Wednesday, 25 January 2012

January 2012 Newsletter

1. Green Drinks – come and have a natter each month!
2. Local food and efficient energy use
3. AGM
4. Energy Savers at Home – Open Homes events in Feb and March
5. Roots and Vines
6. The Green Deal is coming
8. Outspoken Radio!
9. 'Which' Energy Supplier?
10. DARE (Devon Association for Renewable Energy)
11. The 'Green Thing'
12. Forthcoming Dates

1. Green Drinks – come and have a natter each month!
February Green Drinks – come and join our Valentine's Day Green Drinks on Tuesday 14th February (19:30 till 21:30) at the Market Inn, corner of Whitchurch Road and Pixon Lane in Tavistock.

2. Local food and efficient energy use
On Thursday February 9th at the Parish Rooms in Tavistock we are holding an interesting evening of presentations and discussion addressing the importance of local food production and the links between food and efficient energy use.

Paul Sousek from Cottage Farm, Jacobstow was a finalist in the BBC Food and Farming Awards 2011 for Farmer of the Year and has recently appeared on BBC’s Countryfile. Paul will be sharing his family’s journey over the last few years in their development of Cottage Farm.

Paul Sousek & Adam Henson (BBC’s Countryfile)

Home at Cottage Farm

Cottage Farm (www.CottageFarmOrganics.co.uk) is a sustainable organic carbon neutral farm powered by renewable energy producing organic beef and lamb. London and local deliveries are by carbon neutral transport.

If you’re a local producer, smallholder or growing out of your own garden or allotment please come along and bring pictures, posters and/or examples of your produce! We’ll also be joined by Rosie and Paul from Wonnacott Farm and Laura and Jim from Tregillis Farm who’ll be sharing their experiences.

The door will be open from 19:00 for refreshments and a chance to chat and meet local producers.

The evening will also include TT’s AGM (see below). These formal proceedings are expected to be very short!

A flyer is attached and we look forward to seeing you. For more information see www.transitiontavistock.org.uk or contact Kate Royston (07969-569444; kate.royston@robbeesmole.com) or Chris Simpson on 01822 614917.

3. AGM
A further reminder of the Transition Tavistock AGM: this will take place on Thursday 9th February 2012 at 7.30 pm at the Parish Rooms. Only paid-up members will be allowed to vote at the AGM - membership costs just £1 (although larger donations are of course welcome) and you can join on the evening. If anyone would like to stand for the committee please let our co-ordinator Chris Simpson know on 01822 614917. We will be looking for at least two new committee members, and would be particularly glad to hear from anyone who has experience with websites and/ or social media.

AGENDA for the THIRD ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of
TRANSITION TAVISTOCK to be held at
7.00 pm on 9th February 2012 at Tavistock Parish Rooms

1. Apologies
2. Minutes of AGM of 11.2.11
3. Matters Arising
4. Annual Report
5. Accounts
6. Election of Committee Members
7. Any Other Business
8. Date of next AGM

4. Energy Savers at Home – Open Homes events in Feb and March
Thinking of reducing your bills by conserving energy or generating it from a renewable source?
As mentioned last month, Transition Tavistock & the Tamar Valley AONB are organising two days (Sun Feb 12th and Sat Mar 10th) when the public can visit homeowners to see what they have done, talk to an impartial owner about the costs and benefits, and consider how energy conservation and generation measures might work in their own homes.
Sunday February 12th will cover homes in Tavistock and its villages. The day will start at 10:00. An introduction to the homes available to visit will be held at New Generation Energy’s showroom at Crelake Industrial Estate in Tavistock for those who’d like to start with a general overview. A programme of available homes will also be available in advance by 4th Feb at www.transitiontavistock.org.uk to help with your planning. You can visit homes individually or join one of the tours we’ll be arranging (you may need to book a place). Some homes may be available through the day 10:00 until 16:00 to drop in and others may be limited to morning or afternoon.
New Generation Energy’s showroom will be open throughout the day for advice and to answer any technical questions you may have. We are also hoping to arrange to have refreshments available.

Saturday March 10th will be centred at the Tamar Valley Centre, Drakewalls, and at private homes throughout the valley. The day will begin at 10am with some short inspirational talks about how you can install energy conservation and renewable energy generation into your home. Advice from recommended local suppliers and installers will be available throughout, and the day will conclude with a talk about community renewables from somebody that has already done it – Stephen Frankel from Wadebridge Renewable Energy Network (http://www.wren.uk.com/)!

If you’d like to have a programme emailed to you, would like to sign up for one of the tours, or you’d like to open your home … please contact Kate (kate.royston@robbeesmole.com, 07969-569444) or Simon (sbates@tamarvalley.org.uk, 07792-484049).

Cordiale is a European project managed by the Tamar Valley AONB
(see http://www.tamarvalley.org.uk/projects/cordiale/)

5. Roots and Vines
A new shop specialising in locally sourced produce is opening in Tavistock on 1st February! It's called 'Roots and Vines' and is situated at 12 West Street (the corner shop that used to be 'Tilly Whims'). This is an exciting development that deserves our support. Find them at http://www.rootsandvines.co.uk/ and also on Facebook; contact numbers are 01822 616818 and 07760 994451.

6. The Green Deal is coming …
The government are expected to launch the Green Deal in the Autumn of this year. A consultation process is currently ongoing to work out the scheme's ‘finer details’.

Terena Plowright from The Greening Campaign (www.greening-campaign.co.uk) has this to say about the importance of the Green Deal:
The Green Deal could be one of the most influential policies to come from government in the past 30 years. It could change our economy, offering jobs to the building sector and energy efficiency innovators, reduced fuel bills to the general public and business, it could lift millions of people out of fuel poverty, it could dramatically reduce our CO2 output, and it could make our homes more comfortable reducing pressure on the National Health Service. Finally, it could also provide incentives for other measures around sustainable living and behaviour.

WHAT IS THE GREEN DEAL?
The Green Deal focuses on all the existing property that people live and work in across the UK. Our properties are amongst the worst in the western world at managing energy efficiently.

The Green Deal is designed to ‘put consumers back in control’, upgrade all property in the UK and reduce carbon emissions whilst creating a large new market to drive business and economic growth. Without costing the consumer a penny!

HOW DOES IT WORK?
People cannot act on energy reduction because they cannot afford the upfront costs – this scheme removes the obligation on the property owner to pay for the work upfront because the payments are made via the savings that take place.

Quick facts
o No upfront cost to the consumer
o Once the work is done your bills will reduce and the repayment is added to your electricity bill.
o The energy bills are guaranteed to reduce from the first year.
o There is no credit check.
o All work is warranted – both labour and product.
o A qualified assessor will tell you the best measures for your home to reduce your bills
o There is help in the form of an ECO (Energy Companies Obligation) to help those in hard to treat houses and those in fuel poverty.
o It is not a personal debt; it is tied to your building not you!
o It is for a maximum of 25 years

The Green Deal could provide a significant opportunity for community groups to come together, working with local assessors and providers. Transition Tavistock and others are looking into this. We’ll provide an update next month as well as explaining the Green Deal process.
If you’re interested in joining a Green Deal working group please get in touch (Kate (kate.royston@robbeesmole.com, 07969-569444).

7. Community Design Workshop
The summary of the Community Design Workshop held in Tavistock on the 10th December is now available at http://www.westdevon.gov.uk/doc.asp?doc=18184&cat=3287 for anyone interested. The purpose of the workshop was to enable members of the community to provide ideas for the design of the new development areas off Callington Road and Plymouth Road.

The meeting was well attended and at the end there was a general feeling that as a community we should follow this up. Clearly documenting the factors we consider should be taken into account in the design of the developments may be a positive contribution together with supporting the process and keeping a watchful eye on how the design principles hold up!

An open meeting is being planned to discuss this, and will be announced shortly. If you would be interested in attending please let us know (transitiontavistock@googlemail.com, tel: 01822-835819) and we’ll make sure you receive the meeting details.

8. Outspoken Radio!
Hello, I'm Wendy Ball and I do an internet radio show on www.eatmusicradio.com. The show is called The Outspoken Show, and is broadcast live online every Friday evening from 5-6pm. There is also an archive of previous shows on the website. The aim of the show is to Inform and Inspire on local (and sometimes global) social and environmental issues. Most weeks, we have a guest to interview, and if anyone would like to be a guest and get their topic heard, please get in touch wennawoman@yahoo.co.uk

Many thanks,
Wendy

(The programme of Friday 13th January featured an item on the Plymouth Food Charter.)

9. 'Which' Energy Supplier?
We have often promoted Good Energy as the best supplier of sustainable electricity. Personally we wouldn’t consider the Big ‘6’ producers such as EDF (Electricite de France). EDF are a foreign company with nuclear power as part of their folio.

Now ‘Which’ in their ‘Which Energy Supplier in 2012’ report have just published their Best and Worst energy suppliers for 2012. Good Energy tops the list at No1 with Ecotricity at No3. Good news for sustainably sourced energy supplies.

http://www.which.co.uk/switch/energy-suppliers/best-and-worst-energy-suppliers

You'll notice that EDF comes in at 13th only just beating Npower as the worst on test!

Adrian & Sue Hepworth

10. DARE (Devon Association for Renewable Energy)
Dear All,
The end of 2011 saw major changes for the technical services department of Energy Action Devon. As part of a major restructuring at EAD, the decision was made to close their Technical Services department altogether, making those employees redundant, including the original DARE staff. This team are determined to ensure the continued provision of independent technical energy services and consequently have resolved to resurrect DARE to continue providing the excellent service that we are so proud of. Many of you will be familiar with DARE which has been offering impartial and independent advice and assessment services for energy related projects for over a decade prior to the EAD merger.

We are very excited about the opportunities for DARE and our committed, experienced and professional staff team.

DARE provides free telephone and email advice on renewable energy. It also provides Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency scoping studies on a commercial basis for domestic, industrial, agricultural, public and community buildings.

Other larger scale assessment services are offered including community scale renewable energy projects.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you think we can be of any help.

Many Thanks
Kirsty Tooke
Development Manager
DARE 12 A/B The Square North Tawton EX20 2EP
Tel: 01837 89200
Email: kirsty@devondare.org

DARE will be exhibiting at the Energy Savers at Home event at the Tamar Valley Centre, Drakewalls on Sat. Mar 10th.

11. The 'Green Thing'
Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman that she should bring her own shopping bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."

The cashier responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."

She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day. Back then, we returned milk bottles, pop bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.
But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every shop and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.
But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's nappies because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.
But that young lady is right. We didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the county of Yorkshire. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the post, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn petrol just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.
But she's right. We didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank water from a fountain or a tap when we were thirsty instead of demanding a plastic bottle flown in from another country. We accepted that a lot of food was seasonal and didn’t expect that to be bucked by flying it thousands of air miles around the world. We actually cooked food that didn’t come out of a packet, tin or plastic wrap and we could even wash our own vegetables and chop our own salad.
But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the tram or a bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their mothers into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.
But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Thanks to Sarah Berry for this contribution!

12. Forthcoming Dates
February 2012
Local Food and Efficient Energy Use: Presentations & discussion
Including Transition Tavistock AGM. Thurs Feb 9th

Energy Savers at Home: Open House energy event
In Tavistock & Area Sun Feb 12th

Green Drinks Tues Feb 14th

March 2012
Energy Savers at Home: Open House energy event & exhibition
Tamar Valley & Tavistock Sat Mar 10th

Green Drinks Tues Mar 13th

www.TransitionTavistock.org.uk
transitiontavistock@googlemail.com
Tel: 01822-835819
c/o Tavistock Taskforce
Unit 2, Pixon Lane Trading Centre
Tavistock
Devon PL19 8DH

Monday, 9 January 2012

Local food production and the importance of efficient energy use + Transition Tavistock AGM

Thursday 9th February
Parish Rooms, Tavistock at 19:00 for 19:30

Presentations and discussion: the importance of local food production and links between food and efficient energy use.

Paul Sousek will be discussing their journey at Cottage Farm (Finalists in the BBC Food and Farming Awards 2011 for Farmer of the Year). Cottage Farm (www.CottageFarmOrganics.co.uk) is a sustainable organic carbon neutral farm powered by renewable energy producing organic beef and lamb. London and local deliveries are by carbon neutral transport.

We will also be joined by other local producers sharing their experiences. Do come and join us. Refreshments available.
We are aiming to keep the formal AGM proceedings as short as possible!

For more information see www.transitiontavistock.org.uk or contact Kate Royston (07969-569444; kate.royston@robbeesmole.com).

Friday, 23 December 2011

December Newsletter

Welcome to Transition Tavistock’s Newsletter December 2011

1. Green Drinks – come and have a natter each month!

January Green Drinks – come and join our New Year Green Drinks on Tuesday 10th January (19:30 till 21:30) at the Market Inn, corner of Whitchurch Road and Pixons Lane in Tavistock.

2. AGM

Early warning of the Transition Tavistock AGM: this will take place on Thursday 9th February 2012 from 7.00 pm at the Parish Rooms. A very short AGM will be followed by a film or films, a talk, a discussion or a combination of those - more details next month! Only paid-up members will be allowed to vote at the AGM - membership costs just £1 (although larger donations are of course welcome) and you can join on the evening. If anyone would like to stand for the committee please let our co-ordinator Chris Simpson know on 01822 614917. We will be looking for at least one new committee member.

3. Christmas Tree Festival

We were thrilled that our efforts to make wondrously recycled Christmas decorations worked so well and we have received many comments that the tree looked absolutely splendid. Did you spot the different materials we used to make the decorations? They included Actimel yogurt drink containers, foil takeaway containers and their lids, used cereal packets, wrapping paper, sweet shop ribbon, medicine wrappers, silver foil, milk bottle tops and beer tops to name but a few! Our star was knitted by Rosie Yells from Wonnacott Farm’s own organic sheep’s wool. We’d also particularly like to thank the local resident who loaned us her nativity scene knitted from leftover and recycled wool. We're looking forward to creating an even better tree next year! Below you can see Transition member Ian Daniels pedalling to top up the battery for the lights.

4. Local Food by Pammy Riggs

Treading lightly on the earth is sometimes really difficult when you just want to stamp your feet in frustration! World leaders are, at this moment (December 2011), meeting to attempt to put together a strategy designed to help to combat the problems that appear to be exacerbating climate change, they are not actually coming to any positive conclusions fast. Meanwhile…… back at the homestead, some people with their feet placed firmly on the ground are doing the very best they can, with the limited power they have, and within the rules and framework governing the 21st Century food culture of over-packaging, ‘use by’, ‘best before’ and other labelling laws (or they may not trade at all) to bring nutritious and health-giving food to their locality, thereby making a positive and voluntary contribution to the very problems being discussed ever so far away by ‘the powers that be’.

It takes two sides to make this happen effectively, the grower, producer, processor working with raw materials to produce something saleable and present those goods in the marketplace, and the customer, consumer, patron, punter, what ever you like to call the ones who are willing to part with money for said goods, thus completing the cycle.

Thank you Tavistock for being home to wonderful people who recognise the value of the small producer with unique artisan goods, and time after time return to support them at the Farmer’s Market helping to turn the wheels of this cycle.

Without you this little Providence Farm would not be……

· supporting rare breeds of cattle, pigs and ducks and their gene pool.

· making a contribution towards elevating the standards of animal welfare in life and the inevitable deaths we omnivores demand.

· maintaining the biodiversity of the wild bird population in the area, which in turn acts as pest control in the garden as well as entertainment.

· creating wild life habitat for butterflies and the insect life that supports the structure beneath the larger fauna.

· growing woodland and hedgerows for more wildlife to thrive in and as a carbon neutral fuel source

…….as a knock on effect of providing good healthy nutritious food for you and your families. Hopefully this mutually supportive form of trading will soon be recognised more widely for its world wide contribution to modern climate change problems as well as its local benefits.

Pammy Riggs, Providence Farm (http://www.providencefarm.co.uk/) on 01409 254 421 (Pammy.riggs@tiscali.co.uk).

5. Free Loft and Wall Insulation

This is from Robert Sekula at West Devon Borough Council

Subject: Free loft/wall insulation through EDF - checks out!

In case any of you don't yet have decent loft (or wall) insulation, or you know of friends who haven't then this might be of interest.

I had a survey done by Mark Group (working on behalf of EDF) yesterday and will be getting free loft insulation as a result.

Apparently EDF are playing catch up on installations and have to hit a certain number to meet a target/get credits (?) - anyway if you pass their criteria (based on type of house, rather than income/benefits/age like criteria like usual) then its a one off chance for free installation.

http://www.edfenergy.com/products-services/for-your-home/our-services/home-insulation.shtml

6. Open House Update

Have you reduced your bills by conserving energy or generating it from a renewable source? Yes? Then your community needs you!

Transition Tavistock is teaming up with the Tamar Valley AONB⁽¹⁾and the Cordiale Project⁽²⁾ to run an Open Homes event on a wider scale: ‘Energy Savers at Home’.

The idea is that the public can visit homeowners to see what they have done, talk to an impartial owner about the costs and benefits, and consider how measures might work in their own homes.

The dates are likely to be Sunday 12^th February 2012 for Tavistock and villages, with a follow-up covering the greater Tamar Valley on Saturday 10^th March 2012. The latter will include an exhibition at the Tamar Valley AONB Visitor Centre in Drakewalls.

Open home events are attended by thousands of people every year in areas like Bristol, Crediton and Stroud. Experience has shown that they lead to action. As many as 83% of visitors are responding, taking practical steps to improve energy efficiency in their own homes. The events are also a stimulus for the local ‘green economy’ of traders and installers.

If you have done anything on the list below, we would love to hear from you. We’re interested in homes new and old, small, medium or large. Please give either Kate or Simon a call or email.

With very best wishes

Kate Royston Simon Bates

Transition Tavistock Cordiale Project Officer

kate.royston@robbeesmole.com sbates@tamarvalley.org.uk

07969-569444 07792-484049

We’re interested in:

Energy conservation measures for the building:

· Draught proofing and exclusion

· Insulation including

o Lofts and roofs

o Walls – internal or external

o Windows & glazing (double, triple, secondary)

· Ventilation and heat recovery

· Efficient heating & hot water systems

o Boilers, thermostats, controls

· Design for solar gain, thermal mass, daylight

Energy reduction measures by the occupants:

· Behaviour change & energy management

o Switching it off

o Energy monitors & measurement

o Dressing for the season!

· Low energy bulbs and lighting

· Efficient kitchen and household appliances

· Any other electricity saving devices and innovations!

Renewable energy generation

· Electricity

o ‘Green’ energy suppliers

o Hydro-power

o Solar PV

o Wind turbines

· Combined heat and power

· Space and water heating

o Wood stoves and boilers

o Solar thermal – hot water

o Air & ground source heat pumps

1. Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty 2. Cordiale is a European project managed by the Tamar Valley AONB (see http://www.tamarvalley.org.uk/projects/cordiale/)

7. Community Supported Organic Potato Project and Tregillis Farm

Tregillis Farm, 3 miles south of Launceston, is a beef and sheep farm that needs to think about the future. It used to be a mixed farm, dairy and all, in times gone by, but for reasons of economy it has streamlined along with most others. However, the absolute need for local food is on the horizon and so Tregillis is taking steps to become a mixed farm once more: poultry, vegetables and fruit are being re-introduced.

This year saw the first of the 'community supported' food production ideas by way of potatoes. 'The Potato Project' set out to meet the following objectives:

o to try and grow a staple, organically, in bulk and at low cost

o take on new (and old) varieties and see which you prefer, which grows better on the farm?

o collaborate with other people to help with sowing, weeding and harvesting

o fair shares in the harvest, sharing the seed cost, sharing the risk

o linking in with a farm, linking yourself with your food

Everyone involved must be delighted with the up-take by people wishing to be involved - there were 14 'shares' sold and the cost of 0.15 tons of seed potato purchased was shared.

Harvesting Monster potato!

o Tregillis is a biodynamic farm and one BD method of blight prevention is to dip the tubers into 'cowpat pit preparation' before sowing. The team readily did this - we did half and half to see if there was a marked difference ...

o It was astounding to see what effect on a field a group of people had - the field became buzzing! The rest of the field was down to an arable crop of triticale and peas. The potato plants went along the headland. This is one way that farmsteads produced their staple food in the past - planting a few rows of potato, turnip or swede on the headland of corn.

o The potato seed was lovingly sown, and I used a potato ridger (for the first time) to ridge-up and bury the seed - this could have been more successful - our tractor, which is an old one, was wider than the implement was designed for. Nonetheless, potatoes got ridged as best as I could (including some mattock work). The next challenge was the weather. It actually did not rain very much in April and germination was slow. On top of this, some germination did not happen at all! due to harsh temperatures in February in the storage warehouse. This affected about 1/8th of the crop.

o The dry weather was a set-back for the weeds too! I took the decision that weeding wasn't needed in July but this could have been because of other work pressures, because really, weeding is always a good idea. And the smaller the weeds the easier it is to weed. So we'll weed next time!

o Harvest time saw another special show of hands and as much enthusiasm for the project was seen now as at the beginning. It was wonderful - over 350kg of potatoes were dug out and equally shared out to all. They were of good quality, which was a relief because the yield was lower than could have been. The varieties were Valor, Ambo and Lady Balfour.

o There appeared to be no difference between 'dipped' and 'undipped' seed - I suppose this was because of the close proximity. Difference was seen in the varieties however, such as Valor having the strongest foliage that was green for the longest time. One action we took to avoiding blight was to place a horse radish plant at each corner of the plot/field. This we did but our badger (I think) population liked the idea as a tasty treat and each plant was dug up, and disappeared soon after.

Anyway, at the end of the day, Tregillis Farm had a tonic from all the land workers who came, and the field soaked up the enthusiasm and energy. It produced, against all the conditions, some fine potatoes, enough for everyone to have a good share of the harvest, get digging in the soil, and save money at the same time.

We now wonder if anyone would like to do a potato project again next year? on a bigger scale perhaps? The future of our food is to reduce food miles and use more sustainable methods. The success of this potato project really highlights that people are ready to take this on, and have the commitment to make it work. The next step is to increase the yield of food per visit, or develop a wider variety of veg to take away. Many options are there for the coming years and comments and ideas are most welcome.

Special thanks to Pammy Riggs of Providence Farm for coming up with the whole idea!

Laura and Jim Wallwork (laura@tregillis.co.uk)

Tregillis Farm

Tregillis Farm, as mentioned above, is situated 3 miles South of Launceston. It is a mixed farm that is in Demeter conversion and has been organic for over 30 years.

One premise of biodynamic food is the link with people and their food, and on this we hope to continue building food-links with our community.

We supply animal feed, meat boxes, and we are increasing the amount of veg and fruit production in the coming years.

Sustainable methods and high environmental standards are always in our work. If you'd like to contact us our email is laura@tregillis.co.uk

8. Car sharing schemes

We were recently invited to attend a meeting to discuss the opportunities for a car sharing scheme in Tavistock. Jeremy Farr introduced us to two organisations who could support this locally. E-cocars.com (http://www.e-cocars.com/) and Moorcar (http://www.moorcar.co.uk/). Moorcar can help small communities or groups of individuals set up their own car sharing scheme with the help of Moorcar.

9. Community Design Workshop

The community design workshop held in Tavistock to enable members of the community to provide ideas for the design of the new development areas off Callington Road and Plymouth Road was well attended and very interesting. The consultants running the process and West Devon Borough Council received many ideas from us. We look forward to their inclusion in the design brief and into the eventual developments! The design brief process continues to develop through January and February. We’ll provide an update next month.

10. Additional ‘Snippets’ (from Mike Dennis)

According to Sir Graham Watson MEP, leader of the European Lib Dem and Reform party, at the end of November, the European Investment Bank announced a long term low interest loan of one hundred and fifty million pounds to the Thanet Offshore Wind farm which, with 100 turbines, will be the world's largest.

The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in a recent publication has reported that the risk from extreme weather events due to climate change is likely to increase.

The International Energy Agency has announced that it will not be possible to stop global temperatures rising 2 degrees C above pre-industrial levels without a rapid decision to reverse the growth of the current fossil fuel infrastructure.

The focus of this year’s national Climate Justice March on 2nd December was the 7:50 percent injustice divide - where 7 percent of the world's population produce 50 percent of the world's emissions and 7 percent of the world's emissions are produced by 50 percent of the world's population.

11. Forthcoming Dates

January 2012

Green Drinks Tues Jan 10th

Food & Energy Group Date to be confirmed

February 2012

Transition Tavistock AGM incl. Thurs Feb 9th

short film / speakers on Food & Energy

Open House energy event

In Tavistock & Area Sun Feb 12th

Green Drinks Tues Feb 14th

March 2012

Open House energy event & exhibition

Tamar Valley & Tavistock Sat Mar 10th

Green Drinks Tues Mar 13th

www.TransitionTavistock.org.uk

transitiontavistock@googlemail.com

Tel: 01822-618715

c/o Westden, 20 Plymouth Road,Tavistock , PL19 8AY