Habib's Garden

Philosophy:

While I am not against improvements to the 'web presence, the idea of surveys and the necessary energy needed to sort it all out smacks of the 'system' growing and starting to take over. What you have already works, and is seen by some as already too 'developed' - believe it or not. For instance, a lot of 'transitions' initiatives are based simply on the idea of growing more local food, and developing locally with Unique solutions that fit that particular paradigm. And that is the whole point - there should be massive redundancy and replication - that's what resilience is all about - because on the back of that learning curve for those involved is the greater education in 'learning how to think for themselves'...
(mab1@....co.uk)

... my first comment must be that to be totally fixed on web communication is wrong headed, alongside this work must continue to be thought about paper based communication , I think the Governments own stats will tell you what groups are excluded from the digital revolution!!! Does transition want to add to this ,perhaps this could be discussion in TT   , I am sure better folks than me will engage you in web based communication but simplicity always come to mind

(Michael Marston)

Measurement:

“…here’s a plea from all the sustainable development people in local authorities in the north west – there’s just too much information…From my point of view, I need to know what TT initiatives achieve in quite measurable terms I’m afraid; in order to make the case for funding and support. Anything that includes health, wellbeing, satisfaction, CO2 emissions saved, money saved, travel etc…So keep it short, sweet and simple. If you show you’ve done the background work, just give the recipe that works… From the point of view of local authorities working on indicator NI 186 – per capita CO2 reductions – if the TT toolkit helps measure CO2 reductions along the lines of the Defra approach – domestic, transport, industry & commerce that would be helpful. Also measuring how many people the TT network reaches, as if they can make sure people are taking up loft, cavity wall and other insultation schemes, loans etc, as well as boiler replacement – and tackling hard to treat homes – that would be a big incentive for local authorities to support the TT networks as it helps meet the LAA targets too. They need this info to make the case.

(Louise Marix Evans)

Keeping networks outward looking and not re-inventing wheels:

"...So I suppose its about encouraging as many people as possible to share, to connect up with and build on what's already there (rather than reinventing the wheel), and without getting too hooked up on who chooses what, and where to do their stuff, as long as stuff gets done and the connections are as good and useful as they can be to encourage shared improvement of the totality of what we've got so far..."

Philralph

Matt Moore, Innotecture: Transition as a “Community of Communities”
•    Much knowledge stuff is around ‘communities of individuals’ – we need to approach this differently

Locality is vital: “Local personal interaction is vital to local site design” (Christine Byrne, Transition Sydney web master)

Projects database:used for all sorts of things from composting to business plans. Need to be integrated into projects activity (plan, do, review)

"... Transition Bristol are working on a three year business plan and I was wondering whether you/Transition Network had any resources that we might be able to use ie access to business plans that other groups have written - particularly stuff such as mission statements and values - as we haven't got time to re-invent the wheel...."

Projects and how the web fits in by providing examples of action and support with action:

"... a big issue is why they don't actually happen in the first place in many cases...

Having got off to a great start with leaflet drops, awareness raising films and facilitating an open space session with the local Churches Together who were hoping to set up an environment work group, we just sort of fizzled out.  We are hoping to get the group up and running again and I think that when we do, the formula will have to be less meeting and more doing.  Setting up this co op has brought many of us back out of the woodwork because it is actually a 'doing' thing, rather than just sitting about trying to rack our brains about what we might do. ...

whatever platform you set up to support this process needs not only to look at how, but very specifically what. As many examples as possible need to be given, explaining how they contribute to low carbon or resilent communities..." (Jane Buttigieg, email)