Dear Subscriber,
Happy New Year! As we get underway with 2011, those of us in the Transition SC steering group are looking forward to finding ever more effective ways for getting the ideas of Transition out into the community. We hope to see local resilience increase beyond anything we've allowed ourselves to dream so far.
At the same time, it is honest to say that we have discovered by trial and error that building a Transition Initiative here is different than it was in Totnes, England, or even in the larger towns in the UK whose progress was described in the Transition Handbook. In the past two years, we have diverged from that model in several ways, learning as we go.
Now we are at a crossroads. Transition Santa Cruz (the organization) is dedicated to serving Transition (the movement) in Santa Cruz as well as we can. With a limited number of people able to dedicate steady work to TSC, we need to focus our efforts. We may be able to continue doing education, advocacy, community-building, coalition-building, and direct projects, but how to prioritize?
This month the steering group will meet for a daylong "retreat" to develop our vision for TSC. One of the strongest proposals is to shift most of our efforts to working at the neighborhood level, building the sense of community and resilience there.
I'd be delighted to hear your ideas.
—Michael Levy
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A key moment for local transportation
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You can be part of a historic moment in Santa Cruz Sustainable Transportation.
On January 19th, the California Transportation Commission will be voting on whether or not to give us the $14 million we need to purchase the rail line that goes from Davenport to Watsonville. We need so show them how many of us care about this. Once we own it we can:
1. Create a bike, pedestrian and wheelchair accessible route that spans the whole county free of car exhaust; and
2. Have the possibility of a passenger train.
It is not a foregone conclusion that we are getting this money. We will be visiting the offices of Joe Simitian and Bill Monning (our Congressman) and be traveling with a group of high school youth from Watsonville who want this to happen.
Join us on a fun--and vital--field trip to Sacramento on the 19th.
Call or write Batya Kagan if you are interested in going. Phone: 419-6574.
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Transition Training in the Bay Area
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Friday-Sunday, January 28-30
Sonoma, CA
Whether you want to increase your leadership in Transition Santa
Cruz, or start a new Transition initiative elsewhere (wink, wink, nudge,
nudge mid-county and south county folks!), this course will leave you
well-equipped.
Led by experienced Transition trainers Kat Steele and Scott McKeown, the course describes how to catalyze, build and facilitate a successful
Transition Initiative. It is packed with imaginative and inspiring ways
to engage your community, and delves into the theory and practice
of Transition that has worked so well in hundreds of communities around the world.
More information here.
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Also worthy of attention...
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Green Riders' Electric Bicycle presentation: Sunday, January 16, 12:30 at Quaker Meeting House ( map) . Hear about Catherine and Oliver Bock's bicycle adventure across the United States, where they discovered sustainable solutions to environmental problems.
Tapping our Group Wisdom: A 4-week discussion group with Derek Tennant. Monday, January 10, - Monday, January 31, 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm, Unitarian Church, 6401 Freedom Blvd., Aptos
A quotation in honor of Martin Luther King's birthday:
I am convinced that if we are to get on right side of the world
revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of
values. We must rapidly begin the shift from a “thing-oriented”
society to a “person-oriented” society. When machines and computers,
profit motives and property rights are considered more important than people, the
giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable
of being conquered.
--MLK, Jr.
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Contact Details
831-427-9916
http://transitionsc.org
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Potluck with a Purpose
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♦ Wednesday, January 26
♦ 6:30 to 9:00
♦ Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave. (map)
♦ Free/donation
♦ Family friendly
♦ Bring a dish to share, any items to swap, and community announcements
Money Movie Night
While our economy continues to crumble around us, and politicians tell us that there is not enough money to pay for essential services, it's a perfect time for us to re-examine our money system.
In excerpts from several excellent documentaries on money, we will ask--and answer--such questions as:
♦ Where does our money come from?
♦ Why does money seem to be scarce?
♦ If people need work, and work needs doing, what is in the way?
♦ Has a large society ever had a better money system than ours?
♦ What is going on locally to do something about our money woes? (Hint: For a preview, check out NewEarthExchange.org!)
There will be the usual delicious food, share table, asks and offers, community announcements, and general great feeling of working together on a great project.
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