Outcomes and Actions of our public events

20 May 2009 - Open Space Workshop: "In a time of Peak Oil, how can we apply Kiwi ingenuity to make the most of Southland's natural advantages?"

It’s been a while since we had our open space meeting but some great ideas came out of the groups and we thought it would be interesting to see which, if any, people would like to take forward.

We’ve included a list below of some of the ideas which came out of the groups (those which were written down). If there is an action you would like to see happen which isn’t on this list please feel free to suggest it. If, on the other hand, you know of another group working in a particular area and you think Transitions would be better placed to lend support, let us know.

Please email transitioninvercargill@gmail.com with your nominations for actions and what you can do to lead and help.

We have two questions:

• Which actions would you like to see Transitions Towns Invercargill take forward?
• What can you do to lead or help an action to happen?

Action can only happen if there are passionate people to take a lead! We’re not entirely sure of the best process to take but it would be great to see some sub-groups formed on issues like food, energy, transport, health etc to lead on actions in different areas.

Like Rob Hopkins (the founder of Transitions Towns) says there is no clear plan or pathway – we are trying things to see what works, so please do come forward if you would like to be involved.

The list of suggestions:

• Promote more use of cycleways
• Encourage more local food production & information on how food affects health
• Support farmers markets – wholesale as well as retail
• Promote the idea for a “Made in Southland” label for products
• Develop a model permaculture garden
• Provide info on permaculture to garden centres
• Lobby for more public water fountains & better filtration of public water in people’s homes
• Organise an Invercargill day/ party
• Lobby for play streets with seats for people to gather
• Lobby for/ develop native wild spaces for insects etc
• Lobby for/ develop food producing areas for communities
• Lobby for/ promote local biogas production from waste/ Composting toilets/ Grey water systems/ Water meters with incentives to minimize use
• Lobby for decentralized transport & infrastucture to keep smaller centres going
• Plan for aggressive actions for change

March and April 2009 - Transition Town Invercargill “Energy Transition” series of films and public talks

We twice screened two films (“A Crude Awakening” and “The Power of Community”) and held two “What are Transition Initiatives” public talks in April 2009. Participants of these events were encouraged to put down their ideas on the following four topics:

• What can I do?
• What can Invercargill do?
• What can the Government do?
• Other thoughts?

At the talks participants also played with four scenarios for the future:

• Business as Usual
• Technocrat
• Survivalist
• Re-localisation

See the attachments for the ideas and visions that emerged.