Themes that include energy in an Entrepreneur Forum, an Energy company and local currency open this newsletter. Plus responding to linguistic diversity, collecting oral histories, reimagining sustainable business, reflections on 10 years transitioning, a film review, an events checklist and the Brexit/Bremain debate continues and there is more.

Demain Petition – please sign
The film Demain that has been received with great acclaim across Europe has so far not been able to agree a distribution deal for the UK. To help in negotiations with distributors, we have started a petition on Change.org to show them that there is a demand for ‘Demain’ to be screened in the UK. Please sign the petition:
www.change.org/p/the-uk-film-distribution-industry-bring-tomorrow-the-movie-demain-to-the-uk
The Magic of a LEF
A Local Entrepreneur Forum (LEF) could prove to be one really key piece of ‘technology’ for Transition groups. Here are 7 things a Local Entrepreneur Forum can unlock from the experience in Totnes.
www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2016-05/7-things-local-entrepreneur-forum-can-unlock
Bristol Energy Cooperative:
“it felt right for us to be ambitious”
Two directors of Bristol Energy Coop chat to Rob Hopkins about what they do and their ambitious share offer which aimed to raise £10.5 million for renewable energy projects in Bristol.
www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2016-05/bristol-energy-cooperative-it-felt-right-us-be-ambitious
What if: ATMs issued local currencies?
Would local money in an ATM be a fig leaf for a system that has run very low on legitimacy? Or could it offer us the possibility of ‘normalising’ local currencies?
www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2016-05/what-if-atms-issued-local-currencies
Planning for People – an update from the Transitionese Translations Project.
Transitionese is the name we’ve given to a project aiming to expand the International Transition movement’s translation capacities and, therefore, to highlight and support its linguistic diversity writes Deborah Rim Moiso.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2016-05/planning-people-update-transitionese-translations-project-0
ROUND AND ABOUT
Crowdfunding for Transition in Belgium.
The Belgium national Transition hub, Réseau Transition, have just launched a crowdfunder to support their work. Here’s a beautiful video they made (en francais) as part of it…
www.gingo.community/fr/pousses-de-transition
Oral histories in Kilburn.
Transition Kensal to Kilburn recently came together with Brent Museum & Archives to do an amazing oral history project and exhibition. Here Carol Low introduces the report they’ve just published about it all.
www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2016-05/new-report-old-stories-new-times-inspiration-sustainable-living
On ‘renewal’: the story of Pocheco.
Pocheco is a remarkable business near Lille in France who are busily reimagining what a sustainable business could look like. We spoke to Emmanuel Druon and Elizabeth Dinsdale about how crisis offers us the opportunity to “change everything”.
www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2016-05/emmanuel-and-elizabeth-pocheco-lets-change-everything
An evening in Stroud: ’10 years and beyond’
Since forming in 2007, Transition Stroud has been extremely active, and as it enters its 10th year, is focusing on how best to move forward and how to put the best foundations possible beneath the work it has already done.
www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2016-05/evening-stroud-10-years-and-beyond-0
One Year in Transition
This life-changing programme for young adults is now recruiting for its fifth year in the UK, and getting ready to welcome the new cohort of students in September. While we help people gain clarity about the work they want to do in the world, and get very practical around Transition Livelihoods, we also offer a deep inner journey towards courage and wisdom. The total cost for the four week-long residentials and a year of tuition fees is £3000.
1YT Portugal is now live http://um-ano.transicaoportugal.net/programa-1at/ and 1YT Sweden launches this September. Email Isabel Carlisle if you want to apply at:isabelcarlisle@transitionnetwork.org You can find out more from our new website:www.oneyearintransition.org
Brexit/Bremain
Our reflections on the topic published in March generated much debate. As our next item on the topic before the Referendum coming soon (a debate with Just-IN Kenrick and Al-EX-is Rowell) will miss the newsletter we include it here as place to continue the discussion before the big day on 23rd June.
www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2016-03/introducing-international-and-some-reflections-brexitbremain
SUPPORT
Activity of the fortnight:
Planning and Putting on Events: a useful checklist and suggestions to help you create good events.
www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2016-05/activity-fortnight-planning-and-putting-events
Film Review
This Changes Everything
We take a look at Avi Lewis’ recent film interpretation of Naomi Klein’s book ‘This Changes Everything’ and find some key things missing.
www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2016-05/film-review-changes-everything
QUOTES OF THE MONTH
“I’m just quite blown over really by the …. number of businesses that now are … making commitments now to get to zero carbon by a certain date.”
Andy O’Brien, Bristol Energy Coop
A record 63.5 GW of wind power was installed worldwide in 2015, demonstrating the maturity of the sector; and showing how renewables are supplying competitive, reliable and clean energy to fuel economic growth and cut CO2 emissions.http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jun/01/renewable-energy-smashes-global-records-in-2015-report-shows
Cities, communities and companies are leading the rapidly expanding “100% renewable” movement, playing a vital role in advancing the global energy transition. Distributed renewable energy is advancing rapidly to close the gap between the energy haves- and have-nots.
REN21 global status report
A Short Midsummer Update
Please sign up a pledge to help get this book published.
Hello everyone – Greetings from grassroots Britain where, no matter how you vote (or don’t!), the key to navigating topsy-turvy times is to get together and do stuff that benefits everyone in the neighbourhood (and beyond).
Most of the projects starring in the Directory have been created in response to current crises, whether global climate change or local economic downturn: repair cafes that regenerate relationships between people as well as umbrellas and mobile phones, community-run bakeries and cafes where everyone can discuss what goes down in the area, local currencies that keep money in local circulation, tool libraries that share shears and stories, allotments that share beans and raspberries, alongside labour and laughs.
Here’s one of our favourite kind of hubs, the South London Makerspace, whose members own, run and maintain three workshop spaces with sewing machines, 3D printing, woodworking, laser cutting, electronics and more:
‘We’re not just a workshop; we’re also a community. We have regular social events, and meetups. Members are encouraged to work on their projects with each other, to collaborate and share skills and knowledge. We also take care of the workshops together. With no paid staff, everyone has to pitch in to keep things safe and tidy.’
Meanwhile as summer kicks in (rather soggily) and elderflowers are foraged and tables set for street parties, we are happy to report that The Grassroots Directory has passed the half way mark and is now 56% funded. We’ve had a busy month sorting out some great projects that have come through from the now long-running sewing cafe in Lancaster and the recently established Glasgow Pound to the just-renovated Real Junk Food Sheffield and the upcoming two-wheeled festival of Tour de Tooting on 3rd July.
This week we’re also going up to London to the Demain (Tomorrow) premiere. This is the documentary by Cyril Dion and Melanie Laurent that has stormed France and had over a million viewers since it launched last December during COP21 in Paris. It’s a world-wide investigation into ‘the most successful experiments in agriculture, energy, habitat, economy, education and democracy, and pieces together a puzzle that might ‘tell a new story of the future’.
Here’s to finding that missing piece of blue sky…
Images: Brixton Pound fiver, designed by Jeremey Deller; Restart party in Belsize Library, by Jonathan Goldberg; Big Lunch, England 2016
You can help make this book happen. Please share it, and encourage your followers to share it, too.
Tweet Share
Get updates via email
Join 91 other awesome people who subscribe to new posts on this blog.