#transitiontown

[transfusion]

Rob Hopkins - Imagination taking power

Imagination taking power

[ecojusticeeducator]

“Economic Power is always tied to Political Power. And what is happening is that we want political power, but we put ourselves into economically powerless situations and wonder why we aren’t more empowered.” -Ashley Sanders

The relationship between our economic system and the unraveling of our social and ecological systems is becoming more and more recognized. With this awareness, people like Russell Evans at The Transition Lab are getting creative about finding new ways to be in relationship with each other, the work that needs to be done, and the work that we are called to do.

“Yet missing from this conversation are ideas that are both practical and radical. Ideas which could serve as a blueprint for what a fundamentally different lifestyle would look like. Just as changing lightbulbs won’t be enough, we also know that occupying Wall Street is not a practical choice for most Americans. So what we need are ideas which are radical enough to cause widespread change, yet practical enough, that folks living in the suburbs could put them into practice.

I appreciate the emphasis on finding ways to make widespread systemic change accessible to the masses. This is one of the most daunting tasks and because of that, I find that many organizations, campaigns, and education programs concentrate too heavily on individual actions.

If we agree that an economy based on unlimited resource extraction is destroying the planet, and that our consumeristic lifestyle is the thing that keeps this economy in motion, then debt is the biggest and most powerful force that guarantees our continued participation.

I also appreciate that the author (Evans) is in debt and is advocating for ways to be relate to that debt differently. This is more realistic and practical, unfortunately, than if he were describing how he had avoided debt altogether. Debt is such an ingrained part of our system.

I think that the biggest problem with our world is that we do not live in relationship with most things in our lives. We are not really connected to where our food comes from, where our phones are made, or where our gas is drilled. This often makes the ecocide all around us distant enough that we are able to keep on going about our lives without much thought to the consequences of our actions. Conversely, when we start growing our own food, hosting skilled residents, and working with community, we make fundamentally different choices that consider the well-being of one another and not just our pocket books.

Relationship to my research:

The education system that I envision addresses our economic system on multiple levels. It would critically analyze the current system and it’s consequences on people and planet. Students would be introduced to and encouraged to imagine alternative ways for getting needs met and re-building relationship between people and “things”. Finally, opportunities would be created so that students can get experience and skills for building a new economy. 

There is also a strong emphasis on community in this article and in Evan’s work. My ideal high school would both be a community environment in itself, but it would strengthen ties between the school and the wider community through project based work, service learning, and intergenerational mentoring. 

[brat-vstar]

I'm checking out the #greendrinks with #greenups with Lance from #Transitiontown movement

[permaculturerevolution-blog]

Transition Guilford College

Rob Hopkins in a remarkable Englishman.

He has big ears and kind of looks like a hobbit. 

He is from a town called Totnes, again making him seem even more hobbit-like. He has a TED talk about his quirky little town:

http://youtu.be/r3L9n20myqk

While he may not be the cutest guy in the world, he sure knows how to "Just Do Stuff." He even wrote a book on "Just Doing Stuff!" 

His actions are inspiring and have launched an international movement called "Transition Towns". 

Here is a link to his blog, which has repeditedly won awards in the UK for Top Green Blog:

http://www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins

Reading Rob's blog and watching his TED talk made me question so many things, especially as I was moving forward with my final presentation. 

How do we embody the Transition Movement within Higher Education? 

What is the long-term vision of Guilford College? 

Is it the same as my vision for this place? 

How do we move forward without loosing our place in history as an institution? 

These are some of the questions I am asking myself as the fall semester winds down to a close. 

I have finalized my presentation on Transition Guilford College, for now at least. Hopefully, this will not be the end of my involvement with the Cape Fear River Basin Studies Program however. This presentation is my final project for this semester, but is also just the beginning of a long-term initiative. I cannot foresee what next semester will bring, but my hope is to form an independent study group which will have the end objective of creating a Student Sustainability Action Plan. 

[rightsider]

BLOOMBERG TO WARN NYC ABOUT RISING SEA

From the Big Apple, local events can drive national and geopolitical agendas. Let's hope the power from New York will add to the legitimate call for change and rationale for Energy Descent. 

  EXCLUSIVE - ASSIGNMENT EDITORS ALERT: At 1:30 p.m. tomorrow, New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg will deliver a major speech in Brooklyn's Navy Yard outlining the risks New York City faces from climate change and the steps the city should take to protect neighborhoods, infrastructure and New Yorkers from the impact of future climate events. At 1:30 p.m. today, the press will get an introductory briefing from aides Seth Pinsky and Cas Holloway.

The report, commissioned by the mayor in the aftermath of Sandy, offers a roadmap to protect the city against a climate-change forecast that includes rising sea levels and more aggressive and destructive storms, heat waves and droughts. The 450-page report details more than 250 specific recommendations to fortify the city. Tomorrow's audience will include a broad cross section of civic, business and environmental leaders, and New Yorkers impacted by Sandy.

--A Bloomberg aide tells us: "The ambitious agenda is consistent with Bloomberg's determination to lead on these issues from the local level, even as the federal government is stymied in its attempts to address global climate change from Washington."

=================================  2013 POLITICO, LLC  POLITICO Playbook. 

[lucabinelli]

Dopo avere letto, quasi accidentalmente, il manuale pratico della transizione ho recuperato un po' di materiale in rete ed il risultato è stato eccezionalmente interessante, ritengo.