Orewa

If you would like to contact us:

Phone: (09) 420-5255 Mobile: (0274) 724-408 Email: jude@deepanimation.co.nz

 

VISION RODNEY

A Strategy for the District’s Future

Vision Rodney: A Strategy for the District’s Future

Submission to Rodney District Council
From Sustainable North Trust, Transition Town Orewa
and Rodney District Community Members
from Kaukapakapa, Silverdale, Orewa, Puhoi, Stillwater,
Whangaparaoa, Waiwera, Warkworth

CONTENTS

Executive Summary.....................................................................................................

How Our Submission Came About .............................................................................

Closing the Gap: Intent 7- Sustainable Rodney..........................................................

About Sustainable Development ...............................................................................

Our Vision for Rodney.................................................................................................

Our Mission for Rodney...............................................................................................

Action Plan: A Beginning...........................................................................................

Conclusion and Next Steps...........................................................................................

Executive Summary

Five years have passed since the first issue of Vision Rodney: A Strategy for the District’s Future was released. Since then, our district, nation, and indeed the world, has faced massive changes from global forces such as climate change, carbon emissions and oil and food price increases, and local developments such as the rise in Rodney’s population, changing industry sectors and the increase in developed land.

These changes are among so many others that will shape our communities and our way of life well into the future. We must prepare and plan for the challenges and opportunities presented by these changes, and do so using an effective and comprehensive approach that addresses the needs of all people within Rodney and the environment on which we all depend. This approach, a clear sustainable development strategy, acknowledges economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts and interdependencies, and is the basis from which our submission is framed.

To help us comprehensively and responsibly respond to the challenges and opportunities presented by current and future changes, effective planning, decision-making and actions that use the sustainability lens will ensure that development in Rodney will meet the essential needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. In this way, our unique, yet interlinked collection of communities in Rodney will effectively ride the tides of change with resilience, equity and prosperity.

The nature and speed of the changes we are collectively facing will take many capable hands and the active support of all of us. As a group, we recognise that “sustainability” and a “Sustainable Rodney” is no small task and we wish to acknowledge both its importance and magnitude. Our broad-brush submission in no way diminishes the important subject that it is for our district. It is our sincere aspiration that our discussions will be the seed of wider conversations in the spirit of fostering mutual collaboration from all sectors around this topic for Rodney - among community organisations, the Rodney District Council, developers, community leaders, central government departments and agencies, individual people, communities and neighbours.

In supporting Rodney District and the Rodney District Council with a new release of Vision Rodney, two not-for-profit community groups (Sustainable North Trust and Transition Town Orewa) and many community members met to discuss our contribution to the existing strategy document. This submission is a summary of our open floor productive discussions from two meetings held on July 26th and July 31st 2008. We expect to hold additional, ongoing meetings to establish further details for achieving our collective goals and outcomes, and look forward to working with other initiatives (such as, the Long-Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP) and the Social Well-being Strategy 2008-2011) for the benefit of all of Rodney. Our meetings and discussions addressed the following topics:

Closing the Gap: Intent 7-Sustainable Rodney
About Sustainable Development
Our Vision for Rodney
Our Mission for Rodney
Action Plan: A Beginning
Conclusion and Next Steps

How Our Submission Came About

This submission to the Vision Rodney document is from a wide range of people with two things in common—we all live in Rodney and we are all aware of the need for a sustainable future especially in light of peak oil and climate change. 

While some of the members are old-timers in the area of permaculture others are newly joined in the Rodney Transition Town movement and heard about the Sustainable Rodney Day via the email networks.  A few responded to the newspaper articles and advertisements. 

The  goal of Sustainable Rodney Day was to move the Council decision-making process in a more sustainable direction. The Sustainable North Trust initiated the project with a grant from the ARC’s EIF fund.

Joe Polaischers’ original  idea for Sustainable Rodney Day was invite the new Mayor and Councillors to an environmental education day.  But as the year continued and the opportunity arose to run a community input process in parallel with  RDC  the Trustees felt that this was a better way to instigate long-term sustainable change.  This also coincided with the EIF grant’s goals of affecting long term change.

So it with grace that the participants present our vision for the 2009 Vision Rodney document and look forward to continuing input with the LTCCP process.

Closing the Gap: Intent 7 - Sustainable Rodney

Ko tatou ko te tangata he kaitiaki noahio i nga taonga iti me nga taonga tapu whakarere iho o ratou ma. Te tumanako kia mahi tahi tatou ki te pupuri tonu te mana, te ihi, te wehi me te mauri o enei taonga katoa hei whakaatu kit e ao tona atahua.

Man is merely custodian of the minute and holy treasure handed down through generations. Our endeavour is to work together to prosper, to preserve and protect these treasures for the benefit of all race, colour and creed to appreciate and enjoy.

Vision Rodney 2003 contains statements that can be related to sustainability, however, these words from the Maori opening statement contributed to our broader discussions about a clear sustainable development strategy for Rodney District.

Highlighting the Key Issues

Our world looks very different today from just five years ago. The nature and speed with which change is occurring is reaching the shores and pastures of Rodney District with as much fervour as any other community. Our group identified many key issues that are likely to affect Rodney District. While not an exhaustive list, these include:

Energy decline
Food safety, security and the need for abundance
Climate change, including extreme weather events and rising sea levels
Species and biodiversity loss
The need for sustainable transport
The need for sustainable land use planning
Rise in population growth
Crime and violence associated with social stress
Equitable distribution of remaining resources
The need to ensure health and social wellbeing for all
An underlying sense of urgency to address these and other issues

Our group agreed that the key to effectively addressing these issues lies in establishing a clear sustainable development framework in Rodney District – one that encourages, inspires and works carefully and consciously to foster collaboration and coordinated action among community organisations, the Rodney District Council, developers, community leaders, central government departments and agencies, individual people, communities and neighbours.

In addition, the group agreed that education about sustainability, including environmental education should be presented by the community. In other words, “the community must educate the community”. This approach would benefit both the Council and the community in that community-based education can support Council initiatives and be more efficient and effective.

Closing the Gap: Intent 7 - Sustainable Rodney (continued)

As such, we applied a sustainable development lens to Vision Rodney 2002’s Six Intents as follows, and have added Intent 7: Sustainable Rodney

Vision Rodney 2003 – Community Outcomes

Social/Cultural
Economic
Environmental

Intent 4 - We will take care of ourselves while working with others.
Safe and healthy communities

Intent 1 - Keep our country look and feel
A country look and feel

Intent 5 - We will be able to make our living in Rodney.
Jobs and opportunity in Rodney

Intent 2 - We will not let our towns and villages sprawl.
Contained and distinctive towns and villages

Intent 3 - We will maintain our lifestyle and look after the environment.
Maintained lifestyles and environmental care

Intent 6 - We will determine the future of our district
Locally determined futures

Intent 7 - We will make decisions and take actions based on a clear and ongoing
Sustainable Development Strategy
Sustainability Lens

Source: Dr David Kettle, Environmental Engineer
About Sustainable Development

Sustainability is the best attempt to provide the best outcome for human and natural environments both now and into an indefinite future.  At an earlier point in human history, the environment largely determined the shape of society. Today the opposite is true: human activity is reshaping the environment at an ever-increasing rate.

The parts of the environment unaffected by human activity are getting smaller all the time.  Because people need food, water and air to survive, society can never be larger than the environment.

Our group holds to the United Nations’ definition of sustainable development:

“Sustainability is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.
-1987 UN World Commission on Environment and Development – The Brundtland Report

Sustainability is not a new concept. It is how most people lived before the Industrial Age in the 18th century. However, the notion of “sustainable development” and the need to address vital global and local development issues was made known to the wider world 20 years ago by the United Nations.

In 1987, the United Nations called upon former Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland to head the World Commission on Environment and Development following the UN’s growing concern “about the accelerating deterioration of the human environment and natural resources and the consequences of that deterioration for economic and social development”.

The UN recognized that environmental problems were global in nature, and they determined that it was in the common interest of all nations to establish policies for sustainable development. Under Mrs. Brundtland’s leadership, the commission was to, among other goals, recommend ways that concern for the environment would lead to the achievement of common and mutually supportive objectives that take account of the interrelationships between people, resources, environment and development.

The scope of sustainability goes beyond the environment to include broader thinking of economic prosperity, cultural preservation and celebration, environmental restoration and social wellbeing and quality of life. Drawn graphically, these relationships look like this:

Sustainable Development
Society is part of the Environment. The Economy is part of Society.

Our Vision for Rodney

He aha te mea nui? Maku e ki atu he tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
What is the greatest of all things? It is people, it is people, it is people.

Rodney is unique among the regions of New Zealand.

Our group discussed that Rodney is much more than “Auckland’s Playground”. We believe Rodney needs a unique branded identity – one that:

Sets us apart in New Zealand
Is inclusive, no one is left out
Supports our community values

Highlights Rodney District, its Council and communities as a world leader in sustainability best practices (innovative, forward-thinking, energy efficient, “carbon positive”, non-toxic)
Highlights Council partnering with community empowered to make decisions on sustainability (and operates by collaboration, cooperation and transparency)
Recognises future generations – all decisions principles and pathways of seven generations

Recognises the Treaty of Waitangi as an important guiding/empowering document
Authentic to the “clean and green” image/identity that the world perceives New Zealand to be
Adopts the economic, environmental, social and cultural quadruple bottom line – the “4 Well Beings”

Creates “villages” of self sufficiency
Adopts the ARC Sustainability Framework
Shows faith in the community, faith that the community vision will inspire change

We anticipate that we will work collaboratively with Rodney District Council and all communities to formally establish a new Rodney District “brand” with appropriate publicity. The following is an example of our vision:

Example of Our Vision

Rodney is a leading model in a collective of safe, healthy, happy, equitable, collaborative and peaceful communities. We build and develop on our inherent community capital to build a sustainable future
Our Mission for Rodney

To accomplish the sustainable development strategy of Vision Rodney will require the collective intelligence and actions of many people. Our group formulated a “first-draft” of our mission as follows:

We will create communities where people can live work and play.

We will make sustainable development the norm by 2012 (many sustainability initiatives are underway at the national (i.e. Beacon Pathways), regional (ARC Sustainability Framework) and local levels (such as EcosHomes www.ecoshomes.co.nz).

Rodney District Council will make all decisions through a sustainable development lens

Establish a target/benchmark date for:
A Carbon Positive region
Renewable Energy (energy that is clean, safe, secure)
Sustainable Organic Agriculture

Our decisions and actions give us the power to control our destinies economically, socially and politically

We plan and work within our bioregion (water catchments) in ways that build resilience and adaptability to change

Action Plan: A Beginning of the LTCCP

We recognize that a strategy for a Sustainable Rodney must be accompanied by best practices and ways to measure and monitor how we are doing – the systems, structures, metrics and performance measures.

Decisions based on real sustainability take into account the impact and influence of all four well-beings on Rodney’s economics and ecological systems as well as oru community capital, social capital and spiritual capital.

We look forward to driving innovation in our district through sustainability, and what that means for business, our leaders, the environment, our communities and people.

The following actions are a first-step toward a more comprehensive planning process:

We will adopt the ARC Sustainability Framework (all the work is already done for goals, plans, and actions)

We will create intensive rather than extensive agricultural land use, supportive of family farms, local food production, 80% within 80 kilometers.

We develop community-supported agricultural initiatives and community-supported energy production.

We will create regenerative systems that mimic natural systems.

We will cultivate new industries based on “green economics” – waste resources, soil fertility building, capital skills, knowledge and imagination.

We will implement the existing Zero Waste 2020 plan.

We will work to make changes in corporate law from solely profit-driven to begin legally responsible for sustainable decisions.

We build affordable housing in which people feel safe, secure and healthy.

We adopt a cradle-to-cradle model in our communities in Rodney.

Our initiatives are well funded, enabling community educators to effectively serve the communities, ensuring the further success of the endeavours.

We create opportunities to educate our young people and all people within our communities about sustainable practices.

We encourage a stable-state economic system

We develop our inherent community capital to build a sustainable (very different future).

Conclusion and Next Steps

Every generation has experienced challenges and opportunities in their time.
The mounting challenges in global areas that affect local communities such as climate change, peak oil and rising population must be a central priority in the coming decades.

Our group has put forth the frame of a sustainable development strategy on which we must all hang our actions. The most successful people in any field combine two views – a focus on big-picture development and on the details and inner-workings of processes, practices and mechanics. Now is our time to rise to the challenges we face in our community in Rodney District by establishing the means for effective - and sustainable - growth and development while preserving and restoring the environment we cherish.

We look forward to our ongoing open floor community discussions and in supporting our local Rodney District Council and community leaders to build a better future.

We appreciate the opportunity to make our submission and are available to answer any questions or provide further information.

Betsy Kettle, Sustainable North Trust (426 4909)
Jeff Smith, Transition Town Orewa – (420 4466)

Please indicate if you would like your name listed below or removed. Please provide your town as well. Thank you for your participation.

Community Members
Your interest, occupation, what you’re involved in, or qualification
Town/Village
Betsy Kettle
Permaculture facilitator

David Kettle
Environmental engineer

Jeff Smith

Diane Orewa

 

 

 

Transition towns Orewa is hosting our next meeting with The Green Party at Centrestage in the lobby this Thursday May 29th at 7pm.

Come along and meet others who share your interest in providing solutions and building a resilient less oil dependent community.

Look forward to seeing you there

WAR, PEACE & OIL

Iran, Iraq, Burma, Nigeria? What makes all these countries ‘trouble spots’? Is it a coincidence that all of them have a lot of oil? What are the prospects for peaceful development as oil supplies begin to dry up?

How do we deal with the current threat the Bush administration poses to peace, human rights and energy security?

Keith Locke’s illustrated lecture examines these problems, and looks to a more equitable world, using more sustainable energy.

The Transition Network recognises the valuable work that many organisations and groups have already done, and to seeks to support these and find ways for the many and diverse efforts in our communities to be enhanced.

Who: No previous experience or knowledge needed, just a desire to be the change.

When: Sunday 18th May 2008, 10am-4pm [set up 9am, cleanup 4pm]

Where: Earthsong Common House, 457 Swanson Road, Ranui

Please bring something for shared lunch & snacks. Koha for use of venue gratefully received. Roadside parking.

We will be using Open Space Technology to run this event.

Please RSVP David and Heather or call Ron 021 33 10 99

LOCAL CURRENCIES

Here is part one of Miguels talk at the Sustainable Living Centre. The others are available from this link.

http://nz.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=deepgreenvideo

Further to the inspiring visit by international monetary expert Miguel Yasuyuki Hirota I am adding here some of the many resources we discussed that evening.

I have also uploaded the talk Miguel gave the night before at the Sustainable Living Centre. This talk is a great introduction to the subject.

Miguels website is here.

http://www.olccjp.net

Here you can download his Powerpoint.

Living Economies are found here.

http://www.le.org.nz

Information and support is available to introduce new complementary currency systems, or to further develop those already established. They bought Miguel to NZ.

Miguels blog: http://mig76en.wordpress.com/

A resource website for complementary currencies: http://www.complementarycurrency.org/

Here are a couple of links to existing Local Currencies:

• http://www.berkshares.org/
• http://totnes.transitionnetwork.org/totnespound/home

If anyone is keen to explore this concept and its application in our community please contact me at jeff @ deepanimation . co . nz

We are having an event next week for visiting International Monetary Expert Miguel Yasuyuki Hirota. I know this subject probably sounds pretty dry and more than a few eyes are probably glazing over already. But this is fast becoming an important ingredient in the transition. Every week we read more news from home and abroad about the sorry state of the current monetary system and its implications on all of us.

There is no transition without a monetary transition.

We were thinking to keep the evening informal by sharing a pot luck meal together before Miguel gives his presentation and we get the opportunity to question him. This is a great opportunity to build our own community and get to know each other better as well.

Miguel went to Argentina to study barter clubs during its collapse a few years back so he brings valuable first hand experience. Here is a link to his blogsite "Towards the economic democratization"

http://mig76en.wordpress.com/

I have attached Miguels bio and his press kit for more information. If you know other people who may be interested please let them know too.

Minutes from our third meeting.

Thank you all for attending. Thank you Allan for chairing the meeting.

20 people attended, representing Warkworth, Army Bay, Orewa, Silverdale, Wainui, Dairy Flat, Albany and Stanmore Bay. Brilliant that Chris Laird has kindly joined the Steering Committee.

We are creating a list of organisations in our area who we will contact and start building relationships with.

Transition culture was discussed as a community mobilsation. We need a tag line as TT is meaningless to most people.

This from James Samuels. Transition Towns are a new initiative that seeks to engage all sectors of the community in addressing the greatest transition of our time: from oil dependency to a low energy future. The aim is to become a hub that coordinates and catalyses the research and ideas of a diverse network of groups, organisations, associates and individuals from the private, public and community sector. Working in partnership, Transition Town initiatives will facilitate creative and pro-active responses to energy resource depletion, with the ultimate aim to strategise and implement a timetabled plan for a post petroleum town.

In the course of the coming year, you will see Transition Towns offering some inspiring and informative speakers, films, participatory workshops and think tanks. Look out for them. We aim to get people informed and motivated to work together in a positive manner, to design and build the solutions for our energy descent. Let's put {Town name] on the map as a place that is leading the way with these timely and pressing issues.

Early days we still need to educate ourselves and others.... through film evenings and community talks by visiting experts.

Film Evening 7.00pm. February 29th. 7.00pm. "The Power of Community"

Roberto Perez Centrestage Orewa 6pm., 7th March.

11th Hour Opens 31st Jan.

There is local land to be used in time of emergency - reserves.

Positivity versus fear, all emotions will be experienced as a part of the Transition. We need more research. Please send any research or ideas as regards this important concept as it affects how we communicate amongst ourselves and with new people.

Having Open Space encourages people to feel safe to be whoever they are and participate. We will send out an email about OPEN SPACE and how to practice it.

Great lot of discussion over Transition culture as we follow the steps to creating an Energy Descent Action plan. Start thinking about your own personal energy descent plan. Do your own Household Energy Descent Action.

Are community gardens in schools sustainable? We will continue to gain information in this regard. We will contact Kingsway college and ask them about this, waste management and the ecoschools programme.

Community gardens could be called Victory Gardens to take in to account what an achievemnet they are.

In the Rodney district we are conscious of our waterways health as well, what is being done to preserve them? Is this a project we wish to get involved in.

Roberto Perez's visit. He will give a talk and then be part of a Panel discussion on 7th March. Christine Rose has confirmed she would like to take part. Other panelists could include Archer Davis, John Kirikiri.

Meetings to be last Thursday of every month.

Next Meeting 28th of February at 7pm CD Headquarters.

Agenda for our next meeting on the 24th January at the Civil Defence Rooms.

1. Meeting Intro/News.

2. Quick introductions from people present.

3. Awareness raising. identifying key allies, building crucial networks and preparing the community for the transition.

4. Laying the foundations. Networking with existing groups and activists. Acknowledging the work they do, and stressing the vital role they have to play.

5. Five questions for discussion. What can we do right now to make our lifestyles more appropriate to a post peak oil era? Do people have any issues they would like to discuss in relation to altering their own lifestyle in response to peak oil? Are there some things that you are finding challenging about trying to live more sustainably? What would make it easier for you to live more sustainably tomorrow? What have you already achieved that you think others could also achieve, and what advice to you have to give them about how to go about it?

6. Discuss range of achievable projects we could look at instigating that would further our goals as a transition town. Some examples: -school gardens. -community gardens. -edible planting in town streets. -town composting scheme.

7. Sustainable Rodney day and the talk on the 7th of March by Ricardo Perez permaculture expert from the DVD "The Power of Community".

8.Organiponica courses. Is their interest in having one in our area.

9. Tank Vac systems for water tanks..do people wish to buy bulk direct from the inventor. Are there any other bulk buying opportunities we should be investigating presently i.e. solar panels.

10. Joining International TT group.

11. Set date for next meeting.

Orewa Initiatives

Inspired by Richard Heinberg's Peak Oil Speech in Orewa and the Transition Town workshop at the Eco show led by Richard and James Samuel.

Next meeting

7.00pm Thursday 24th January 2008.

Civil Defence Meeting Rooms Hilltop, Red Beach.

Everyone welcome.

Transition Town - Making the Transition

Vision

Long ago it was said that without a vision the people perished. This is equally true today. To respond to the oil crisis and climate change we need a vision to awaken abilities and energies, to bring into our consciousness a greater sense of what we can become as a community.

The gathering storm provides the opportunity to create a new culture that brings the community together

In the future the community produces its own food organically. Machinery and tools are shared. Electricity from renewable sources is the primary source of energy. All waste is recycled. Sanitation and healthy living are the primary means of health care. A local centre treats injury and alleviates acute illness. The local school provides learning relevant to sustainable living. People have a sense of common purpose and a feeling of belonging. Working within the community is satisfying.

Public transport will be the primary means of travel. It could be that transport fuels are rationed and priority given to essential services.

The scientific, technological, sociological and psychological knowledge developed since the industrial revolution will be adapted to a post carbon world.

Society will become decentralised and there will be much less travel. The local community will use large facilities in central locations such as malls for other purposes.

Making the transition.

Alchemy is needed to transform the glitter of the consumer society into the gold of self-sustaining communities.

The transformation starts by marking on the map the position from which we are all starting. We will all benefit from a realistic understanding of our current situation.

Current Situation

At present there is a widespread belief that progress is achieved by continuous economic growth and material consumption. Natural resources are used as if they were in limitless supply. The natural world is used as a sink. There is great faith that technology will find a solution to every problem.

World oil supply is going to peak sooner rather than later and rising oil prices and shortages will have a significant adverse impact on every aspect of the economy.

Nothing can replace oil as a transport fuel.

The use of coal and gas has to be cut drastically to prevent run away climate change.

Economic growth and the consumer society cannot be sustained. Putting effort into saving the planet within the present economic framework results in more consumption of resources and growth. (Ref Wikipedia: Jevons Paradox)

The sprawling network in which we live and commute will no longer be viable.

A simple life within the limits of renewable resources is the only choice we have.

The Scope of Change

People are shocked when they first realise that we are up the creek without a paddle in leaky gumboots.

Initially we respond like stunned mullets when we first realise the full consequences of peak oil and climate change.

Once the pain has receded we then respond in one of the following three ways:

1. Encounter the challenge head on and throw ourselves fearlessly into the tasks of change

2. Procrastinate while we search for solutions that allow us to carry on business as usual.

3. Deny that there is any reason to change.

Encountering the challenge is necessary. Anything less is a waste of energy. We need to use every personal encounter to strengthen and build each other up to meet the challenge.

• When the shock hits people need time to be a stunned mullet and count to ten. • Reflect and take in what is actually happening in the world • Be encouraged to accept change in concert with others • Develop a new consciousness (mental model) and ways of functioning • Form cooperative relationships • Contribute to community • Act autonomously as an individual and a community • Provide a lead to others

Summary

People are shocked when they first realise that the ship is sinking. What is then required is an orderly transition to the lifeboats and preparation for the voyage to the islands of the post carbon world. Some will deny the ship is sinking and insist on re- arranging the deck chairs or return below decks in an attempt to control the damage.

Allan Parker

Notes from the second meeting

Hi All,

Here is what I wrote down about the meeting.

We had apologies from several people, and to those who braved the wet weather thankyou. We also are very grateful to Chris Laird who opened the Civil Defence rooms up to us. What excellent facilities! Thanks Chris for this meeting and for all the offers of future resources. Great to see new faces as well.

We spoke about teaching all who wish to use the www.transitiontowns.org.nz wiki site. It is there for the using -dive in and have a look. A resources page is available etc. Reviewed what is a transition town - a community who is moving away from a dependence on oil and acknowledges climate change with an energy descent action plan. We spoke about the issues surrounding economic growth, and that we will be supporting localisation. Then the people present spoke about their visions of Transitiontowns. Some of what was covered was - ocean health/beach health/kaimoana health. -Infrastructure pressures in newer communities eg. Mahurangi's new developments. -Low impact designs could be implemented. -making Orewa a nice place to live and what that could look like. -electric rail -communities where you wouldn't have to use your car for days. -narrow roads -walkways prioritised -Food security -social services -more live music -new technologies -electric options- solar panels on street lamps -public transport in Orewa -what about a local milk treatment plant instead of using Takanini in the future -fishing ports -planting more trees-this is already happening -transport could be more electric -less roads -more bike lanes -footpaths between cul-de-sacs -food forests -organic gardens in backyards/schools/urban spaces It was great to throw our ideas out there and to see them visually.

Chris Laird gave us a CD perspective - Rodney has 100,000 pop. 85% food is distributed via SH1. We looked at scenarios - tsunami/volcanic/earthquake and the potential repercussions. Auckland is an extremely fragile system. Power is an issue, especially in Rodney as we get our power from the national grid- linked to Henderson and Sth Auckalnd. SH1 and SH16 is an evacuation route to South of Auckland because of this.

We all agreed that we are meeting to make our communities stronger together, become more united, find things to unite on. It is important to educate the wider public constantly, between our meeting times, so if we get new members we can all have similar understandings. Will endeavour to tee up a movie night maybe End of Suburbia if we can get the ok to have a public showing- several locations were discussed. Find a project to sink our teeth into to, talk about it at next meeting Sustainability Rodney day in March, -next meeting. Submissions will be asked for by the council for the 10 year plan we were urged by Zane Taylor to contribute as individuals, numbers are important, -next meeting.

We will start a list over the internet of interested people and their skills. We have a rough agenda outline for the next meeting if you have anything to add please let us know.

Next meeting January 24th at 7pm at the Civil Defence Rooms. (Yay the rooms are great!)

Meeting Agenda 6th December

1. Meeting Intro

2. Quick Introductions from people present

3. Bring visions of what we would like to see in Rodney with pictures (all)

4. Presentation by Civil Defence (Chris Laird and co).

5. Presentation of what other TT towns are doing or planning to do.

6. Discuss similarities and differences between TT towns in England and here (David Parker).

7. Briefly discuss the 7 buts...

8. Work through the first three three of the twelve steps.

Step 1. Set up a steering group and design its demise from the outset This stage puts a core team in place to drive the project forward during the initial phases. We recommend that you form your Steering Group with the aim of getting through stages 2 – 5, and agree that once a minimum of four sub-groups (see #5) are formed, the Steering Group disbands and reforms with a person from each of those groups.

Step 2. Awareness raising This stage will identify your key allies, build crucial networks and prepare the community in general for the launch of your Transition initiative.

Step 3. Lay the foundations This stage is about networking with existing groups and activists, making clear to them that the Transition Initiative is designed to incorporate their previous efforts and future inputs by looking at the future in a new way. Acknowledge and honour the work they do, and stress that they have a vital role to play.

9. Next Meeting – set tentative date/time/venue

If anyone has any other items they would like to add please let us know and we will add them.

Email sustainablenorth@gmail.com for more details or to go on our mailing list.