Transition Circle West

Transition Circle West is open to anyone living in the west of Norwich who is interested in living a low carbon life. The group meets twice monthly in each others houses. Meetings always involve a bring and share meal and then go onto the theme for the night, which can be anything from low carbon holidays to energy in the home, from growing your own to natural remedies. This year we also plan to have some practical meetings on topics such as foraging and bicycle maintenance. Part of what the group does is share stories and experiences of how each of us lives, what is working, what is difficult, real lives making real changes. It is lovely to share food and stories with others who are on the same path as you.

The initial idea was to form neighbourhood groups - as each group attracts new members and grows too large to fit in a living room - it splits into two. However, we tried this and it is difficult to split it at the right place and keep the momentum of numbers, so for meantime we have decided to go for a more active group, meeting more regularly.

If you would like to join our friendly group then get in touch with Helen Pallett at mshelenpallett@gmail.com

Photo: digging at Teresa and Pete's - Transition Circle West, July 2010

Good News from Norwich Co-Housing Group

Good news from Norwich Cohousing group: they're in discussion with a local developer about a site for their project. The location of the site is in walking distance of the city centre, in a pleasant residential area with schools, shops and workplaces nearby. There are allotments not too far away, and woodland and countryside within easy reach. Cohousing can best be described as an 'intentional neighbourhood' - a cluster of houses and flats that share communal facilities and gardens, and encourage residents to get to know each other. By keeping cars to the edge of the scheme, open space can be used for play areas, veg plots or sitting-out areas. Different ages and backgrounds can mix, exchange skills and support each other.

The buildings themselves will be as energy efficient as possible. The plot of land under discussion was already earmarked for 30 units, which is an ideal size for cohousing. House prices, hopefully, will be typical of properties in the area, and there may be some privately rented units available.

Anyone interested in finding out more should sign up as a Friend of Norwich Cohousing (from the website) or contact Lucy Hall on 01603 613440http://www.norwichcohousing.org.uk/

Springhill Co-housing in Stroud, Glos.

REPORTS: Carbon Conversations

I am now mid-way through my very local 'carbon conversations' meetings. It's very local because it's being held in a house about 400 yards from where I live, although a couple of the other 6 participants come from more rural Norfolk.

The course is designed for participants to ask themselves questions, in a convivial atmosphere, about their own lifestyles and beliefs, and about policy issues which have a bearing on carbon output. So far we have looked at 'low carbon futures', energy in the home, and travel and transport. The meetings are enlivened by some practical board games we play, to illustrate how our footprints are broken down, and how things might change too. Of particular practical significance is the possibility of free loans of energy monitors, and very useful tips for cheap ways of reducing household energy bills and emissions. It's well put together and the workbook, which comes with it all, has yet more practical advice on what we can actually do. (Chris Hull)

Carbon conversations are happening in different locations in Norwich, including UEA. For further information contact Christine Way at http://www.blogger.com/training@transitionnorwich.org or call 01603 614460

Norfolk Electric Vehicle Conversion Club (NEVCC)

Calling all people interested in converting their car or a donor petrol car to battery power.

Swap your nasty oil burning engine for a nice clean electric motor and batteries. The average range will be between 30-50 miles in between charges depending on the original car and the batteries used.

What is NEVCC?
I have long wanted to convert a petrol car to battery power but have never got round to it due to various financial and practical reasons, plus a smattering of procrastination. I have also spoken to people with the same aspirations and they too had various reasons why it was not possible for them. So, I thought, why not get an interested group together to pool our knowledge and resources to achieve this goal.

What do we need?
A group of people each with one or more of the following things: (In no particular order.)

- enthusiasm/energy/time/willingness to learn
- mechanical skills
- electronics skills
- a car to convert
- Electric Vehicle (EV) Knowledge
- A workshop/garage/barn
- Funds.

I have mechanical and EV knowledge and tools. If you are interested email me at the following address and we can go from there.
James.dexter2@ntlworld.com

Welcome to our December News!

Winter has arrived big time and so here are some reasons to be cheerful. We’re having a Christmas Party on 22 December and everyone is invited. It’s a bring-your-own event so wrap up and come bearing gifts. Bring-and-share is theme of the month as The Low Carbon Cookbook gathers its one planet community recipes, the Permaculture crew fair-share in each other’s gardens and kitchens and exciting developments unfold in the Co-housing Group. And don’t miss a new Transport initiative revving up with the all Norfolk Electric Vehicle Conversion Club.

Norwich Community Agriculture are meanwhile looking forward - visioning some new plans for their sites in Postwick and the Hewett school, planting trees and getting ready for the first Spring sowing. For February they have organised a “Dragon Dreaming” workshop on how to run successful projects. Book well ahead!

Right now as the world summit on Climate Change takes place in Mexico and everyone gears up to the National March to Parliament on Saturday, we're dealing with all kinds of power issues in our neighbourhood Transition Circles and Carbon Conversations. Last Saturday Norwich’s Zero Carbon Concert was held in an unheated St Thomas Hall and was a great success (resilient community or what!)

On the blog, This Low Carbon Life we’ve all been seriously into weather, celebrating seasonal shifts in our first Autumn photoblog and this week looking at different faces of Climate Change, the personal and the political. In between we’ve considered a shocking affair, well-being in the time of peak oil, sustainable washing, learned to love numbers and began our first Transition Themes week. Keep sharing. Keep warm! (Text: Charlotte Du Cann Photobanners: Mark Watson).

TRANSITION CIRCLES - Hethersett - 1 December

Transition Circle Hethersett took part in an event organized by the Hethersett Environmental Action Team (HEAT) on Saturday, along with the Energy Saving Trust. Heavy snow meant that not many people were about but the cold weather focussed people’s minds on the rising cost of energy and the need to conserve it! HEAT has been active in Hetheresett for many years and promotes a wide range of topics - including wildlife conservation, litter picking, and energy efficiency.

We will be meeting to talk about Food Packaging and Bulk Buying—at 19:00 on Wed 1st December at 42 Sheffield Road, Wymondham, NR18 0LZ (very limited car parking but Number 14 and 15 bus stop is close by).

Future discussions will include—Waste, Economy and how Local Planning can best encourage low carbon lifestyles. Contact Erik by email or John on 07979 800659

Photo and text by John Heaser

WINTER FESTIVITIES: Ceilidh - 15 December

Many people will remember the John Preston Tribute band that played at the TN party last year. John and some his friends will return in December but this time playing a very different type of music when The News Of The Victory play for a ceilidh at Keir Hardie Hall. NOTV is one of the most unusual ceilidh bands and are at the rock end of the folk rock spectrum. You can hear them at http://www.thenewsofthevictory.co.uk/ and details of the dance are at http://www.reeldance.org.uk/ . TN people will be there – come and join us for a fun evening! (John Heaser)

National Climate March - 4 December

March on Parliament for a Zero Carbon Britain

In the period of the CANCUN UN negotiations on climate change - the first post Copenhagen UN meeting - this is a global day of action on climate.

If you would like to go to London and need info on car-share or find people to link up with contact Trevor Phillips (07794 690322) NorwichCACC@live.co.uk

http://www.globalclimatecampaign.org/
http://www.campaigncc.org/ www.stopclimatechaos.org/

If you can't get to London there is another vital event happening in Norwich on this day - The Great Norfolk Anti-Cuts Demo assembling at 12 noon in Chapelfield Gardens.

The anti-cuts momentum is the current battleground for more sensible policies from the government and Norfolk County Council : it includes demands for 'a Million Climate Jobs' - instead of slashing public services and tax revenues. An alternative budget is described by the Norfolk campaign, which seeks to link all progressive forces in Nofolk in demands for jobs, protecting services and a new greener direction. There is also a pledge you can sign. www.norfolkcoalitionagainstcuts.org/

TRANSITION CIRCLES - Earlham South - 7 December

After our practical sessions gardening and wood chopping we decided to have a couple of meetings discussing attitudes towards climate change and whether GM crops and nuclear power have a role as 'solutions' to climate change issues as advocated by some environmentalists. A very lively debate ensued with the scientists amongst us expressing less concern about GM foods than the non-scientists. There was more consensus about the disadvantages of nuclear power outweighing the advantages.

We are meeting next on 7th December at 7.00 at 21 Amderley Drive. We will be talking about how to have a green Christmas and also planning activities for 2011 so people are encouraged to bring their diaries along. We will start as usual with shared food (Anne Dismorr).

Low Carbon Cookbook - 11 January

We began our first month-by-month chapter with November veg and recipes. According to the New York Magazine Vegetables Are the New Meat and we have all been coolly savouring the unusual veg of winter – black kale, celeriac, purslane, squash, quince, rose hips - and building our dishes around them and making fiery sauces with our home-grown chillies.

After our cookup of Moroccan styled 7 Legumes with quinoa and chickpeas (including Erik’s giant fennel) and a Jerusalem artichoke soup we asked ourselves the question: If you could only have six items from outside the UK in your kitchen, what would they be?

Tough call. What would life be like without olive oil, lemons, black pepper, durum wheat pasta, Basmati rice. . ? Several key outsourced items from the meal we’re going to be looking at for our ecological and carbon footprint index, as well as that often unsustainable and unkindly produced dairy staple, yogurt.

We’re also starting to log our sessions in the blog. This month TN's LC cooks began our Norwich sustainable outlets section talking with Robert of Folland Organics in Norwich Market and our resources section with a review of the key investigation into the corporate control of our food system, Felicity Lawrence's Eat Your Heart Out. And if you missed it the first time round check out Elena's thought-provoking piece on food ethics, Food by Numbers - how to eat with your heart as well as your head. Food is not just for Christmas.

For more details about the Low Carbon Cookbook contact Charlotte Du Cann on rootsshootsandseeds@hotmail.co.uk

Dragon Dreaming - Creating Outrageously Successful Projects -18/20 February

"Dragon Dreaming is a way of making our dreams come true by running outrageously successful and transformative projects." It's an approach and a set of tools for delivering bold projects that empowers everyone involved; engages their own dreams, energy and growth; and aligns us with the Earth and the call for a Great Turning. "All of us are at the edge of a chasm between who we are and who we might become. How do we maximise our creative potentials on a scale never attempted before? Dragon Dreaming shows us a way."

Many people will remember John Croft from the wildly-oversubscribed workshops he ran at the 2009 Transition Conference in Battersea. On 18-20 February (starting at 7:30 on the Friday) Transition Norwich are hosting John for an "Introduction to Dragon Dreaming" weekend - designed to give you enough information to use the Dragon Dreaming approach for your own project. See www.dragondreaming.info, http://dragondreamingtraining.blogspot.com/ or http://lebenskunst-bodensee.de/dragon-dreaming-2/dragon-dreaming/ for more information.

The cost of the Norwich course will be from £95 to £190, depending on your circumstances. Accommodation is not included but we hope to find local hosts for non-local participants. We need to secure enough participants BY JANUARY 21st to cover costs, so please book early. Email tully@transitionnorwich.org for more info / bookings.

REPORTS - Zero Carbon World Concert

On Saturday evening last, 27th November, we held the first Norwich concert at St Thomas’ Church Hall on Earlham Rd.

We were very nervous about attendance as only a few people bought tickets in advance, and the forecast was freezing weather with snow and ice....

The snow and ice caused delays all round, and it took us a while to figure out how to work the hi-tech switches to turn off the hall lights! When we eventually started the concert we had only about 20 people, but they just kept coming, and in the end we had 60-70 in all.

We heard great music from Teleri & Kiama, Jimmy & the Magic Shoe, Vic Salter, Ruth Gordon & Friends, Tom Foxe and Andrea.

A single bicycle generator provided power for two lighting strings and a sound system, with just a brief hiccup when the load proved a little too much, so we turned our lights off and asked our cyclist to pedal a bit harder! After we took a few bulbs out we switched our lights back on and had no more trouble. Having only a few lights made a really nice intimate atmosphere which added to the enjoyment of the evening.

Icy roads meant some bus services were suspended, forcing some people to use cars and taxis. Hall lighting had to be used some of the time, and power was needed to heat the soup – cold soup doesn’t really hit the spot! So we didn’t quite achieve zero carbon. But we all felt the concert had been a great success, and a good springboard from which to launch successful Zero Carbon events in the future.

Many thanks to Chris Keene – Zero Carbon World Concerts were his idea and he worked hard to help make them happen – see Zero Carbon World Concert. Thanks also to: Musicians, who gave their time freely, Tom Foxe: For sound, light and music, Teleri Lea: For posters, music and recruitment of other musicians, Lesley Grahame: For much-appreciated hot soup and fruit juice, St Thomas’ vicar Philip Young and Claire Everson for their help and support (Tom Foxe).

RELATED EVENTS : Bicycle Shenanigans - 11 December

Otesha East are planning a whole day of fun to raise money for the l Otesha Project UK a youth-led organisation that's mobilising young people to create social and environmental change through our everyday actions. And it is all taking place downstairs atg the Bicycle Shop on St Benedicts Street on Saturday 11th December.

From 12-4 there will be amazing activities such as learning to fix punctures and make tetrapak wallets and bicycle tyre belts, fun games, a lucky dip, cakes and preserves and clothes and book swapping.

From 7 till late there will be a party featuring music from the amazing Cakes and Ale, Teleri and more. As well as a wandering magician... Entrance in the evening is a suggested donation of £5.

So come and have a fantastic day with the added feel good glow of raising money for the wonderful Otesha project.

For more info please contact Kerry - kezereky_the_first@hotmail.com

Christmas Party! - 22 December

You are warmly invited to this years Transition Norwich Christmas Party on Wednesday 22nd December at 7.00pm.

This year Christine is kindly letting us have it at the lovely Inner Space - directions can be found here.

It is a bring-your-own party, so please bring some food to share, any drinks you want, your own crockery and cutlery and some festive cheer. We will provide some music and there will also be a clothes/gift swap too, so bring along your unwanted clothes and gifts and leave with some you do want!

We very much hope to see you there for low carbon festivities. (Kerry and Elena)

Photo: www.thegreenparent.com