Spring energy - 23 and 28 March

The Energy Look outs will actually be out and about on March 23rd and March 28th, 2.00 - 4.00 p.m. doing a 'door audit' around the City. See here for the background. Even if the weather is mild, we'll be looking our for those blasts of hot air coming from on high over open doors, and other energy-wasters, in our efforts to encourage traders to be more energy-aware.

Join us in The Forum, outside Tourist Information at 2.00 p.m. on either day and we will tour the doors, then adjourn to a nearby cafe at the end for some conviviality!

Chris Hull Call 01603 664928 for more info.

Norwich Earth Hour - 31 March

Last year more than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries switched off their lights for Earth Hour, sending a powerful message for action on climate change. This month Earth Hour calls on individuals, businesses, communities and governments to go Beyond the Hour and take positive action for the planet and celebrate with the people of the world by switching off their lights for one designated hour.

Here in Norwich we support this global action by creating an event outside the Forum, with fire jugglers and musicians, stalls and lively debate about environmental issues, highlighting the amount of energy that can be saved by switching the lights out.

This will be Norwich Earth Hour's 5th year and we would love to make it bigger and better than ever.

All and any help would be most appreciated and we openly invite musicians, drummers, fire performers, community groups and anyone else willing to come lend a hand. Our only rule is no use of electricity please! Jenny Bryan

Earth Hour will take place outside the Forum on 31 March between 8.30-9.30pm.

To find out more http://www.earthhour.org

Photo; Earth Hour 2011 in the Phillipines

The Energy Look Outs!

Ever passed by an office block late at night and wondered what all those lights are doing on?

Or seen 'patio heaters' blazing away outside a cafe radiating heat and carbon into thin air with nobody in sight?

This new initiative now enables you to mobilise that curiosity and reaction into action!

We are all responsible for good stewardship of resources, and in Transition Norwich we have an ideal vehicle for engaging with businesses where we find behaviour is not matching rhetoric.

Local authorities have asked for citizen involvement in making decisions about efficiency savings, and the retail sector in particular is the main interface between individuals and the business sector.

So - we are starting with a reporting process whereby anyone can report to us a concern about energy or resource waste, and we will take this up with the particular business concerned. We will then engage with the relevant part of the organisation or business concerned, with a view to positively reporting any changes they make as a result of community concerns. Chris Hull

Report your concern by e-mailing chrishull@phonecoop.coop. Watch this space for our next meeting to further develop this initiative!

Lights at the Forum, Norwich by Mark Watson

The Greenest Government Ever?- Public Meeting - 2 June

Norwich & Norfolk Friends of the Earth and the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition present a PUBLIC MEETING on Thursday 2 June, 7:30pm at St Gregory's Centre for the Arts, St Gregory's Church, St Gregory's Alley, Norwich, NR2 1ER( Free entry). Speakers will include: Simon Wright MP Norwich South and Liz Hutchins, Parliamentary Campaigner, Friends of the Earth.

The Coalition said it wants to be the greenest Government ever. The UK urgently needs to cut its climate-changing emissions and this means shifting from dependence on finite fossil fuels to cleaner and greener ways of living. The Government’s Energy Bill is a massive opportunity to kick-start this green overhaul. A truly green Energy Bill would have enormous benefits for everyone, from warmer homes and cheaper fuel bills to tens of thousands of new jobs. This meeting is an opportunity to tell Simon Wright MP, who is on the committee that will debate the bill, that we need a stronger Energy Bill. And it’s a chance to have your say about the green measures needed – globally and in our own communities – for a sustainable green future.

Simon Wright MP (Norwich South) has very recently been appointed to the Public Bill Committee which will be scrutinising the Energy Bill. At short notice, Mr. Wright has agreed to attend a public meeting to be held in Norwich on Thursday 2nd June. Similar meetings have been taking place around the country involving MPs and as of last week 40 plus council leaders have signed up for a stronger Energy Bill, i.e. local low carbon budgets.

If you are unable to attend the public meeting, the deadline for the submission of written evidence to the committee is Tuesday the 21st of June. The committee will sit for the first time on Tuesday 7th June and the Bill is expected to be voted in Parliament before the end of the month. Mr. Wright can be contacted about the Energy Bill by email: office@simonwright.org.uk or write to his office at 2, Douro Place, Norwich, NR2 4BG. Tel: 01603 627660.

For more information, please contact: Jennifer Parkhouse, Norwich Friends of the Earth email: foenorwich@hotmail.com Tel: 01603 427767

New Carbon Conversations Groups

What is your carbon footprint?

That is the first question we try to answer in a Carbon Conversations group. Already Transition Norwich have run 11 successful groups in Norwich and Diss which have helped participants reduce their carbon footprints and make plans to reduce them significantly over the next five years. Even those already leading fairly low energy lifestyles have been astonished by some of the amazing revelations, enlightening discussions and inspiring exercises in the course.

For those wanting to start a Transition Circle or other kind of energy reduction group in their neighbourhood, workplace or organisation a series of six Carbon Conversations provides an excellent foundation. We now have several trained facilitators and apart from regular groups in central Norwich we can offer courses in your area. All you need to do is find 6-10 friends or colleagues who would like to participate, find a space and time to meet and we’ll find the facilitators. Christine Way

For further details contact: training@transitionnorwich.org or 01603 614460

Follow-up discussion on Stoneleigh Talk - 12 April

Over a hundred people came to hear Nicole Foss's key presentation Making Sense of the Financial Crisis in the Era of Peak Oil at the URC on 25 March. Under the pseudonym Stoneleigh, Foss has been chronicling and interpreting the on-going credit crunch and the economic climate that has allowed it to happen both on the blog The Automatic Earth, and in her compelling public presentations.

Her focus brought together finance, energy, environment, psychology, population and real politik in order to explain why we find ourselves in a state of crisis and what we can do about it. She held our total attention for the entire hour and forty minutes and provoked several deep and wide-ranging questions.

For those who would like to follow up this talk (without Nicole), as well as discuss the challenges of climate change, economic recession, rising fuel costs, and the real value of houses and food, do come along to this meeting. Mark Watson

April 12 6pm Aladdin's Cafe, Magdalen Street. Contact: Christine Way training@transitionnorwich.org for further information.

Making Sense of the Financial Crisis in the Era of Peak Oil - 25 March

Nicole Foss gave a gripping presentation to the Transition Network Conference last year and we are excited that she has agreed to come to Norwich to help us understand the challenges of climate change, economic recession, rising fuel and house prices.

Under the pseudonym Stoneleigh, she is co-editor of the blog,The Automatic Earth. which has been chronicling and interpreting the on-going credit crunch and the economic climate that has allowed it to happen. She brings together finance, energy, environment, psychology, population and real politik in order to explain why we find ourselves in a state of crisis and what we can do about it.

No tickets but donations welcome on the night. Please circulate this widely to all your networks as everyone is invited.

Contact: transition@phonecoop.coop for further information. Check this event out on Facebook here. Christine Way

Making Sense of the Financial Crisis in the Era of Peak Oil - A Presentation by Nicole Foss will be at the United Reform Church, Princes Street, Norwich NR3 1AZ Time: 7.45pm

Transition Norwich Community Woodland

Following a blog entry about the government selling off our national forests, we came up with the idea of buying a woodland together. Subscription is now open for shares in a community woodland. We'd like to buy a woodland within 6 miles of the city limits of Norwich. When one comes up for sale, we'd need to have potential shareholders in place, therefore you need to subscribe now. Subscription does not commit you to buying shares. A typical small woodland costs £5,000 - 50,000 (see e.g. http://www.woodlands.co.uk/). Indicate your interest here.

Andy Wightman: Put forests in the hands of the people.

Bike Generator Workshop and Pedal Power Party - 25 September

Build your own bike-powered generator - a kit made up of a Turbo Trainer, 250 watt generator, 12 volt battery and bits to join them together safely.

WHEN? Saturday 25th September 2010, 1-5 p.m.
WHERE? Friends Meeting House, Upper Goat Lane, Norwich NR2 1EW
COST? £120 incl. all parts & evening meal.

The non-profit workshop is led by Tom Foxe, electrician/TV engineer, bike lover, and builder of the Human Dynamo sound system. It's limited to 12 people, so early booking is advised.

What skills/knowledge do I need ?
If you can use a screwdriver you can do it ! The kit can be built by a child of, say 8+. We will NOT be going deeply into theory of electricity/ mechanics, we will focus on A. Safety B. Building the generator C. Applications

After the workshop there will be a Pedalpower Party featuring short live performances using a pedal-powered sound system and lighting, and a short film, using a pedal-powered computer and data projector. Bring soft drinks and finger food to share, tea and coffee will be provided. All ages welcome. Bikes optional.

RSVP Lesley Grahame 01603 920801 lesley7railway@yahoo.co.uk NB Limited car parking at venue, preference given to disabled partygoers, tell Lesley if space needed. Pedal Power Party at Friends Meeting House, Upper Goat Lane Norwich NR2 1EW Saturday 25th September, 6 - 9 p.m.

To book or for more information contact: Tom 01603 920801 or tom7railway@yahoo.co.uk.

Above: Tom Foxe on bike genny in action, Greenpeace Gig 2010. Left: Carol (Transition Downham Market/The John Preston Tribute Band) generating the power at last year's TN First Anniversary

Book Reviews and Previews

Half Gone by Jeremy Leggett reviewed by Mark Watson

At the end of the first Carbon Conversations meeting Christine spread a selection of books and videos about peak oil and climate change on the floor for us to borrow and I picked this one, partly due to TN’s May meeting about solar PVs with Solarcentury (see report in this bulletin), which is the author’s company.

If you want a solid, accessible reminder of (or even introduction to) the facts about peak oil, global warming and the energy crisis, this is a good book to consult. Before starting up Solarcentury, Leggett worked as a geologist for Big Oil in the 80s, and was chief science advisor for Greenpeace in the 90s.

From the five geo-physical requirements for finding oil in the first place (fascinating) to the link between oil depletion and global warming to possible energy solutions via renewables, Leggett combines hard data with his extensive personal experience in the (literal) field. His analysis of the geo-political problems of oil filled in several gaps in this reader’s awareness in a personable book which still resonates five years after its publication.

Half Gone: Oil, Gas, Hot Air and the Global Energy Crisis by Jeremy Leggett (Portobello Books 2005)

A Blueprint for a Safer Planet by Lord Stern reviewed by Chris Hull

(Lord) Nicholas Stern became a household name as the author of the Government review, 'The Economics of Climate Change' (2006). This later book - published a few months ahead of the Copenhagen summit last year - is less well known yet much more accessible and useful.

Nick Stern is an economist, a former Chief Economist of The World Bank, and a strong advocate for poor countries on the world stage. In this regard the book has its roots in a drive to focus on economic management in the richer countries, in order to alleviate the worst effects of climate change on those who are least responsible for it - the poor countries.

It is solid, rather than emotive, particularly when it comes to addressing 'the deniers'. Stern explains just how complex the science is, and where deniers fall into traps by confusing cycles with trends, sea temperatures with land temperatures, short term risks with longer term more serious risks.

Having said that, I personally love the image conjured up here: Stern illustrates the dry science of probabilities of change by pointing out that the 24% probability of a 5 degree temperature rise on earth by the turn of this century (latest Hadley Centre modelling), would be simply unknown territory for a heavily populated earth. " The last time the world was 4 -5 degrees C above where we are now was 30 - 50 million years ago, in Eocene times, when much of the planet was swampy forest and there were alligators near the North Pole" .


Enough said.

A Blueprint for a Safer Planet by Nicholas Stern (2009)

Transition Books: Local Money & Transition in Action

Just out are two essential Transition reads (to be reviewed in the next bulletin). Local Money by Peter North (Transition South Liverpool) is an inspiring and practical book about local currencies, as well as an overview of money itself and how it works. As Rob Hopkins says in his introduction: "What is key is that as humanity begins its inevitable shift away from energy-intensive, globalised, corporate economics to a more human-scale, localised version, the way we ‘do’ money will need to catch up. This book identifies a number of possible tools, and doubtless there are many more yet to be thought of."

Transition in Action by Jacqi Hodgson with Rob Hopkins is based on the Totnes Energy Descent Action Plan and is the first community-based guide to reducing local dependence on fossil fuels, covering 15 key sustainability areas. The EDAP is the 12th step of Transition (known as the Resilience Plan in TN) and engages the community in the creative process of preparing for resilience and facing the biggest challenges civilisation has ever had.

Local Money, £14.95 and Transition in Action £19.99 (Green Books, 2010)

Solar Panel Scheme

The previous government's announcement to pay households for micro-generation in different forms (the feed-in tarriff) has caused a surge of interest - and Transition Norwich is no exception. The scheme does feature in the current government's recent manifesto document too.

On May 19th 24 people gathered at The Greenhouse to hear Ramin and Emily, from the Solarcentury company, to explain in detail how the new government scheme works for photovoltaic panels (PV), why it came about, and how it has worked in other countries who have pre-dated the U.K.

Many detailed, and some technical, questions were well answered, and the sense seemed to be that everyone who attended came away with a clear idea of how both schemes work: outright buying, and the 'hosting' ( or third party ownership) scheme.

TN's role has really been as the messenger and local organiser, and it is up to interested individuals now to follow up directly with Solarcentury. Their telephone number is: 0207 803 0100. Their website also has an online calculator which should tell you what energy generation you can expect from your particular dwelling: http://www.solarcentury.com/

Thanks are due to Tigger and the Greenhouse Trust for hosting this meeting, and to Emily and Ramin for travelling from London to do the presentation.

For further info contact Chris Hull chrishull@phonecoop.coop (01603 664928)

NEWS: Solar Panel meeting - Wednesday 19 May; Core Group Reshuffle

Solar Panel Meeting - 19 May

Since the last bulletin there has been a healthy interest in the TN solar panel scheme, and about 30 people have filled out the survey monkey - thank you!

There are many questions that people have, and so we have invited 2 representatives from Solarcentury in London to come to a specially convened meeting in Norwich to cover everything there is to know about this scheme. The meeting will take place at The Greenhouse on Wednesday May 19th, 7.30 p.m. A DVD will also be shown and the two reps will explain how the feed-in-tariff works and how the third party ownership will work. Everyone who has responded to the survey will be invited directly, but this meeting is open to anyone who is interested in installing photovoltaics.(Chris Hull/Core Group)

The Greenhouse, Bethel Street. Wednesday 19th May, 7.30 - 9.30 p.m (including DVD showing). For further info contact Chris Hull chrishull@phonecoop.coop (01603 664928)

Core Group reshuffle

The core group is changing its membership. Christine Way and Chris Hull, as the longest serving members, are due to stand down at the end of July 2010. The group decided some time ago that we should have a revolving membership and recently we decided that the best way of 'revolving' is to have the longest-standing 2 members to stand down each year (in July), to make way for 2 new members to join. This way there is both continuity and fresh input of energy and ideas. The other current 4 members - Tully Wakeman, Jane Chittenden, Alex Haxeltine and Tom Harper - will remain.

If you are interested in becoming a core group member, the broad criteria are:
• to have done the transition training ( or be signed up to do it)
• to be able to demonstrate a commitment to Transition Norwich through work thus far
• to be able to commit to the group for a minimum of 2 years

The core group is not an executive body, but functions to bring together the different strands of TN and review general progress. Some transition groups do not have a core group, but in TN we decided, through general consensus, to continue with it.

The process for recruiting/joining will be announced in the June bulletin, but meantime if anyone is in principle interested, do feel free to contact any of the current 6 core group members for a chat. (Chris Hull/Core Group)