Transition Town Tooting

Category: Other stuff

A place to gather things that have no category!

  • Carbon Conversations – Energy at Home

    We’re into week 2 of Carbon Conversations and this week, workshop attendee, Robin Dru, gives his report on the session focused on Home Energy.

    This week’s session on Home Energy was fascinating, full of tips and new technologies. Over the course of the evening we:

    • discussed what is important to us in making a home comfortable, 
    • played a game based around reducing a family’s carbon emissions (oh yes we did!) 
    • and had the chance to learn from Susan, a green architect who has set out to reduce the carbon emissions of her home by 80%. 

    We all left excited, with some practical tips and new ideas to implement in our own homes.
    First off we thought about the important things to each of us in our own homes. This ranged from practical things like bike storage and south vs. north facing through to things like positive family/house dynamics.

    The discussion hovered over the issue of how to get other house members on board with making changes. Several ideas were thrown up, like making things easy e.g. clear signs for what can be recycled, making things fun e.g. smart meters to monitor energy consumption and making things comfortable e.g. draught-proofing your house.

    After this we moved into playing a game based around a family with a limited budget trying to reduce their carbon footprint. Whilst the game was perhaps a little one-dimensional, it helped to expose us to different ideas, divided into good housekeeping, weekend jobs, appliances and building jobs. A flavour of things mentioned: housekeeping changes like regularly defrosting your fridge and freezer and monitoring your monthly bills; weekend jobs like draught-stripping windows and doors and bigger changes like triple-glazing windows and various types of insulation.

    How much energy do areas of your house lose?

    Finally we had the pleasure of listening to Susan, an inspiring architect who has managed to reduce the carbon emissions of her family home by over 50% in 3 years for ~£25,000. Whilst obviously she has the advantage of construction being her bread and butter, she offered us some a couple of key tips: 1) the importance of awareness and monitoring and 2) the importance of comfort (and how the vast majority of times carbon reduction goes hand-in-hand with this).

    We left excited and energised from the session, equipped with knowledge and greater understanding of energy consumption in the home. Right, now to find a smart meter!

    For more comprehensive information on changes you can make, please visit the Energy Saving Trust.

    If you’d like to find out more about the Carbon Conversations series of workshops, please contact us. We hope to run another series in the autumn.

  • What would a low carbon future look like?

    The first session of six in our ninth Carbon Conversations series took place this week.
    We dug into motivations for reducing our carbon footprints, who is responsible for addressing climate change and what a low carbon future might look like.

    Each week, a different person taking part will report on the themes of each session, giving you a flavour of the series as a whole, while picking up some tips on how you might be able to reduce your own carbon footprint.

    Carbon Conversations facilitator, Ben Cuddon, gives us his impressions of the first session.

    We took some time this week to look at who is responsible for addressing climate change, and the question was raised of how far individuals can make a difference. There were certainly different opinions – some thought individuals could make a real difference; others weren’t convinced.

    We discussed how business and government can take meaningful action and whether legislation or ethical convictions will be the driving force for change.  The question of whether moral or legal change comes first is a fascinating one to think about!

    Group members shared thoughts over how the problem could be solved. Whether our entire economic model (free-market capitalism, endless economic growth) was the essential problem, or whether climate change could be solved within capitalism, through technological innovation.

    We thought about why we want to reduce our carbon footprints and why it’s important. A range of opinions emerged – from the importance of the equal distribution of resources around people to the importance of reducing the world’s overall consumption of resources. Most people seemed to agree that activism on climate change brought people together through a sense of shared purpose, and that this made it exciting and fun.

    Finally we tried to imagine what a low-carbon future world might look like. Some of our ideas were easy to imagine – less long-distance travel, more vegan and vegetarian food, less material consumption. Others were more surprising. I liked the idea of making insects and garden creatures a bigger part of our diet.

    Calculating your carbon footprint

    Each member of the group also calculated their carbon footprint, so they can start to explore areas where reductions are possible. If you’d like to calculate your footprint, head over to Carbon Collaborations, where you’ll find a range of calculators including some for children.

  • Urban Heat in Tooting

    Today we facilitated our first workshop on a new project in Tooting which aims to explore how communities can best deal with the impact of heatwaves. Called “Urban Heat” the project is funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and run by the Policy Studies Institute at the University of Westminster (See http://www.psi.org.uk/site/project_detail/urban_heat for more details).
     
    In an age when average global temperature is on the rise, the workshops will look at the effect of heatwaves on communities, particularly with regard to more vulnerable members of our society. Tooting is one of three locations chosen to participate alongside Hounslow (with South West London Environment Network) & Hackney (with Age UK). 

    Workshop held at CFC in Tooting today

    In parallel, the project will also be working with the local councils, emergency services, and other public bodies to see how actions for and by the community could feed into their emergency plans.

    Today was a successful first foray into this area, on an appropriately warm day, if not anywhere near the heatwave threshold for London of two consecutive days at 32°C or above.  We look forward to the second workshop on July 1st and aim to disseminate some of the findings and developments via this blog.

    If anyone reading this is interested in taking part please do contact Charles to find out more via transitiontowntooting@gmail.com
    DT

  • Meet & Make Bunting Party

  • Carbon Conversations – free workshops to reduce your carbon footprint

    Do you want to make some changes to reduce your carbon footprint and save money, but not sure how or where to start?

    Join a group of local residents in a free series of 6 sessions to explore how small changes can make a big difference. You’ll assess your own footprint, then together we’ll look at home energy, transport and travel, food, consumption and waste to help you make changes that fit your situation.
    To read personal blog posts by participants in our 2014 series of meetings, click here and scroll down the six posts (they are in reverse order..).

    Sessions will take place every Monday, 7pm-9pm, from 22nd June – 27th July 2015, at 43 Woodfield Ave, SW16 1LE (near Tooting Bec Common).

    Trained facilitators from Transition Town Tooting will run each session. Please email Jane at transitiontowntooting@gmail.com to join, express an interest, or ask any questions. 

    The workshops are free.  We ask for a voluntary contribution of £14.00 per participant to cover the direct cost of “In Time for Tomorrow?” – the excellent Carbon Conversations handbook.

    For more information, download our flyer.

    All welcome – you do not have to be an expert!

  • Restart Party Report

    Last Saturday, TTT hosted another Restart Party with the Restart Project at Mushkil Aasaan in Tooting.  As usual the brilliant volunteer repairers did their utmost to help prevent an assortment of electrical goods from laptops to kettles to cameras from going to landfill.

    It can be scary to see your beloved item taken apart (see the DAB radio and laptop above!).  However these things go wrong so readily these days due to built in obsolescence, that learning how to provide a simple fix can make you feel good and save you money, while doing your bit to lessen human impact on the planet.
    The Fixing List

    The Restart Project is a London-based social enterprise that encourages and empowers people to use their electronics longer, by sharing repair and maintenance skills. Thanks again to Ugo, Janet and all the fixers. 

    It would be great to set up a local group so if you are interested in becoming a local repairer in Tooting, contact us via transitiontowntooting@gmail.com.  The next Restart Parties in Tooting are on Saturday July 11th and Saturday September 26th.  Put the dates in your diary and keep any broken electronics out of the bin till then!

  • TTT AGM & 7th Birthday

    TTT celebrated its 7th birthday at the 2015 AGM on Monday. After a Tooting Quiz, including ICU nurses from St George’s who provided a tie-breaker, we heard a review of the last year and ideas for future vision and direction. New co-chairs were elected for the next two years, congratulations to Richard & Jenny, and also to Martin as the new Secretary.

    The one-minute updates on the myriad TTT and related projects showed us how much is going on, from Field Days to Restart, Garden events to Foodival, while we also aim to tackle big issues like pollution, heatwaves, renewable energy and carbon emissions.  Retiring co-chairs, David & Belinda, were thanked before a general retirement to Dosa ‘n Chutney for some tasty South Indian food.  Thanks to all who contributed to another uplifting and interesting evening, to Lucy for another creative cake and to Graveney & Meadow for hosting.

  • TTT AGM 2015

    The TTT AGM 2015 takes place next Monday 27th April in the back bit at Graveney & Meadow, 40 Mitcham Rd SW17 9NA.

    The night’s festivities will include a Tooting Quiz with prizes, brief updates on current TTT projects and ideas, some official business re finances and electing new officers (including co-chairs & secretary), plus one or two surprises.

    Then hopefully there will be plenty of time to chat and celebrate TTT’s 7th birthday.  It’s a good event to come and network, find out a bit about what Transition Town Tooting actually is, meet some of our active members, find out about what projects are going in and how you can get involved.  It should be fun, everyone is welcome and we look forward to seeing you there!

  • Broken electrical and electronic items? Restart are back in Tooting!

    Do you have an electrical or electronic item that needs fixing?

    Something broken you don’t want to throw away?

    Challenge the culture of built-in obsolescence and take back control of your electronic stuff….

    The Restart Project, a London-based social enterprise that encourages and empowers people to use their electrical and electronics longer, are running regular “Restart Parties” in Tooting. Sounds interesting? Then come along to one of the events below:

    Restart Parties
    at Mushkil Aasaan, 220 – 222 Upper Tooting Road, SW17 7EW (next to Nandos) 2.30-5.30:

    Saturday 25th April

    Saturday 11th July

    Saturday 26th Sept

    Do note that Restart Parties are a community self-repair space where you take responsibility for your own gadgets and data, so please do not forget to take any back-ups beforehand, if relevant – and if possible arrive during the first two hours to allow time for fixing!

    Read a great blog about one of our previous parties here.

    We hope to make Restart Parties a regular feature in Tooting and are on the lookout for skilled local fixers. If you are interested come along and say hello – or email Hilary Jennings on transitiontowntooting@gmail.com

    More info at Restart Project (http://therestartproject.org/) including details of regular skillshares.

  • ‘Looking Out For Tooting’ 11th April 2015

    Last Saturday TTT hosted Looking Out For Tooting, a workshop designed to ‘celebrate the people and groups that care for Tooting and its future’. 
    Members of over 20 local Tooting organisations and groups took part.
    See the list of participating groups here, and the invitation here.

    We aimed to focus on four areas: 
    1. to meet others and make connections
    2. to discover and celebrate Tooting’s diversity 
    3. to inspire, challenge and encourage us all 
    4. to share perspectives, and explore shared priorities for action

    What did we achieve together?
    By the end of three hours, we had explored Tooting’s positive features and also its challenges, and begun the process of seeing if and how our own priorities are aligned with others..’so the sum could add up to more than the parts’ as one participant said. So, we took an important first step together by acknowledging we can have greater impact together.

    We identified several shared objectives, and we recognised that some of these are long-term projects. TTT designed ‘LofT’ exactly for this reason, to provide the space for projects of this scale to start their development. 

    Shared ideas included:
    > Whole neighbourhood planning to encourage ‘good change’ locally
    > Community and school food growing and gardening
    > Creating shared community spaces
    > Creating a Green Way from Tooting all the way to Clapham Junction

      Stained glass light shines on the Green Way group

      What was the format of the workshop?
      We began the workshop by sharing who was in the room, over 30 individuals representing a rich diversity of neighbourhood groups.
      We talked about what makes us well and helps us thrive as humans – referencing the New Economics Foundation’s 5 Ways to Wellbeing – a set of evidence-based actions which promote people’s wellbeing. They are Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give.  
       

      Before heading out into Tooting on four different guided group walks we thought about what we would look for as individuals and as a group – we were given individual or pair ‘secret tasks’ to undertake as we walked.
      Details of the four walks we undertook are here, including reflections from each group. We did this on our return, along with much needed tea (thank you Martin!), Tooting samosas and scones bought direct from Devon by Lucy.

      Finally we moved on to think about ‘what next’.  
      Each participant identified a key priority, and then we grouped around themes emerging from our own observations of the walks, and experience of Tooting

      One theme in more detail:
      There was a particular focus around local planning and a desire to identify and encourage ‘good change’ in Tooting. The group discussed creating a Neighbourhood Plan (see notes here).

      We briefly mentioned current research, including the Royal Society for Public Health’s 2015 report, Health on the High Street.

      Participants’ feedback on the workshop
      Have a look at the summary workshop feedback here. That’s a powerful list demonstrating tremendous energy to work together for the benefit of Tooting’s people and environment.

      Take part in our next Looking out for Tooting workshop
      TTT will offer ‘LofT’ again, so we can build up further energy behind local organisations working together. 
      Please get in touch if you would like to take part...all welcome.