Transition towns

kate83

I know there's a few people on the simplifying life thread but thought it would be nice to have it's own thread.

If you've not heard of the idea then have a look at

http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/TransitionInitiative

http://www.totnes.transitionnetwork.org/

Basically it's about rebuilding communities and encouraging local trade and skills to build resiliant communities to tackle climate change and to cope when we start to run out of oil/it becomes too expensive.
A lot of the skills that we use for old style living need teaching to others to make this possible, also with the economic crisis at the moment, people would find it useful eg. growing food, learning new skills. Would be nice to hear what's going on around the country to inspire others and show what can be done.

So - what skills/things would we want to carry on in the future and what's best left in the past?

I like the idea of guerilla gardening - planting food in local spaces that are being unused, also instead of planting ornamental trees, to plant trees that will actually fruit (also no doubt the health and safety people would find a problem with it!)

Caterina

Hi Kate

Do you believe in serendipity? Today I attended my first local meeting with a few more interested people, to start looking into creating a transition town in our locality. I came back home and thought I ought to put something about this on the OS forum.

Then of course I started reading my usual favourite threads and forgot all about it. But as I was surfing further, I just came across your thread. Let's hope that more OSers post here with their experiences of the issue!

One of the things that we are thinking of doing is a clothes swap party. Other ideas include communal food growing, craft skill sharing, starting a local LETS, and so many more things - still in idea format now but hopefully one day will materialise!

raphanius

i live in a transition town and this is the first i have heard of it.

ceridwen

Just your sorta thing Caterina - I'm in my local T.T. group - and do think its a good idea obviously.

nesssie1702

kate83 wrote: »

I know there's a few people on the simplifying life thread but thought it would be nice to have it's own thread.

to plant trees that will actually fruit (also no doubt the health and safety people would find a problem with it!)

Not sure that the H&S people would find a problem with it, nor the food hygiene police either Fruit isn't particularly associated with food poisoning, so there shouldn't really be a risk with this :j

geordie_joe

nesssie1702 wrote: »

Not sure that the H&S people would find a problem with it, nor the food hygiene police either Fruit isn't particularly associated with food poisoning, so there shouldn't really be a risk with this :j

Fruit can fall off trees and injure children and would-be burglars, especially cooking apples. Children can climb trees and fall out of them, cats can get stuck up them. The wind can blow trees down, if it does the trees can hit people and kill them.

I'm sure if the H&S people turn their attention to fruit, they will find something dangerous about growing your own.

LJM

kate83 wrote: »

I know there's a few people on the simplifying life thread but thought it would be nice to have it's own thread.

If you've not heard of the idea then have a look at

http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/TransitionInitiative

http://www.totnes.transitionnetwork.org/

Basically it's about rebuilding communities and encouraging local trade and skills to build resiliant communities to tackle climate change and to cope when we start to run out of oil/it becomes too expensive.
A lot of the skills that we use for old style living need teaching to others to make this possible, also with the economic crisis at the moment, people would find it useful eg. growing food, learning new skills. Would be nice to hear what's going on around the country to inspire others and show what can be done.

So - what skills/things would we want to carry on in the future and what's best left in the past?

I like the idea of guerilla gardening - planting food in local spaces that are being unused, also instead of planting ornamental trees, to plant trees that will actually fruit (also no doubt the health and safety people would find a problem with it!)

i saw this on tele they planted fruit trees on waste land and herbs/salad and veg by bus stops in town etc without council permission origionally but now they think it great idea.i would love to be able to wait for the bus and pick some fresh herbs at the same time (or is it just me)i think its a great idea

Patchwork_Quilt

The park near us was planted (a long time ago) with a sloe hedge, an apple tree, roses that have hips etc. I love it. We should have more.

artichoke

hi

i am on the steering group of transition matlock, and yes the transition town idea is very old style and the groups aim to run reskilling workshops on lots of old style skills, cooking, veg growing, sewing, preserving food, rugmaking, etc etc...


there are lots of skills out there that we need to relearn...

art

Reverbe

What an absolutely brilliant idea. I would love to learn some of those skills particularly sewing. knitting .darning etc. Anyone in West London area interested in this?

ceridwen

Hi Reverbe

You can check whether there is one near you already by looking on:

www.transitiontowns.org/

look under "Official Initiatives " and "Mulling it over" on the left-hand banner.

right - off to more of my personal reskilling (ie learning about foodgrowing)....and I've got the basic ingredients now for my next project (learning to make my own cosmetics).

Re sewing - isnt there now "Stitch and B***h" or summat groups for sewing together? (hopefully with a better name than that - lol!). I know there are groups setting up all over too for coming together for knitting sessions - dont know what they are called.

I believe that one of the Transition Town YouTube clips is a video on darning socks.