Post Carbon Newsletter #22 December 2006

1. Relocalization Network
2. Profile: Energy Bulletin
3. An interview with Post Carbon Fellow Dave Hughes
4. Energy Farms update
5. New Stories on Global Public Media
6. Featured Post Carbon Group
7. Calendar of Events
8. Next Newsletter Preview

1. Relocalization Network

As we approach the end of 2006, it is encouraging to look back at the many milestones that the Relocalization Network has achieved over the past year. The number of Local Groups in the Network has almost doubled, we launched the independent website www.relocalize.net, and we started building and improving our library of resources and support services. Just this month, we’ve just settled into a new office space in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Over the next year we look forward to building stronger connections with everyone in the Relocalization Network and to continuing to learn and adapt as we move towards a future less dependant on fossil fuels.

You can help us achieve greater success over the next year by helping to publicize the website and get the word out to your community by adding a button to your website or blog. Use the links, buttons and logos provided on our new Buttons and Links page and help us spread the word about www.relocalize.net and the Relocalization Network Initiative!

2. Profile: Energy Bulletin

Post Carbon Institute is happy to be supporting Energy Bulletin, one of the web’s best clearinghouses for current information about peak oil and the global energy supply. Every day, the volunteer-run site pulls together key news stories and pieces commissioned for the site. Click here to read more.

3. An interview with Post Carbon Fellow Dave Hughes

Last month Global Public Media's Julian Darley spoke to David Hughes, Post Carbon Institute Fellow and geologist with Natural Resources Canada, about global and North American oil and natural gas supply issues. Hughes has worked in energy for the Geological Survey of Canada for 31 years, and has been concerned about energy security for more than 10 years. Click here to see the interview.

4. Energy Farms update

This December has been a productive month at the Willits Energy Farm located at Brookside Elementary School. A couple of weeks of brisk but sunny weather gave us a window of opportunity to finish fencing the perimeter of the farm site and install an online weather station.

With the fence now complete there are only two ways into the farm site - through the gates or over the six-foot tall fence. This is big step toward readying the farm site for spring 2007 crops.

We also installed a Davis Instruments weather station. This instrument is able to measure a wide array of metrological data including temperature, humidity, rainfall, wind speed and direction, solar radiation, and UV intensity. Brookside principal, Chuck Mansell, has dedicated one of the school’s computers to collect, store and broadcast the weather data to the Internet.

We are looking forward to having weather data for 2007 for our food and energy planning. Mr. Mansell will also integrate these data into the school curriculum.

Check out the blog section at energyfarms.net to receive detailed explanations regarding current research, daily projects, and community outreach projects at the Energy Farm in Willits, California.

Also, don't miss Vancouver Energy Farm manager Mark Bomford's November photos!

5. New Stories on Global Public Media

In addition to our interview with Post Carbon Fellow David Hughes, this month on GPM, Oakland City Council member Nancy Nadel talked about her city's oil independence resolution. John Urry discussed social networks and mobility.

Jason Bradford's Reality Report radio show discussed the psychology of peak oil with "Peak Oil Shrink" Kathy McMahon, talked about railroads with the executive director of the North Coast Railroad Authority, and covered the ASPO USA conference with former investment banker Nate Hagens.

Four new episodes of Peak Moment Television have been added.

Media clips include ABC Radio Australia's coverage of the Common Belief, a document by 16 of the country's leading faith communities on the topic of climate change. We also featured Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s report on the China - US currency debate.

We've posted audio, slides and a transcript of Sir Nick Stern's presentation to the London School of Economics about the Stern Review on climate change. We received an update on the Vancouver energy farm from farm manager Mark Bomford, and Julian Darley was featured on the Deconstructing Dinner radio show.

6. Featured Post Carbon Group

Sustainable Orcas Island Overview and update from Phil Heikkinen
Living on an island makes you feel an extra level of immediacy to the peak oil phenomenon. It forces you to think seriously about what will happen to the ferry service when oil prices quadruple or increase by a factor of ten? As a result a few of us living on Orcas Island in Washington State decided to form the Sustainable Orcas Island, a Local Post Carbon Group that was started in order to network and share information about sustainable living. The goal is to learn to live sustainably to the degree that it would be possible for us to thrive without relying on off-island resources. Read more . . .

7. Calendar of Events

Indiana Energy Conference

January 6, 2007, Crawfordsville, IN

Indiana Energy Conference is designed for people to explore our culture's relationship with energy. The purpose of gathering together is to discuss our experiences, share ideas, explore action, and build community.

Inspired by the Third U.S. Conference on Peak Oil and Community Solutions, we will address issues of sustainable living, food production, population growth, modern culture, human relationships to the land and community building among many other things. You are invited to join us for several weekends of learning, connecting, sharing and doing!

The conference begins at 1:00 PM on Saturday January 6, 2007. Meetings are scheduled for the following 3 Saturdays. Activities will include: several film screenings, DVD presentations by various speakers, discussion, networking activities and more. See the Conference Schedule for event details. Please contact Frank Cicela for more information.

Karamea Summer Knowledge-Swap on Sustainable Living

January 13-27, 2007, Karamea, NZ

There will be a two-week long knowledge-swap (like a summer school but money-free) on the theme of sustainable living, in Karamea, New Zealand, from 13-27 January 2007.

Planned workshops include ethanol production, knitting, handsewing, crochet and embroidery, carpentry and building skills, basic lapidary, fishing, tea tree oil distillation, chainsaw and lawnmower maintenance, floral design, jam making, herbal medicine, flushable composting toilets, an 'Alternative Energy Day Tour', a 'Sustainable Systems Day Tour', and the formation of the “Karamea Relocalisation Group”.

There is still time to offer to run a workshops- if you'd like to come to Karamea for two weeks and share some of your knowledge and skills, and learn from others, please contact Liz Frankish.

8. Next Newsletter Preview

• New Year Preview - Looking forward to 2007.