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Climate Change, Peak Oil & Permaculture - my opinion

Sonya — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:47:43 -0700

Climate change & peak oil we need action

I don’t know about you, but I am deeply concerned about the converging global crises of climate change and peak oil. These two issues are inextricably linked and both relate to our overuse and dependence on cheap oil and cannot, in my opinion be separated. Any solution to climate change must also address peak oil.

We have got ourselves in a real mess and the fragility and vulnerability of our ‘lifestyles’ is under the microscope.

There are an amazing number of articles on the background and history of both these topics available on the internet, in magazines, books, dvds, television programs and news items across all media, so I won’t go into the detail of defining what these problems are or explaining how we got ourselves in this terrible position, there are enough expert documents out there already.

I think instead, it is time to look at what serious action we, as members of our local communities, can take to really do something about this.

I’ve spent my career analyzing public opinion, monitoring topical issues and communicating messages to target audiences on behalf of corporations and organisations.

Recently, I have been putting these skills to work on the issues of climate change and peak oil with support from Janet Millington, a permaculture educator and sustainable systems designer.

Our local environmental group and council held a conference and expo recently about climate change and peak oil. Excellent speakers, well attended and very inspirational. But… there was no real talk of ‘action’. No presentations of what we can really do about it.

I see media stories with state and federal politicians talking about carbon trading schemes and planting trees in Indonesia as solutions. On the local front the best that most television programs and government seem to be able to offer is getting us to change to energy efficient light bulbs, buy energy efficient white goods, recycle and if you dare, start a compost bin.

All pretty basic stuff that most of us have been doing for years.

I see a gaping hole between the simple household changes that, to their credit, most people are embracing and the geo-political airy fairy ‘schemes’ the federal and international governments are touting.

To be honest, I think the lack of action by governments is that they really have no idea what to do about this overwhelming problem.

So I did a bit more research. I’m a permaculturist and permaculture was created in Australia by David Holmgren and Bill Mollison in response to the 1970’s oil shocks in the US. It was developed in response to our unsustainable reliance on cheap energy.

Now permaculture is extremely well known as a gardening method, and perhaps to its detriment is only known as a gardening method.

But a read of David Holmgren’s book; Permaculture; Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability and Bill Mollison’s Permaculture; A Designer’s Manual’s Chapter 14, reveals a much broader, holistic and social application of permaculture.

Further research uncovered the great work being done by Rob Hopkins in the UK. Rob is a permaculturist and he came up with the rather brilliant idea of getting his students to write an Energy Descent Action Plan, based on permaculture principles, for their local council shire.

The document was so successful and so useful, the council agreed unanimously to adopt its action plan. Kinsale is now the first town in the world to be a ‘transition town’, actively and publicly making the move from a high energy use town to a low energy use town. Real solutions, practical, achievable, timely, and measurable. Other towns in the UK are now starting to come on board as ‘Transition Towns’ following the idea we have here of ‘Tidy Towns’.

Now this sounded like a real solution to me. One people could get involved in and one that local government would grab with both hands.

Together with Janet, I’d already started work on developing a new permaculture course based on David Holmgren’s text that addressed peak oil and how we can move to a low impact, low energy use future (which therefore by default also addresses climate change).

The Time for an Oil Change course is being trialed in the second half of this year and students will study Holmgren’s principles and apply them to the restructuring of our region including; infrastructure, the built environment, relocalisation of food supply, economy, education, transportation, water, waste, energy, reskilling, employment and community governance.

From this the concept for a Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre (SEAC) evolved. The Centre will open this August in Yandina and provide free weekly workshops, guest speakers, dvd screenings and other events to raise community awareness, understanding, education and empowerment about these critical problems and the solutions that are available.

Another key component of this community education program is a website, which is now underway. The www.seac.net.au site offers a communication point for the community to learn about climate change, peak oil, energy descent and permaculture.

This is all being done out of my and my husband’s own pockets and with the very kind donation of $1000 from a member of our local permaculture group which allowed us to get the website up and running. This is in contrast to the AU$9M given to the Climate Change Centre of Excellence in Qld to research the impact of global climate change on Queensland. But we believe this issue is so important that we are committed to making this happen.

We have developed some key partnerships with the Local Council, who are very supportive of these ideas and the local University, along with local business people and environmental groups.

From all of this we (myself, Janet, local permaculturists, students, the community, and council) will develop an Energy Descent Action Plan, similar to the Kinsale report, but done incrementally, that addresses the necessary changes needed for us to make the smooth transition to energy descent.

I have great hopes for these projects; the course, the centre, the energy descent plan – I hope we become a model of community action that can be replicated around the world, I hope we can motivate people into action, I hope we can relocalise our lives and community, but most of all I know I can look the next generation in the eye and say that I did as much as I could about climate change and peak oil.

Sonya Wallace
SEAC coordinator
M :: 0408 013 012
E :: info@seac.net.au

Eudlo Relocalisation Group

How would you like to see Eudlo relocalise?

Sonya — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 13:55:48 -0700

Use this forum to express your views on what you would most like to see happen in Eudlo. Is it food production, community events, transportation alternatives or something else?

Have your say and share your view with the other members of this group.

Eudlo Relocalisation Group

Your say at State Govt level - last call!

Sonya — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 18:53:59 -0700

Have your say at State Govt level.

How can we prepare for climate change and peak oil?

On August 29 I have been invited to attend a roundtable discussion at Parliament House in Brisbane.

The forum will look at how we can best prepare for the long haul on these global issues.

As part of my role in the discussions, I have been asked to discuss these issues with my local community (geographical or virtual) and bring their input and comments to the table.

My interests in this are relocalisation, permaculture solutions, energy descent action planning and community education about these issues and the many solutions we have available to us to act.

I will be discussing the energy descent action planning course we have in place, the Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre and the relocalisation groups I am involved with.

Could you please consider the following background information and questions and let me know if you have any suggestions or comments you would like to include;

Leading for the future…

Building resilience in social and economic systems to deal with sudden discontinuous change and uncertainty.

Strengthening our capacity to learn, adapt and innovate in businesses and communities.

Think ‘local’… think ‘dispersed’… think ‘diverse’…

Focus questions

What conditions allow people to collaborate across boundaries to generate social resilience and innovation?

What do we (as community leaders) need to do differently to meet the challenges of climate change (and peak oil)?

What support and resources will we need to be effective in this role?

What steps can we take in SEQ and NENSW to develop local leadership?

How can we support networking and learning between leaders?

Your comments would be most appreciated,
Sonya

SustainaBundy

Have your say on relocalisation

Sonya — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 21:04:15 -0700

This is your opportunity to have your say on relocalisation.

What does it mean to you?

How can you begin relocalising your life?

What would you like to see happen on the Sunshine Coast?

Have your say and be counted in the big energy descent plan for the future...

Eudlo Relocalisation Group

New book lifts lid on Howard's 'greenhouse mafia'

Sonya — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 23:40:15 -0700

High & Dry by Guy Pearse
John Howard, climate change and the selling of Australia's future.

Guy Pearse's revelation about Australia's 'greenhouse mafia' made headlines. In High & Dry this Liberal Party insider shows why John Howard's climate change policy is reckless, how it came about, and who is behind it.

Released only a few weeks ago, this book outlines the reason behind John Howard's refusal to sign Kyoto and explains why he will never do anything to cut carbon emissions while he is in power. The story featured on ABC TV's Four Corners in February 2006.

If you wonder why our leaders are steadfastly refusing to respond to the greatest threat posed to our planet - read this book.

Not only are our politicians doing nothing to stop emissions, they are resolutely taking us in the exact opposite direction - one they know will lead to a very grim future for us all.

It's hard to understand how anyone could consciously do this, but Pearses' book explains the reasoning and the 'behind the scenes' very well.

Not a cheery read by any means, but an absolute must read for any Australian concerned about climate change, the future of the planet and future generations.

From the book jacket...

In this damning account, Liberal Party member, lobbyist and former Howard-government advisor Guy Pearse takes us behind the rhetoric he once helped write. He reveals that the government has no plans whatsoever to reduce Australia's emissions, and explains why this is bad for Australia's economy. He exposes a prime minister wilfully blind to Australia's real interests - a man who has allowed climate change policy to be dictated by a small group of Australia's biggest polluters and the lobbyists they fund.

Just as Tim Flannery's The Weather Makers explained the science of climate change, High & Dry explains the politics. You cannot understand the future of Australia without reading this book.

Published by Viking as an imprint of Penguin Books - ask for it at your bookstore

Visit www.highanddry.com.au for more information and updates.

SustainaBundy

Resilience in the face of the long emergency

Sonya — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 17:42:42 -0700

Resilience in the face of the ‘long emergency’

(With acknowledgement to JAMES HOWARD KUNSTLER)

My new mantra is ‘resilience’. It’s officially my new favourite word and I have a lot of favourite words as they are my tools of trade. But resilience is my absolute favourite as of now.

It perfectly sums up how we need to approach peak oil and climate change. It’s succinct, positive, definite and strong.

We need to build resilience, we need to be resilient. Our systems and infrastructure need to be resilient.

Our food gardens, water supply, lighting, heating, cooling – they all need to be resilient.

Our finances, our means of earning money, our health, even our psyches needs to be resilient.

To me, resilience means that if one thing ‘falls over’ not everything does, that there is diversity and strength in systems to weather a shock and still be standing. That something can ‘fill the gap’ left by a problem, life continues to some degree…you haven’t put all your eggs in one basket and subsequently backed over your basket.

The Macquarie Dictionary defines resilience as; elasticity, rebound, recoil, ready recovery, buoyancy, even cheerfulness.

But how do we go about it?

I’ve summed up what I believe is the start of a resilience plan. The Steps we need to take to build resilience in our communities. I’ve taken my years of working in media and communications for emergency services, where I responded to emergencies using communication as my tool on a daily basis, and I’ve applied the same ‘crisis management’ strategies to preparing for a post carbon future.

Aside from the topics raised in this article, now is the time for communities to carefully and thoughtfully examine how they can build resilience and preserve the following; society and social structures, law enforcement & justice, health, culture, bio-diversity, emergency response, insurance, and recovery.

This is a long emergency, as James Howard Kunstler has described. Most emergencies I dealt with in emergency services lasted a few hours, perhaps a few days – never weeks, never years, never decades – never like we are now facing with peak oil and climate change.

It’s going to be hard work, it’s going to be tiring, frustrating, exhausting, depressing, busy, draining. Our energies will be shattered and scattered as we look for solutions. We’ll respond and react to problem after problem, to crisis after crisis at a heightened level day after day after day after day… it could easily take a tragic toll among us.

You first
Firstly, YOU must become resilient. Build support systems, create networks, find your inspiration, TAKE TIME OFF, rest, eat well, keep in contact with Nature, support others, acknowledge, accept, celebrate, have fun, laugh, and cry.

Steps to resilience
Identify
Admitting and identifying the problem is a good first step and one a lot of people will struggle with. People honestly think nothing will change and everything will just keep going the way it is today. Discuss and identify the issues, ensure you include lots of diversity in the groups you discuss these problems with. Talk about vulnerabilities, what are they and how can they be managed, improved, changed, or accepted. Who’s in your community? What strengths do you have in your human resources? What skills are lurking in the masses? Do you know your neighbours?

Pre-plan & Pre-pare
Being prepared is a wonderful thing, it gives you such confidence. It’s not bad luck to talk about the ‘what ifs?’ In fact it’s a sign of good management to discuss scenarios and to talk about the ‘what ifs?’ Perhaps it may not be as bad as what you expect, if you think the worse, you might be pleasantly surprised. In all seriousness, table top scenarios, community discussions, acknowledging the possibilities and planning for them – they are all powerful tools of preparation and preparation is the key. Whether it’s a public talk you’re giving or laying a concrete slab, preparation pays off. It’s also good to underpromise and overdeliver. Preparation = information therefore information = empowerment.

Mitigate where possible
Is there something you can do today, right now to mitigate a problem? To reduce your vulnerability. To build resilience today?

Communication
Ah, my favourite subject. Communication is another powerful tool we humans have in the face of adversity. Communication = information, information = empowerment, When we communicate, people have an understanding (hopefully!). If we communicate before a situation arises, even better. If people are prepared and know what might happen, what might be expected of them, how others might respond, and where to get more information it often leads to less panic and mayhem when the incident actually happens. Communicate early and often. Communicate pre, during and post events. Keeping people informed reduces rumour, mis-information and problems later. PS there will always be someone who asks “why wasn’t I told?” no matter how thorough you are – it’s just one of the mystical laws of communication.

Have structures in place
Another current favourite topic. Google ‘peak oil’ or ‘climate change’ and see what happens. There is SO much information out there we can no longer excuse our ignorance and continue living in denial with “well I didn’t know that” or my other favourite “no-one told me” – another mystical law of communication that must be followed for the fabric of the universe to be maintained. Community groups, activists and even some leaders around the globe are telling anyone who will listen what is on our horizon. Leaders know – and they have an absolute moral and ethical responsibility to HAVE STRUCTURES IN PLACE. My personal aim is to lobby for the systems to be built around the people. Put the structures in place. Those of us who know have a responsibility to do this.

Resources
We will need resources. Now is a really good time to identify them, where they are located, who can get to them quickly, how many we have and how they can best be activated in an emergency. Are they readily available and easily accessible? Resources can be many things and should include people.

Build confidence in the community
Isn’t it just so much easier to do something when you know how to do it, what’s expected of you and what’s expected of others? That’s confidence! A confident community = an empowered community. Communication plays a key role as does education and practical experience in building confidence. Resilient psyches are very powerful!

Have a back up plan
Murphy’s Law – whatever can go wrong will go wrong. Take note of it and have a back up plan. If one road is closed does your plan fall in a heap? Have a back up plan.

Have more back up plans
The long emergency is a unique situation. Sure we’ve dealt with crises here before, but not of the intensity and frequency we will face in the future. Add to that the fact we will have less available ‘energy’ – power, electricity, petrol, goods, food etc – in the future due to peak oil. Increasing demands (for emergency response) in a depleting energy environment – who’s planning for that?

Have alternatives
When all else fails have an alternative plan – creativity, flexibility, responsiveness, the courage to accept feedback and make the necessary changes are all good things.

Diversify
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket – someone may drop it. Practice resilience in all its glorious forms.

Feedback
Factor it in, accept it, do something about it. If something isn’t working change it. If something is working keep doing it.

Identify
The closing of the loop… go back to the beginning and start working through it again.

So that’s my 13 steps to resilience.

But who is going to do all this? We need leaders and those leaders need QUALITIES…

Qualities needed for community resilience
Leadership
Isn’t it great when someone knows what to do? Someone who inspires you, someone you want to be around? Leadership is an innate quality. People are born with it (or not). It can be honed, but it can’t be ‘made’. Poor leadership has got us into this mess. Good leadership can get us out. The same bad leadership that got us into this mess is NOT the same leadership that will get us out. If ‘they’ had that foresight in their thinking, we wouldn’t be here in this mess in the first place.

Trust
‘Sigh’ so lacking in today’s leaders… Trust is the key. We need to trust our leaders because we will be following them. Without trust it’s all over. If I don’t trust you, I’m not going to do what you ask of me.

Ingenuity
Being ingenious! Inventive, talented, skillful. Excellent qualities to have and encourage in others.

Creativity
As it relates to flexibility. The ability to creatively look for answers, solutions, new ways of doing things, new ways of using things. Not being locked up by that “we’ve never done it like that before” type thinking.

Know limitations
One of the greatest qualities a leader or a community could have. It takes great strength and self-awareness to know, let alone acknowledge your limitations. A good leader surrounds themselves with good people who possess the skills that complement their own personal limitations. It also shows a lack of ego, which is a good thing.

Able to ask for expert support
See above

Community empowerment
An empowered community goes a long way toward a resilient community. Understanding, feeling ownership, being involved in the process and in decision making all lead to empowerment.

Established networks
Now is a really good time to build networks – not when the crisis is happening. Networks, whether physical or social need to be establish BEFOREHAND, not during, not after, but before. Now is a really good time to build networks, while we have the time, resources and technology to do it.

Understand skills base
In your community, in your leaders. A skills base of expertise is part of communication, networking and preparation. All important strategies for emergency preparation.

Identify inequities and those most vulnerable
‘They’ say the measure of a community is how it treats it’s most vulnerable. People who have nothing to lose – have nothing to lose. Identify and ADDRESS inequities. This is part of social cohesive and inclusiveness. People who feel isolated probably are isolated and they also feel desperate. Desperate people will do desperate things. Ensuring equity and support and caring for our most vulnerable is GOOD social management and will go a long way in the long emergency.

Things will change
Understand that things will change. We are living in an illusion of stability. Things will change. It is very likely that our future situation will be very different to our current situation. Things may never return to ‘normal’ and they will definitely not be ‘stable’ once the long emergency really kicks in. We need to define a new ‘normal’ and be prepared to redefine that too. We need to communicate this to people so they are prepared.

Responsive to and understanding of change
A fundamental quality we must all adopt. See above.

Communication
Back to my favourite subject. Communication. One I’m dedicating a thesis to in fact. But let’s just focus on one aspect of communication in society. How do a lot of people get their ‘information’? From the media. The television news, radio, internet and newspapers are their sources of what’s happening. When a disaster occurs there is a predictable pattern of reporting that newsrooms follow and it is timely for our leaders to understand this process – no surprises then. These stories and the process of reporting them will go something like this…

How the media will report a ‘disaster’
• Initial reports – media report what hard facts are immediately available and vision of the incident.
• Cause of emergency – more details, more information emerges of the incident
• Stories of individual courage – the ‘human interest’ of the story, in depth ‘features’ appear
• Effect of the disaster – financial costs, industry costs, ‘loss of’ costs, final fatality numbers, and more features of various aspects depending on the type of disaster
• Safety warning and inadequacies – the media (public) examination of the incident begins includes letters to the editor, more features etc
• Emergency response and inadequacies – media (public) examination of the emergency response
• Blame – who is to blame?
• Aftermath and recover – the one year on story, costs, losses etc, lessons learnt

This is my take on resilience, why it’s important and perhaps a few ideas and thoughts on how we might go about creating it.

I hope you find it useful and please ask yourself; ‘how can you build resilience in my community?’

SustainaBundy

Food garden working bees

Sonya — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 18:42:11 -0700

Food garden working bees start November 11.

The Eudlo Relocalisation Group meets on the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month at 8.30am in the park opposite the Eudlo General Store – everyone is welcome. The groups’ focus is on community activities within Eudlo – particularly those to do with climate change and peak oil. Food production is a big issue for the future so the group will be starting Food Garden Working Bee days this November.

Working bees are simple – the garden owner sorts out a project, gathers materials and resources, lets people know what they need to bring (usually tools, wheelbarrows etc), they supply tea, coffee, etc and the ‘workers’ bring a plate of food to share. The work will usually be for about three hours, after which we can all relax and have a meal together and you can get to know people in your local area. Projects for the working bee include anything related to home organic food production – garden beds, no-dig gardens, compost systems, setting up a worm farm, mulching, pruning, planting, seed saving, building a chook house…

The first food garden working bee will be on Sunday November 11 at a property on Mossybank Road. Contact group coordinator Sonya raintreeorganics@yahoo.com.au for more information or to join us.

Eudlo Relocalisation Group

Meeting outcomes Oct 14

Sonya — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 19:39:50 -0700

For those of you can't make it to every meeting.... the outcomes will be posted here to keep you up to date with developments and new initiatives.

Meeting held today October 14

WORKING BEES
Monique has kindly offered to coordinate PET days - Permaculture Energy Transfer days where we all get together for a working bee at someone's place. Working Bee projects will all be based around home organic food production. We'll support each other in creating abundant, lush, healthy food gardens in our own backyards. Of course, we have to name our group and a suggestion was to call it the PIG days - people in gardens - I like it, what do you think? Let me know if you would like to be part of our first working bee day at Alberto's.

SEED SAVING NETWORK
Seed saving is absolutely vital for the future, particularly with companies such as Monsanto trying harder than ever to grab ownership of seeds (and thereby food supply) around the world. Please, please do your bit to express your opinion against the continued introduction of genetically modified food and seeds into our food supply and the introduction of Terminator Technology (seeds that 'suicide' so you cannot save them and replant the following season). This is a very dangerous practice and one we cannot afford to just hand over to multi-nationals. Once they have modified the genetic make up of a seed, we cannot get it back and all our own food will be contaminated.

So... we have decided to start our own seed saving network within the group and hopefully network with other seed savers in the region.

I will investigate getting a course up and running soon on how to seed save and we can all start protecting our human right to clean, safe, food we can grow ourselves. Will keep you updated on developments.

Cheers,
Sonya
Group Coordinator

Eudlo Relocalisation Group

Meeting Outcomes Sunday Oct 29

Sonya — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 13:25:56 -0700

For those of you who couldn't make it, we discussed details of the working bee on November 11 - a local well known permaculture teacher has already been out to the site to take a look at what could be done... also discussed details of a seed saving course.

Next meeting will be 'on location' on November 11 - please email me for address details and what to bring.

Sonya

Eudlo Relocalisation Group

Meeting outcomes for Dec 9

Sonya — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 17:26:52 -0800

Thanks to everyone who turned up today...

We heard from Alberto as to how the working bee went from his point of view (very well and the vegies are booming along!)

Also we decided to only meet monthly in 2008 - first Sunday of every month still at 8.30am, so the next meeting is Jan 6.
We have another idea for a working bee, this time harvesting amaranth, which should be ready in March/April
The idea of starting a carpooling forum here on this site (people log on when and where they will be travelling so others can share a lift) and that will start under FORUMS
There was a request for a talk on solar energy - Sonya to arrange
The idea of a raffle with a permablitz garden makeover as the prize was discussed and will be followed up
And there was also talk of the potential to hold a weekly market of fresh and bulk food right in the heart of Eudlo, but more on that as the idea progresses.

Dates for a seed saving course will also be arranged for 2008.

Sunshine Coast Relocalisation- Noosa Eumundi and Districts (SCReNE)

CARPOOLING FORUM

Sonya — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 17:29:32 -0800

Let's see if we can start a car pooling forum here on this site.

Just post when and where you will be travelling and perhaps a contact email so the parties can discuss pick up and meeting details.

Try to give as much notice as you can, so people have time to check this site and emails or to make arrangements.

Eudlo Relocalisation Group

Meeting outcomes for February

Sonya — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:14:43 -0800

Thanks to everyone who turned up despite the heavy rain. Outcomes from today's meeting;

the bulk buying project will kick off again and we will have a list of items for the next meeting - so start thinking about oil, flour, rice, tahini etc
we've agreed to run a stall at WOEIE and sell plants, produce etc there - look at having a raffle with the prize being a raised garden bed of food and a second prize of a box of produce from our gardens - if we are selling things, we'll need to pay for the site
the seed saving course looks set for May 10 - will chase up holding it at Chevallum rather than Yandina and will advertise it more broadly.
still chasing up cost of Eudlo Hall for a community film night to raise awareness about peak oil, climate change etc.
some members will be attending the Eudlo Concept Plan meeting at the Town Hall tomorrow night (and hopefully find out exactly how much the hall costs, and talk to the WOEIE organisers) and inputting relocalisation ideas and our wish list for the town
will also look into whether we could use the hall as a market place to sell produce
next working bee will probably be at Yukari's and Arnaud's place - they have a creek revegetation seedling planting planned - subject to weather of course - will let members know closer to the date.

Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre

Meeting outcomes for Jan 6

Sonya — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 18:08:54 -0800

It time to plan for 2008 - today's meeting covered the following;

The Chevallum Permaculture Group will run a garden tour day in February (visiting local gardens including community support agriculture) which members are invited along to

Seed saving course - Sonya to get definate date for this and make it happen!

It was suggested that we concentrate more on food production this year (this covers personal home growing, helping others set up gardens through our permablitz working bees and community plantings of fruit and nut trees in the local area)

The WOEIE (Where on earth is Eudlo!) festival is on March 15 and we hope to have a stall there talking to the locals about our action group, will also see about hosting a film screening during the festival - Sonya to follow up at next WOEIE meeting and secure site

Also discussed running a raffle at WOEIE to raise money for the group with the prize being a Permablitz for a member of the community and or a basket of goodies from our own gardens

Also discussed running community film nights in the local hall as part of awareness raising in the community - Sonya to investigate and chase up details (The Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre to supply AV equipment and DVDs)

Discussed raising money generally from film nights to put back into the community in the way of food production systems and education programs

Verena has supplied a price list from Florabunda Bushcare for any members looking at bulk buying native plants - contact Sonya

Also discussed local paper's front page article on climate change and how our group can support a local awareness raising and action planning campaign. Sonya has already written to the newspaper to see about getting a campaign of articles, events etc for 2008 happening.

We also discussed the need to define clear goals for this year, so next meeting on Feb 3 will be about this. Please either bring your ideas along or email them to me if you can't make it.

Looks like 2008 is going to be a huge year, but it also looks to be lots of fun and we won't be scratching our heads wondering what to do!

If you would like any further info on any of these topics, or would like to be part of the group, please contact Sonya at raintreeorganics@yahoo.com.au

Eudlo Relocalisation Group

Have your say in the future of our town

Sonya — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 18:32:39 -0800

Eudlo is about to begin work on a Concept Plan for the future. They last did one in 1992 and now it's time to do it agian. The Eudlo Relocalisation Group can make a meaningful contribution to the planning and our views seem to be very much aligned with those of the Town Hall committee. Keeping Eudlo unique, remembering its historic value, not wanting development...

Be part of the future - first meeting will be on Feb 4th (Monday) at 7pm in the Eudlo Town Hall. See you there!

Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre

Climate change & Peak oil are not a problem

Sonya — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 19:43:45 -0800

I don't think climate change and peak oil are a problem... let me explain.

There is so much media, government and public attention focused on the ‘problem’ of climate change and, to a lesser degree peak oil, but aren’t we all looking at this from the wrong angle?

I see the changes in our climate and our impending energy descent as symptoms, not problems.

The problem is much deeper and much more personal.

The problem is the way we – those of us in developed countries – are living our lives.

It’s the way we consume way beyond what we actually need, it’s about the food we throw away, the culture of consumerism we’ve created and have now become enslaved to.

Try telling someone that they don’t need the latest model car, they don’t need a wardrobe full of clothes they don’t wear, that we don’t actually need shopping malls full of useless ‘crap’ and see how far you get.

Somewhere, somehow, we all started believing we had the right to live the high life. Marketers jumped on the bandwagon – or perhaps kicked it all off – and we were on our way. The latest handbags, boxes and boxes of shoes, the latest in-season fashion. Live like a celebrity!

What’s hot and what’s not? Our passion for fashion (not just clothes of course, but the latest model kitchen appliance, the celebrity style overseas get away …) is directly related to what’s hot that’s for sure. And another thing that’s hot is the climate.

Human behaviour – consumerism, land use, deforestation, fossil fuel burning – has now changed the world’s weather patterns – perhaps irreversibly. Warning after warning, each more dire than the one before and appearing in our newspapers, our nightly news programs yet… where is the revolution?

Yet, we continue on our merry way, worshipping the consumerism of today’s life… very few people have really made any serious effort to change the way they live. Our societies make it hard for those of us who would like to seriously change the way we live – you try living without a car on the Sunshine Coast!

We continue to pump out (the problem) carbon emissions in huge amounts (the symptom) despite knowing it is going to cause extinction of species (note to all – WE are a species!), destruction of the environment, major disruptions to food supply and loss of available land…

As for peak oil, do you think an ant cares that we are running out of oil, or a bird, or an elephant?

We care that we are running out of oil because we’ve built ourselves into a corner. A corner built on oil, lives dependant on oil, economies dependant on oil, employment, housing, food, mobility… all dependant on oil.

We’re running out because we’ve consumed what was available at an alarming rate. We’ve wasted oil on frivolous, meaningless things that have done nothing to really improve our lives. We’re less happy and more stressed than our pre-oil ancestors.

Looking at climate change as an environmental problem is taking us off course and away from where we should be focussing. We are losing valuable time and wasting valuable energy if we look at this as an environmental problem.

Because what happens is councils and other organisations, thinking they are doing the right thing – climate change is about the environment right? – employ environmental scientists to get to work fixing the problem.

But then, the poor person put in that position realises the problem is not the environment, the problem is people - social, economic, psychological, planning, infrastructure, systems, systems, systems.

Yes, climate change is about the environment, but climate change is only a symptom, not the problem. Same with peak oil – if we didn’t use (waste?) so much of this precious fuel and if we hadn’t designed our whole lives to revolve around it – it wouldn’t be reaching it’s peak and if it was, we wouldn’t care.

When I worked in the medical field, often patients would be being treated and hospitalised for their symptoms, not the problem. Our health system is a reflection of our current crisis.

Yes we can treat symptoms, we can mask symptoms – but unless we treat the underlying problem – and in this case it’s human behaviour and abuse of earth’s resources – we are only ever going to have a bandaid effect.

Let’s instead bite the bullet and address the real issues 1) consumption – or more to the point overconsumption and 2) a change away from linear globalised systems – resource in waste out – extraordinary transport miles and carbon emissions attached to everything we buy.

Let’s be brave and let's be visionaries
reduce consumption,
produce locally,
build resilient communities
relocalise and
make the transition to our post carbon future with our eyes wide open and looking forward.

Sunshine Coast Relocalisation- Noosa Eumundi and Districts (SCReNE)

Permablitz done!

Sonya — Sat, 03 May 2008 21:53:54 -0700

Thanks to everyone who came to today's permablitz working bee at our place.

You really did an amazing job and the garden looks fantastic.

I'm exhausted, but it was worth it.

Tired, but happy,
Sonya and John

Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre

Another Permablitz done

Sonya — Sun, 18 May 2008 16:24:32 -0700

Another big permablitz day yesterday. About nine of us pitched in to help AB and Tam set up a huge compost system, build a chook run, put in a green manure crop to revitalise a vegie patch, feeding and mulching trees, pulling out weeds and setting up another big vegie growing area.

We all enjoyed a great lunch too.

Creating a Sustainable Sunshine Coast - Nambour to Mooloolah

Local Farmers' Markets

Sonya — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 15:38:39 -0700

Did you know that the Big Pineapple Farmers' Markets are now on every Saturday morning from 7am? Support local food supply chains, shop locally, buy direct from the grower, buy fresh food, support local business people, reduce your carbon emissions, cut down on food miles, and enjoy a true local feast!

The Noosa Farmers' Markets are on every Sunday morning at Noosaville.

Sunshine Coast Relocalisation- Noosa Eumundi and Districts (SCReNE)

the Eudlo Co-operative

Sonya — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:08:28 -0700

We are about to start the process of forming a co-operative right here in Eudlo.

Other ideas include;
creating some type of social hub in our town - this need has been raised by new people who are moving here and don't know how to find out what's going on.

starting the EGG group - the Eudlo Grain Growers group - researching and growing grains in our local area.

If you live in or very near Eudlo and would like to be part of these initiatives, please contact eudlogardenofeatin@yahoo.com

Sunshine Coast Relocalisation- Noosa Eumundi and Districts (SCReNE)