Everyone welcome rain or shine.

http://www.peoplefund.it/demandenergyequality/

Many thanks!

What is actually needed is a permanent switch to a new lifestyle, not 24-hour fun experiment. Doesn’t anyone realise the urgency of our predicament?

Here are a few life changing alternatives:

1. Visit http://www.SuperHomes.org.uk, select an Open Day at one of the 100+ houses converted to reduce their carbon footprint by at least 60%, 100% in some cases, learn what is involved and then DO IT.

2. Search for or set up your own Directory of Local Food, then ensure that you shop there on a weekly basis. You can start with http://www.BigBarn.co.uk

3. Get yourself an energy monitor, learn how much energy is used by your various devices and cut the in halve.

4. Switch your energy supplier to one that4. is 100% renewable, such as Good Energy or Ecotricity – even if it is more expensive.

5. Don’t fly. Period.

6. For about £4-6,000 you can get yourself a second hand G-Wiz electric car that will take care of most of your shopping trips, as well as visiting up to some 20-30 miles from your home. In combination with a few PV panels it will be free of charge to run (and zero tax and in many places no parking charges)

7. Grow your own veg and keep a few chickens for eggs – they will live quite happily on all your scraps.

8. And for man kind sake, stop reproducing. Disregard your own natural parenting instincts and set yourself a maximum of 2 kids in your whole lifetime.

We have. Check it out here http://www.CottageFarmOrganics.co.uk/ or here
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fieldpower-Organics-at-Cottage-Farm/142171192536789?sk=info

Stockwood is about as far from Sustainable and Transition as you can be; car and supermarket-dependant, disengaged and socially fragmented, the area has an above average elderely population and more than its fair share of anti-social behaviour hotspots – not to mention fly-tipping and general litter problem!

Nevertheless people came, albeit in small numbers, they sampled the luscious fresh apple juice from Rowan’s cider press, made from apples collected in our open spaces.

Sarah’s raw food goodies (really outstanding, ad available at the Juice bar, in St. Nick’s Market), were a hit with kids and adults, and her demonstration was nly sightly marred by the temperamental food blender.

Ariaf Hussain’s excellent Chapatties, Tarka Dahl and chocolate-dipped fruit, held our visitors spellbound – and the food tasting afterwards woke-up their taste buds to something well above and beyond everyday experience.

Piminister’s champion pies were the only food on sale, besides the cakes and pies of the FoSOS management committee crew, made with fruit sourced almost exclusively from our local open space and its community orchard.

For this area that was quite a result, especially given the stiff competition from the Wales-France rugby semi-final, which meant that people trickled in mid-morning.

Andy Hamilton lead a number of mini-tours of the school’s green backyard, a little under an acre, between immediate gardens and adjacent land.

Most of all, we were able to network, to talk to people about the importance of food resilience, disseminate literature about health benefits of growing your own and generally prepare the ground for more events.

Our Neighbourhood Partnership’s Environment Sub-group will be pursuing the Edible Cities agenda, with planters of vegetables and herbs, as well as additions of fruit and nut trees to complement our already well-endowed open spaces.

Thank you to all who came from outside the area, stall-holders and visitors alike, their contribution helped to lift a grey day and turn it into a brilliant, sunny event!

Special thanks to organisers Kerry Vosper and Pete Goodwin, to the Council Sustainability Team, for help and support in organising the event, and the Hengrove and Stockwood Neighbourhood Partnership, for funding it.

NOTE the event is now just £30 for students! Still a few places left…

Jenny