Take a look at what Transition Southampton is up to, and get involved! We have a number of sub-groups tackling the key areas Transition Southampton aims to address including Energy, Food, Transport, and Built Environment. We also have other sub-groups tasked with important roles like Events and Marketing.
Local Food Group
Contact: food [at]
Next Meeting: See Events Calendar
Upcoming/Planned/Proposed projects and events are:
- Grow Your Own competition with the Echo
- Eat Local campaign with area restaurants and the Echo
- Preserving food workshops with Soroptomists in Sept/Oct
- Permablitzes/ Garden Blitzes starting in early autumn
- Possible preparing-your-beds workshop at Ropewalk Community Garden
- Food co-op/Buying club workshop for interested local community groups/faith communities/residents' associations/etc.
Megan Streb is the contact for this group. If you are interested in joining, please e-mail food [at]
Energy Group
Contact: energy [at]
Next Meeting: please see events calender
Current Projects
- We are currently looking into setting up a solar PV co-operative in Southampton. If you are interested in helping with that or interested in joining this initiative please get in touch.
- Detailed carbon footprinting
- Promote greater use of microgeneration in Soton and offer advice
- Renewable energy audit in Southampton
- Exploration of water power in Southampton (e.g. previous water mills)
Long term objectives
- Develop an Energy Descent Action Plan
- Promote renewable energy in Southampton and the South of England; as well as the reduction of fossil fuel-based energy use in Southampton
New members are always welcome. If you are interested to learn more about our activities or would like to join please contact Milena Buchs
e-mail: energy [at]
Built Environment Working Group
Contact: be [at]
Next Meeting: See Events Calendar
Our first meeting covered a huge range of possibilities - from focusing on insulation to encouraging the council to use stacks of shipping containers as buildings! Cara Sandys and Joanna McManus are the contacts for this group. If you are interested in joining, please e-mail be [at]
Transport Group
Contact: transport [at] transitionsouthampton [dot]
Next Meeting: Wednesday 7 April, 7:00 at the Art House
Next event: A networking event to involve transport campaigners from other transition groups. Watch this space!
Our first event was the Slow Bike Dinner on the Common (Sunday 6th Sept), a combination of cycling (from point to point) and eating local food along the way. It was great, with potentially more slow bike dinner evenings to come! This event was a launch event to get the transport group up and running. We'd like to get the Critical Mass bike ride going again on the last Friday of every month, starting Friday 28th August.
We are currently exploring a number issues and possible projections:
- a waste chip oil collective, for people who want to use it to power their cars (http://sotonbio.co.uk);
- electric vehicles
- cycle training.
Links
www.bettertransport.org.uk/
National campaigning group, campaigning for improvements in all forms of public transport, and against the building of new roads and airport runways.
National charity that works on cycle infrastructure projects, and persuading more people to cycle.
National campaign aimed at improving conditions for cyclists.
www.southamptoncyclingcampaign.org.uk/
The local campaign for improvements in cycling facilities, for cycling to beat the top of the transport agenda, and for cycle lanes and paths to be protected.
www.dft.gov.uk/
The Government department aiming towards, erm, sustainable transport.
The UK's leading pay-as-you-go car club. Once you have joined, you book a car of your choice for the time you want it by phone or internet, and then you let yourself into it at the booked time.
A site for offering or requesting lifts, it matches you to other people doing a similar journey at a similar time.
http://www.shareacar.com/hampshire_carshare_how_it_works.htm
Like liftshare, but with a £5 registration charge.
http://www.co2balance.uk.com/co2calculators/rail-travel
Transport carbon footprint calculator for train journeys; just put in the two stations, and it will give you a figure.
http://www.transportdirect.info
Information on door to door journeys by public transport, and even includes carbon figures for the journ
http://sotonbio.co.uk
The site to visit if you are interested in using waste veg oil to power your car.
Chris Bluemel is the contact for this group. If you are interested in joining, please e-mail transport [at]
Council Liaison Group
Contact: info [at]
Next Meeting: See Events Calendar
Objective
- Develop a strategy for making first approaches to the City Council
The Council Liaison group has been busily updating itself on all the national, regional and local initiatives currently being put in place to reduce carbon emissions. These are derived from targets set by central government under the Climate Change Act 2008 and the Sustainable Communities Act 2007, amongst others, for the reduction of per capita CO2 emissions. This background work is in preparation for talks with the City Council about possible ways for Transition Southampton and the local authority to join forces and work on the challenges set by climate change and peak oil. Alex Templeton of WinAcc attended the last meeting of the Council Liaison group and gave a valuable introduction to these processes, as their group has existed for longer and has successfully obtained funding and a close working relationship with Winchester City Council.
Liz Batten is the contact for this group. If you are interested in joining, please e-mail info [at]
Events Group
Contact: events [at]
Next Meeting: See Events Calendar
From organising film nights to setting up our presence at other events to planning a Powerdown Picnic, the events group has been awfully busy. With more members, they can focus on creating presentations that can be given to residents' associations and WI groups and getting the message out there about peak oil, climate change and what Transition Southampton is doing about it.
Nick Bardsley is the contact for this group. If you are interested in joining, please e-mail events [at]
Marketing Group
Contact: marketing [at]
Next Meeting: See Events Calendar
The Marketing Group has developed leaflets, a logo, and has started work on our website. They're currently tackling a communications strategy and trying to come up with effective ways to get Transition Southampton's message across. We're looking for lots of other members who have experience with the web, publicity, event organising, marketing, and just talking to people!
Amanda Golding is the contact for this group. If you are interested in joining, please e-mail marketing [at]
