From geoffrey at austcom.org.au  Fri Dec 12 11:51:27 2008
From: geoffrey at austcom.org.au (Geoffrey Grigg)
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:51:27 +1100
Subject: [Transitiontown] 100 km dinner - tonight - Bega
Message-ID: <4941B58F.2010107@austcom.org.au>

An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.austcom.org.au/pipermail/transitiontown/attachments/20081212/0148c327/attachment.htm 

From jdb at guru.com.au  Fri Dec 12 21:52:17 2008
From: jdb at guru.com.au (John Barlow)
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:52:17 +1100
Subject: [Transitiontown] Scythes - purchasing, using, making,
	promoting and sharing
Message-ID: <49424261.9060801@guru.com.au>


Scythes offer a way to mow grass, harvest crops, control weeds, get
exercise and reduce petrol use. Why use a whipper-snipper, petrol lawn
mower, or (on small acreage) a combine harvester ?  Swing a scythe
instead - quiet, smooth, and meditative.

A local scythe user group is forming, to get scythe users (and
potential scythe users) together to revive the skills of the scythe -
everything from making through maintaining to using them.  Check out
http://www.thebegavalley.org.au/19943.html for a start on scythe
information.

I am purchasing some scythes and have been offered 10% discount on a
group purchase - if you are interested in purchasing a scythe (or bits
of/for a scythe - blade, snath, stone, etc) contact myself or the
scythe seller - Nicole Schmid (nicoleschmid1 at mac.com).  Nicole gets her
blades from Austria, and has visited the factory (some of her photos
are on the web page listed above).  Her price list is attached.

Anyone interested, please get in contact with me.

Nicole is organising a meeting of scythe users:
===============================
Plus we are looking at having a gathering of "scythers" on our place in
the new year. Along with Bio dynamics, permaculture, renewable energy
on farms, other hand tools from a blacksmith, aquaponics (a friend here
is developing the cross between Aquaculture and hydroponics systems -
website www.aquaponics.com.au),
and other small farm/sustainable agricultural pursuits. Should be a fun
weekend of ideas exchange and demonstrations. Will keep you posted on
this one. likely in the March/April school holidays.
===============================

I will organise a get-together of scythe users locally, and hopefully
we can put on demonstrations around the valley.


John Barlow
straw-bale owner-builder




-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: scythepricelist.doc
Type: application/msword
Size: 37376 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : http://lists.austcom.org.au/pipermail/transitiontown/attachments/20081212/2493648c/attachment-0001.doc 

From jdb at guru.com.au  Sat Dec 13 17:58:05 2008
From: jdb at guru.com.au (John Barlow)
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 17:58:05 +1100
Subject: [Transitiontown] "Training for Transition" and "Train the Trainer"
	courses in Australia
Message-ID: <49435CFD.70701@guru.com.au>


Sandra Menteith from Transition Wingecarribee Shire is organising some
international trainers (Naresh Giangrande and Sophy Banks) to give
courses in Australia.  The generic course information is at
http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/TransitionTraining and
Naresh and Sophy's itinerary is at
http://transitionnetworknews.wordpress.com/2008/11/11/world-transition-training-tour/

If you want to attend the 'Training for Transition' workshop on 7-8th
February in Bowral then you should read 
http://nswcommunities.org.au/index.php?id=1867) and fill in the "Train 
Transition rego.doc" and email it to menteith at bigpond.net.au to register 
your interest (form available on 
http://nswcommunities.org.au/index.php?id=1867).

There is also a repeat of the "training for Transition" course in 
Melbourne February 21/22 (possibly Daylesford Ashram, 1hr from 
Melbourne), email Janet Phillips <janet at consentric.com.au> for details; 
and before all this there will be a "Training for Transition" course at 
the Sunshine Coast in Queensland on January 31/1st February, email Janet 
Millington <miltech at bigpond.com> for details.

The National 'Train the Trainer workshop  is to be held at Bowral NSW on
11-14th February (with an extra networking day on the 15th) (see 
http://nswcommunities.org.au/index.php?id=1867).  It is designed to 
build a team of people who can deliver the 2-day Transition Training 
course to others, including other groups and neighbouring regions in 
Australia. Please complete "Train the Trainer rego.doc" to register your 
interest AND fill in the "Application form.doc" to assist in the 
selection process, and email them both to menteith at bigpond.net.au (forms 
available on http://nswcommunities.org.au/index.php?id=1867).

Ray, Derek and I have applied to go to the "train the trainer" workshop 
(and I have enrolled in the "training for transition" workshop - Naresh 
says it is helpful to have attended the course before you learn how to 
give the course) - contact me to sort out car pooling details for one or 
both courses - but register with Sandra first!


Sandra's contact details are given on the PDF documents found at 
http://nswcommunities.org.au/index.php?id=1867.


John Barlow
straw-bale owner-builder
http://www.guru.com.au/farm/

From Leah at katungul.org.au  Tue Dec 16 12:48:18 2008
From: Leah at katungul.org.au (Leah Wilkinson)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:48:18 +1100
Subject: [Transitiontown] Transition Cities Conference 2008 : Social
	Determinants of Health
Message-ID: <24F4F1220644844189D95FBC356740F619D3AC@katungul-server.Katungul.local>

Transition Cities Conference, UK,  Nov-2008

 

- Open Space write up

 

 

Title: Can Transition Cities be Healthy Cities?

          

Hosted by: Alan Cunningham

 

 

Handouts were passed around indicating significant discrepancies in
health between different cities and also within them  

 

The conclusion is that health is less genetics and more the social
setting and the policies affecting it.

 

Sustainable living should promote health in a positive way. Example of
this is "Health and Environmental partnership" in Nottingham, supported
by the PCT.

What's needed is a "healthy city model", driven by community targets
rather than government targets.

Local initiatives along these lines already exist - eg green gyms

The key problems are:

*         stress

*         addiction

*         nutrition

*         social suppport

*         mental health

Transition Cities need to take account of the WHO (World Health
Organisation) recommendations for healthy cities.

Transition needs to consider issues of inclusion. We assume that
sustainable living is healthy, but we must also take account of and take
care of our sick, elderly, disabled.

Health care is very fossil fuel dependent - medicine, machinery,
training, materials - and also high user of electricity (an energy
source that may see disruptions in the UK).

Two key questions

*         how can we go about reassessing what drives the management of
health services - should government targets or patient needs and
community needs drive this service?

*         how can we change those metrics?

*         will standards have to fall to avoid total melt down of the
current system?

Some ideas for Solutions

*         Use the WHO research, targets and indicators, particularly
their "commission on Social Determinants of Health"

*         create a "Healthy City" model

*         access funding from health Trusts

*         allocate resources carefully

*         encourage a healthy life style for everyone

*         think about inclusion

*         link up to policy

*         map the problem areas and direct resources towards them -
social deprivation indicators whill be helpful in this

*         use existing groups and staff members with such interests

*         for funding, link up health groups and food groups

 

WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health 
 
The final report of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health
"Closing the Gap in a Generation: Health Equity through Action on the
Social Determinants of Health" was published in  August 2008.

 

The Final Report of the Commission sets out key areas of daily living
conditions, which impact upon health and the underlying causes that
influence them in which action is needed. 'It suggests that the high
burden of illness responsible for appalling premature loss of life
arises in part because of the conditions in which people are born, grow,
live, work and age'

 
The report concludes that Social factors - rather than genetics - are to
blame for huge variations in ill health and life expectancy around the
world. The report found that in almost all countries, poor socioeconomic
circumstances equated to poor health. The differences were so marked
that genetics and biology could not begin to explain them. The authors
write in the report that the combination of bad policies, economics, and
politics is, in large measure responsible for the fact that a majority
of people in the world do not enjoy the good health that is biologically
possible. The report calls for governments to consider how all their
policies impact on health. It says that it is entirely possible to
reduce health inequality within a relatively short period of time. But
it warns that, without action, injustice and inequality will only
increase.
(web site:
http://www.who.int/social_determinants/final_report/en/index.html )

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.austcom.org.au/pipermail/transitiontown/attachments/20081216/414a17a1/attachment.htm