Best Wishes from the Network Team

Seasons greetings is not the same message across the world, as Andi Hazelwood, our new Australasian Regional Coordinator points out: it’s summer in Australia. However, there is one thing that is common for everyone: we will soon be ushering in the New Year. The 2006 year saw many changes for the Relocalization Network: the number of Local Groups in the Network almost doubled, we launched the website www.relocalize.net, and we started building and improving our library of resources and support services. And just this month, we’ve just settled into a new office space in Vancouver. Check out our photos online at www.relocalize.net/gallery.

We thank you for your patience as with our experiments in organizing the website and displaying information. We look forward to building stronger connections with everyone in the Network and to continuing to learn and adapt as we move into the next year. We’re all in this together. Wishing you all the best from the Post Carbon Institute team!

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Welcome to the New Local Post Carbon Groups

Please help us welcome the following Group Coordinators and their Local Groups to the Relocalization Network. Take a moment to have a look at their websites:

• Sonya Wallace, Creating a Sustainable Sunshine Coast (CASSC) - Nambour to Mooloolah, Queensland, Australia
• Toban Black, Post Carbon London – London, Ontario, Canada
• John Dixon, Muskoka Relocalization Co-op – Muskoka, Ontario, Canada
• Chris Twemlow, Project Port Lyttelton – Lyttelton, New Zealand
• Jay Peasley, Relocalize West Michigan – Histeria, Michigan, USA
• Lara Johnstone, Garden Route Energy Emergency Action Network (GREEAN) – George, South Africa
• Patricia Greene, North Country Peak Oil Study/Action Group – Canton, New York, United States

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New Web Support Coordinator for Relocalize.net

Tim Whiteway has joined the Relocalization Network Team as Web Support Coordinator. Tim has a varied background in computer services. Along with desktop support, network services, and server administration he has taught introductory courses on using computers at the post secondary level. He will be helping us develop www.relocalize.net and will be the go-to person for web and technical support.

If you have questions or would like to welcome Tim to the Network, first make sure that your logged in to the Relocalization Network, and then contact him.

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Update from Andi Hazelwood, Australasian Regional Coordinator

My first month as regional coordinator has been an active one. We're in the process of signing up two new local groups on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and one in the Christchurch area of New Zealand. We've also had some interest in a Canberra, ACT Relocalisation group!

In addition, I'm getting in touch with all the groups in the Australasian region to see how they're doing and what the Relocalization Network can do to help them. In the coming days I'll be presenting the Relocalisation strategy to community groups in Mundubbera and in Brisbane, both in Queensland. The idea of producing and consuming locally is such a basic one that plenty of people in this region "get it," but don't know it by the term Relocalisation.

SBS TV in Australia recently aired Independent America, a documentary about how detrimental "big box" retailers are to communities and how local "mom and pop" businesses are better for the local economy and its residents. The positive response from Australian viewers was overwhelming, giving me further proof that Australia is ripe for Relocalisation. To start a Relocalisation group in the Australasian region, don't hesitate to contact me!

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New Resources: Relocalization Network Stationary, Logos & Buttons for Download

One important way that Local Groups can help the Relocalization Network is to acknowledge that they are a member of the Network in their publications, media encounters and on websites other than www.relocalize.net.

We are here to support the work that you are doing in your community. Help us by using the links, buttons and logos provided on our Buttons and Links page to publicize www.relocalize.net and the Relocalization Network Initiative. If there are other types of images or links that would be helpful for your Local Group to have, we would be happy to hear from you.

We also hope that this logo page will help you and your group in your fundraising and outreach activities. Especially if you are just starting out, identifying yourself as part of a larger initiative and network can be a great advantage.

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ASPO Boston Conference Report by Ron Slabaugh

In October, Ron Slabaugh, Coordinator of Addison County Relocalization Network (ACoRN) and Carl Etnier of the Vermont Peak Oil Network ran a volunteer table for the Relocalzation Network at ASPO (Association for the Study of Peak Oil) conference in Boston. Over the course of the three-day event, they spoke with many people in the "peak oil" community, and attended various speaker presentations. Ron Slabaugh was kind enough to write up a report in which he reflects on his experiences at the conference.

To read the full report, visit www.relocalize.net. If you are interested in volunteering at an upcoming event on behalf of Post Carbon Institute and the Relocalization Network, please contact us.

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Request for Volunteer Translators

The Relocalization Network is an international initiative, with Local Groups in 12 countries and 4 continents. We would like to translate as many of our materials as possible. One of our volunteers has graciously translated the September and October issues of the Post Carbon Newsletter into Spanish. If you would like to volunteer to translate for Post Carbon Institute, the Relocalization Network or Global Public Media, please send us an email.

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New on Global Public Media

Global Public Media is an internet broadcasting station that streams long format audio and video interviews with world experts. Click on the links below for the latest additions on GPM.

Vancouver Energy Farm update with Mark Bomford

David Korten's The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community

Nate Hagens on "The Reality Report" with Jason Bradford

Peak Moment TV: Go Electric: Bike commuting made easy

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Feature Interview: Larry Menkes, ECLAPA

We spoke with Larry Menkes, Coordinator of ECLAPA the Earth Charter Lifeboat Academy of PA in Warminster, Pennsylvania, USA, about how he got involved with the Relocalization Network, the challenges of getting a group started, the group's current projects, and the importance of balancing time and energy.

What initially sparked your interest in aspects of Relocalization?

I was moved to take some greater action and our local Earth Charter group was becoming torpid. I thought that action under the banner of an existing organization was the best way to reach a lot of people. The Climate Emergency Council wasn't very organized at that time and I turned to Post Carbon because it was making a real impact. Global Public Media was churning out videos and they made great public education tools. And, Post Carbon was sponsoring events in Philly like the Ken Wiwa program last year and another one this year.

Read the rest of the interview with Larry Menkes on www.relocalize.net.

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Update: Timebanks Pilot Project

We are pleased to announce the recipient of a one-year subscription to Timebanks, an exciting effort to strengthen local communities by creating a service-based local currency. Project Port Lyttelton, in New Zealand, has recently joined the Relocalization Network and will be participating in our Timebanks pilot project, which was first presented in the October 2006 issue of Relocalize. Members of the group will be organizing a trial run of the Timebanks program, using the online Timebanks software. The goal of this pilot project is to allow other groups to learn from the experiences of Project Port Lyttelton with a Timebank. You can find updates and reports by Project Port Lyttelton on their website as they experiment with this project. To find out more, contact us.

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Upcoming Events

Have an event you would like to share with the Network? Please send an email to Sarah and Shelby before the last week of the month and we will include it in the next edition of Relocalize.

Indiana Energy Conference

Saturday January 6, 2007, The Vanity Theater, Crawfordsville, Indiana

Visit www.indianaenergyconference.org for more information.

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If you have any comments about this Newsletter or suggestions for the next, please contact us.

Best,

Shelby & Sarah

Shelby Tay & Sarah Smith
Relocalization Network Coordinators
Post Carbon Institute
Tel. +1 604 736 9000
Contact Us
201-640 West Broadway
Vancouver, B.C., V5Z 1G4, Canada
www.relocalize.net
www.postcarbon.org