Workshop held March 28, 2009 at the Diamond Harbour Hall
An enthusiastic turnout (of about 40 people) came to the 'Making a Graceful Transition' workshop on Saturday March 28 at the Diamond Harbour Hall. There was a genuine awareness that our idyllic corner of the world is not immune from serious global and local problems such as pollution, degradation of the environment, looming energy shortages, economic stress and social disruption.
The workshop was organised by Christine Dann on behalf of the Diamond Harbour Community Association, and facilitated by Margaret Jefferies, chair of Project Lyttelton, one of a growing number of community-based initiatives worldwide, which are taking the lead in finding local solutions to global problems, rather than waiting for governments (central or local) to find the right answers (or impose the wrong ones).
Identifying the problems was the easy part. We do not need television or newspapers to be aware of them; they are becoming increasingly evident in our daily lives: changing weather patterns - our climate is becoming hotter, dryer, and less predictable; pollution in the air, waterways, and sea; soaring energy prices as dwindling resources begin to bite. In addition to these concerns, we are experiencing the negative impact of sprawling cities and semi-rural suburbs which are destroying the beauty of our unique environment and disrupting natural ecosystems that work for us.
Thus the workshop turned with a sense of urgency to discuss what we could do as a community to avoid contributing to these problems and to mitigate their negative effects. Some of the ideas put forward included:
- More ferries (to reduce car use and road traffic)
- A local shuttle service connecting to the ferry
- Better footpaths to encourage pedestrians (wide enough for prams)
- Safe cycle ways (for children and to encourage cycling)
- Limits on (sub) urban growth to protect our natural heritage and amenities
- Protecting and enhancing the environment with community tree-planting
- Increased energy efficiency in the home (insulation/solar panels)
- More local produce grown in community gardens, commercially, and by households
- Better opportunities to buy locally: more shops, produce markets, etc.
It was soon apparent that success would depend upon good organisation and the whole community working together. Some suggestions for nurturing a sense of community were:
- Establishing a community-run early childhood centre
- Teaching school children (and anyone else interested) how to grow vegetables
- Rewarding those who contribute to the community
- Creating a dedicated community centre space such as a market square
- Providing meals on wheels to those in need
- Providing retirement cottages, so older members of the community do not need to leave
To keep the momentum going, several action groups were established and further meetings are planned. A summary report on what the workshop achieved and the next steps is available from Christine Dann: 329 4588 or christine@horomaka.org