumacher they want to celebrate appropriate technology. Like the Amish they want to support earth conscious sustainable food production methods. What ever the reason, this is what WIKI says about it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transition_Towns

Transition Towns

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

Totnes, Devon: a Transition Town

Transition Towns (also known as Transition network or Transition Movement) is a brand for environmental and social movements “founded (in part) upon the principles of permaculture[1], based originally on Bill Mollison’s seminal Permaculture, a Designers Manual published in 1988. The Transition Towns brand of permaculture uses David Holmgren’s 2003 book, Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability. [2] These techniques were included in a student project overseen by permaculture teacher Rob Hopkins at the Kinsale Further Education College in Ireland. The term transition town was coined by Louise Rooney[3] and Catherine Dunne. Following its start in Kinsale, Ireland it then spread to Totnes, England where Rob Hopkins and Naresh Giangrande developed the concept during 2005 and 2006.[4] The aim of this community project is to equip communities for the dual challenges of climate change and peak oil. The Transition Towns movement is an example of socioeconomic localisation.

Contents

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Out to weed the strawberry patch. More tomorrow.

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Anne Logue Posted This On Facebook Today – Nuclear Power no thanks

I know I have been doing residential energy conservation stuff the last few weeks but a buddy on Facebook posted the Nuclear Power No Thanks button today. I had not thought of that for 20 years or more. I went to my first anti-nuke protest when I was 14. So by the time the button started circulating in 1977, I was an “old man” in the protest business. But seeing it reminded me that there is a lighter side to the world of social change. Plus Ann is cute as a button herself.

 

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You all have a great weekend. More on Monday.

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Energy Conservation The UK Way – Stiff upper lip and all

Pip pip.

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/

  • You are here (UK)

 

 

Welcome!

If you are looking for ways to stop wasting energy and money you’ll find lots of ideas here. The Energy Saving Trust is a non-profit organisation that provides free and impartial advice on how to save energy.

The Renewable Heat Premium Payment has been announced as part of the Renewable Heat Incentive – find out more and apply now >

For all the latest news, read the Energy Saving Trust’s blog >

Sign up for our EU Life+ ‘Combining water and energy efficiency’ event on 22nd September

 

Stay up to date with the latest news

Have you joined the world of Facebook? Become a fan of the Energy Saving Trust and get energy saving tips and information on a daily basis, whether you’re sat at home or out and about.

 

Become a fan today!

What’s happening near you?

Want to know what’s going on in your area? Find helpful, localised information about all things energy saving with ‘Where I Live’.

 

What’s happening in your local area?

 

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More tomorrow.

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Last Day Of The Meditation On Residential Services – GreenUP, I love the name

It is a good thing that I got to them when I did because they are changing their name to something less charming. Oh well that is the way the corporate dice fall. Anyway, to me these people look like up and comers so to speak, so:

http://iwantrenewableenergy.com/

Yes, its true…after many months of planning and good counsel, GreenUP Energy Solutions will begin taking steps to change its name to Green Building Solutions Inc. GreenUP is owned by someone who also was a part owner in a construction company. Now with a new team and direction in place, It has been decided to be necessary to create a name and brand that will suit our portfolio of services and clients. We thank you in advance for your patience and understanding as we take, what we feel are the necessary steps to building a solid infrastructure for all our partners and associates to grow from.

 

Green Building Solutions is a diverse company offering many services revolving around construction and renewable energy. We offer a variety of wind and solar options as well as full service installation. Green Building Solutions offers a variety of construction services specializing in building alterations, new construction, interior finishes and systems, with over 15 years of experience in Retail, commercial, industrial and residential. Green Building Solutions is a reliable resource for all your construction and go green needs!

Looking to build a NEW greener Smart Home? Contact us today and mention the Smart-House promotion! We have tons of designs to choose from.

Browse our products and services for more information on how we can help you or your Home or Business go green. Visit our contact page and someone in our sales team will respond with-in 24 hours. We look forward to working with you.

Visit our News Archive

GreenUP Energy Solutions is changing its name…

June 30, 2011

Yes, its true…after many months of planning and good counsel,  GreenUP Energy Solutions will begin taking s…

9 things to know about wind turbines

July 26, 2010

Used to be if you wanted to put a wind turbine up at your house you either had to live on a remote farm, or grow y…

New Products with GreenUP Energy Solutions

July 26, 2010

GreenUP Energy Solutions is proud to announce that we have added a new line of products to our renewable energy ar…

GreenUP Version 2.0

July 26, 2010

We hope you like the brand new look to our web site.  We have made numerous changes included the design and c…

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Have a great weekend everybody. More next week.

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Automated Residential Systems – Here is a good example

Again these type systems are not for lower or working class families. They need basic energy conservation techniques and ultimately to be moved off the grid. But for those who can afford it this is pretty cool.

http://www.magnumenergysolutions.com/resident.php?top_menu_id=1

Venergy home is a complete home automation solution. The Venergy system allows homeowners to control all the lights in their home from a series of self-powering switches, Thermostat HVAC control, and electronics connected to the Venergy outlet. In addition the home owner has complete home automation through the Venergy software for entertainment, security alarm, cameras, real time smart energy monitoring and much more!

New Home Construction or Retrofit Benefits:

Reduce build costs in new construction with the Venergy new home 16 channel controller, which eliminates the need for switch legs.

100% whole house dimming, which results in dramatic energy savings and extended bulb life with the Venergy new home controller

Because all switches are 100% movable, homeowners can change switch locations any time they want or need to.

Terminate Standby power to electronics with the Venergy outlet.

Know to the kHw or penny how much energy your home is consuming with the Venergy Smart Monitor.

Turn on lights, control temperature, monitor your home while out of town with your iPhone, Blackberry or web browser and the Venergy software interface.

The Venergy home automation solution is a simple retrofit or new construction system which provides the home owner with basic or advanced control as they desire.

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Residential Solar Down To A $1.57 Per Watt – Cool breeze

At least that is what the folks at SunWize claim.

http://www.sunwize.com/aboutsw/sunwize-solar-energy-index.php

SunWize headquarters and East Coast distribution facility in Kingston, NY

What Can SunWize Do For You?

From manufactured specialty modules to prepackaged units to site installed systems to an extensive component inventory, SunWize meets your power needs using photovoltaic (PV) technology. Our solar electric systems supply reliable power where and when you need it. We design our products and systems for maximum efficiency and minimum on-site construction time and operation costs.

Products

Our pre-assembled systems are complete, fully integrated power supplies designed to meet the requirements of your project. All systems are easy to order, factory assembled, and simple to install and commission. We design custom systems and products to satisfy specific load and environmental requirements. SunWize, the premier solar electric distributor in the USA, also supplies a large selection of solar modules and balance of system components to its network of solar dealers and installers.

Solar Energy Design Services

For over 25 years, PV has been used extensively as a distributed power source for industrial equipment located “off the grid”. PV systems are powering a variety of loads, such as microwave and fiber optic repeaters, instrumentation, RTU/SCADA, cathodic protection, rural telephony and traffic safety. Since many of these projects include a variety of requirements and special considerations, we offer the following project services:
– Site Analysis – Specification Preparation
– Personnel Training – Turnkey Installation
– Installation Supervision – O&M Manual Preparation
– System Commissioning – O&M/Service Contract

West Coast Solar Distribution FacilitySunWize West Coast distribution facility in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

SunWize Offers Reliable Solar Energy Solutions for Electric Power

SunWize Technologies, Inc. is backed by the reputation and financial stability of its parent company , one of the world’s oldest and largest trading companies with 864 subsidiaries in over 91 countries. Read the .

SunWize Facilities

Our engineering and manufacturing activities are housed in a 30,000 square foot (2,787 sq. M.) facility in Kingston, New York (photo at left) that also serves as our corporate headquarters, main distribution facility and the center of operations for the Industrial Power Group. The building is designed for the indoor outfitting of large telecommunication shelters and walk-in enclosures, independent of weather conditions.

Our Kingston facility also contains a comprehensive research and development laboratory facilitates new product development offering our customers more solutions to remote power problems. The Custom Solar Module lab was specifically designed for our proprietary manufacturing process.

In 2008, SunWize moved the Distributed Power Group headquarters to San Jose, California where it currently conducts it’s Product Distribution, Residential Systems and Commercial Systems operations. The Residential Power Systems Division, headquartered in San Jose, currently focuses on providing design, engineering, and installation services for residential and small commercial customers in California and Oregon and operates five regional offices. The Commercial Power Systems Division provides similar services to large commercial, government and industrial customers nationwide, with projects over 50kW.

In December 2007, SunWize acquired the former GenSelf Corporation – the largest solar electric installer with offices in the Coachella Valley and is currently headquartered in Tustin, California. The Residential Power Systems Division has also recently expanded its operations into Oregon. The first branch is located in Philomath near Corvallis, and serves the Interstate 5 corridor between Eugene and Portland and throughout the Willamette Valley.

For the convenience of our customers, we also maintain a 71,000 square foot (6,596 sq. M.) distribution warehouse in Rancho Cucamonga, California (photo left), providing same day shipping on the West Coast. We retain nineteen sales offices in the United States, and offices in Canada to support our solar customers in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. We offer our customers in Latin America a Spanish language catalog, and dedicated field office.

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More tomorrow.

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