Transition Town Tooting

Category: Other stuff

A place to gather things that have no category!

  • City University Food Symposium


    On December 13th, City University hosted its second Food Symposium, bringing together over 150 people from community and consumer groups, farmers and food producers, wholesalers and retail chains, unions, universities, the NHS, local authorities, and the government.
    The overall topic was the direction, roles and challenges facing UK food policy – influenced of course by change across the globe.
    The day was convened by Tim Lang, Professor of Food Policy at City University, who has supported several Transition Tooting events and lives locally.

    After a morning of talks from a wide range of experts, the group divided into three (‘Civil Society’; the ‘Food Supply Chain’; the ‘State’) and addressed these questions: “what are the current challenges facing the UK food system from your perspective?”, and “what can be done about those challenges, and who will do it?”



    Some of the practical points that came up which are very relevant to communities such as Tooting included:

    Ø  How can consumers have more direct involvement with food production?
    Ø  How can we find delicious and nutritious food in a time of austerity, when processed food that’s high in sugars and fats is the cheapest to buy, and available everywhere?
    Ø  How can we integrate the health benefits of good diet with other factors that promote wellbeing – exercise, keeping active, connecting with other people?
    Ø  How can we reduce waste in food (<50% of disposable income is spent on food, and <30% of food is wasted).
    Ø  How to use good food well, and also ‘cut carbon’ – in the home, and in procurement by large purchasers such as hospitals?
    Ø  How can we establish ‘Fair Trade’ locally in the UK?

    Practical advice & feedback from these sessions will be shared soon, and we will post a link on the TTT blog.

  • Footfall on our High Streets (plus some webbed feet too…..)

    It’s a fact: a local economy needs to take account of Peak Oil and Climate Change. We cannot ‘grow’ our economy without recognising we live on a finite planet. Our fiscal ‘crisis’ is tagged to these two reality-checked ‘barriers to growth.’  How exciting to see the new government Mary Portas report on bringing life back onto our High Streets talk of community well-being and sustainability  –  though she explains it in terms of building social and cultural capital to build economic capital – bringing human footfall back onto our High Streets to create vibrant centres.
    To join the dots between what Transition’s been exploring for 4 years and what Portas herself is saying,  do look at this recent Transition Culture blog by  Rob Hopkins. ‘Another world is not only possible..she’s opening a bakery around the corner’.

    ‘The national chains and large stores can increase our oil dependency rather than reduce it, and this is not a time when that is a smart thing to do.” A resilient, thriving, sustainable living local economy instead takes account of ‘plugging the leaks’ in our local Tooting economy and recognises how much MORE small and medium businesses contribute to local resilience than large brand companies who relocate at the drop of a hat.  Smaller businesses are the ones that actually build a community’s resilience.  We do hope Wandsworth Council are taking note..

    Portas’ idea of local people as ‘co-creators’ of town life rather than simply consumers came alive during the TTT/BATCA re-envisioned High Street excercise back in March 2010 Let’s Make Tooting Better . A vision was conjured with more people-friendly streets,  facilities for arts and learning and safe and easy places to meet,  a redeveloped Tooting Market and much more..As we all move brilliantly down the road together in that direction, let’s not forget to take account of the real barriers to growth – peak oil and climate change.  
    And doing just that, see Tooting’s own contribution to Transition in 10 Objects – spot 2 Trashcatching Carnival Ducks, Bertie and Gertie adding to the footfall on July 4th 2010 along with 5000 others…now that’s what we call footfall!

    Watch this space for work on Tooting’s community currency and more footfall action in 2012. A good season to all.
    TTT


  • Festive Making & Social II

    An interesting evening learning new craft ideas and chatting was had by all on Tuesday evening. Wreath making from Community Garden unwanted ivy (great idea Maddie) and wrapping paper printed from polystyrene sheets (thanks Gillian) were particular hits alongside Mal’s poms-poms! Is Hilary still knitting that pink thing? What will it be?

  • Festive Making & Social

    Tuesday sees the return of the TTT Festive Making & Social event which last year saw many of you unleash your creative skills making greeting cards, wallets from juice cartons, paper and even mincemeat!

    This year, we have a plethora of talented creative types taking part with decorative pom-poms, origami and recycling of unwanted gifts already on the agenda.

    Why not come along on the 6th December and get involved? Perhaps you would like to teach others a new skill or simply join in and learn something new yourself? Or both!

    Things You Might Bring:

    • An unwanted gift to swap
    • Colourful wool for pom-poms
    • Any old wrapping paper, junk mail or magazines to recycle into something artistic

    It’s suitable for all the family. There will be a (non-alcoholic) fruit punch and something to eat, but do bring any food you can to share. The event runs from 6pm till 9pm at Mushkil Aasaan 222 Upper Tooting Rd

  • Vision & Pathways Reflections

    A few reflections sent by participants after the Vision & Pathways day which took us from Where has TTT come from? via Where are we now? Where are we going? and How are we going to get there? to How will we know when we get there?

    “I stepped through a leaf circle into a very different space … a really great thought provoking day”

    “I loved being in the cemetery – it was a gorgeous spot to be on such a beautiful autumn day”

    “Wow … thanks all for lovely day and your company”

    “A comfortable and enjoyable day spent with friends planning and thinking about life. If I had stayed at home I would have been busy sanding, painting and cleaning, this was much better!”

     “My highspots of the day were where everyone talked about when they first encountered TTT and the what their highlight had been – it was lovely to hear how what felt sometimes like small events or moments had rippled out and caught people’s imaginations”.

  • Report of WEF meeting on local impact of the Green New Deal

    Several of us from Transition Tooting attended this months’ excellent WEF Open Meeting and WEF Co-Chair Jon Irwin has very kindly written up the details of the meeting for those who were not able to attend.

    Green Deal – Notes from the Open Meeting 3rd November 2011
    John Alker, Policy Director of the Green Building Council (GBC) introduced the Green Deal, as Justine Greening MP was delayed in arriving.

    Background to the GBC:
    It is a charity funded by it’s members (building organisations, local authorities number amongst them). They are apolitical and can be viewed as part trade association part NGO. They form part of an international network of other green building council’s with a presence in 80 countries.
    25% of UK energy use is by UK housing stock. On average there are between 25-30k deaths each winter that are attributable to the cold.

    Green Deal:
    GBC has been involved in 2009 proposing a “pay as you save” scheme. The ideas from this have been taken up in the Green Deal. The charge for work done under the green deal is attached the the property over a 25 year period. Key element to the Green Deal is the Golden rule. Only measures that result in cost savings through energy efficiency over the lifetime of the deal can be included in it.

    Energy efficiency should be part of market valuation of properties, to provide greater incentives for home owners to invest, and for buyers to take into account the energy efficiency of their potential future home.

    There is the possibility for the green deal to include much more than insulation / double glazing. Boilers / lighting could also be included in time, providing that they satisfy the golden rule.

    Key challenges:
    1 Uptake
    2 Assessment – needs to be robust
    3 Industry capacity and skills to do the work
    4 Interest rates & Golden rule
    5 Access for SME’s

    Needs to be strong uptake for it to work. Assessment of homes needs to be good so that the improvements work. There need to be skilled people who can do the work. Interest rates are key, because of the financing nature of the deal. If interest rates soar, then that could limit what could be done. Access for SME’s, a lot of people in the building trade are working in SME’s, they need to have access to it as they do the majority of refurbishment work in people’s homes.

    By 2018 rental properties need to meet level E of energy efficiency. By 2016, tenants will be able to ask their landlords to make improvements to meet that energy rating, and the landlords will need to make the necessary improvements.

    Possible incentives:
    In x number of years time all properties need to meet a certain energy efficiency level.
    Stamp duty rebate – if people improve their properties within a certain time frame after buying the property a rebate could be offered on the stamp duty.
    Change VAT on services to make buildings more energy efficient match levels on goods which result in increased energy efficiency.
    Green Investment Bank could help provide the finance behind the deal.

    Justine Greening MP
    Commented that the Green Deal won’t be good for everyone, as it will depend on each individual’s circumstances and needs. Local provision of services is key, as is affordability. An accredited surveyor would put together a package for that building. Accredited people do the work, they invoice the energy supplier. The “debt” is attached to the property, and would be paid off through the energy bills. The principal is that, from the month after a person has Green Deal work done in their homes, their energy bills will be less, and will continue to decrease. By next Autumn, the Green Deal should have started.

    Comments raised by audience:
    Hassle particularly for older people having other people coming into their homes – The assessor would work with the individual to create a personalised green deal for them and their property.

    Cllr Jonathan Cook mentioned that Wandsworth Council is doing a trial with 1500 houses in Furzedown / Graveney, with work to improve those properties in partnership with local suppliers.

    Consumer protection is key – accreditation of suppliers as well as product warranties.

    Clean Air Act – radical changes to homes has happened before. In 1950’s over a 10 year period some 100,000 homes were converted in Wandsworth to stop burning coal.

    Switching energy suppliers – that would still be possible. The “debt” would be attached the the property, and the “repayments” would be taken as part of your energy bill from your new supplier.

  • Vision & Pathways

    We had an inspiring Vision & Pathways all day event at the amazing Streatham Cemetery (in Tooting) today, covering the past, present and future of TTT.  Hopefully we’ll have a write up in due course, but meanwhile here is some photographic evidence!

     This bucolic rural idyll is in Tooting; no seriously it is …
    These people have vision or are at least on a pathway …
    And this year’s Turner prize nominees are …

    More photos here:

  • Local Economy & Currency

    At the First Tuesday event on 1st November 2011 members of the local community came together to discuss the issues facing the local economy and what could be achieved by developing a community currency.  Could a Tooting Pound become a reality?  With one of highest levels of independent small businesses in the country, people like Tooting’s quirky feeling of energy, which we would not want to lose in favour of tidiness or an influx of chain stores.

    Encouragingly the group felt that a community currency might help facilitate connections in the local economy, while also boosting the sense of community, causing people to explore new places to shop.  Perhaps the successful night time economy could help drive the daytime economy and maybe the currency would enable small businesses to feel connected, resilient, and therefore stronger together.

    Thanks to Alex from TT Brixton who gave us a fascinating account of their experience of developing, implementing and maintaining the Brixton pound, to Chuck for bringing his money facts and extensive collection of bank notes from round the world and to Tim for running the evening and continuing to champion the concept.

    We are definitely encouraged to put more time into developing a community currency with the caveat that ultimately the success or failure of the project rests with local people and businesses who might use it. It is obvious that if people in our community feel important, valued and included in the project, then the currency is more likely to succeed. After all is said and done, it will become their money!

  • Experiencing the camp at St Paul’s

    This past week, two TTT supporters have made separate visits to the ‘Occupy London’ camp outside St Paul’s Cathedral. We asked them both to blog on our site to share their responses, and we hope you find their personal comments interesting and thought-provoking:

    Jesse’s experience:
    On Saturday I decided to see what all the fuss was about and spend some time at the Occupy London Stock Exchange Camp outside St Paul’s. As has been commented on in the mainstream media it is difficult to simplify and describe; I thought it would be good to share my experience and let everyone know how they can get involved if they’re interested.
    Firstly, I feel the comments that have been made that the camp is ‘incoherent’ and ‘don’t know what they want’ are missing the point. Protests such as strikes and marches often have demands but the Occupy movement is different, it’s about participation and opening up space to have a conversation about the type of world and society we want to live in, talking to one another and working on solutions together. It made me think that Transition Towns are, in a way, also about ‘occupying’ our communities positively to help build resilience.

    If, like me, you don’t think we can solve our environmental problems without addressing issues of social justice then I think the coming together of environmental activism with calls for social justice is a very positive step. I have been back today to listen to a talk by Richard Wilkinson, co-author of The Spirit Level: why equality is better for everyone: essential reading on the effect of inequality on social cohesion and a huge number of other issues from levels of trust to crime rates.

    The other Transition-related part of the camp it is that I was very impressed by how they have created a low carbon community from scratch. Great public transport links, communal veggie cooking, low heating bills and an excellent waste management system. I heard a rumour that they have single-handedly increased the City of London’s recycling levels!

    If you want to get involved at the camp discussing how environmental and economic justice are linked, the environment working group meet at the info tent outside St Paul’s on Wednesday and Sunday at 5pm. There is also a working group dedicated to recycling and waste management at the camp. I’m not sure when they meet, but as I said it’s about participation – so go along and find out!
    I’d be interested in your thoughts about the Occupy movement – do add comments below.

    All the best, Jesse

  • Jane’s experience:

    I had been meaning to offer solidarity to the St Paul’s Camp for days and decided to spend last Wednesday there with the tenters. I arrived from the Tube fired up that someone is making a visible statement, to cry out against the extreme levels of inequality in our society. It has been too long.
    From the hedonistic values and consumer culture of the ‘there is no such thing as society’ eighties, is main stream society now getting the message of social justice? Has the financial crisis seen a phoenix begin to arise from the violent ashes of recession?

    I went down the alley close to the Cathedral via the cash point, reflecting on the fact I had ready cash, and saw the tops of tents around the side of the site. I was anxious in case there was an aggressive police presence; remembering three hours of kettling on the Student March last November.

    But it was fine! Relaxed, wet, a bit miserable…tents of children painting, tents for faith groups, tents for bags and supplies. Posters asking for volunteer first aiders and night guards for the kitchen. My favourite banner was ‘Compost Capitalism’, and a beautiful small embroidery saying ‘liberation’ hanging on the official wire fencing. A row of recycling bins…boy they are good!

    One tent was selling cakes and teas, like a church fete. I wanted to make a donation so asked a guy who to speak to – he guided me, and as he went repositioned tents on the way, ones which the rain and wind had blown over. There was nothing to stake the tents to …some had bags of rubble; others, a wing and a prayer.
    ‘We all look after each other’ he said as he fiddled with the guy ropes …great, I thought, a tight group. I had read in the paper about their voting system and how hand signals were used for the group to indicate the need to talk, the need to shut up and to give someone else a go, and how to agree or disagree. Well organised.
    My guide, who I was worried about being cold, was handing out leaflets to passers-by. It was a bit of a cattle market with tourists taking pictures… but what a great location to spread the word!
     
    I went to the Info Tent (good organisation), with info on the day’s events: a discussion on the Tobin tax; faith tent mediation (shame I missed it). The tent had hand-sewn fabric pigeon holes for the different groups for messages; I clocked the ‘outreach group’ one.
    There were huddles of young people standing around, talking about issues. After donating I wandered freely …reading the posters and looking at the art and messages woven into the wire fencing by the wind and rain. There was also a donation spot for food.
    I took a bunch of ‘Occupy London’ flyers and started to hand them out, and wandered back to Evensong at Southwark Cathedral, distributing I went. Walking cross the Millennium Bridge I reflected on the camp and its Statement of Consensus reached on different issues, which were printed on the reverse of their flyer. I agreed strongly with each one. I felt exhilarated and wondered what would be useful support to keep those guys warm in the cold and wet over the coming days and hopefully months.

    What will happen next, who knows? But it is true that anything is possible, even in our ordered British society. You just don’t know!
    Jane