Motivation in the transition movement (report)

In Pursuit of Transition: Some aspects of the role of passion and motivation in the Transition Movement

This paper explores participation in the Transition Movement: Is passion a strong motivator for active participation and continued involvement? Do members find that they derive satisfaction, motivation and fulfilment from Transition Initiatives? The study’s results show that an individual’s level or type of passion is not the most important contributor to continued participation in the Transition Movement. Intrinsic motivation for a high quality of life is the strongest predictor of high participation levels. Furthermore, interview findings indicate that there is no single type of person nor a single motivating factor that draws people to the Transition Movement. In fact, there may be an advantage to having a balance of interests and personality types within an Initiative to encourage diversity of ideas and active working groups.

Two initiatives for urban sustainability (#journal)

Transition Towns and EcoDistricts: Local Sustainable Initiatives

The Transition Town movement was motivated by the need to assist towns to transition to a new future. A 12 Step Programme has been developed to help groups identify key sectors of transitioning, such as reducing energy use and providing more local food supplies and employment. A parallel movement of creating more sustainable development through local action is spreading through the United States. The EcoDistrict organization communicates its ideas through a website, annual meetings and the development of university course linkages. These two examples of grass-roots activism provide an important addition to the ways in which urban places can become more sustainable and locally resilient.

Europe's largest permaculture community starts (online)

Work Starts on Europe's Largest Urban Permaculture Passivhaus Eco-Community

Work is starting on the largest permaculture-based, Passivhaus urban eco-community in Europe, in Leicester, England. When finished, the settlement will contain 68 homes for rent at affordable rates for essential workers. At the edge of the site will be a permaculture farm, on which residents will grow their own fruit, vegetables, other foodstuffs and supplies. When finished it will provide an urban oasis. The field pond will be refreshed, and hedgerows reinstated to connect a wildlife corridor and planting 800 new trees, many of which will be fruit trees, on the site.

New wiki on soil improvement (online)

SoilHack Wiki 

We have, according to various recent studies, 60-100 years before there is no topsoil left globally, so we might do well to play a part in advancing the understanding of how to build soils! SoilHack is an open group created to facilitate the collaborative investigation of soil health and the development of tools and techniques for soil improvement. Those wishing to deepen our understanding of soils can do so more effectively if we share what we're learning with each other. The wiki is the homepage for SoilHack. You will be able to access everything else from here.

Martin Crawford's forest garden (film)

Living with the Land 1) Forest Gardening 

This is the first in a series of 9 films called Living with the Land. Martin Crawford of the Agroforesty Research Trust introduces us to his 2.1 acre Forest Garden in South Devon. Centred around an interview with Martin the film uses drone shots for never seen before vantage points of his Forest Garden. What once stood as a flat field in 1994, is today a multi-layered ecosystem of trees, shrubs and ground covers, producing fruits, nuts, and medicinal products.  Narrated by Sir Tim Smit, creator of The Eden Project.

Regenerative capitalism and the holistic economy (report)

REGENERATIVE CAPITALISM: How Universal Principles And Patterns Will Shape Our NewEconomy

A holistic approach to the economy is necessary to avoid social, environmental and economic collapse, according to a new report by the Capital Institute.

UK Government taskforce suggests civilisation may collapse (online)

Scientific model supported by UK Government Taskforce flags risk ofcivilisation’s collapse by 2040

New scientific models supported by the British government’s Foreign Office show that if we don’t change course, in less than three decades industrial civilisation will essentially collapse due to catastrophic food shortages, triggered by a combination of climate change, water scarcity, energy crisis, and political instability. Before you panic, the good news is that the model isn't predictive. The model does not account for the reality that people will react to escalating crises by changing behavior and policies. But even so, it’s a sobering wake-up call.