The latest from our neighbouring Transition Town, Ottery St Mary:
Involving local people in the
response to climate change
and shrinking supplies of cheap energy.
NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2013
REVIEW OF THE YEAR
Well once again we have had quite a year with lots
going on, home insulation surveys with a thermal imaging camera, the orchard
project, a complete redesign and update of our website http://sustainableottery.co.uk/ joining letter writing on behalf of Fresh and
Green Vegetables’ appeal against refusal to allow the development of their site
(which they won), an Open Homes event where we were invited into the homes of
people in various stages of eco-fitting, a visit to see renewable technologies
at Bicton Earth, Ottery Environment Week with poster competition, school cooking
workshops and Exhibition (in conjunction with the Parish church) as well as
monthly meetings and newsletter. We are a small group so a huge thank you to the
people involved: from organising large events to reading this newsletter. Every
small action makes a difference.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
It’s looking like our efforts will be going
into energy projects next year, whether that’s providing information and support
for people wanting to insulate their homes and implement energy saving measures
or thinking bigger as a community and working out how we can generate some power
ourselves- for example by leasing the roof of a commercial or public building
and installing solar PV panels. We don’t need to wait for government permission
to sort out some of our pressing energy problems at a local level –but we do
need to come together to make it happen. If you would be interested in a project
like that or know someone who has either technical or management skills (legal,
financial etc) and would like to put them to green community use –please let us
know! Imagine some of our commercial and public buildings generating energy and
money for the benefit of the people of Ottery and local area. Look out for more
information in the coming months.
FROM OUR FRIENDS AT
THE TRANSITION NETWORK
Well
know author and speaker Jeremy Leggett’s new book doesn’t pull its punches
telling us: "Make No Mistake, This is An Energy Civil War." 'The Energy of
Nations: risk blindness and the road to renaissance' is an inspirational,
page-turning telling of the evolving tale of peak oil, climate change, and
economic crisis, and how the three issues intertwine and interweave. Find out
more at Rob Hopkins blog: Rob Hopkins's blog | Transition Network
LEARN MORE ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE
A free e-learning course run by Exeter University
FREE 8-week online course ‘Climate Change:
Challenges and Solutions’
Enrol now or let your friends know!
Enrol now or let your friends know!
The University of Exeter has launched a free online course
‘Climate change: Challenges and Solutions’, which explains the science of
climate change, the risks it poses, and the solutions available to reduce those
risks.
Open for anyone to enrol, the course is
presented by an interdisciplinary team of leading academics – from
mathematicians to marine biologists – from the University of Exeter and the UK Met Office.
Watch the trailer and find out more at http://www.exeter.ac.uk/climatechangecourse/?utm_source=exeter.ac.uk&utm_medium=billboard&utm_campaign=CCC
Enrol
today!
Course
details:
The course is a part of a new nationwide
initiative called ‘massive open online courses’ (MOOCs) which are delivered by
FutureLearn – a multi-institution provider owned by the Open University, which
includes 23 university partners, the British Library, British Museum and British
Council.
Climate change: challenges and solutions will
set contemporary human-caused climate change within the context of past nature
climate variability. Then it will take a risk communication approach, balancing
the ‘bad news’ about climate change impacts on natural and human systems with
the ‘good news’ about potential solutions.
The course starts on 13 January 2014 and is
delivered over 8 weeks. Study is self-directed, requiring an estimated 3 hours
per week.
GOOD NEWS
10:10 is an organisation dedicated to cutting
carbon 10% at a time. Here’s an excerpt from an e-mail sent to a supporter
recently:
Next time someone says we can't solve climate
change, tell them this...
· In Bangladesh , a new solar panel is
plugged in every 90 seconds
· In 2012, the average American drove 960 miles
less than in 2004
· In Holland , a crowd-funded wind turbine raised
€1.3m in 13 hours
With so much bad news out there, stuff like this often gets
overlooked. People forget what we're capable of. Cynicism sets in. So it’s great
to see some good news!
See http://www.1010global.org/uk and http://www.1010global.org/itshappening?utm_campaign=&utm_source=emailCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=%7b~mailVariationId
See http://www.1010global.org/uk and http://www.1010global.org/itshappening?utm_campaign=&utm_source=emailCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=%7b~mailVariationId
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
- SO monthly meeting followed by Xmas
celebration: this will take place at 28 Longdogs’ Lane Ottery St Mary Thursday
19th December, 7.30pm.
-
Transition Exeter January open meeting featuring
Simon Tytherleigh of Bradninch Climate Action on "Fracking". Thursday 30th
January, 7:30pm at the Exeter Community Centre on St David's Hill, just north of
the Iron Bridge.
SUSTAINABLE OTTERY’S NEXT MEETING/XMAS DRINKS
IS
7.30 P.M. THURSDAY 19th DECEMBER
2013
AT 28 LONGDOGS LANE , OTTERY ST MARY
WE’D LOVE TO WELCOME YOU ALONG!
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