New Book

Today this  new book “Engaging the Public with Climate Change” ,  is finally published. I’m chapter 14. I highly recommend this book – not just for my contribution, but for an insight into what academics think can “engage” communities. It certainly opened my eyes and explained a few campaign tactics. I really do feel there is a need for community engagement strategies to include dialogue with communities. If you are interested in buying it, you can get a 20% discount using this flyer

10:10 Campaign

If you follow me on twitter you may already know I have refused to comment publicy on the 10:10 Campaign film “No Pressure”. Others have done so far more eloquently than I have. However, in response to the many messages I have received in the past few days I wish to make it clear that my professional relationship with the 10:10 team came to an end in April 2010 and I withdrew my personal support for the Campaign on Monday of this week.

I hope the Directors and staff of the campaign are able to regroup, regain the trust of their supporters and rebuild the campaign which had such potential to create an inclusive and effective route to long term carbon reduction.

New Book

I can’t tell you how proud I am to have been included in Tessy Britton’s new book Hand Made. You can buy your own copy here and read a review by one of the contributors Nick Booth. My contribution tells the story of the founding of the Low Carbon Communities Network. Although I am not connected to the LCCN in any formal capacity these days I’m still proud of whta we achieved and continue to be a member.

Not only does the book look beautiful – mine is on the coffee table -  and already well thumbed. The honest and down to earth tales of people who got off their backsides and did something to benefit their community for the simple joy of “doing” is an inspiration to me.

Do buy a copy, and if you are invovled in, or inspired to start a community project I can highly recommend Tessy’s Travelling Pantry workshops (you never know, you may see me there).

Hello from Hulme social media surgery

Just a little post from Zion Arts Centre in Hulme where we are all busy sharing social media skills and drinking tea! Just had a chat with Rodger about using wordpress. Thanks to Barbara from Gio Project for organising today and especially for biscuits!

Low Carbon Diary is back!

Since April this year I’ve been on sabbatical, finishing a  couple of book contributions, researching some inspiring communities and most importantly of all, spending time with my family and closest friends. We spent August in America – my fourth flight in my adult life and not an experience I’m in a hurry to repeat – but a necessary trip and one I don’t regret. I can tell you that trains in the USA seemed remarkably cheap and it is possible to walk and cycle your way round the States relatively easily. Even the New York Subway is fast and efficient, although subject to the same weekend chaos as the London Tube (why does track work always need to be done on my route?)

Now, it’s back to work for me. I have some exciting new projects getting under way in September, which I’ll tell you more about in the next few weeks. But for now, you’ll have to make do with  a prview of this amazing new book created by Tessy Britton. You can read a preview on Blurb, whee you can also order your own copy.  Contributors include me, Rob Hopkins (co founder of the Transition Network), David Gaunlett and many others. I dare you not to be inspired when you read it.

Trafford Hall 25th May

Hi,

if you are looking for my powerpoint on community led carbon reduction projects, I’ve posted it here.

Information on the Low Carbon Communities Network can be obtained by emailing: info[at]lowcarboncommunities.net

What a great day – I’ll be posting ym thoughts on here tomorrow, but well done to the whole LSE team for a truly informative and energising day.

Thankyou!

Our Earth Village

A shorter version of this article previously appeared in Sustained Magazine.

In 2006 the mood in Ashton Hayes was one of optimism and opportunity, with the newly formed “Going Carbon Neutral Project” residents really felt they could make a significant contribution to community led climate change action.

And, they probably did, but not in the way most resident expected. The story of the Ashton Hayes attempt to become carbon neutral has achieved worldwide coverage, culminating in the then pub landlord, Barry, sharing a couch with Graham Norton at the UK’s Live Earth  tv coverage. But, it’s just that, a story – professionally crafted and distributed. And,there’s no denying that communities and individuals all over the world have been inspired by what they have seen and read.

Many village clubs and societies supported the Going Carbon Neutral Project: The Brownies started a lightbulb library so families could try out a range of energy saving light bulbs in their own homes.

Volunteers from the gardening club helped school children plant trees donated by the Woodland Trust and the Ash-Worth Timebank made sure that newsletters promoting the initiative were delivered to every household in the parish. They also hosted “carbon clinics” at monthly coffee mornings alongside the range of community activities they organise such as walking groups, pilates and Tai Chi.

In my research and conversations with other communities it’s pretty clear that the success of community carbon projects depends on the support of existing community groups and organisations. People who spend time with their neighbours develop trust and mutual concerns, so are more likely to share information and work together on projects, whether its cutting carbon or raising funds for play facilities.

Surprisingly, the Timebank and other voluntary groups rarely feature in media reports about my village these days. They are almost invisible,  their continued and tacit support taken for granted . These groups are the social glue which binds small comunities together, and my village is rightly proud of its close knit, thriving community. The Government’s Rural Advocate, Stuart Burgess, visited Ashton Hayes in 2007 and observed that it wasn’t just a concern for the environment which inspired people who live here to reduce their energy demand, it was a sense of shared experience and a desire to save money too.

Through its community spirit Ashton Hayes has reputedly cut  its energy demand by 20% in 4 years*. Yet, many other communities have been active in this field far longer, and achieved far deeper cuts. Up and down the country solar panels are appearing on the rooves of village halls, water wheels are creaking back into life on our rivers and food is being grown on any available land. These kinds of projects, where the community takes control of its energy and food production – not just the consumption – are increasingly common.

No doubt the community of Ashton Hayes would continue to thrive if the Parish Council abandoned its goal of carbon neutrality, but take away our Timebank, gardening club, ballet classes, football club etc  and the situation would be different. rather than be seen as an “Environmntalist”,  I’d prefer to be known as the person who willingly waters my neighbours plants when she goes on holiday or finds time for a cup of tea with the elderly gentleman who lives across the street. Find the communities where these kinds of things are commonplace and you’ll probable find a low carbon community, certainly one that could make rapid reductions in enery consumption  if it chose to. This growth in low carbon communities is not just about the planet, it’s about the people. When we have respect and tolerance for our neighbours, care for the environment follows naturally.

* “This is based on a sample of 23 households who have provided data from their energy bills” .

Voules-vous crochet avec moi?

Well, it’s finally done – from now on all the crafty, baking, knitting and crochet side of my life has a new home. Please stop by and say hello. This site will now be devoted to community news and opinion again. It’s also worth mentioning, you can sign up for news of events, books, courses and snippets of stuff from around the web on my Posterous pages.

Hope to see you at an event soon, or if you want to keep up with my crafty side you can follow my personal tweets as @traceytodhunter

Tracey

Do you lead a declarative lifestyle?

Or,
Why you should only share what you want to share…

It seems facebook is awash with “shock horror” privacy invasion stories at the moment – again! Privacy issues on social networking sites aren’t new, but I’ve been surprised this week, by how many of my friends were unaware of how much of the information they share online can find it’s way around the web and how much the knowledge has upset them. I’m not sure why.
If you’re not sure what I mean, try typing your name into a search engine and watch those pictures, Just Giving messages etc appear before your eyes!
It’s true, there are bits of me all over the web, twitter, posterous, this blog and the list goes on (and on and on). But, unless we’ve met it’s unlikely you really “know” me. You may know that I’m married, I’m a mum, I work freelance and I live in Cheshire. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you may know the name of my best friend, how she was cruelly snatched away from us before we were ready. You may know that I’m on sabbatical, that I’ve written several articles and contributed to a number of books on community responses to climate change. If you follow me on twitter, you’ll know that I have an aversion to the coffee sold at Crewe Station and that I tweet a lot on trains.
But, you are unlikely to read the really personal stuff here, names are often left unsaid, you probably don’t know how I vote (although there were cryptic clues in the red scarf / blue shawl tweets following David Cameron’s arrival in Downing St).
In short, you know what I choose to share. yes, I live a declarative lifestyle, but I choose what, when and where I reveal that information.
When I first fell into social networking I was given a useful piece of advice and it’s one I share when I run training or give talks on social networking for communities.

The “interweb” is a public space, treat it, and the people you meet there with respect and don’t say or do anything you wouldn’t be happy to hear repeated or attributed to you.

Think of twitter, facebook, myspace etc as a the conversations you mght have with a friend on the bus, would you be comfortable if the person sitting behind you overheard what you said?
I’m happy to share bits of my personality online, but on my terms. You might say twitter is my “public face” where I talk about work, communities and some of the fun stuff I get up to, it’s where I sometimes share my frustrations with the modern world, give a heads up to my followers about forthcoming events or interesting snippets of information. Facebook, however, is my private space. It’s unlikely you’ll be accepted as a “friend” unless we’ve met, my privacy settings are constantly updated and reviewed (I’m sorry, but I don’t want my employers or my daughter’s friends seeing photos of me letting my hair down at parties, so I choose carefully who can see what and when).
Having said all that, social networks have enriched my personal and my professional life, I wouldn’t be without them and I actively encourage friends and family to try online communications and find out what suits them. yes, there will be times when you let your guard down, when you are indiscreet (I know, I’ve been there, done that and learnt the hard way).
And finally, this hoo hah is nothing new, and the last word should go to Ed Mitchell who wrote this some time back.
Ed’s path and mine have crossed several times online, but we’ve only met once – and really that’s a (very innocent) “you had to be there to appreciate it” kind of story, that won’t be revealed here!!!

April was a busy month…

Can’t believe I’m back at work next week after a long and much needed rest! I’m not venturing far, a day at the always inspiring Trafford Hall, where I hope there will be time to look at the organic gardens. I’m hoping my session won’t turn into a “death by powerpoint” as I have some great photos from new community projects to share. Meanwhile, I have not wasted my sabbatical as you can see….

I am beginning to think the making and baking side of my life needs a blog of its own….