Guidelines for Working Groups

1] Each group should have an understanding of peak oil and climate change as the primary drivers of the Transition Initiative.

2] Group members must also be familiar with the Kinsale Energy Descent Plan (PDF 1.2mb) and The Transition Primer (PDF 1.53mb).

3] Each group should have a core of people who steer it, who have the time to meet regularly and are also be open to whoever else wants to join.

4] The key task of each group is to explore the question: What is a vision for a low-energy Bloomington in relation to this subject, and what might a timetable for that look like?

5] Each group should be continually asking itself “Who isn’t here that should be here?” that is, always being open to exploring new avenues by which new people with relevant skills can be drawn into the group.

6] Each group will have access to the subgroup interface of the Transition Bloomington networking site, and will also be able to use the logo in its publicity materials. In exchange, the group will keep a record of its business on the website, be it as minutes or as notes.
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Here's a brief overview of subjects that are being (or will be) addressed by local Working Groups (borrowed and adapted from Transition Ypsilanti, Mich.). Each group needs members so click on the links and request membership.

WATER - rooftop collection & storage, purification & filtration, anti-privatization, community storage & distribution, conservation, earthworks for water harvesting, swales, ponds, gray- and black-water systems

LOCAL FOOD - local food production, food security, farmers markets, food processing, CSA's, Permaculture, organic, & biodynamic growing, building healthy soils, food preservation & storage, farming cooperatives, community kitchens, buying in bulk, grains, working animals, aquaculture, kitchen business incubators, farmer / gardener training

ENERGY - local renewable energy sources, distributed/decentralized energy grid, biogas conversions, solar, wind, wood, micro-hydro, biofuels, use reduction

COMMUNITY EXCHANGE - local exchange and trade systems, alternative currencies

ECONOMY & LIVELIHOOD - barter, childcare cooperatives, cottage industries, right livelihood, local entrepreneurship, local business, meaningful work, living wage.

ECOPRENEURIAL INCUBATOR NETWORK Monroe County Micro Credit ~ Ecopreneurial Incubator Network (MCMC~EIN) fund for genuine, healthy growth & a website network which connects lenders & donators with organizations, entrepreneurs & projects that need capital investment.

EDUCATION / RESKILLING - Mentoring, internships, vocational training, developing local materials, learning from elders & history, independent living skills, reuse, repairing, repurposing, reducing, recycling, community forests, fiber and animal care, spinning and weaving, cooking with fresh produce, cheese-making, soaps, plant-based textiles, baking, carpentry, blacksmithing, electronics, engineering, building skills - and the learning of all skills that lead to self reliance and sustenance.

WELFARE, HEALTH, WELLNESS - parenting & childcare, childcare cooperatives, parenting skills, playgroups, education, child-friendly communities, midwifery; elder care, including elderly in community life, multi-generational structure, Medicinal herbs, local medicine production, prevention, nutrition & exercise, health education, support groups

HOUSING - natural building, retrofitting/eco-home renovation, affordable housing, developing/sourcing local building materials, passive heating / cooling, ecovillages, co-housing, changing zoning laws, adding tenants, home business, child-friendly communities, neighborhood sharing, multigenerational home design (tools, machines, etc.)

TRANSPORTATION - pedestrian-friendly cities, bicycles, mass transit and long distance rail, reclaiming roads for other uses, alternative fuels, biofuels, hybrid vehicles, electric vehicles

WASTE - reusing and re-purposing, reducing, buying in bulk & cooperatives, saying goodbye to plastics, neighborhood sharing (tools, machines, etc.), composting, vermiculture, composting toilets

LOCAL GOVERNANCE - gathering information, monitoring, history, liaising, informing, educating, involving local government members, neighborhood associations

MIND, HEART & SPIRIT, ARTS / ENTERTAINMENT- psychology of change, eco-awareness, music & performing/participatory arts, crafts, cultural events, cultural diversity, entertainment in film, arts, music, dance, performance, even athletic as in ReCreation and Olympics events. Opportunities for all to participate and enjoy culture (& all arts) - celebrating diversity and history reclaiming public space, celebrations, meditation & healing, spirituality, community-building, community programs pertaining to many aspects of life, culture and the arts. Rites of passage, group process, facilitation, mediation, social justice & democracy, fairness & inclusion, sexism / racism / elitism / ageism - i.e. the reduction & elimination of narcissism, which is based in artificial entitlement, privilege and competition which leads to unbridled greed and desensitization.

OUTREACH & MEDIA - organizing & promoting events, creating our own media, nonfiction films, PR writing, presentations, maintain contacts database

TOURISM - "green" tourism, edu-tainment, learning vacations, farm tours, energy and natural building tours, bicycle touring, hiking, etc.

SECURITY - policing, fire and emergency services, neighborhood watches, emergency and disaster preparedness and response, social services