TRANSITION EYNSHAM AREA (GreenTEA) SUMMARY April 2018
The fourth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’ (IPCC) report in 2007 stated that we had a very small window of opportunity, from as little as five years, to prevent global temperature going over the 2ºC that is probably already in the pipeline.
“The Transition Network is a charitable organisation whose role is to inspire, encourage, connect, support and train communities as they self-organise around the Transition model, creating initiatives that rebuild resilience and reduce CO2 emissions.”“When we use the term “Transition” we’re talking about the changes we need to make to get from a high-carbon society, to a low-carbon, socially-just, healthier and happier future, which is more enriching and more gentle on the earth than the way most of us live today.”
Armed with this information ‘Transition Eynsham Area’ started with eight members in Jan 2009, with a great sense of urgency, and with already over a year taken from that window. The initials T.E.A. became ‘GreenTEA’ after some wag added the green! We decided to follow the advice of the Transition Towns Initiative and let our group develop organically, starting with public awareness-raising about the twin issues of Climate Change and Fossil fuel depletion.
To that end we have arranged filmshows, talks, swapshops, a picnic, a public meeting and two or three surgeries with our MP, three or four Carnival entries, annual Fruit Festivals, a Family Bike Day (with Bikesafe), numerous stalls at other events and a regular ‘GreenTEA’ Café in central Eynsham, as well as our own new website, a supporters’ newsletter plus a series of articles in local newspapers and websites; responses to local authority consultations and two ‘Carbon Conversations’ courses. In 2014, we had, with the Low Carbon Hub, a grand opening by David Cameron PM, of PV installations forming the 'people's power station pilot'. In addition, we started annual thermal imaging surveys, followed by Energy Saving Events. All these have indeed raised the profile of Transition Eynsham Area ('GreenTEA') within our area.
Our Core Group wrote the constitution; makes the big decisions and approves the actions of the working groups. It meets quarterly and is responsible for commenting on matters of national and local policy.
Our projects are best discussed under the headings of the five Working Groups (WG):
1 Waste WG - arranges 6-monthly SwapShops in Eynsham, and have had others at Aston and Long Hanborough. We have held 33 swap shops since starting in 2008, and in total we have swapped 12,000 kg of ‘stuff’ which, incidentally, equals the weight of three whole elephants!!
- In addition the group has held a Bring&Buy in aid of ‘Eynsham as Orchard’, and has helped Sustainable Witney and Oxford City Council with exciting 'Refashion' clothes events.
- Members have visited the Anaerobic Digester in Cassington, where organic waste from households is turned into methane gas then electricity, with the residue used as fertiliser on local farmers' fields.
2 Food/Orchard WG - started with great energy, creating a shared allotment scheme in Cassington with tuition for new growers, also forming an alliance with an Eynsham landowner to mentor young growers with learning disabilities. They next formed a liaison with the local Mid-Counties Co-op to promote local produce. Most enthusiastic of all has been the Orchard subgroup whose members have mapped old orchards in Eynsham. They have found sites and planted many apple trees (some guerilla!) to re-establish 'Eynsham as Orchard”'and the ‘Apple Capital of Oxfordshire’. Their ‘Fruit Festivals’ each autumn have attracted an average of 300 people with entertainment, instruction, tastings, games and free apples! Two public talks in 2011 proved very popular. In 2012 their 'Time to Grow' demonstration and seedling handout was a great success and was followed by 'Time to Eat' in October! In 2013 this event was held in Cassington Primary School where the children's interest was engaged by giving them seedlings to plant at home. The group organise ongoing pruning and planting activities in the area, including planting the Parish Council planters in the square with edible herbs. Most recently, members have become closely associated with the new ‘Peace Oak Association’ – formed to plant an orchard in Eynsham with social facilities.
3 Energy WG - looked into the possibilities of a microhydro installation and a wind turbine but our area proved unsuitable for these. A 55-panel PV array was fitted on the roof of the Village Hall, and a smaller array on St Peter's Presbytery, with the help of the Oxfordshire 'Low Carbon Hub' (LCH). Further arrays on business and community buildings are planned. The idea is that the arrays can become part ot the LCH's 'People's Power Station'. An arrangement has been made with ‘Ecotricity’ for introducing new clients to a genuine, 100% green energy supplier. The group completed a Low Energy Assessment Fund project (LEAF), funded by DECC offering free energy assessments and leading up to the 'Green Deal' in autumn 2012. The group run an annual Thermal Imaging Project to determine insulation needs in local houses and businesses, with a camera bought using 'LEAF' funds. In connection with this, Energy Saving Events have been arranged for the public to discuss their thermal images and their free energy assessments.
4 Transport WG - held a Cycle Workshop in April 2011 and a 'Family Bike Day' in June 2012, the latter as part of a joint event with ‘Bikesafe’. They liaised with the local authority about bike parks and engaged the Student Consultants on a survey of Eynsham residents' views on the possibility of a car club. These were discussed with Midcounties Co-operative. A local group ‘Bikesafe’ gave a great demonstration at the last GreenTEA Festival but, sadly, the transport group itself has not met for a while. However we are hoping for new and energetic members….
5 Hearts&Minds WG - the most recently formed, has given two 'Carbon Conversations' courses; arranged surveys by the Student Consultants', eg the evaluation of the Low Energy Assessment Fund (LEAF); and also formed links with the local schools. Their latest venture is a highly successful Book Discussion Group. As well as the GreenTEA Café, the group have also organised educational games at various GreenTEA events.
Past Groups:
(Challenge WG) The first of the groups to be formed within the GreenTEA structure, initially it backed the 10-10 campaign. In 2010 it turned its attention to behaviour change and launched a Carbon Footprint project. Workshops were to be arranged throughout the year to enable Champions and others to get together and see how energy can be saved. It is hoped that these and the ‘Carbon Conversations’ sessions will act as group-binding events for our carbon footprint Champions. The group recently won a prize for ‘continued group engagement’ in the Big Carbon Challenge. In Dec. 2011 the group launched a thermal imaging project with the help of the loan of a camera from WODC. They produced many colourful images of houses, engaging the interest of the occupants by pinpointing the areas of heat loss, thus raising the profile domestic heat loss and how to remedy it. The group reformed in Sept 2012 as the 'Hearts&Minds' group.
(Policy WG) A meeting with David Cameron and all the climate groups in his constituency took place in March 2010. This demonstrated the strength of feeling in the constituency about climate change A surgery meeting with Mr Cameron took place in June 2011 to discuss the progress of the Energy Bill. The group have now taken up the baton of an Energy Action Plan (EAP) report and hope to hold a public meeting to gain the views of the public about the kind of Eynsham Area they envisage for the future We send regular petitions and letters to the government to remind them of their "greenest government ever" boast! . In September 2012 the group amalgamated with the Core Group.
RK 14.4.18
The fourth Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’ (IPCC) report in 2007 stated that we had a very small window of opportunity, from as little as five years, to prevent global temperature going over the 2ºC that is probably already in the pipeline.
“The Transition Network is a charitable organisation whose role is to inspire, encourage, connect, support and train communities as they self-organise around the Transition model, creating initiatives that rebuild resilience and reduce CO2 emissions.”“When we use the term “Transition” we’re talking about the changes we need to make to get from a high-carbon society, to a low-carbon, socially-just, healthier and happier future, which is more enriching and more gentle on the earth than the way most of us live today.”
Armed with this information ‘Transition Eynsham Area’ started with eight members in Jan 2009, with a great sense of urgency, and with already over a year taken from that window. The initials T.E.A. became ‘GreenTEA’ after some wag added the green! We decided to follow the advice of the Transition Towns Initiative and let our group develop organically, starting with public awareness-raising about the twin issues of Climate Change and Fossil fuel depletion.
To that end we have arranged filmshows, talks, swapshops, a picnic, a public meeting and two or three surgeries with our MP, three or four Carnival entries, annual Fruit Festivals, a Family Bike Day (with Bikesafe), numerous stalls at other events and a regular ‘GreenTEA’ Café in central Eynsham, as well as our own new website, a supporters’ newsletter plus a series of articles in local newspapers and websites; responses to local authority consultations and two ‘Carbon Conversations’ courses. In 2014, we had, with the Low Carbon Hub, a grand opening by David Cameron PM, of PV installations forming the 'people's power station pilot'. In addition, we started annual thermal imaging surveys, followed by Energy Saving Events. All these have indeed raised the profile of Transition Eynsham Area ('GreenTEA') within our area.
Our Core Group wrote the constitution; makes the big decisions and approves the actions of the working groups. It meets quarterly and is responsible for commenting on matters of national and local policy.
Our projects are best discussed under the headings of the five Working Groups (WG):
1 Waste WG - arranges 6-monthly SwapShops in Eynsham, and have had others at Aston and Long Hanborough. We have held 33 swap shops since starting in 2008, and in total we have swapped 12,000 kg of ‘stuff’ which, incidentally, equals the weight of three whole elephants!!
- In addition the group has held a Bring&Buy in aid of ‘Eynsham as Orchard’, and has helped Sustainable Witney and Oxford City Council with exciting 'Refashion' clothes events.
- Members have visited the Anaerobic Digester in Cassington, where organic waste from households is turned into methane gas then electricity, with the residue used as fertiliser on local farmers' fields.
2 Food/Orchard WG - started with great energy, creating a shared allotment scheme in Cassington with tuition for new growers, also forming an alliance with an Eynsham landowner to mentor young growers with learning disabilities. They next formed a liaison with the local Mid-Counties Co-op to promote local produce. Most enthusiastic of all has been the Orchard subgroup whose members have mapped old orchards in Eynsham. They have found sites and planted many apple trees (some guerilla!) to re-establish 'Eynsham as Orchard”'and the ‘Apple Capital of Oxfordshire’. Their ‘Fruit Festivals’ each autumn have attracted an average of 300 people with entertainment, instruction, tastings, games and free apples! Two public talks in 2011 proved very popular. In 2012 their 'Time to Grow' demonstration and seedling handout was a great success and was followed by 'Time to Eat' in October! In 2013 this event was held in Cassington Primary School where the children's interest was engaged by giving them seedlings to plant at home. The group organise ongoing pruning and planting activities in the area, including planting the Parish Council planters in the square with edible herbs. Most recently, members have become closely associated with the new ‘Peace Oak Association’ – formed to plant an orchard in Eynsham with social facilities.
3 Energy WG - looked into the possibilities of a microhydro installation and a wind turbine but our area proved unsuitable for these. A 55-panel PV array was fitted on the roof of the Village Hall, and a smaller array on St Peter's Presbytery, with the help of the Oxfordshire 'Low Carbon Hub' (LCH). Further arrays on business and community buildings are planned. The idea is that the arrays can become part ot the LCH's 'People's Power Station'. An arrangement has been made with ‘Ecotricity’ for introducing new clients to a genuine, 100% green energy supplier. The group completed a Low Energy Assessment Fund project (LEAF), funded by DECC offering free energy assessments and leading up to the 'Green Deal' in autumn 2012. The group run an annual Thermal Imaging Project to determine insulation needs in local houses and businesses, with a camera bought using 'LEAF' funds. In connection with this, Energy Saving Events have been arranged for the public to discuss their thermal images and their free energy assessments.
4 Transport WG - held a Cycle Workshop in April 2011 and a 'Family Bike Day' in June 2012, the latter as part of a joint event with ‘Bikesafe’. They liaised with the local authority about bike parks and engaged the Student Consultants on a survey of Eynsham residents' views on the possibility of a car club. These were discussed with Midcounties Co-operative. A local group ‘Bikesafe’ gave a great demonstration at the last GreenTEA Festival but, sadly, the transport group itself has not met for a while. However we are hoping for new and energetic members….
5 Hearts&Minds WG - the most recently formed, has given two 'Carbon Conversations' courses; arranged surveys by the Student Consultants', eg the evaluation of the Low Energy Assessment Fund (LEAF); and also formed links with the local schools. Their latest venture is a highly successful Book Discussion Group. As well as the GreenTEA Café, the group have also organised educational games at various GreenTEA events.
Past Groups:
(Challenge WG) The first of the groups to be formed within the GreenTEA structure, initially it backed the 10-10 campaign. In 2010 it turned its attention to behaviour change and launched a Carbon Footprint project. Workshops were to be arranged throughout the year to enable Champions and others to get together and see how energy can be saved. It is hoped that these and the ‘Carbon Conversations’ sessions will act as group-binding events for our carbon footprint Champions. The group recently won a prize for ‘continued group engagement’ in the Big Carbon Challenge. In Dec. 2011 the group launched a thermal imaging project with the help of the loan of a camera from WODC. They produced many colourful images of houses, engaging the interest of the occupants by pinpointing the areas of heat loss, thus raising the profile domestic heat loss and how to remedy it. The group reformed in Sept 2012 as the 'Hearts&Minds' group.
(Policy WG) A meeting with David Cameron and all the climate groups in his constituency took place in March 2010. This demonstrated the strength of feeling in the constituency about climate change A surgery meeting with Mr Cameron took place in June 2011 to discuss the progress of the Energy Bill. The group have now taken up the baton of an Energy Action Plan (EAP) report and hope to hold a public meeting to gain the views of the public about the kind of Eynsham Area they envisage for the future We send regular petitions and letters to the government to remind them of their "greenest government ever" boast! . In September 2012 the group amalgamated with the Core Group.
RK 14.4.18
