For the July 2008 Post Carbon Newsletter: 

Now that summer has officially started, people are rethinking their summer vacation plans in light of high gas prices and looking to adjacent areas for opportunities to break away from their normal routine. With more people are staying home, here are some fun summer activities groups are doing to help their communities relocalize and ways that you can get your July groove on.

Volunteer! Organize a permablitz or back yard work party. The permablitz concept originated with permaculture designer Dan Palmer in Melbourne - it's the permaculture version of a Backyard Blitz. Read more about permablitzes here. See photos from Sustainabundy's recent permablitzes. In Queensland, Australia, members of CASSC are starting the process of forming a co-operative.

Indulge in Local Living. Farmers Markets are a buzz for the summer. LocalHarvest.org lists nearly 4000 farmers markets across the United States (find farmers markets in the UK and Australia). Campaigns for local eating have attracted significant attention this year with consumers paying more attention to where their food comes from and finding ways of sourcing goods closer to home. Increasingly businesses are seeking to source produce from local farmers to reduce the transportation costs associated with importing goods from overseas.

Community gardens are bustling with newbies and greenthumbs all shifting focus back to the land in an urban farming movement reminiscent of the victory gardens of the 1940s. For some visual starters, look out for Peak Moment Television's episodes on Global Public Media: Community Gardens Grow Communities (Ashland, Oregon) and Suburban Permaculture with Janet Barocco and Richard Heinberg.

Berry Delicious. In many places, fruit-picking season is upon us and loads of people with epic plans for jams and preserves or simply the satisfaction of eating fruit straight from the tree are flocking to their local 'U-Pick'. Many farmers open up their gates, providing the perfect opportunity for family day trips outdoors. Round up friends and family and get picking!

Tour Around by Bike. In Eugene, Oregon, relocalizers are organizing a bike tour of neighbourhood homes with innovative permaculture, active and passive solar design, and rain-water catchment systems.

Tackle a Summer Reno. Take advantage of the summer weather and do some retrofits on your home to reduce your energy consumption on heating and cooling. Environmental education organization, HomeGrown HideAways, in Berea, Kentucky, is running a series of courses on strawbale and cob construction and using natural plasters and finishes.

For more news, discussions and upcoming events, visit www.relocalize.net. Subscribe to our monthly Relocalize Newsletter.