Post Carbon London (Ontario)

at last I get to post something onto this site- my first attempt.

My contribution to Post Carbon London is directed towards the use of energy in our city of London, Ontario. As an architect and landscape architect my concerns lie with sustainable long term positions on how our community must develop in both urban form and the activities that make this community stronger and more resiliant. In advancing the need for the post carbon group in this city , it became clearly apparent that there was no focussed forum through which ideas and alternative views on the future energy in our city could be represented, and thus, with a couple of concerned people and support from some existing community groups Post Carbon London (PCL) was formed. My thanks go to the Council of Canadians, TREA and Imagine London groups for their initial support.

I see the group as a focus group for discussing energy pathways that are linked to many of the activities an ordinary person would interact with in London. Thus food, alternative energy and many of the other activities that hold a community together, would be advanced and developed through this group. It is essnetial to have local knowledge and this is perhaps the most difficult element to gain as most information we obtain today is on a macro-scale. PCL has to opportunity of bringing the big ideas back to something that is tangable and local, so that we can understand from the experience of our own local lives how to direct our community.

In organiziing the initial three events that PCL held in Oct/ Nov 2006, I was very pleased to see the breath of discussion and the lateral approaches to post carbon community affairs; these issues were easily understood by the general public and in fact the creativity seemed to abound. This observation would seem to be at odds with the general perception of how people live in London, where the city seems to be turning into a sprawl environment dominated by car-living and franchised consumer products. I welcome the facilities that are offered by this web site and how it will assist in allowing our London community to voice creative responses to a society that seems to be hell-bent on not adapting to a sustainable lifestyle.

Shane ONeill

Hi to all,
My name is Ben and I'd like to introduce myself to everyone at Post Carbon London. I work as a project manager and automated controls technician at an automated manufacturing machinery company near London.

Similarly to you Toban, I’ve only recently become an active environmentalist. I’ve had concerns in the past but was not nearly informed enough to truly understand the issues, or to be proactive in addressing the issues. While I still have much learning to do, I’m ready to get involved at the local level, which I believe is the front line in addressing oil depletion, and many of the problems associated with global warming.

The only involvement I’ve had so far is attending a Post Carbon discussion group and then canvassing for the Elizabeth May and the Green Party in the federal by-election in London North Centre. This was a great campaign and really was successful in bringing the environment into the minds of Londoners. In talking to people I found that they really are concerned but I think people are not informed enough to understand how imminent the situation really is.

For me, educating people (including politicians) is a major priority. The only way change can be implemented is if the majority of the community embraces this cause. I gently try to inform and activate the people around, as this is disturbing information for people. My fiancée Jen has embraced all of this (before I proposed - lol) and so have others in my family. Perhaps they will be involved soon.

Anyway, I look forward to working with you all, helping with future projects, and hearing about your politics Toban – however radical, hehe.

Goodbye for now,
Ben