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Relocalize Newsletter #17 : : March 2008

Submitted by Jeremy on March 31, 2008 - 10:16pm

In this Issue of Relocalize:

Relocalization Network News:

New Senior Fellow Richard Heinberg

Post Carbon Institute is pleased to announce that award-winning author and speaker Richard Heinberg is now a Senior Fellow. As a full-time staff person, he will be devoting his time to writing, research, thinking, public speaking and the strategic direction of the organization.

In a recent blog entry, Richard shares his perspective on coping with the psychological and emotional burdens that can come hand-in-hand with an awareness of our many global challenges.

"Some people who are aware of global threats respond psychologically with a relentless insistence on maintaining mental focus on possible positive futures, however faint their likelihood of realization. Other knowledgeable people are irritated by this behavior and prefer to plunge themselves into prolonged contemplation of the worst possible outcomes… But the fact is, even those who do engage in practical action get bogged down from time to time in fear, grief, and a sense of helplessness, or they suffer burnout from working too long and hard for too little reward." Read more...

Richard will be giving a public presentation on, "Peak Oil and Agriculture: What Will We Eat When the Oil Runs Out?" April 2, 2008 at 7pm at Broadway Theatre, 715 Broadway Avenue in Saskatoon. Presented by the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists in conjunction with their 2008 Agriculture in Motion Conference (see upcoming events).

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Relocalization: Resources & Links

We're always on the lookout for new resources to share with the Network. Here are some of the resources that we came across this month:

If you have resources to share, email us!

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Post Carbon Cities: Update

We were happy to hear that Haines Borough, Alaska had formed a Peak Oil Task Force and just released its final report for public comment. Haines Borough (at 2,241 people) is the smallest municipality that we know of working on this issue - but perhaps you know another? Let us know!

The Brattleboro Peak Oil Task Force in Vermont made a presentation to the town's Selectboard in February, urging them to take up preparation for peak oil in earnest. The Selectboard will be continuing that conversation when they meet again in March.

And zig-zagging back across the country to California, Oil Independent Oakland presented their final draft report to the Public Works Committee on February 26. Task forces are busy this year.

No less busy, Post Carbon Cities' Daniel Lerch will be in the UK in early April with a full slate of appearances planned. Among them is an engagement as a plenary speaker at the 2nd Annual Transition Network Conference in Cirencester, Gloucestershire, as well as a presentation at the Cultivate Centre's "Rethinking the City" Conference in Dublin Ireland. See postcarboncities.net/pcc-tour for full tour details.

We were happy to read Erica Etelson's review of the Post Carbon Cities Guidebook in the Spring 2008 issue of Permaculture Activist (read it on our site):

"Spend a few minutes surfing most of the peak oil websites, and you will quickly arrive at the grim conclusion that civilization is doomed, or worse--we oil-addicted humans are all going to die of starvation or be killed in the violence of a society in its death throes. Time to close your web browser and open Post Carbon Cities, a reference manual that offers a cautiously optimistic and pragmatic assessment of the looming twin crises of peak oil and climate change." --Erica Etelson, coordinator of Oil Independent Berkeley

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New on Global Public Media

Global Public Media, a program of Post Carbon Institute, is an internet broadcasting station that streams long format audio and video interviews with world experts. Click on the links below for the latest additions on GPM.

     Deconstructing Dinner: So, You Want to Be a Farmer?

     The Case for a Sustainability Emergency, Part II

     Ken Livingstone - Peak oil “opportunity” for London Mayor

     Sir Richard Branson acknowledges peak oil

     Biofuel without tears - interview with chief executive

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Review: LUZ - Girl of the Knowing

This month, we caught up with Claudia Dávila, author of LUZ: Girl of the Knowing, and member of Relocalization Network group, Post Carbon Toronto. Claudia was once the art director of kids’ magazines Chirp and Chickadee, and is now a freelance designer and illustrator non-fiction children’s books. Although comics are a new medium for her, they naturally merge passion and skill in design, illustration and storytelling. Her first comic was Spoiled, a self-published story about the petroleum era. Visit Claudia's website, House of Fran. LUZ is also syndicated by the independent alternative news magazine Briarpatch. Here is the first comic of the series from October 26, 2007 (see the latest comic):

"Luz is a 12-year-old Latina girl who finds herself reflecting on life in light of seeing news about petroleum reserves, and noticing changes in the local climate. Her curiosity and caring for others leads her to explore options for her community to gather vital knowledge and build collective skills to cope with energy uncertainty," says Claudia.

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Upcoming Events

Have an event you would like to share with the Network? Please send an email to Shelby by the last week of the month and we will include it in the next issue of Relocalize.

Wisconsin Renewable Energy Summit

March 12-14, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee, WI, USA

The fifth annual Wisconsin Renewable Energy Summit for 2008 is titled "Green Jobs" Growing Wisconsin's Economy. The focus of the Summit will be on the role that renewable energy, such as wind power, solar energy, geothermal, green buildings and bio-energy technologies will play in supporting Wisconsin's economic well being. For info and registration, visit renewableenergysummit.org.

The Future of Our Shared Environment - Today

March 26-30, 2008, The Aspen Institute, Aspen, CO, USA

Participants will begin Day One: Scenes from a Changing Planet by examining the latest research and theories about the environment, move into a discussion of the issues and opportunities in the field on Day Two: Questions, Limits and Challenges, and culminate on Day Three: Environmentally Sustainable Solutions with an in-depth look at the best current approaches to environmental problems. For info and registration, visit www.aspenenvironment.org.

Climate Cafés: BC's New Carbon Tax

March 17, 2008, Vancouver, BC, Canada

Climate cafés are community gatherings for peer-to-peer problem solving. This month, the David Suzuki Foundation's Ian Bruce will answer questions on the effectiveness of the Province's new carbon tax in helping average consumers decrease their carbon footprints. For details, visit www.climatecafes.ca.

Making it Last: Weekend Sustainability Forum

March 21-22, 2008, Peninsula College, Port Angeles, Washington, USA

Organized in collaboration with relocalization group Local Action for a Sustainable Tomorrow (LAST), this event will explore energy efficiency and ethical investing, natural landscaping, carbon credits and more! All events are free and open to the public. To sign up and download the flyer, visit www.relocalize.net/making_it_last.

Skills for Sustainability Skills for Sustainability: Putting the Pieces Together

March 31 - April 2, 2008, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK

As the key annual sustainability event for UK Further and Higher Education, this conference will encourage and inspire people to identify essential skills and knowledge and equip them to teach skills for sustainability to their own staff and students. For info and registration visit www.eauc.org.uk/annual_conference or call 1 800-58-GREEN.

"Agriculture in Motion" Conference

April 2-4, 2008, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Post Carbon Senior Fellow Richard Heinberg will present on peak oil and agriculture. This event is presented by the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists. For info and registration, visit www.sia.sk.ca or download the brochure.

Future Ready -Think Global Act Local

April 18-19, 2008, Lake Kawana Community Centre, Bokarina, Queensland, Australia

Presented by Permaculture Noosa Inc., this event will explore practical information and strategies for the future challenges in our daily lives.

Learn practical steps through workshops, hear expert speakers and browse displays by eco businesses and organizations. For info and registration visit futureready.org.au.

2008 North Country Sustainable Energy Fair

April 26-27, 2008, SUNY Canton Campus Center, Canton, NY, USA

Keynote Speaker: Post Carbon Senior Fellow Richard Heinberg. New York's longest running and largest community energy event will feature two days with 50 workshops and 60 exhibitors and vendors. The event will cover many issues, including solar, wind, green building, biofuels, peak oil, climate change, off-grid living and hands-on skills. For info and registration, visit www.ncenergy.org, call 315-379-9466 or email: fair@ncenergy.org.

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If you have any comments about this Newsletter or suggestions for the next, please contact us.

Best,

The Relocalization Network Team

Post Carbon Institute

Tel. +1 707 823 8700

Email Us

6971 Sebastopol Avenue

Sebastopol, California, 95472, USA

www.relocalize.net

www.postcarbon.org

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