Where is Transition Town Woodstock headed? A General Meeting at Fusion next Sunday, September 25th at 1:30pm –Transition Town Woodstock has been in existence for over 18 months, and has accomplished a number of significant things; such as Movie Nights, participation in parades and civic celebrations, numerous columns in the local papers, a local food directory, a start on a community garden, significant contribution to the province’s energy policy process, a draft manual for dealing with the impacts of expensive and/or scarce oil and more. But have we made real progress in the first phase of a Transition Initiative which is to build awareness in our community of the impending consequences of peak oil, climate change and economic disruption? Join other TTWer’s at the new Fusion (next door to the old Fusion) on the square in downtown Woodstock next Sunday [September 25th] to discuss these matters and select next year’s facilitators.
Movie Night – This Thursday, September 22nd, we will show the Documentary “Dirt” which is a look at man's relationship with, well, dirt. Dirt and humans couldn't be closer. We started our journey together as stardust, swirled by cosmic forces into our galaxy, solar system, and planet. We are made of the same stuff. Four billion years of evolution created dirt as the living source of all life on Earth including humans. Dirt has given us food, shelter, fuel, medicine, ceramics, flowers, cosmetics and color --everything needed for our survival.
For most of the last ten thousand years we humans understood our intimate bond with dirt and the rest of nature. We took care of the soils that took care of us.
However, over time, we lost that connection. Our species became greedy and careless. We still depend on dirt, but now we abuse and ignore it. We are destroying our last natural resource with our agriculture, our mining, and our paving over the planet for cities. We turned dirt into something "dirty." In doing so, we transform the skin of the earth into a hellish and dangerous landscape for all life on earth.
A millennial shift in consciousness about the environment offers a beacon of hope - and practical solutions. Around the globe, pioneers are coming together to save earth's last natural resource. Tiny villages rise up to battle giant corporations slaughtering their land. Scientists discover connections with soil that can balance global warming. Generation X brands organic farming as trendy and children begin to eat from edible school yards. Inmates find inner peace and job skills in a prison horticulture program. Medical researchers explore dirt's capacity to provide solutions to such devastating health crises as AIDS. Major religions are rediscovering the reverence for the natural world that unites them all.
“Dirt” will be shown at the NBCC Teaching Theater, Thursday at 7:30pm. Admission is free so bring a friend.
Chickens in Town – Fran Alborg has suggested that a group of TTWer’s look into what it would take to raise a few chickens in yards in Woodstock for household supply of eggs and/or meat. If you would like to participate in such a project, let us know atTTWoodstock@nb.sympatico.ca or in person at Movie Night or the meeting at Fusion.
Interested People – If you know of anyone who would like to be kept informed and/or become involved in TTWoodstock, please forward this update to them and send their name and email address to TTWoodstock@nb.sympatico.ca and we will get them on our email list.
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