Post Carbon Institute
Learning to live in a low energy world

Dear Relocalization Network Group Coordinators,

We now have 83 Local Post Carbon Groups in the Relocalization Network. We are continuously receiving requests by groups and individuals to start a group or join the Relocalization Network. We hope to be about 100 groups strong by the summer.

Latest Post Carbon and Network News:

Post Carbon Institute has moved!

Post Carbon Institute is very excited to announce that we have moved to a new office. We are now located at:

3683 West 4th Avenue

Vancouver, B.C., V6R 1P2

Tel: 604-736-9000

Fax: 604-736-9001

New Relocalization Network Coordinator

Due to the rapid growth of the Relocalization Network and the nearly overwhelming requests to start a new Local Post Carbon Group, we are please to announce that we are hiring an additional Relocalization Network Coordinator. This extra support will help us to provide more assistance and greater resource materials for not only newly formed groups, but also for established groups. We look forward to strengthening and improving the lines of communication between groups in the Relocalization Network to more effectively realize the goal of global relocalization. The new coordinator should be in place by the end of March.

Fundraising Toolkit

We are currently releasing the beta version of the fundraising toolkit, which was previewed in the last newsletter. It was created to help Local Post Carbon Groups develop important fundraising skills. The toolkit will assist fundraisers in writing grant applications, receiving pledges for donations, and developing lifelong relationships with donors. If you are interested in obtaining an electronic copy of the toolkit, please send an email to Liz McDowell, our Development Coordinator, at liz@postcarbon.org.

Upcoming events:

Bay Area Post Carbon Leaders Networking Group

The Bay Area Post Carbon Leaders Networking Group met for the first time on February 4th, 2006. The purpose of the meeting was to determine how a network of groups can most effectively share resources, information, and experiences with the overall goal of supporting regional relocalization efforts. Deborah Lindsay of Sustainable Monterey County - Beyond Peak Oil and Linda Perrine of Post Carbon Santa Clara Valley facilitated a very productive meeting with Richard Katz of San Francisco Post Carbon; Mary Dalton of Post Carbon Santa Cruz, Mike Carrick of SF Oil Awareness, and Gaylord Moore of East Bay Peak Oil.

The meeting participants agreed on the need to develop the following:

• Relocalization strategies for densely populated urban areas
• Greater networks for sharing resources, experiences, ideas, and best practices
• Greater collaboration on organizing events, such as community festivals
• Creating online communication strategies between groups to allow for greater participation while reducing the need for travel
• Reinforcing support ties between groups engaged in similar activities

The next meeting, set for May 20th, 2006, will focus on addressing the most pressing issues of this newly affiliated network of groups. Specific bioregional concerns of the area will be highlighted, and the representatives of each group will work to develop strategic responses to these concerns. Anyone interested in participating in this meeting and joining the group can contact Deborah Lindsay at decal@deborahlindsay.com (you may also contact Deborah if you have a meeting space available on May 10th, 2006, that can accommodate around ten people).

April 7-9: WELL Regional Localization Networking Conference, Willits, CA.

Willits Economic LocaLization (WELL), a Local Post Carbon Group working out of Willits, California, is one of the most established and influential groups in the Relocalization Network, and is frequently used as a model by many other groups within and beyond the Relocalization Network. WELL is hosting a conference with the goal of advancing economic localization efforts through sharing best practices; developing a communications strategy to connect with the general public, business community, and political leaders, as well as working on enhancing regional communication between groups. The focus of this conference is to share ideas among those who are working to implement a transition to greater community self-reliance. Keynote speakers will include Julian Darley and Celine Rich, founders of Post Carbon Institute, and David A. Schaller, Sustainable Development Coordinator in the Denver Regional Office of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Conference registration materials and schedule are available at www.willitseconomiclocalization.org.

For the next couple of months I will be in the office Monday and Friday afternoons, and will be available by email between those times. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to call or email me at shelby@postcarbon.org.

All the best,

Shelby

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Shelby Tay
Program Coordinator
Post Carbon Institute

Tel. 1 + 604.736.9000

shelby@postcarbon.org

3863 West 4th Avenue

Vancouver, B.C., V6R 1P2

www.postcarbon.org

www.globalpublicmedia.com

Post Carbon Institute

Learning to Live in a Low Energy World

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Dear Post Carbon Group Coordinators,



We now have 88 Local Post Carbon Groups in 9 countries in the Relocalization Network, with our newest member group in Yemen!



Our major goals for 2006 include:

1. re-designing the website so that the structure and information is more streamlined and user-friendly;
2. developing more resources, toolkits and information for the groups, which will be posted on the website; and
3. increasing the lines of communication between the Relocalization Network Coordinators and the Post Carbon Groups and between members within the network.

The end goal is to create a network that inspires people to use the available communication and information tools and that increases the capacity of local groups to take action. We also aim to facilitate more documentation and posting of comments, experiences, and knowledge on the website, in order to further the development of a strong support network for all Local Post Carbon Groups.




Latest Post Carbon and Network News:

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New Relocalization Network Coordinator



We would like to introduce our new Relocalization Network Coordinator, Sarah Smith, and welcome her to our team. Sarah is a graduate of the University of British Columbia, with an Arts degree, majoring in Music. She was the Chair of the Student Environment Centre (www.ubcsec.ca), and helped organize various programs and projects, including the 2005 Sustainability Conference in conjunction with the Sierra Youth Coalition. Sarah will be working to provide support for new and existing groups in the Relocalization Network. We are very excited to have her on board. If you have any questions or would like to contact her, she can be reached by email at sarah@postcarbon.org.



Earth Day Toolkit



We are currently working on putting together an educational resource toolkit, which will be available before Earth Day to help groups prepare for your groups activities. It will include one-page handouts on various relocalization projects and strategies, information about the Relocalization Network and Post Carbon Institute and fact sheets on Peak Oil and the ramifications of our over-reliance on cheap energy. Please contact Sarah (sarah@postcarbon.org), if you would like to be notified when the toolkits are ready.

Post Carbon Store



Post Carbon Institute is currently in the process of applying for charitable tax exempt [501(c)3] status in the United States. In reviewing our application, the IRS has requested that Post Carbon Institute refrain from selling most of its previously available products. A decision has not yet been made on our 501(c)3 application or the future of our full range of products but it is hoped there will be an update soon. The good news is that the very popular Oil Age Poster is still available for purchase through the online store (store.postcarbon.org), and donations can still be made to Post Carbon Institute online.



Energy Farm Demonstration Project



The Post Carbon Institute has recently initiated an Energy Farm Demonstration Project in collaboration with the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm. We will be working on up to two acres of UBC Farm land to test different energy crops, refine harvesting and processing techniques. The projected breakdown of the land is 60-30-10 (compost crops, energy crops, food crops). The project will evaluate varied sources of alternative energy, possibly including solar, wind and biogas. It will also look at how all of these technologies work together to supply reliable energy.




Upcoming Events:

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NYC Conference



Peak Oil New York is co-sponsoring the Local Solutions to the Energy Dilemma Conference in April 2006. The event will feature regional experts in economic localization, sustainable food systems, alternative transportation, and responsible financial management will share their insights into the evolution of a low-energy, sustainable society. Conference registration materials and schedule are available at http://www.energysolutionsconference.org.

Featured Local Post Carbon Group on Television



This past month members of APPLE (Alliance for a Post Petroleum Local Economy), a Local Post Carbon Group in Nevada County, California launched a Peak Oil television show entitled, "Peak Moment: Community Responses to a Changing Energy Future". The show is a weekly half-hour program featuring energy news, followed by conversations about local food, energy, transportation, preparedness, economics and other responses to the challenges of Peak Oil. The show is hosted by Janaia Donaldson, directed by Robyn Mallgren, and produced by Yuba Gals Independent Media for APPLE. This team is also producing *Peak Moment Special Editions*, featuring speaker presentations, farm tours, human-powered vehicles and more.



Currently, Peak Moment airs on a local community access television station in western Nevada county (California). Episodes will be available online beginning in April at http://video.google.com (type in "Peak Moment.") The group is looking to distribute the show to other communities and to include interviews and footage not only from their region but also from other groups focused on Relocalization.

Sarah will be onboard full time to provide support for local groups in the Relocalization Network. For the next couple of months, Shelby will be in the office Monday afternoons, and will be available by email between those times. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to call or email us at network@postcarbon.org.



All the best,



Shelby & Sarah



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Shelby Tay & Sarah Smith
Relocalization Network Coordinators
Post Carbon Institute
Tel. 1 + 604.736.9000
network@postcarbon.org
3863 West 4th Avenue
Vancouver, B.C., V6R 1P2, Canada
www.postcarbon.org
www.globalpublicmedia.com

For more information about APPLE-Shasta please contact the site manager, Molly Brown, by email at mollybrown60@yahoo.com. For further information, please visit www.feedmtshasta.org.

For more information about Post Carbon Penoka, please contact the site manager, Daniel Vallieres, by email at daniel_valliers@hotmail.com.

For more information about Post Oil Finland Relocalization Group, please contact the site manager, Aarni Varjonen, by email at aarni@aarnivarjonen.com.

The Chatham-Kent Oil Age Planning Group: Our mission is to ensure an orderly transition through the fossil fuel decline by cooperatively developing a sustainable economy for Chatham-Kent.

We are a combination think tank and education group that meets regularly to discuss and create a municipal action plan for Chatham-Kent. We are currently assessing Chatham-Kent's strengths and assets, areas of vulnerability, and plans for each.

Areas of examination include: Agriculture and food supply, transportation and alternate energy sources, housing, public health, business and vocations in a powered down world, education and social institutions, among many others.

For more information about the Chatham-Kent Oil Age Planning Group, please contact the site manager, Lance Meredith, by email at lifetree76@yahoo.com.