Dear Relocalization Network Group Coordinators,

We now have 83 Local Post Carbon Groups in the Relocalization Network. We are continuously receiving requests by groups and individuals to start a group or join the Relocalization Network. We hope to be about 100 groups strong by the summer.

Latest Post Carbon and Network News:

Post Carbon Institute has moved!

Post Carbon Institute is very excited to announce that we have moved to a new office. We are now located at:

3683 West 4th Avenue

Vancouver, B.C., V6R 1P2

Tel: 604-736-9000

Fax: 604-736-9001

New Relocalization Network Coordinator

Due to the rapid growth of the Relocalization Network and the nearly overwhelming requests to start a new Local Post Carbon Group, we are please to announce that we are hiring an additional Relocalization Network Coordinator. This extra support will help us to provide more assistance and greater resource materials for not only newly formed groups, but also for established groups. We look forward to strengthening and improving the lines of communication between groups in the Relocalization Network to more effectively realize the goal of global relocalization. The new coordinator should be in place by the end of March.

Fundraising Toolkit

We are currently releasing the beta version of the fundraising toolkit, which was previewed in the last newsletter. It was created to help Local Post Carbon Groups develop important fundraising skills. The toolkit will assist fundraisers in writing grant applications, receiving pledges for donations, and developing lifelong relationships with donors. If you are interested in obtaining an electronic copy of the toolkit, please send an email to Liz McDowell, our Development Coordinator, at liz@postcarbon.org.

Upcoming events:

Bay Area Post Carbon Leaders Networking Group

The Bay Area Post Carbon Leaders Networking Group met for the first time on February 4th, 2006. The purpose of the meeting was to determine how a network of groups can most effectively share resources, information, and experiences with the overall goal of supporting regional relocalization efforts. Deborah Lindsay of Sustainable Monterey County - Beyond Peak Oil and Linda Perrine of Post Carbon Santa Clara Valley facilitated a very productive meeting with Richard Katz of San Francisco Post Carbon; Mary Dalton of Post Carbon Santa Cruz, Mike Carrick of SF Oil Awareness, and Gaylord Moore of East Bay Peak Oil.

The meeting participants agreed on the need to develop the following:

• Relocalization strategies for densely populated urban areas
• Greater networks for sharing resources, experiences, ideas, and best practices
• Greater collaboration on organizing events, such as community festivals
• Creating online communication strategies between groups to allow for greater participation while reducing the need for travel
• Reinforcing support ties between groups engaged in similar activities

The next meeting, set for May 20th, 2006, will focus on addressing the most pressing issues of this newly affiliated network of groups. Specific bioregional concerns of the area will be highlighted, and the representatives of each group will work to develop strategic responses to these concerns. Anyone interested in participating in this meeting and joining the group can contact Deborah Lindsay at decal@deborahlindsay.com (you may also contact Deborah if you have a meeting space available on May 10th, 2006, that can accommodate around ten people).

April 7-9: WELL Regional Localization Networking Conference, Willits, CA.

Willits Economic LocaLization (WELL), a Local Post Carbon Group working out of Willits, California, is one of the most established and influential groups in the Relocalization Network, and is frequently used as a model by many other groups within and beyond the Relocalization Network. WELL is hosting a conference with the goal of advancing economic localization efforts through sharing best practices; developing a communications strategy to connect with the general public, business community, and political leaders, as well as working on enhancing regional communication between groups. The focus of this conference is to share ideas among those who are working to implement a transition to greater community self-reliance. Keynote speakers will include Julian Darley and Celine Rich, founders of Post Carbon Institute, and David A. Schaller, Sustainable Development Coordinator in the Denver Regional Office of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Conference registration materials and schedule are available at www.willitseconomiclocalization.org.

For the next couple of months I will be in the office Monday and Friday afternoons, and will be available by email between those times. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to call or email me.

All the best,

Shelby

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Shelby Tay
Program Coordinator
Post Carbon Institute

Tel. 1 + 604.736.9000

Contact Us

3863 West 4th Avenue

Vancouver, B.C., V6R 1P2

www.postcarbon.org

www.globalpublicmedia.com