Naomi Klein on the Environmental Movement

http://www.zcommunications.org/on-climate-justice-and-the-failures-of-the-environmental-movement-by-naomi-klein

Opposition to proposed sale of Coillte forests

http://iwt.ie/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/Statement-on-Proposed-Sale-of-Coillte-Crop.pdf?utm_source=WIDE+-+eNewsbulletin+85&utm_campaign=eNewsletter+85&utm_medium=email

A climate law with no targets is like ...

Can you complete the phrase...

http://www.foe.ie/takeaction/a-climate-law-with-no-targets-is-like

Break the grip of corporate power to secure our future

http://m.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/03/break-grip-corporate-power-secure-future

IEA World Energy Outlook 2012

An interesting article shows how the wrong areas of the IEA report are being focused on by the media

http://mobile.alternet.org/alternet/#!/entry/3-terrifying-things-about-the-earth-were-in-denial-about,50b4f467d7fc7b567079bf4b

Gross National Happiness

GNH focus rather GDP and how its works in Bhutan

http://m.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/dec/01/bhutan-wealth-happiness-counts

Natural gas field in west Clare confirmed as prospective fracking site

http://www.thejournal.ie/west-clare-fracking-697480-Dec2012/?utm_source=twitter_self

Why can't it all just go away?

Great article on the how to deal with the anxieties of Climate Change?

http://m.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/nov/30/climate-change-you-cant-ignore-it/a>

Fracking troubles in US

This a very thorough article on Fracking and it's effects on agriculture and the environment in the US.

http://truth-out.org/news/item/13058-why-are-cows-tails-dropping-off

Save Our Forests

IMPACT launched a national campaign to oppose the Government's plan to sell the harvesting rights of the State-owned forestry company Coillte.

Read more about it here:
www.safeourforests.ie

Response to the TINI request

Hi All,



This is the email forn the TINI sent earlier in Nov. What should we respond with?

Hi everyone

The following forum concerns the future of your network - TINI, the website, the national hub status and what to do next.

. Please have a read and let your thoughts be known.

. http://transitiontownsireland.ning.com/forum/topics/transparency-the-state-of-tini

. Kind regards

. Theresa



Q.1 Do we wish to continue to remain within the Transition fold and allow our details to be passed on to TN in the event of dissolution of TINI as outlined in the paragraph below? Or do we wish to opt out?
The MoU with Transition Network Ltd needs to be attended to, regarding dissolution and agreed procedures put in place for this eventuality.

The Transition Network request in the advent of our dissolution, that we would pass over the membership details and this may be done after the members of our Ning community site are made aware of this and given the chance to opt out if they so desire. We propose to issue a months notice by email and community broadcast, before it is necessary to close down the Ning site due to lack of moderation and funding. It is also to be noted that the TINI Training Pool is presently non-operational.

This may more than likely invoke in you a reaction to save our network and several of us have felt this many times in the past couple of years. It was hoped when we set out upon this course, with the Constitution and the MoU that we would evolve a healthy core network group and develop the Transition Concept in our own unique way but the difficulties we face seem to be currently insurmountable.

End 

Q.2 As the paragraph below outlines do we wish to contribute to an evaluation of TINI and the Transition experience? 

A good evaluation may reveal the truth of the situation and help us learn from this frustrating circumstance. 

We therefore propose that a comprehensive investigative and evaluation be carried out to ascertain what has got us to this position and why TINI is unable to maintain an active and evolving group so that we, and others in various parts of the world, may gain an insight from this circumstance. 

End

My own feeling is that while some groups may be doing well, our experience has not been a great one. We have tried a number of initiatives to interest people in the idea but, disappointed with the lack of response, have become disillusioned  with the prospect of growing into a meaningful and resilient group. There has been a failure to catch fire to attain a significant size capable of doing good projects.

What to say about the TINI itself? My experience of it such as it is has been positive.

Let's make a decision one way or the other. Please feel free to add your own thoughts.

Best regards

 

David

Climate Talks

Low expectations after bad year full of signs of things to come. Political action is failing. What to do?

http://m.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/nov/25/doha-climate-talks-what-expect?cat=environment&type=article

Growing Food in the Desert

Certainly flawed but interesting what technology can achieve

http://m.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/nov/24/growing-food-in-the-desert-crisis?cat=environment&type=article

how-you-can-help-clean-energy-eat-big-oils-lunch

http://grist.org/climate-energy/how-you-can-help-clean-energy-eat-big-oils-lunch/

End of Faith Based Economics: A critique

http://www.esf.edu/efb/hall/documents/CEVol37No4-5_EndofFBEconomics.pdf

Sandy Storm Shock

Two ways in which the shock of Hurricane Sandy in the US can go...
http://www.thenation.com/article/171048/super-storm-sandy-peoples-shock

Excellent Summary Of The Idea of Regrowth

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/11/08

Sandy Storm Shock

Two ways in which the shock of Hurricane Sandy in the US can go...
http://www.thenation.com/article/171048/super-storm-sandy-peoples-shock

Green Film Festival

Missed the boat on this but the films and info still great.

http://www.greenupfilmfestival.com/en

Conservation of Energy - Why and How.

"Clean energy innovation should absolutely receive investment. But am I the only one who thinks it's crazy to bet the fate of our species and the planet entirely on a technological miracle? It may be easier to hope that technology will save us, but it will not actually be easier to do."

This is a great article on conservation of energy as opposed to the reliance on green technological innovation.

http://transitionnc.org/node/50/1670#comment-1670

“Feeding the 5,000” event

Link to website<

An urban farming revolution has transformed a former car park in Brentford

Link to article

Looks like a good read

http://unbound.co.uk/books/news-from-gardenia

This looks like an interesting idea for a book - a science fiction novel about a utopian sustainable future where everyone is a gardener. The website is a great idea also. The price is odd though as I do think you could get it cheaper elsewhere.

If extreme weather becomes the norm, starvation awaits

Link to article

Upcycling Movement Website

Great idea! Share of ideas and promotion of what you've upcycled or reused.

link to website

Food scarcity: the timebomb setting nation against nation

As the UN and Oxfam warn of the dangers ahead, expert analyst Lester Brown says time to solve the problem is running out.
Link to article on Guardian Website

Good News!

http://www.thejournal.ie/irish-people-recycling-rates-613663-Oct2012/?utm_source=twitter_self

Up cycle your umbrella in the Science Gallery

http://sciencegallery.com/events/2012/10/upcycle-movement-upcycle-umbrellas

NESC climate report a timely call for action, but lacks bite

http://www.foe.ie/news/2012/10/01/nesc-climate-report-a-timely-call-for-action-but-lacks-bite/

Good News!

http://www.thejournal.ie/irish-people-recycling-rates-613663-Oct2012/?utm_source=twitter_self

More on climate changing food supply

http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/06/climate-change-and-the-food-supply/

Small Farms are way forward

http://m.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/18/small-farming-renaissance-greed-agriculture?cat=commentisfree&type=article

Steve Keen Talk on Video

http://www.iiea.com/events/debunking-economics

Arctic Melt

http://m.guardian.co.uk/ms/p/gnm/op/stECs8bxv2k5_ev4Q2pP53Q/view.m?id=15&gid=commentisfree/2012/sep/17/climate-change-arctic-melts-editorial&cat=commentisfree


Sent from my iPhone

Wind Power Boost

http://m.guardian.co.uk/environment/blog/2012/sep/12/wind-energy-power-demand?cat=environment&type=article

Steve Keen

After the meeting last night in Celbridge (11/9/2012) I had a look again at Steve Keen's appearances in Ireland. He is the author of Debunking Economics and spoke at a meeting organised by  IIEA in Dublin on Nov. 15 2011 and again in April 2012. There is a video of the first meeting available online. It is 42 minutes long and is a scathing attack on neoclassical theory from several aspects including its Theory of Equilibrium, Law of Demand and theory of Money. It is very strong but condensed and a bit technical in places. It includes much material from his book but in very concise form.
I accessed it through the ASPO Ireland website. Of course Keen has his own websites which contain some shorter videos of his ideas.

The endless greed for oil threatens biodiversity.

http://m.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/sep/03/ecuador-yasuni-conservation?cat=environment&type=article

Small changes in shopping, cooking & eating can add up to big positive changes in the food chain

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/business/oxfam-campaign-encourages-us-women-to-use-food-efficiently.html?_r=1

The era of cheap food may be over

http://m.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/sep/02/era-of-cheap-food-over?cat=business&type=article


Sent from my iPhone

Solving the Global Food Crisis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzaEucaC9ls&sns=em

Wind power study says opponents' claims are unfounded

http://m.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/aug/29/wind-power-study-claims-unfounded?cat=business&type=article

Great video on peak oil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uKgU7krWzE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Future of Energy

This talk looks interesting on The Future of Energy in the Science Gallery.

http://m.sciencegallery.com/events/2012/08/future-energy-dreams-and-responsibilities

Nearly Half Of Corn Devoted To Fuel Production Despite Historic Drought

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/08/17/ethanol-mandate_n_1799046.html

Biofuel Article

Food prices rise and people starve. Why Biofuels are not an answer?

http://m.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/aug/13/poor-hungry-rich-drive-mo-farah-biofuels?cat=commentisfree&type=article

Some Important Facts and Tips About Our Food Purchases

http://blogs.oxfam.ca/blogs/grow/grow-small-actions-matter

Transition Town Maynooth: Irish Media Failing to Cover Major Climate Change ...

Transition Town Maynooth: Irish Media Failing to Cover Major Climate Change ...: http://t.co/g5wnSHnf

Bid to Create World's Largest Community Solar Farm

Article on how this scheme works and how it can be applied to other communities.

http://t.co/6tUJQ5UX

Irish Media Failing to Cover Major Climate Change Events

http://t.co/g5wnSHnf

The Maths We All Need To Learn

http://t.co/uN5kFufK

Greenland Melted at Alarming Rate in July

http://m.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jul/24/greenland-ice-sheet-thaw-nasa?cat=environment&type=article

The alternatives to our current currency systems

http://www.feasta.org/2012/07/23/the-lot-of-the-currency-designer/

The signs of climate changes effects are getting clearer

http://m.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/22/climate-science-gathering-storm-editorial?cat=commentisfree&type=article

My favourite Greenpeace parodies of Shell Ads

Record cereal prices stoke fears of global food crisis

Stark current examples of how climate change will raise food prices and why biofuels are not the answer to our energy problems.

http://m.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jul/19/record-cereal-prices-food-crisis?cat=environment&type=article

Replacing Failed Economics

Our economic system and approach is failing and is doomed to further failure in the future. We need some radical new thinking to come up with real alternatives. These positive alternatives will be discussed on Thursday 25th July in Dartmouth Square at 6pm with Charles Eisenstein (author of the inspiring works The Ascent of Humanity and, most recently, Sacred Economics). He will be joined by Ireland's own Mark Boyle (author of The Moneyless Man: A Year of Freeconomic Living), who famously lived without money for over two years. Don't miss it.

http://transitiontownsireland.ning.com/events/charles-eisenstein-and-mark-boyle-in-dublin-23rd-and-cork-25th

Surfing the Waves of Change

This really excellent animation video from Cultivate is a real inspiration to get out there and get our community resilient.

I wrote recently about my efforts to get a discussion going on (the end of ) Economic Growth by contacting various news and current affairs programmes. I even sent a piece to Irish Economy Blog inviting the economists to respond to the challenge but nothing has appeared. The only thing I did pick up was a quote there “Capitalism is the astounding belief that the most wickedest of men will do the most wickedest of things for the greater good of everyone.” (John Maynard Keynes).
I have started on Charles Hall's new book "Energy the Wealth of Nations " which makes a powerful attack on neoclassical economics as well as outlining what he considers to be a proper approach to economics. Hall is a scientist of high standing who has developed the concept of EROI, energy return on energy invested, which is basic to any understanding of energy systems and has applied it to many energy sources. For a sample of his thoughts see
http://www.esf.edu/efb/hall/documents/CEVol37No4-5_EndofFBEconomics.pdf
which is a scathing review of neoclassical economics.
His book is rather expensive though; it is conceived as an alternative text book on economics.

The Alternatives to Alternatives

A quick look at some of the alternative energy technologies beyond solar, wind and biofuels being developed and their current limitations.

http://www.ecomagination.com/the-alternative-crowd-the-most-unusual-renewable-energies

IEA Report

A new IEA report shows how the energy system can be transformed by new technologies ensuring an 80% chance of limiting long-term global temperature increase to 2°C. The report warns that this technological revolution would only be made possible with definitive policy actions and considerable investment.

http://www.iea.org/newsroomandevents/pressreleases/2012/june/name,27474,en.html

Climate Change and Peak Oil Threats Summary

Here is an overall summary by Feasta of the threats posed by Climate Change and Peak Oil, our possible futures as a result, and what needs to be done to allow a positive future to be achieved.

http://www.feasta.org/2012/07/13/climate-change-and-peak-oil-two-sides-of-the-same-coin/

Irish Bananas Someday?

Adding to the previous post here is an article on how a few English farmers have branched out into more exotic produce such as almonds, chilies and even looking into bananas and coffee! I wonder how the carbon footprint compares with those produced and transported from elsewhere. Would be great to grow your own bananas : ) Also the suggestion is that the stressful life they have struggling in our climate might make them even tastier!

http://m.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/jul/11/british-farmers-growing-exotic-crops?cat=lifeandstyle&type=article

British Farmers Told To Grown More Curry Products

Here is an interesting article on how the British government has released a report that recommends the farming of chickpeas and spices to help with sustainability.

http://m.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jul/10/curry-ingredients-sustainability?cat=environment&type=article

Teagasc/RDS lecture series kicks off with 'The Perfect Storm

A series of lectures by Teagasc on the theme ‘Grand Challenges for Global Agriculture and Food’ will take place in the RDS starting on Thursday. The iseries will deal with the growing challenges of sustainably meeting the food security needs of a rapidly increasing global population and will be presented by outstanding international scientists and policymakers.

http://www.teagasc.ie/news/2012/201207-06.asp#.T_bOaysEJvE.twitter

More in the US willing to believe In Climate Change

The recent extreme weather conditions in the U.S. have convinced more Americans that Climate Change is happening.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mobileweb/2012/07/06/climate-change-belief-global-warming_n_1653115.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

More reaction to research.

http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2012-07-02/peak-denial

Peak Oil's Reaction to Research

http://peakoil.com/production/tech-talk-a-new-energy-report-from-harvard-makes-unsupportable-assumptions/

Research Weakens Peak Oil?

http://m.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/02/peak-oil-we-we-wrong?cat=commentisfree&type=article

Article on why working within the current system fails

http://monthlyreview.org/2012/06/01/the-denialism-of-progressive-environmentalists

Community Food takes off

http://t.co/PH2UBvMz

The Big Energy Myth

ping.fm/tuFJz

The Conundrum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2S1mPOWRsSc&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Multilateral hopes fade

http://t.co/TFxyBJYW

Hopeful Article That Action Could Make a Difference

http://www.newscientist.com/mobile/article/dn21886-peak-planet-are-we-starting-to-consume-less.html

Thought provoking article pointing out conditions for Transition

http://fleeingvesuvius.org/2012/03/26/on-being-in-time-for-transition/

Article on Green Community Investments

http://m.guardian.co.uk/ms/p/gnm/op/sBWIWCmDrOtaQKrPvnLcTKQ/view.m?id=15&gid=money/2012/jun/22/community-investment-schemes&cat=environment

Summer Local Food Event!!!

You are invited to the 4th annual food and film event hosted by
Transition Town, Maynooth the ICA hall on Saturday, June 23rd at 3pm.
We will be showing In Transition 2.0. Check out this website to see
the trailer: http://www.intransitionmovie.com/. We will be sharing
some good, home-cooked, locally sourced food, giving away some free
plants and having a chat over a cuppa on the ideas and themes raised
by the film. The Transition movement started in 2005 and now boasts
900 initiatives worldwide. It started life as a “community-led
response to climate change and peak oil” and has grown as a structure
for communities to become resilient in the face of these challenges
and that of the economic crisis. All aspects of our lives are made
possible by cheap fossil fuels, from the clothes we wear to the food
we eat. A community screening of this film is a chance to consider how
to look at the future squarely, to make connections with one another
and to find ways to thrive in challenging times. So whether you are
interested in the film or in simply coming along for some local food
inspiration and in meeting some like-minded locals, we hope to see you
there.

Recycle

There is a collection on Sat. 24 March in Tesco carpark from 10 to 4pm for all unwanted electrical goods and batteries.

Edible Seaweed Event

Anyone interested in using seaweed in cooking. It's something this country has plenty of (but maybe not so much in Maynooth!). If interested why not go to this talk in the Science Gallery.

http://m.sciencegallery.com/node/4034