Transition Town Brooklyn – Notes of Meeting 19 March 2008

Present (full names & contact details will be posted on wiki): Marc, Alison, Eva, Karen, Chris, Tom, Belinda, Dawn, Barbara, Marie, Anne, Annie, Edwina, Gary, Paul Bruce, Paul Blaschke

The meeting agreed to focus on looking at ‘The 12 Key Steps of Transition’, which are from the UK model developed in Totnes, England. The Steps provide a framework to help groups be robust and gives them a process to follow. Most of the meeting then concentrated on steps 1 & 2.

Step 1) Set up a Steering Group and design its demise from the outset

The main purpose of a steering group is to guide the TT group through steps 2-5; then it should be re-formed from sub-groups which have been set-up.

Volunteers for the Steering Group: Tom, Belinda, Dawn, Barbara, Edwina

The Steering Group is holding its own meeting to discuss how it wants to approach its role and format. Future TTB meetings may alternate between Steering Group meetings and full TTB group. The wiki and emails are to continue to be the primary forms of communication and networking.

Step 2) Awareness raising Identifying allies and building networks.

The meeting split into 2 groups to discuss ideas for the Steering Group and for awareness raising. There were sufficient ideas and interest to make the formation of some sub groups look viable. Ideas included: to collate and share tools/resources available; hold demonstration events; promote transport initiatives such as launch a ‘Hitch & Ride’ scheme in Brooklyn & lobby the council to install ‘hitching posts’ (a scheme is running in Maungaraki).

The groups noted down their ideas and the Steering Group will look at them at their meeting to consider how they can be developed further.

Paul Blaschke, drawing on his experience with the Friends of Owhiro Stream, commented that taking a position on local issues might not always be straightforward. The TT groups will need to carefully consider and debate issues/approaches as they arise.

Future events: • Next full TTB meeting - It was suggested that the HAwkes Bay/Jo Duff TT film be shown (again) (it’s about 40mins long).

• TTWellington group – meeting on Weds 26th March – film & speaker on currencies, at Dev-Zone (Floor 2, James Smith Building, 49-55 Cuba Street) • Their April meeting will feature a speaker from Japan.

• Earth Hour – 8pm, 29th March: People are encouraged to turn off their lights for an hour, to make a visible, and energy saving, statement.

* Steering Group to hold it's first meeting on Thursday 3 April 2008