L - Global Ecovillage Network     R - you can share with co-housing - childcare - play - gardens - tools

Progress Report
 
Progress Report ........ our Co-Housing Core Group is going well with good momentum …..
- we’ve agreed on our “Vision and Values”,
- we’ve got a subcommittee looking at our structure (Co-op, CLT, etc.)
- we’re working on our ideas as to what our scheme will be like
- and we’re looking at membership - how to join, how to live together, and how to leave

We’re making good progress, and we hoping to create a “prospectus” of what we are offering. Relatively little is “set in stone” at the moment, so we don’t want to publicise anything that may change before the final version.
We may be being optimistic, but we hope this might be ready in 6 to 8 weeks.
Liverpool Co-Housing Facebook page
           
Co-Housing Links
 
Intentional Communities – why do so many of them fail ? – essential reading, report from Aeon (our one will be fine though, as we’ll be part co-operative part community)

Diggers and Dreamers - Follow their Facebook page for lots of places for sale, work opportunities, communities, travelling information, communities in formation, etc
 
Great video library from a Brighton Conference on Co-Housing  which is a page of videos about co-housing
I watched the one by Andrea Jones on Organisational Forms -  which was some really good academic work – she did her PhD studying Co-Housing !! There are many different schemes that all work well but differently !
She has also done a blog which is dormant now
 
European Ecovillage Conference 2019
14th - 17th July 2019 at La Comune di Bagnaia, Tuscany - Italy - website
Expect to be inspired!  - Share, participate and celebrate with hundreds of pioneers from across the European ecovillage networks.
By nurturing practical action through hands-on learning, participation and network-building, we will ultimately generate a ripple-effect of post-gathering action, community-building and wider healing that will catalyse the more beautiful world towards which we are all aspiring.
 
Co-Operative Housing International has now set up a major archive of International Resources (books and information) about co-operatives etc
 
A co-op made housing affordable for 500 families in Spain  - Co-op News online
https://www.thenews.coop/135437/sector/housing/co-op-made-housing-affordable-500-families-spain/
 
Community 2.0 – Is Co-Housing the future of design - Excellent new webpage about  co-housing with good graphics 
 
Passivhaus goes Personal is a new campaign that aims to promote and persuade those contemplating a self-build to build to Passivhaus – nice video
 
PLACED – annual report (Placed ran Ed’s Place in the George Henry Lee building and many other projects about how people want Liverpool to be) - online report
 
Community and Architecture – Making it Happen at RIBA until April. Unfortunately it’s RIBA in London, but if you are nearby it might be worth a look - website
 
Help bring community energy to North Kensington with the NKCE share offer – Low Impact article
 
Buildings
 
Wholewoods Build Camp This is a 3 month project starting April 1^st. It's all FREE, but participants are asked to commit a minimum of 2 weeks to the project, which will build an insulated Round House in Epping Forest. - website
 
EnergieSprong – Dutch Initiative retrofits houses in Nottingham and massively reduces energy bills – moves from a trial to a wider roll-out – Guardian Report
 
Making automated concrete building panels …. Then installing them - Facebook video
 
Plastics, Zero-Waste and Recycling

L - plastics in the sea                       R - remelted Sainsbury's plastic bags !!!

We have created a list of new local Plastics and Recycling enterprises – it is pinned at the top of the page of Merseyside Plastics and Recycling Facebook group
This group is intended as a forum for the new local sectors of plastics, zero waste and recycling, for all of Merseyside.
 
Waste Not Want Not
Great article about Emily and what she is doing (setting our new record for shares on Facebook !) - link to article

More on the BBC about Emily Gleave and Ecobricks – from 22^nd Jan – BBC NW report

Find Water on the go – you can refill your water bottle for free at over 15,000 businesses – get the app now ! Refill.Org.Uk  (and stop using single-use plastic bottles !)
 
Million Stars
Did you know that 2019 is officially the year of green action?
If you are in the events industry, a local authority, a banqueting suite, hotel or theatre, this is the time to make a commitment to sustainability.

Million Stars Sustainable Events recognise that undertaking work towards the ISO20121 standard, individually can be a significant investment for some smaller organisations seeking to improve their sustainability practices.
We've identified a solution and have utilised our years of industry expertise to develop a 6 month peer to peer learning programme that enables organisations to work towards achieving ISO20121 and implementing a sustainability action plan but can do so by sharing the cost.
We will be running our programme at 3 locations across Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire. There is a maximum of 10 places available on each cohort for up to 2 people from each organisation - see our Facebook page for more details
Customers are increasingly expecting venues, awards, fundraisers, theatres and event spaces to demonstrate a commitment to sustainability. You can be one step ahead of the game by starting your journey towards securing the internationally recognised management standard, now, in the year of Green Action! When it comes to sustainable events, the skies the limit at Million Stars!
 
Tents for Hire. We've got hundreds of tents available for hire. Rescued from festivals and repurposed by men in prison to an 'as new' condition as part of a work related activity programme, they are now available for hire.
The benefits of hiring tents, rather than buying include saving valuable storage space, supporting the ethos of a circular economy and supporting our mission to enable festivals to reduce the phenomenal 23,500T of waste generated each year.
We've hired to schools, corporate team building weekenders, events and even garden parties in the past few months. You could be next.
Help reduce your environmental impact whilst helping us widen our social impact
Find out more by visiting www.millionstars.co.uk
 
BBQ for hire. We can't promise Heston Blumenthal but we do have his stunning BBQ with built in rotisserie available for hire (North West/North Wales) complete with fuel and utensils.
For quote or availability please email info@millionstars.co.uk
or visit our website
Million Stars, when it comes to sustainable events, the sky really is the limit!
 
More for Hire ! Million Stars Sustainable Events led by Great British Entrepreneur Award winner, Julie Anne Parker now have over 400 camping chairs and a huge selection of tents, outdoor catering equipment, BBQ's and fire pits available for hire. We are one of few UK organisations that also have our own registered camping club with licence exemption certification so we can create a pop up campsites pretty much anywhere!
 
Zero Con was held at Make North in late January (Regent St off Regent Road). There was a really good atmosphere, a great venue, excellent stalls, workshops, activities for kids, swap shop and lovely café.
They hope to do it again in July – please get in touch with Make North if you’d like to get involved.
Make North - have more workshops coming up:-
Feb 12^th - Introduction to Jewellery: earrings
Feb 14^th – Wild Thing – release your inner beast (Valentines day !!)
Feb 16^th – Intro to Woodwork – toolbox
Feb 16^th – Metal Clay Workshop – making silver botanical charms
Feb 23^rd  – Intro to Woodwork – winerack
March 11^th – Intro to Sewing – making a dog coat
Please see their Facebook page for more details and booking
And also some of the events are on their Eventbrite page !!
 
Plastic Tactics are makiing plastic recycling machinery and making things from recycled plastics They are at CAN Waterloo, Sunday, 24 February 2019 from 12:00-15:00 – Facebook event

Sainsbury plastic bags melted down by local engineering student Liam Abrathat, part of Plastic Tactics – this material may be used for jewellery by local artists !!! (see above for photo). Follow them on Facebook

Party against Plastic at CAN Waterloo, Saturday March 2^nd, 7pm till late – Facebook post
https://www.facebook.com/canwaterloo/photos/a.2145280315692296/2322442857976040/?type=3&theater

Recycling plastic to make a range of “designer storage jars” – Facebook video from Critical in NZ (they are also doing a Crowdfunding)
 
Recycling Superstore in Sweden. BBC news report is very good at explaining how their system works so that they are financially sound. We want one here !
Also there is a radio report 23 mins long
 
OmNom – New Zero Waste shop in Wesley St Southport - Facebook page

LUSH UK will now take small bottle tops for recycling – they will make counter tops and panels for use in their shops – Facebook post

The End Of Plastic Cutlery, Plates And Straws: EU Market Says Goodbye To Single-Use Plastic Products – internet report
 
'Ditch cling film and switch to soap': 10 easy ways to reduce your plastics use in 2019 – Guardian article
 
The 'no-buy' movement: could you give up buying clothes and beauty products? – Guardian article
 
The History of Wastefulness: Today’s Trash Challenge listen again on radio 4
The History of Wastefulness: Rubbish through the Ages listen again on radio 4
The History of Wastefulness: The Tipping Point listen again on radio 4
An excellent series on Radio 4, can still be listened to, each program 27 mins.
 
Sustainable Waste Management Course
Training Period: 3 full days, Dates: 26 - 28 February 2019, by Maximpact
Where: Live online - you can attend from anywhere Training Fee: $315 (discounts available for small NGOs)
 
New Investment from the Government to tackle ocean plastics crisis – .GOV website

Ecobricks Community North West
Now has 2075 members - up by about 90 this month - Facebook page
 
Permaculture, plants, gardening, nature

Tree Charter – sign the tree charter – website with petition signed by 130,000 people so far
The Charter for Trees, Woods and People sets out the role trees and woods play in our lives, the rights we all have to the benefits trees and woodland provide, and our responsibilities towards maintaining and supporting them. Each of its 10 principles articulate the relationship between people and trees in the UK in the 21st Century.  
We lean on each other, but for years we have been drifting apart. The people of the UK have a right to the benefits brought by trees and woods, and a role in keeping them safe and healthy. The Tree Charter recognises and protects this.
 
Community-scale composting – many people do their own composting, but we need to move to community composting ASAP - web article
(there is a book about this linked to in the article)
 
1.5 Million Volunteers Plant 66 Million Trees in 12 Hours in Madhya Pradesh, Breaking Guinness World Record – online article
 
Seeds Germinating - great video

Northern Ireland's first community-owned farm set for launch, (near Larne after £280k crowdfunding) – BBC report
 
Great ideas for growing in re-used containers – Facebook photogallery (see photo above)
 
How to start a native wildflower meadow in 6 easy steps – Low Impact article
 
7 great reasons to try bushcraft and camping in winter – Low Impact article
 
Life on Birchwood Croft: tales of smallholding in the Scottish Highlands – Low Impact article

Urban Farming in Australia - Facebook video

Permaculture events – some funding is available for Permaculture ambassadors to create local events (the deadline may gone, but it may be worth applying if you have a good idea) - website

FREE Online Class: Introduction to Permaculture
This is the entire first module of our double-certificate Permaculture Design Course. It is taught by a faculty panel of female permaculture experts. (you have to pay for the full course) - link to website

Ecosystem Restoration Camps are being set up as vast areas of Earth have been degraded by human activity. We want to restore these lands to ecological health and vitality. - website
 
Is it time for a tax on meat (to prevent climate change) – Guardian article
 
Can we ditch intensive farming and still feed the world ? – Guardian article

Soil Health: The Next Agricultural Revolution (Regeneratoive Agriculture) – online article

Caretakers of Life - Time is Limited by Arkan Lushwala – first of a series of 5 videos
 
How Beauty Is Making Scientists Rethink Evolution – NY Times magazine article
The extravagant splendor of the animal kingdom can’t be explained by natural selection alone — so how did it come to be?
 
Working as an Ecosystem – internet article on the rise of collaborative networks
 
High Tech Farming
 
Indoor Crop production – BBC report – good article and pictures
 
Giant tomato plants in Suffolk Hangar – interesting report on large-scale indoor crop production

BIGH farm. This is a very impressive high tech urban farming project in Brussels / Anderlecht with aquaponics and greenhouses - website
 
Seawater Greenhouse Limited (SGL) has projecyts in Abu Dhabi, Oman, Australia, Tenerife and Somaliland – desalinating water for greenhouse use – main website
and on Wikipedia
It can take sea water or saline ground water into a plastic house, irrigate plants and turn out drinking water. It's implications for drought hit areas etc are considerable, and it's costing is realistic.
 
Sundrop farm. Similar technology was used in Australia to set up Sundrop (see below). The man from SGL, Charlie Paton, got involved with Wall St financiers. He ended up out of the project.
Wikipedia on Sundrop Farms

The Future Of Australian Farming: How We're Growing Food In The Desert - online report
(It would appear the aim of the project now is to flood the tomato market in Australia and put a lot of small tomato producers out of business. As an interesting side point, Australia's "organic" certification accepts these new tomatoes as "organic" whereas in the UK the organic standard is based upon the medium the plants are grown in. These new technologies may displace small players from the market in favour of big players.)
 
(Permaculture Magazine – has great articles on desert permaculture in Saudi Arabia and in the Navajo territories in the USA)

Our Favourites

The Brink on Facebook
 
The Brink is reviewing the services they offer – please help by filling in their online survey
 
Welfare advice, every Monday, 12noon to 3pm
 
Meditation at the Brink – every Friday, 9am to 10.
Peace, quiet, calm, silence. Meditation every Friday 9am. Make that special bit of time for yourself to come away from the compulsive, unhelpful thoughts. Sets you up for the weekend
 
Guitar Lessons, various standards on different days
 
Next to Nowhere their website 
 
Food from Nowhere. Every Saturday from 12noon – vegan kitchen, good food by donation - calendar of events

People’s Kitchen is Friday 15^th February
 
Earth Moves - is on Facebook
 
Community Environmental Volunteer FREE Four Week Course
New Brighton Community Centre, Feb 13^th and 20^th – see Facebook event for more details

Meditation Course – FREE course in New Brighton
Thursday, 21 February 2019 from 18:30-20:30 - Facebook event
https://www.facebook.com/events/510235249504187/
 
Drum and Dance event at the Belisama Community greenhouse
Sunday, 17 March 2019 from 13:00-16:00 - Facebook event
 
Green Networking event Monday, 18 March 2019 from 19:00-22:00 in New Brighton - Facebook event
 
Healthy Souls on Facebook
 
Healthy Souls Social - Gut Healing Workshop  - yoga, food, presentations, demos towards understanding your digestive health
Saturday, 9 March 2019 from 11:00-13:00 at St. Bride’s Church, £15 - Facebook event
 
Year of the Environment 2019 on Facebook and Website for calendar of events
 
Greenspace Challenge – the map at the bottom of the webpage show the sites with in the city region that are part of the challenge, and the sightings that there have been so far – this challenge to observe as many natural species as possible is going to run all year – please join in !!
 
NHS England is appointing 1,000 social prescribing workers by April 2021

Pupils from Childwall Sports and Science Academy helped to launch a series of health walks from Childwall Neighbourhood Health Centre. The pupils helped to design the walks, which range from 1.5 miles to 5 miles long, as part of the Year of the Environment 2019 in Liverpool. All the walks start from the Centre, which is a LIFT building.
 
Get Digging Event ! Community Tree Planting in Norris Green Park – Facebook event
Tuesday February 12th, 9.30 to 12.30am or 1 to 3 pm

 
Community conservation. Sapling planting in Childwall woods – Facebook event
Sunday, 24 March 2019 at 11:00am

Fairtrade Fortnight is 25^th February to 10^th March
 
Open Spaces
There is a lot of news about open spaces this month, nearly all of it bad news

OPEN GREEN SPACE IN SEFTON PARK TO BE DEVELOPED INTO ALL WEATHER CRICKET FACILITY
Liverpool City Council plans to give an area of public open space in the Sefton Park to Sefton Park Cricket Club. It will then be developed as an all-weather cricket facility, with three artificial wicket strips. This will result in the loss of an area of public land which is designated as a Local Wildlife Site, as part of the Draft Liverpool Local Plan. The site currently supports 12 species of butterfly, as well as grasshoppers, bumblebees, hoverflies and dragonflies. It has also been freely accessible to all members of the public since the nineteenth century.
Park users have until 10am on Friday Febuary 1st to lodge an objection
To do so, you can email the Property and Regeneration Team at legal.planning@liverpool.gov.uk You can also ask for acknowledgement of receipt of your email, to make sure your objection has been noted.
When emailing, please quote reference: Planned Disposal of Open Space at Sefton Park (Ref:PRT/BSB/L12293)
Notes:
The area supports the following butterflies: Small White, Large White, Green-Veined White, Small Skipper, Large Skipper, Gatekeeper, Meadow Brown, Red Admiral, Small Tortoiseshell, Peacock, Comma and Speckled Wood; as well as other invertebrates, including grasshoppers, bumblebees, hoverflies and dragonflies
 
Ralla Ecological Garden is trying to get access to disused railway land in Kirkdale to create a linear park - Facebook page
 
Save Calderstones Park – have won their case at the Old Bailey !! - Facebook Group 
 
Video Blog about Rimrose Valley !! - great words, music and drawings - on their website
 
Pupils from Childwall Sports and Science Academy helped to launch a series of health walks from Childwall Neighbourhood Health Centre. The pupils helped to design the walks, which range from 1.5 miles to 5 miles long, as part of the Year of the Environment 2019 in Liverpool. All the walks start from the Centre, which is a LIFT building.
 
Get Digging Event ! Community Tree Planting in Norris Green Park – Facebook event
Tuesday February 12th, 9.30 to 12.30am or 1 to 3 pm
 
Community conservation. Sapling planting in Childwall woods – Facebook event
Sunday, 24 March 2019 at 11:00am

Pre-Development work is being done at the Festival Gardens - news report
 
Local Events and News
 
Community Wealth Building event in Liverpool, Saturday February 23rd - free but booking needed – The venue has been changed, so tickets are now available again.
“Following on from the perceived successes of the Cleveland Model of economic development in the USA, and the work done by Preston Council and CLES in the UK, there is increasing interest in how local regional areas can build their own economy, off the back of the spending power of large institutions that are rooted in the local area. That is what Community Wealth Building is all about.
We want to help build up a head of steam around the Community Wealth Building agenda in the Liverpool City Region. So come along on the day to learn more, listen to our keynote speakers, and take part in action-based breakout workshops throughout the day, all with the intention of giving you the skills and knowledge that will equip you to help us all grow the local economy again from the ground up, in a way that benefits the working people of the local area.”
 
Can We Create a Community Municipal Energy Scheme for Merseyside? Green Party meeting
7.30-9.00pm. Quaker Meeting House, 22 School Lane, Liverpool L1 3BT UK. (no website !!)
 
Merseyside Civic Society.  Founded in 1938, the Merseyside Civic Society campaigns to preserve the best of our existing buildings and spaces and to insist on good quality design for our new ones - website
 
Clean Growth Social, hosted by Simon O’Brien, organised by Low Carbon Eco-Innovatory
Love Lane Brewery Bar & Kitchen, 62-64 Bridgewater Street
Thu, 21 February 2019,  17:30 – 19:00 GMT. Eventbrite booking requested
 
Healthy Souls Social - Gut Healing Workshop  - yoga, food, presentations, demos towards understanding your digestive health - Facebook event
Saturday, 9 March 2019 from 11:00-13:00 at St. Bride’s Church, £15
 
Eco-diocese - The Anglican Bishop of Liverpool has made a commitment to become “an eco-diocese” – online newsletter

Wirral Earth Fest 2019 may be in September, but you need to apply soon if you want a stall or if you want to perform there
 
Transition Town West Kirby Annual General Party is soon Saturday, 23 March 2019 from 19:00-22:00 at St Bridget’s Church Centre - Facebook event
 
Liverpool Light – Mental Health Support at 181 – 185 London Rd. -  on Facebook
The Liverpool Light is a safe place for a person to go to during a difficult period of their lives. We offer non clinical support and guidance to anyone that attends the service and hope to help people find the light at the end of what can be a very dark tunnel.
You are not alone, we want to help.
No referral required before hand, just pop by and be welcomed by our caring staff.
 
Arts for Wellbeing – free day in Ormskirk. Thursday, on 28 February 2019 from 09:30-20:30 – Facebook Event

Travel and Transport

Trams which are trackless and battery-powered are now being developed in China – very economic and 90% cheaper than light rail – Facebook video
 
A Chinese City is the first to electrify 100% of its buses – Facebook video
 
Cities which have banned cars show huge decreases in air pollution and improvements in the environment – 1 min Facebook video
 
Arrive Happy – Cycling and Walking masterplan for Merseyside – website, part of the Liverpool City Region Transport Partnership.
 
New Discount Railcard for people aged 16 to 30 - £30 a year gives 1/3 off most fares - BBC report
 
Apprentice Travelcards are now available on Merseytravel
 
Climate Change
 
Die-in in Central Birkenhead = Extinction Rebellion Wirral see Facebook page for details
 
Extinction Rebellion demo at the BBC – Ecologist article
 
Declare a Climate Emergency - online Petition
 
Major Demonstration by 30,000 students in Belgium – video report
 
Machynlleth and Climate Emergency. “The small market town of Machynlleth has become the first in Wales to declare a “climate emergency”. The move is part of a global trend which has seen more than 20 towns and cities including Melbourne and London make similar declarations. Video by Paul Allen of CAT
 
Why the Climate Change Message Isn’t Working by Charles Eisenstein
Threats of global catastrophe won’t move people to action. Only the heart can inspire zeal. - online article
 
Groundswell Manchester by FoE - The clock is ticking. Less than 12 years. That’s all the time scientists say we have left to fix the climate.
Mechanics Institute, 103 Princess St. Manchester, M1 6DD
Sat, 1 June 2019 10:00 – 17:30 BST. £ 9 to £12 Eventbrite Booking needed
 
Can we stop a Mass Extinction ? BBC radio report 23 mins
 
The cultural politics of climate change. A lack of political will to address climate change could be attributed to cultural constraints and social pressures. – Ecologist article
 
Liverpool FC and climate breakdown – their sponsor Standard Chartered is one of the world’s worst offenders ! – Ecologist article
 
Costa Rica has generated 98% of it’s energy from renewables, for the fourth year in a row – Facebook video
 
Climate Emergency Solutions Summit at CAT – 3^rd May – put it in your diary – more details to follow
 
'Climate grief': The growing emotional toll of climate change – report from NBC in the USA
Extreme weather and dire climate reports are intensifying the mental health effects of global warming: depression and resignation about the future.
 
Greeenpeace reports that the government admits that the alternatives have now “out-competed” nuclear and are cheaper, which is why Hitachi and Toshiba are dropping out of UK Nuclear - Facebook report
 
Climate finance: our planet is too big to fail - Do we need a climate bailout? – online article
 
Politics

New Zealand wants its politics to focus on empathy – short video
 
The world is waking up as disaster looms – Resurgence article by WWF-UK’s Tony Juniper
 
Thank you for coming, my immigrant sister and brother ! - Article on the Gentle Art of Blessing website
 
The UK Needs a Green New Deal, And It Stands Within Our Grasp – web article
 
UK has biggest fossil fuel subsidies in the EU, finds commission
Subsidies for coal, oil and gas are not falling despite EU pledges to tackle climate change - Guardian article
 
Brexit
 
Information is Beautiful – great video explaining very calmly in diagrams the range of options for Brexit
 
The Malign Incompetence of the British Ruling Class – NY Times opinion piece
 
It was never about Europe. Brexit is Britain’s reckoning with itself – Guardian article
 
Dyson launches the new “Moral Vacuum” as they move HQ to Singapore (after loudly supporting Brexit) - satire site
 
Crafts and Sustainable Technology
 
Demanding a Right to Repair – most electronic components cannot be replaced – and cases are often glued shut so that they cannot be opened to repair the machinery/circuits. The EU is trying to bring in new legislation on this – good article
 
The North’s largest 3D print studio has opened in Preston - article
 
A new renewable heating system using heat pumps. Evergreen Energy can totally or partially fund this - website
 
How to make your own natural paints with eggs – Low Impact article

How to make natural non-toxic paint from clay – Low Impact article
 
So long, Doris: how to make a Linux computer from scratch – Low Impact article
 
Events
 
Climate Change and Consciousness Conference at Findhorn – fully booked, but online participation available
This will be live-streamed more or less continuously from 09:00 – 22:00 BST daily, over the week of the event (April 20 – 26, 2019). All streaming will be recorded and archived for later, on-demand viewing. We envisage different sizes and types of groups taking the streaming at different prices and levels of service. Subscription needed – various rates
 
Community Wealth Building: A new approach for Liverpool
Free – Eventbrite registration required *** The venue has now changed ***
You are invited to join this day-long conference on Community Wealth Building, held by Liverpool, Sefton and Halton branch of the Co-Operative Party, working in partnership with Inclusive Economy Liverpool.
Following on from the perceived successes of the Cleveland Model of economic development in the USA, and the work done by Preston Council and CLES in the UK, there is increasing interest in how local regional areas can build their own economy, off the back of the spending power of large institutions that are rooted in the local area. That is what Community Wealth Building is all about.
We want to help build up a head of steam around the Community Wealth Building agenda in the Liverpool City Region. So come along on the day to learn more, listen to our keynote speakers, and take part in action-based breakout workshops throughout the day, all with the intention of giving you the skills and knowledge that will equip you to help us all grow the local economy again from the ground up, in a way that benefits the working people of the local area.
Thanks to generous sponsorship from the Co-Operative Party, this event is free for attendees, and your ticket includes a light lunch.
A full agenda is to follow in early February 2019, along with announcements of keynote speakers.
 
Courses

Make North - have lots of workshops coming up:-
Feb 12^th - Introduction to Jewellery: earrings
Feb 14^th – Wild Thing – release your inner beast (Valentines day !!)
Feb 16^th – Intro to Woodwork – toolbox
Feb 16^th – Metal Clay Workshop – making silver botanical charms
Feb 23^rd  – Intro to Woodwork – winerack
March 11^th – Intro to sewing – making a dog coat
Please see their Facebook page for more details and booking
And also their Eventbrite page !!
 
WEA – Wonderful list of courses staring soon

Community Environmental Volunteering - Free Four Week Course
Newsletters and Mailing lists
The Guardian - many lists available
Green Bullet - email andyyuille@gmail.com to subscribe
Low Impact - visit their site
Fossil Free is an international organisation with a highly recommended newsletter
NESTA Newsletter can be viewed online
 
New thought, new era
 
Jane Goodall and Storytelling: If you want leaders to truly listen, use the power of storytelling – online article
 
Could this local experiment in Barking and Dagenham be the start of a national transformation? – Guardian article by George Monbiot
the project is led by the Participatory City Foundation and looks very good
 
What is Cultural Organising ? – internet article
 
A people-powered manifesto for radical cultural democracy - what next? – internet article
 
Share Town – interactive imaginary town and it’s citizens – webpage from NESTA
 
Free Time Paralysis – how to cope ! – Metro article
 
How the viable system model (VSM) can help build a new economy: Trevor Hilder of Web of Wealth – Low Impact article
 
Why the future of money is mutual credit (and not Bitcoin): Interview with Thomas H Greco Jr – Low Impact article
 
How do we build a new, non-extractive economy ? Dil Green of Lowimpact.org – Low Impact article
 
UK Mutual Credit Network: register your interest – Low Impact article
 
Science News
 
New Scientist on 5^th January 2019 had some unusual and interesting articles:-
1. Stone Age chewing gum has been discovered ! This has been fascinating for scientists. It was found on a Danish island, it’s dated at 6,000 years old – it’s now almost black, and it’s actually the pitch  from birch bark that was used to stick stone blades to wooden handles, and it also has some antiseptic properties. Some DNA has been extracted from the gum, so a lot has been learned about the woman who chewed it. Bacteria from her mouth have been identified, and fragments of food have also been analysed, so we know quite a lot about her diet – mostly hunter-gatherer in that era. Similar lumps from around Europe also have children’s tooth marks (p 10)
2. The Galapagos Islands. The latest research shows that the present day Galapagos Islands have risen fairly recently, but millions of years ago there was another chain of island nearby, which has now sunk, while the present islands have risen. So, the famous evolutionary differences may have developed over a longer time-scale than we thought, and the species may have migrated between iaslands over time in a different way thatn we previously thought. (p 15)
3. Green Flying. Air travel is (famously) one of the worst causes of CO2, but one where people are very reluctant to change their behaviour.. Some changes could be made:-
- Engine efficiency is always being improved
- Air routes could be shortened by making them straighter
- Planes could have smoother surfaces to make them more efficient
- Carbon-neutral fuel could be used
- Electric planes are even a possibility as battery tech improves
But, there’s a long way to go before any or all of these resolve the problem (p 32)
 
Artist of the month

Carla Wyzgala is a Chicago watercolor illustrator and has been working within the comic book illustration industry professionally since 2009. - her website

Giant Mandala – 2 min video of the artist working for (?) a week ?
 
About Transition Liverpool
The main Transition Liverpool event is the monthly “Transition Café” which is on the 2nd Wednesday of every month. We also have a Meetup every week at the Brink on Thursdays from 4pm till 6, which gives more space for discussion and connecting in a more personal way. There is an Energy Group, and every October we put on a full-day Symposium. Our main concerns are to help create a “soft-landing” rather than a crash as fuel supplies fall and demand rises, and also as the effects of climate change increase. Transition is a development model for “advanced” societies to help us create better and more fulfilled lives for all, while using less resources.
We are part of the Transition Network, and Transition Town West Kirby are also very active. Our local Liverpool website is here, and our Facebook page is here. 
Some of the main Transition publications are available online for free download - the original Transition Handbook, and the recent Essential Guide to doing Transition .
 
Newsletter Information
Data Protection
Transition Liverpool only has the following information about you:- your name and your email address. We are not gathering any other information, and we would not give or sell our database to anyone else. However, we are using this free and very convenient emailing program, MailChimp, and they supply us some information that we are not really very interested in, such as which are the most popular links in each newsletter.
We don’t know what information Mailchimp is collecting on people, and what use they may be putting it to – they are not intrusive, and there is no advertising. It seems they may be similar to Google, Facebook and the others, however, it’s relatively easy to “Unsubscribe” if you are concerned about this – click the link in the footer at the end of this email.
 
If you have been sent this newsletter by a friend and would like to subscribe, please click this link . To unsubscribe, click the link below on the footer.
If you want to send us information or news for the next newsletter, please send to transitionliverpoolnews@gmail.com Please use transitionliverpool@gmail.com for all other enquiries.
 
Best Wishes and Happy Transitions,   George