Proposal – Seeding Transition Bedford

Note. Bedford here includes the town and all tributary villages. It’s a geographical boundary that would have traditional been defined by the town’s dependencies, i.e. its localised sourcing of food, water, energy, crafts and materials and visa versa the tributary villages dependencies, i.e. on the town’s sources of services, security, culture, markets and trade.

Objectives
1. Develop an overarching Transition Bedford document; that may influence and guide community groups, political parties, affinity organisations etc
2. Link with other related groups and individuals; from gardeners, growers and builders to local government, Women’s Institutes etc etc
3. Plant seeds for a future Transition Bedford group in its complete form; with activities involving not dissimilar to the 12 steps in the Transition Handbook

Action; Writing a document ”Transition Bedford Energy Decent Plan”

The document’s sections include;
1. Introduction
2. Waste
3. Food
4. Energy
5. Transport
6. Schools

Sections for consideration;
As part of the simplicity approach, these section do not need to be in the first copy and may be changed/added at a future date. They’re optional at this point and are dependent on people volunteering to write them, and may include sections on;
7. Local government/governance
8. Community/culture
9. Economy
10. Wildlife/greenspaces
11. Healthcare
12. Youth and community
13. Business

Content details;
Each section is only 2 or 3 pages of A4 and includes content under the titles;
1. The present
2. The vision (this is in the from of a loose framework rather than a detailed plan)
3. Practical steps
4. Local and national resources

Process;
1. Find 1 or 2 editors and 1 or 2 authors to write each of the 6 core sections (i.e. a total of about 7 to 14 author/editors).
2. Identify all the relevant groups and individuals within the community that could offer insight into each section.
3. Authors draft their section and send it to all relevant groups requesting feedback and asking them to promote the document development process and send the draft to their networks for feedback
4. Redraft final version

Processes for consideration but for simplicity are not deemed as a requirement.
5. Authors may or may not want to organise an open debate about the issues covered in the section they are writing.
6. this may include using the ZCC program of events
7. some organisations could champion the development of certain sections

Micro Hydro Turbine On the River Ouse

i’m finding/developing a model that would provide ZCC and BBC with added carbon and community benefits from ZCC part investing in the river ouse micro hydro scheme. this would then be presented to the group for discussion. My basic argument has always been that the more profits we can make from our participation, the more we can reinvest in carbon saving initiatives.

However, i could do with an 1 or 2 partners in crime. is anyone a business/finance wiz and could help develop the investment and economic model. would anyone like to develop ideas around how revenues can best be used to benefit the community? please get in contact

i’ve put together a couple of energy/financial examples which have within them a possible model for us.
examples of community and council owned renewables projects:

http://www.gigha.org.uk/windmills/TheStoryoftheWindmills.php

http://www.fuelcellmarkets.com/thameswey_energy/1,1,847.html

examples of finance growing:
carbon coops

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GCWd2vKARMw

a more corporately acceptable model

http://crowdfunding.pbwiki.com/

this thread discusses both gaining “ZCC renewables” shareholders through convincing people to switch to goodenergy as well as an idea for solar panel rentals. use the link and

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http://bedfordzerocarbon.updatelog.com/projects/1404647/posts/12951894/comments