transition

Transitioning Surfdale Orchard to a Food Forest

James Samuel — Sat, 31 Aug 2013 13:28:55 +0000

We moved 18 Cu M of mulch around the 5 year old trees in the Surfdale community orchard yesterday.

This is a step in replacing the grasses (such as Kikiuyu) with ground cover plants of our choosing (some edible) - to be followed by other (mostly perennial) food plants in the families of root crops, herbs, shrubs and bushes and flowers for the pollinators and our pleasure.

This will result in a multi layered forest garden requiring minimal maintenance, and producing free food for the public who frequent it.

Expressions of interest

Natalie — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 22:41:47 +0000

Hi all,

this is a deliberately very loose post - I want to see what happens.

The short version:

I'm looking for expressions of interest to participate in / co-lead any of the following ventures:

1, Establishment of a national Transition office / coordinator / leadership team

2. Securing funding for the above

3. Offering transition based advisory services to Councils, Businesses, Community groups, Individuals

Eleventh Australasian Permaculture Convergence 11-15th April 2012 in Turangi

Ecoshow — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 03:11:23 +0000

Experienced practitioners, Inspiring speakers, Practical ideas, Excellent networking, Whole systems and small details, Diverse participants, Cultural exchange, Transition examples, Hands-on workshops..... and more.

Transition US Newsletters

James Samuel — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:42:16 +0000

NZ Defence Report Ignores Peak Oil. US/German Military Warn It's A Grave Risk

Denis Tegg — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 22:24:14 +0000

The just released Defence White Paper on New Zealand's strategic and security interests to 2025, as Gordon Campbell points out, is long on rhetoric, and short on coherence and detail. But worse still it fails to even mention a very serious and imminent threat to our security which both the US and German military have warned about - namely the peaking of global oil production leading to dwindling world oil supplies.

Addington Coffee Co-Op cafe hosts Sustainable Living sessions

Arty — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 01:42:06 +0000

The cooperative-run cafe in Lincoln Road, Christchurch will host Sustainable Living sessions in November 2010 from 7.30pm Weds 10th. Just turn up, with $5 (includes a cuppa) for the first session, which is mostly on backyard gardening for food, and help choose the topics for three following sessions whilst you are there. Options include eco-building and energy efficiency, shopping and waste minimisation, travel choices for lower-carbon lifestyles, water impacts and conservation, and community resilience.

Mining group believes in tooth fairy -- "New Zealand cushioned against oil shocks"

Denis Tegg — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 09:01:48 +0000

Straterra, a body representing mining companies has said, "New Zealand is in an excellent position to withstand any future oil shocks, thanks in particular t

"Peak hype" on New Zealand's offshore oil reserves

Denis Tegg — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 07:46:21 +0000

There was much hype and hoopla at the recent New Zealand Petroleum Conference about the extent of New Zealand's potential oil and gas reserves. Chris Uruski, a GNS scientist told Chris Laidlaw on Radio NZ's Sunday that we potentially have 20 billion barrels of oil equivalent in New Zealand's offshore exclusive economic zone.

UK Govt Acting on Peak Oil but NZ Govt Deep in Denial

Denis Tegg — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 01:08:01 +0000

The UK's Energy Secretary Chris Huhne has ordered his officials to look at the impact of a 1970s-style oil price spike on the British economy. Mr Huhne warned that a 1970s-style doubling in the price of oil would drain £45billion from the UK economy in two years, hitting investment and jobs.

Meanwhile our Energy Minister Gerry Brownlee and the NZ government are deep in denial about peak oil and resulting higher oil prices.

Peak Oil could halve New Zealand's econony - says Study

Denis Tegg — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 23:54:23 +0000

Two Canterbury University academics have analysed the impact of fuel restraint (peak oil) on New Zealand's economy.

Nicole Foss: A Century of Challenges

James Samuel — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 21:32:57 +0000

I don’t know what I don’t know, and what I heard from the Stoneleigh presentation by Nicole Foss at the Transition Conference, were a lot of things that ring true for me. I can only offer a modest summary here, but if after you listen to Nicole’s presentation and follow her slides, you think she is too pessimistic and overlooking something, I would love to hear from you.

The title of her presentation begged I find a quiet moment to sit and take it all in. So I stoked the fire, got comfortable and settled in. Not being one to run from bad news, I prefer to embrace it and let it make me stronger and more resolute to act in ways that I intuit may soon not be a choice. I can choose to cut my wood with a bow saw and know that I am building a bodily fitness, that may become needed, if not to cut logs by hand, but to work the land to grow food that is no longer being shipped many miles from energy intensive practices on farms persisting with industrial farming methods. In the future I’d like to think I may still have such choices, but to understate it, I’m not confident it will be the case.

Nicole begins by telling us that while her background is very much in the energy field, she and her partner have chosen to focus on the financial picture, because on the scale of time it moves much faster. However, she opens by acknowledging the energy-poor future we are heading for, and goes on to offer clear, concise data and interpret it in ways that seem to be inherently obvious. I know we can’t predict the future, but we can have fun trying, and I could find no fault in her logic.

Combine such factors such as increasing demand for energy in oil producing nations, just when production is falling and you have a recipe for a more rapid decline of available liquid fuels – the most used form of energy we have. A faster decline than is commonly shown on a Hubbert’s Peak diagrams. Onto that add an incredibly low EROEI (energy return on energy invested), and you’ll see the bio fuels and renewable energy sources can’t compete.

Good, resilience building news, from Chile

James Samuel — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:16:37 +0000

This just came in from Grifen Hope in Chile. Grifen is a permaculturalist and visionary who has been living there for quite a number of years now. The response to the situation there is exemplary and an inspiration for all of us as we prepare for uncertain futures. There are lots of practical things that are being requested here, and you just may find one of them fits with your knowledge base, contacts or resources. Please read on...

Why Transition Audio

James Samuel — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 07:39:35 +0000

Think podcasts, think of being in the garden, sowing seeds, or potting seedlings, harvesting fruit, or taking a walk, and keeping up with the latest news and inspiration about the amazing transition we are going through, in this exciting time we live in.

I will get to posting the first audio (podcasts) shortly, and follow this with the essential how-to's of downloading these files to a device of your choosing for listening to at your convenience.

Visit Transition Audio, and see what is possible.

UK Govt Low Carbon Transition Plan

James Samuel — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 19:34:28 +0000

While I didn't read every word of Rob's thoughtful review of the UK Government's Low Caron Transition Plan my eye caught his critique on the way funds are allocated into communities.

Come and join us for some meaningful dialogue

James Samuel — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:31:42 +0000

Transition training in Northland, May 23rd-24th, 2009

Ruth Marsh and I have been in dialogue for a while about this one, and have agreed to co-facilitate a weekend event using the best that the Transition Towns movement has to offer.