HO in NYC

Barbara Christian ba_christian at yahoo.com
Wed Jan 21 09:49:10 PST 2009


Ralph,
thank you so much for sharing your experience. I was there also and I observed that head noting and smile on their faces, while Harrison was sharing his stories and insights.   There was definitely space opened: people didn't rush out as usual. At the contrary most of them stayed on another 1/2 hour, after Harris left. Around 10 of us continued at a nearby bar --  a great evening for everyone!


Barbara Christian
880 Fifth Avenue, 8C
New York, NY 10021
917.655.4578
ba_christian at yahoo.com




________________________________
From: Ralph Copleman <rcopleman at comcast.net>
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Sent: Wednesday, January 21, 2009 12:27:19 PM
Subject: HO in NYC

Last evening I was present at Harrison's Wave Rider presentation before the OD Network if Greater New York.  It was terrific.  I could the faces of most of them, and they were clearly hearing truths they may have known on a gut level but had not confronted.  I think most of us, at one point or another, have had a similar experience when delving into Harrison's work.  I know I have.  More than once. 

There is no such thing as a system that is NOT self-organizing.  Amen.

Ralph Copleman




On Jan 21, 2009, at 2:00 AM, OSLIST automatic digest system wrote:

There are 2 messages totalling 1573 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

 1. Fwd: A transition effective, delightful, profound...
 2. Opening

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Date:    Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:43:48 -0000
From:    cliodhna mulhern <cliodhna at flowstone.org.uk>
Subject: Re: Fwd: A transition effective, delightful, profound...

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Hello Peggy

Sorry for being late to this conversation. I am a long time Open Spacer =
and a committed Transition Towns activist...there are many of us out =
here. Th is a genuine grassroots leaderless movement where communities =
are renewing their sense of their own power, their own joy and their =
humanity...making plans and sowing seeds for the new and better world =
that is arriving every day...Conversation processes like OS, World Cafe =
and Ai are the heart of communication in this movement...Everyone...go =
and find your local transition initiative and be part of it...the time =
is now...we are the people we have been waiting for...Cliodhna
http://transitiontowns.org


Cliodhna Mulhern
Flowstone
Mobile : 07929328513
Tel : 01244.312758

"I slept and dreamed that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was =
service. I acted and learned that service was joy"=20
Tagore




 2009/1/18 Peggy Holman <peggy at opencirclecompany.com>

   Has anyone been involved with the Transition Town movement?  It is =
apparently large and growing.  It starts off  "when a small collection =
of motivated individuals within a community come together with a shared =
concern: how can our community
   respond to the challenges and opportunities of Peak Oil and Climate =
Change? (see Tom Atlee's article below)."  =20


   And Open Space is a central organizing practice for them.=20


   I'm curious whether anyone from this community has been a part of =
this remarkable experiment.


   appreciatively,
   Peggy


   Here are some excerpts from http://www.transitiontowns.org/:

   =
-----------------------------------------------------------------------


    What is a Transition Town (or village / city / forest / island)?

    It all starts off when a small collection of motivated individuals =
within
   a community come together with a shared concern: how can our =
community
   respond to the challenges and opportunities of Peak Oil and Climate =
Change?

    ... [They embark upon] a process of:

    * awareness raising around Peak Oil, Climate Change and the need to
   undertake a community-led process to rebuild resilience and reduce =
carbon
   emissions
    * connecting with existing groups in the community
    * building bridges to local government
    * connecting with other transition initiatives
    * forming groups to look at all the key areas of life (food, =
energy,
   transport, health, heart & soul, economics & livelihoods, etc.)
    * kicking off projects aimed at building people's understanding of
   resilience and carbon issues and community engagement
    * eventually launching a community-defined, community-implemented =
"Energy
   Descent Action Plan" over a 15- to 20-year timescale=20

    ... The community also recognises two crucial points:

    * that we used immense amounts of creativity, ingenuity and =
adaptability
   on the way up the energy upslope, and that there's no reason for us =
not to
   do the same on the downslope

    * if we collectively plan and act early enough there's every =
likelihood
   that we can create a way of living that's significantly more =
connected,
   more vibrant and more in touch with our environment than the =
oil-addicted
   treadmill that we find ourselves on today....



   ______________________________
   Peggy Holman
   The Open Circle Company
   15347 SE 49th Place
   Bellevue, WA  98006
   425-746-6274
   www.opencirclecompany.com

   For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to:=20
   www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook=20
   =20
   "An angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not =
get burnt, is to become=20
   the fire".
     -- Drew Dellinger










   Begin forwarded message:


     From: Tom Atlee <cii at igc.org>
     Date: January 11, 2009 2:29:02 PM PST
     To: cii at igc.org (undisclosed list)
     Subject: A transition effective, delightful, profound...


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        The concept of energy descent, and of the Transition
        approach, is a simple one: that the future with less oil
        could be preferable to the present, but only if sufficient
        creativity and imagination are applied early enough in
        the design of this transition.   --  Rob Hopkins


     Dear friends,

     I've been hearing more and more about a sustainability program =
called Transition Towns in recent months.  And it is not just me:  it =
has gone viral.  It is being initiated in communities around the world =
at an ever-accelerating rate.  At the time of this writing, there are =
126 communities who qualify as Transition Towns (see =
<http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/TransitionCommunities>) -- =
despite the considerable criteria involved (see =
<http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/Criteria>).  Beyond that, =
there are about 600 more communities seriously considering it, all laid =
out on Google Maps =
<http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/Mulling> to help everyone =
find each other and start new groups...

     (Note:  The links above are from the excellent Transition Towns =
wiki, which is a delightful portal through which to explore this topic.)

     First worked up as a student project in the UK in 2005, Transition =
Towns has spread around the world in 3 years, entirely from the =
grassroots, truly viral.  I feel like a late-comer.  It is almost =
embarrassing to be writing to you about it now, in 2009, but I figure =
the world can use all the help it can get right now, and building =
resilient communities is a "the more the merrier" kind of undertaking.

     The Transition Town movement is sometimes called the Transition =
Initiatives movement because it has come to include cities, colleges, =
islands, and all sorts of other communities in addition to towns.

     And it is no surprise why it is spreading so rapidly.  Not only =
are these folks incredibly pleasant, upbeat, and savvy about the use of =
the internet, but the Transition Towns initiative offers a refreshingly =
creative channel for people's growing unease about the slow-motion =
collapse of the old structures and systems we've come to depend on.  It =
offers an inspiring, fully adaptable and evolving positive vision of =
incremental change toward sustainability that any community can =
realistically and pragmatically implement -- one that can be launched by =
any group of ordinary citizens.  The Transition Town (TT) approach not =
only faces global-impact challenges squarely, but suggests that we can =
"build ways of living that are more connected, more enriching and that =
recognize the biological limits of our planet."

        While Peak Oil and Climate Change are understandably
        profoundly challenging, also inherent within them is the
        potential for an economic, cultural, and social renaissance
        the likes of which we have never seen.  We will see a
        flourishing of local businesses, local skills and solutions,
        and a flowering of ingenuity and creativity.  It is a
        Transition in which we will inevitably grow, and in which
        our evolution is a precondition for progress.  Emerging
        at the other end, we will not be the same as we were:
        we will have become more humble, more connected to
        the natural world, fitter, leaner, more skilled, and
        ultimately, wiser.  -- Transition Towns Handbook

     Perhaps most remarkable is that the Transitions Towns approach =
engages people NOT by scaring them out of their wits or telling them =
what to do, but by providing powerful motivations, possibilities, and =
ways for them to explore creative local responses for and among =
themselves.  There is no blueprint.  The guidance provided involves =
tools, ways of talking and co-creating together, visons, and links to =
other people and resources engaged in this effort.  What we do with all =
that is up to us.

     Transition Town (TT) initiatives are formally about the =
"localization" of communities to prepare for disruptions arising from =
the twin crises of
        (a) PEAK OIL -- not running out of oil, exactly, but when the =
world's demand for oil exceeds its ability to produce it (and the =
current low price of of oil will not last long:  see =
<http://my.earthlink.net/article/bus?guid=3D20090106/4962e550_3ca6_155262=
00901061823557235>) and
        (b) CLIMATE CHANGE and the extreme weather and other =
disruptions that accompany it.

     However, there are other crises that effective localization and =
community resilience programs like TT can also prepare us for, from =
economic depression (which we're already tasting) to the disappearance =
of government services in a flood of red ink (see =
<http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/01/08/deficit-projection-stu=
ns-congress> and =
<http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/01/07/in-red-states-seek-tax=
-hikes/>) to solar flares disrupting our power grid and electronic =
control systems (an eventuality NASA has deemed possible by 2012 =
<http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C478024%2C00.html>).  We have =
gotten ourselves into a kind of addictive dependence on globally =
vulnerable systems whose potential (likely? current?) collapse dictates =
a prudent (inevitable?) turn towards relocalization and resilience.

     As peak oil expert Richard Heinberg points out, the sooner we =
start learning to live without oil and the vast supply networks it =
feeds, the easier it will be for us when the current set-up is simply no =
longer an option.

     So all this community preparation would be a great idea, =
regardless -- and I'd want to spread the word for that reason alone.  =
But when I researched the TT approach, I found something even more =
intriguing to me, personally:  the Transition Towns process uses two of =
my favorite processes -- Open Space and World Cafe.  In fact, I even =
discovered that the most visible co-founder of this movement, Rob =
Hopkins, wrote in his Masters dissertation "Energy Descent Pathways: =
Evaluating potential responses to Peak Oil"
     =
<http://totnes.transitionnetwork.org/system/files/msc-dissertation-publis=
hable-copy.pdf>

            "'[F]or many commentators, the need for engagement
        points inexorably in the direction of new fora, such as focus
        groups, citizens juries or panels, round tables, "visioning",
        and new consensus conferences, in which, with no technocratic
        monopoly of information, the necessary deliberation can take
        place'. This arises from a growing realisation that =
environmental
        values are not preformed, rather that they 'emerge out of
        debate, discussion and challenge, as [people] encounter new
        facts, insights and judgements contributed by others'."
           "[Tom] Atlee's concept of 'co-intelligence' offers a tool =
for
        harnessing the power of communities to implement change.
        He defines its aim as being 'to increase the capacity of a
        society as a whole to act in a co-intelligent manner' and
        recommends the use of a wide range of facilitation and
        empowerment tools to enable this. 'Our goal...' he writes,
        'can become the creation of ways in which people can
        collaboratively arrive at solutions to their (and our) =
collective
        problems'. Some of the mechanisms cited by [Gene] Rowe
        and [Lynn J.] Frewer, most notably Open Space Technology
        and World Caf=E9, are also advocated by Atlee, and are
        increasingly being used around the world by groups working
        to initiate relocalisation projects."  (p. 41)

     Wow.  It made my day to find that my work played a role in =
inspiring and informing this intiative that just might make a decisive =
difference in how things turn out in our world.

     But back to the Transition Towns movement.  It has much to teach =
us.  Here's my take on one set of its core principles:

     The key to sustainability is RESILIENCE -- resilient communities, =
resilient people, resilient cultures, resilient systems.  Resilience, TT =
folks like to point out, means a community or system can bounce back =
after challenges and shocks -- everything from food-supply interruptions =
to economic downturns to energy crises.  Resilience is in many ways the =
healthy counterpoint to obsessive efficiency.  Resilience makes healthy =
systems in which life-serving productivity arises from their well-being =
and responsiveness.  Obsessive efficiency, in contrast, makes productive =
systems at the expense of well-being, degrading people and trashing =
ecosystems to maximize production and monetary profit.  When =
productivity is defined as units produced and profits made per hour, =
rather than as life-value added, it becomes the enemy of life.  The =
effort to create resilient Transition Towns is an effort to make an =
evolutionary leap into a kind of economics that focuses on supporting =
and adding value to life, not only in the OUTCOMES of productive =
activity, but in the vitality of the activity, itself.

     Three requirements for resilient systems are Diversity, =
Modularity, and Tightness of Feedbacks.

     DIVERSITY is about the variety of a system's elements and parts.  =
It shows up in the idea that every vital function should be performed by =
more than one entity (redundancy, which is essential for resilience) and =
that if a community includes diverse people pursuing many various =
approaches to challenges and providing different sources of resources, =
it can keep functioning even if some of its parts fail.  And if one =
approach doesn't work, there's a good chance another will.  When you =
want to nurture diversity, you help people do what they are individually =
and collectively passionate about and good at rather than formulating =
and managing master plans into which you engineer human cogs.  This kind =
of "follow your energy" self-organizing dynamic is where the Open Space =
process shines.

     MODULARITY means that the whole scene works largely through groups =
or communities who are
        (a) able to perform all the needed functions and
        (b) networked so they can share experience and information.
     This is an alternative to having everyone dependent on centralized =
governance and vast and vulnerable supply networks that pull everyone =
down when they collapse.  Modularity enables the system as a whole to =
better re-organize in the event of a shock.

     TIGHTNESS OF FEEDBACKS refers to how quickly and strongly one part =
of the system can respond to changes (good or bad) in another part.  =
This factor involves good communication systems and, more importantly, =
local-ness.  The more local our interactions are, the more the results =
of our actions are obvious to ourselves and others, and the more readily =
consequences can inform and shape our individual and collective =
responses through learning, answerability, corrections, rewards and =
penalties, and all the other forms of feedback.

     Rob Hopkins stresses that Transition Towns is about cutting carbon =
and building resilience.  Cutting carbon and building resilience. They =
go hand in hand, each inadequate by itself, each helping the other, each =
with long- and short-term implications.

     There is MUCH more to the wisdom and practical know-how contained =
in the Transition Team materials, but I'll leave it for you to discover. =
I've included a number of further links below -- including links to the =
basic TT primer and Rob Hopkins' extensive TRANSITION HANDBOOK -- mostly =
sent to me by people on this list (Thank You!).

     I have a feeling that in the not too distant future a majority of =
folks reading this will be involved, one way or another, in Transition =
Towns.  The time is very very ripe.

     Coheartedly,
     Tom

     =
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D

     For a quick, clear, and compelling introduction to the Transition =
Town movement see this great article from the Christian Science Monitor*
     =
<http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/09/11/communities-plan-fo=
r-a-low-energy-future/>
     and this great introductory talk by TT co-founder Rob Hopkins, =
about 6 minutes long
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DkGHrWPtCvg0>

     For some no-talk inspiration about community engagement for the =
kind of world we dream of, here's a wonderful slideshow -- with great =
music -- about the many Transition Town communities being formed in New =
Zealand.  It's about 4 minutes long:
     <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DAPMTXrIL48A>

     Here's an excellent talk by Rob Hopkins, about 18 minutes long
     =
<http://www.ifg.org/programs/Energy/triple_crisis_av/panel5/3rob-v.htm>

     Here's a PDF file about the Transition Network (14 pages), "Who We =
Are and What We Do":
     =
<http://www.transitionnetwork.org/Strategy/TransitionNetwork-WhoWeAreWhat=
WeDo.pdf>

     And here's a PDF file (51 pages) of the Transition Initiatives =
Primer:
     =
<http://transitionnetwork.org/Primer/TransitionInitiativesPrimer.pdf>

     These PDFs contain information and guidelines that show a lot of =
wisdom about the psychology of an enterprise like this, and about =
connecting and partnering with different segments of the community, =
including local governments.

     Here is the Amazon Link for The Transition Handbook by Rob =
Hopkins:
     =
<http://www.amazon.com/Transition-Handbook-Dependency-Local-Resilience/dp=
/19
     =
00322188/ref=3Dpd_bbs_sr_1?ie=3DUTF8&s=3Dbooks&qid=3D1227893553&sr=3D8-1>=


     Rob Hopkins' blog http://transitionculture.org/ includes, among =
much else, an engaging account of his own family's efforts to give up =
their addiction to "the car".

     Here are a recent set of videos, about ten minutes each:  Rob =
Hopkins, co-founder of the Transition Towns Movement, speaking at the =
Positive Energy Conference in Findhorn this past Spring.  They are short =
and very enjoyable, instructive, and inspiring.

     First segment
     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dkizxt14aPM8

     Second http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DkbLsmR21gnk

     Third http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DUwjGDtHGd9c

     Fourth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DciZc5vv5-yY

     Fifth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DL0GYI5CJTkw

     Sixth http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DDb9KpaELhCg


     -----------

     *  NOTE:  I wanted to feature that excellent Christian Science =
Monitor article on Transition Towns (ironically dated September 11, =
2008) -- in its entirety -- but the Monitor has done something with its =
website that makes it impossible to cut and paste that article (and =
others?), so all I can give you is the link and hope that you will take =
the trouble to click it.  I do highly recommend it.

     PS:  In researching this, I ran across this stunning fact: =
"Americans drove 100 billion fewer miles in the 12 months ending in =
October than they had the year before, a decline of about 3.4%, the =
Transportation Department reported Friday. Miles driven fell by 9 =
billion miles, or 3.5%, to 250 billion miles in October compared with =
October 2007. So far in 2008, miles driven have fallen 3.5% to 2.45 =
trillion miles."
     =
<http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/energy/americans-dri=
ve--billion-fewer-miles-past-year/>.  I'm boggled that people can throw =
around numbers like billions and trillions when talking about miles =
driven.  I then stumbled on a chart showing miles driven each month from =
1983 to 2007
     =
<http://paul.kedrosky.com/archives/2008/05/06/nothing_but_flo.html> =
which shows the yearly average was at 3 trillion miles per year for both =
2006 and 2007 and will -- thankfully, painfully, undoubtedly -- be much =
lower for 2008.  At 20 miles per gallon (about average for the US), =
that's 150 billion gallons of gasoline burned by American drivers during =
each recent year.  If I were the earth, I'd be getting hot under the =
collar, too...  It is high time to get our act together.  And it adds =
immense poignancy to Rob Hopkins' blog entry on his own efforts to give =
up driving
     =
<http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/07/five-months-and-counting-the-rea=
lities-of-giving-up-driving/>


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     TO SUPPORT THE CO-INTELLIGENCE INSTITUTE & TOM ATLEE'S WORK...

     Please send a donation of any amount -- $25, $50, $100, $500 or =
more -- to

       The Co-Intelligence Institute
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     or use your Visa or MasterCard to make an online donation at
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     Do let me know when you've mailed a donation, so I can add it to =
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     ________________________________

     Tom Atlee =95 The Co-Intelligence Institute =95 PO Box 493 =95 =
Eugene, OR 97440
     http://www.co-intelligence.org =95  =
http://www.democracyinnovations.org
     Read THE TAO OF DEMOCRACY =95  http://www.taoofdemocracy.com
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<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic">Hello Peggy</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic">Sorry for being late to this =
conversation. I am=20
a long time Open Spacer and a committed Transition Towns =
activist...there are=20
many of us out here. Th is a genuine grassroots leaderless movement =
where=20
communities are renewing their sense of their own power, their own joy =
and their=20
humanity...making plans and sowing seeds for the new and better world =
that is=20
arriving every day...Conversation processes like OS, World Cafe and Ai =
are the=20
heart of communication in this movement...Everyone...go and find your =
local=20
transition initiative and be part of it...the time is now...we are the =
people we=20
have been waiting for...Cliodhna</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic"><A=20
href=3D"http://transitiontowns.org">http://transitiontowns.org</A></FONT>=
</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic">Cliodhna =
Mulhern<BR>Flowstone<BR>Mobile :=20
07929328513<BR>Tel : 01244.312758</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic">"I slept and dreamed that life was =
joy. I awoke=20
and saw that life was service. I acted and learned that service was joy" =

<BR>Tagore</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><BR> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
 <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial"><FONT face=3D"Century Gothic"=20
 size=3D3></FONT> </DIV>
 <DIV class=3Dgmail_quote>2009/1/18 Peggy Holman <SPAN dir=3Dltr><<A =

 =
href=3D"mailto:peggy at opencirclecompany.com">peggy at opencirclecompany.com</=
A>></SPAN><BR>
 <BLOCKQUOTE class=3Dgmail_quote=20
 style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: =
#ccc 1px solid">
   <DIV style=3D"WORD-WRAP: break-word">Has anyone been involved with =
the=20
   Transition Town movement?  It is apparently large and growing.=20
    It starts off  "when a small collection of motivated =

   individuals within a community come together with a shared =
concern: how=20
   can our community<BR>respond to the challenges and opportunities of =
Peak Oil=20
   and Climate Change? (see Tom Atlee's article below)."  =20
   <DIV><BR></DIV>
   <DIV>And Open Space is a central organizing practice for them.=20
   <DIV><BR></DIV>
   <DIV>I'm curious whether anyone from this community has been a part =
of this=20
   remarkable experiment.</DIV>
   <DIV><BR></DIV>
   <DIV>appreciatively,</DIV>
   <DIV>Peggy</DIV>
   <DIV><BR></DIV>
   <DIV>Here are some excerpts from <A=20
   href=3D"http://www.transitiontowns.org/"=20
   =
target=3D_blank>http://www.transitiontowns.org/</A>:<BR><BR>-------------=
----------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR><BR>&nb=
sp;What=20
   is a Transition Town (or village / city / forest / =
island)?<BR><BR> It=20
   all starts off when a small collection of motivated individuals =
within<BR>a=20
   community come together with a shared concern: how can our=20
   community<BR>respond to the challenges and opportunities of Peak Oil =
and=20
   Climate Change?<BR><BR> ... [They embark upon] a process=20
   of:<BR><BR> * awareness raising around Peak Oil, Climate Change =
and the=20
   need to<BR>undertake a community-led process to rebuild resilience =
and=20
   reduce carbon<BR>emissions<BR> * connecting with existing =
groups in the=20
   community<BR> * building bridges to local government<BR> * =

   connecting with other transition initiatives<BR> * forming =
groups to=20
   look at all the key areas of life (food, energy,<BR>transport, =
health, heart=20
   & soul, economics & livelihoods, etc.)<BR> * kicking =
off=20
   projects aimed at building people's understanding of<BR>resilience =
and=20
   carbon issues and community engagement<BR> * eventually =
launching a=20
   community-defined, community-implemented "Energy<BR>Descent Action =
Plan"=20
   over a 15- to 20-year timescale <BR><BR> ... The community =
also=20
   recognises two crucial points:<BR><BR> * that we used immense =
amounts=20
   of creativity, ingenuity and adaptability<BR>on the way up the =
energy=20
   upslope, and that there's no reason for us not to<BR>do the same on =
the=20
   downslope<BR><BR> * if we collectively plan and act early =
enough=20
   there's every likelihood<BR>that we can create a way of living =
that's=20
   significantly more connected,<BR>more vibrant and more in touch with =
our=20
   environment than the oil-addicted<BR>treadmill that we find =
ourselves on=20
   today....<BR></DIV>
   <DIV><BR>
   <DIV><SPAN=20
   style=3D"WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica; TEXT-TRANSFORM: =
none; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; =
LETTER-SPACING: normal; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate">
   <DIV style=3D"WORD-WRAP: break-word"><SPAN=20
   style=3D"WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica; TEXT-TRANSFORM: =
none; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; =
LETTER-SPACING: normal; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate">
   <DIV style=3D"WORD-WRAP: break-word"><SPAN=20
   style=3D"WORD-SPACING: 0px; FONT: 12px Helvetica; TEXT-TRANSFORM: =
none; COLOR: rgb(0,0,0); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; WHITE-SPACE: normal; =
LETTER-SPACING: normal; BORDER-COLLAPSE: separate">
   <DIV style=3D"WORD-WRAP: break-word">
   <DIV>______________________________</DIV>
   <DIV>Peggy Holman</DIV>
   <DIV>The Open Circle Company</DIV>
   <DIV>15347 SE 49th Place</DIV>
   <DIV>Bellevue, WA  98006</DIV>
   <DIV>425-746-6274</DIV>
   <DIV><A href=3D"http://www.opencirclecompany.com/"=20
   target=3D_blank>www.opencirclecompany.com</A></DIV>
   <DIV>
   <DIV> </DIV>
   <DIV>For the new edition of The Change Handbook, go to: <BR><A=20
   href=3D"http://www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook"=20
   =
target=3D_blank>www.bkconnection.com/ChangeHandbook</A> <BR> <B=
R>"An=20
   angel told me that the only way to step into the fire and not get =
burnt, is=20
   to become <BR>the fire".<BR>  -- Drew =
Dellinger</DIV></DIV>
   =
<DIV><BR></DIV></DIV></SPAN><BR></DIV></SPAN><BR></DIV></SPAN><BR></DIV>
   <DIV><BR>
   <DIV>Begin forwarded message:</DIV><BR>
   <BLOCKQUOTE type=3D"cite">
     <DIV>
     <DIV style=3D"MARGIN: 0px"><FONT=20
     style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" face=3DHelvetica =
color=3D#000000=20
     size=3D3><B>From: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica"=20
     face=3DHelvetica size=3D3>Tom Atlee <<A =
href=3D"mailto:cii at igc.org"=20
     target=3D_blank>cii at igc.org</A>></FONT></DIV>
     <DIV style=3D"MARGIN: 0px"><FONT=20
     style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" face=3DHelvetica =
color=3D#000000=20
     size=3D3><B>Date: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica"=20
     face=3DHelvetica size=3D3>January 11, 2009 2:29:02 PM =
PST</FONT></DIV>
     <DIV style=3D"MARGIN: 0px"><FONT=20
     style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" face=3DHelvetica =
color=3D#000000=20
     size=3D3><B>To: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica" =
face=3DHelvetica=20
     size=3D3><A href=3D"mailto:cii at igc.org" =
target=3D_blank>cii at igc.org</A>=20
     (undisclosed list)</FONT></DIV>
     <DIV style=3D"MARGIN: 0px"><FONT=20
     style=3D"FONT: 12px Helvetica; COLOR: #000000" face=3DHelvetica =
color=3D#000000=20
     size=3D3><B>Subject: </B></FONT><FONT style=3D"FONT: 12px =
Helvetica"=20
     face=3DHelvetica size=3D3><B>A transition effective, delightful,=20
     profound...</B></FONT></DIV>
     <DIV style=3D"MIN-HEIGHT: 14px; MARGIN: 0px"><BR></DIV></DIV>
     =
<DIV>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<BR><BR> &nbs=
p; Dec=20
     '08 - Jan '09  CII fundraiser  progress=20
     =
report:<BR><BR>         Fund=
s=20
     raised so far:  $8192  //  Target:=20
     =
 $36,000<BR>         Pe=
rcentage=20
     of needed funds raised so far:=20
     =
22.8%<BR>         People on =

     List:  1838  //   Days left: =
 20<BR><BR>+++=20
      Thank you to the 55 people who have responded so far!=20
     +++<BR>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<BR>If =
you value=20
     our work, please participate with a donation.<BR>See the end of =
this=20
     mailing for how to=20
     =
contribute.<BR>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<BR><BR>=
<BR>   The=20
     concept of energy descent, and of the=20
     Transition<BR>   approach, is a simple one: that =
the future=20
     with less oil<BR>   could be preferable to the =
present, but=20
     only if sufficient<BR>   creativity and imagination =
are=20
     applied early enough in<BR>   the design of this=20
     transition.   --  Rob Hopkins<BR><BR><BR>Dear=20
     friends,<BR><BR>I've been hearing more and more about a =
sustainability=20
     program called Transition Towns in recent months.  And it is =
not just=20
     me:  it has gone viral.  It is being initiated in =
communities=20
     around the world at an ever-accelerating rate.  At the time =
of this=20
     writing, there are 126 communities who qualify as Transition Towns =
(see=20
     <<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/TransitionCommunitie=
s"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/TransitionCo=
mmunities</A>>)=20
     -- despite the considerable criteria involved (see <<A=20
     href=3D"http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/Criteria"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/Criteria</A>=
>).=20
      Beyond that, there are about 600 more communities seriously=20
     considering it, all laid out on Google Maps <<A=20
     href=3D"http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/Mulling"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/Mulling</A>&=
gt;=20
     to help everyone find each other and start new =
groups...<BR><BR>(Note:=20
      The links above are from the excellent Transition Towns =
wiki, which=20
     is a delightful portal through which to explore this =
topic.)<BR><BR>First=20
     worked up as a student project in the UK in 2005, Transition Towns =
has=20
     spread around the world in 3 years, entirely from the grassroots, =
truly=20
     viral.  I feel like a late-comer.  It is almost =
embarrassing to=20
     be writing to you about it now, in 2009, but I figure the world =
can use=20
     all the help it can get right now, and building resilient =
communities is a=20
     "the more the merrier" kind of undertaking.<BR><BR>The Transition =
Town=20
     movement is sometimes called the Transition Initiatives movement =
because=20
     it has come to include cities, colleges, islands, and all sorts of =
other=20
     communities in addition to towns.<BR><BR>And it is no surprise why =
it is=20
     spreading so rapidly.  Not only are these folks incredibly =
pleasant,=20
     upbeat, and savvy about the use of the internet, but the =
Transition Towns=20
     initiative offers a refreshingly creative channel for people's =
growing=20
     unease about the slow-motion collapse of the old structures and =
systems=20
     we've come to depend on.  It offers an inspiring, fully =
adaptable and=20
     evolving positive vision of incremental change toward =
sustainability that=20
     any community can realistically and pragmatically implement -- one =
that=20
     can be launched by any group of ordinary citizens.  The =
Transition=20
     Town (TT) approach not only faces global-impact challenges =
squarely, but=20
     suggests that we can "build ways of living that are more =
connected, more=20
     enriching and that recognize the biological limits of our=20
     planet."<BR><BR>   While Peak Oil and Climate =
Change are=20
     understandably<BR>   profoundly challenging, also =
inherent=20
     within them is the<BR>   potential for an economic, =

     cultural, and social renaissance<BR>   the likes of =
which=20
     we have never seen.  We will see =
a<BR>   flourishing=20
     of local businesses, local skills and =
solutions,<BR>   and=20
     a flowering of ingenuity and creativity.  It is=20
     a<BR>   Transition in which we will inevitably =
grow, and in=20
     which<BR>   our evolution is a precondition for =
progress.=20
      Emerging<BR>   at the other end, we will not =
be the=20
     same as we were:<BR>   we will have become more =
humble,=20
     more connected to<BR>   the natural world, fitter, =
leaner,=20
     more skilled, and<BR>   ultimately, wiser.  -- =

     Transition Towns Handbook<BR><BR>Perhaps most remarkable is that =
the=20
     Transitions Towns approach engages people NOT by scaring them out =
of their=20
     wits or telling them what to do, but by providing powerful =
motivations,=20
     possibilities, and ways for them to explore creative local =
responses for=20
     and among themselves.  There is no blueprint.  The =
guidance=20
     provided involves tools, ways of talking and co-creating together, =
visons,=20
     and links to other people and resources engaged in this effort. =
 What=20
     we do with all that is up to us.<BR><BR>Transition Town (TT) =
initiatives=20
     are formally about the "localization" of communities to prepare =
for=20
     disruptions arising from the twin crises =
of<BR>   (a) PEAK=20
     OIL -- not running out of oil, exactly, but when the world's =
demand for=20
     oil exceeds its ability to produce it (and the current low price =
of of oil=20
     will not last long:  see <<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://my.earthlink.net/article/bus?guid=3D20090106/4962e550_3ca6=
_15526200901061823557235"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://my.earthlink.net/article/bus?guid=3D20090106/4962e=
550_3ca6_15526200901061823557235</A>>)=20
     and<BR>   (b) CLIMATE CHANGE and the extreme =
weather and=20
     other disruptions that accompany it.<BR><BR>However, there are =
other=20
     crises that effective localization and community resilience =
programs like=20
     TT can also prepare us for, from economic depression (which we're =
already=20
     tasting) to the disappearance of government services in a flood of =
red ink=20
     (see <<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/01/08/deficit-project=
ion-stuns-congress"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/01/08/deficit=
-projection-stuns-congress</A>>=20
     and <<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/01/07/in-red-states-s=
eek-tax-hikes/"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://features.csmonitor.com/politics/2009/01/07/in-red-=
states-seek-tax-hikes/</A>>)=20
     to solar flares disrupting our power grid and electronic control =
systems=20
     (an eventuality NASA has deemed possible by 2012 <<A=20
     href=3D"http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C478024%2C00.html"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0%2C2933%2C478024%2C00.html<=
/A>>).=20
      We have gotten ourselves into a kind of addictive dependence =
on=20
     globally vulnerable systems whose potential (likely? current?) =
collapse=20
     dictates a prudent (inevitable?) turn towards relocalization and=20
     resilience.<BR><BR>As peak oil expert Richard Heinberg points out, =
the=20
     sooner we start learning to live without oil and the vast supply =
networks=20
     it feeds, the easier it will be for us when the current set-up is =
simply=20
     no longer an option.<BR><BR>So all this community preparation =
would be a=20
     great idea, regardless -- and I'd want to spread the word for that =
reason=20
     alone.  But when I researched the TT approach, I found =
something even=20
     more intriguing to me, personally:  the Transition Towns =
process uses=20
     two of my favorite processes -- Open Space and World Cafe. =
 In fact,=20
     I even discovered that the most visible co-founder of this =
movement, Rob=20
     Hopkins, wrote in his Masters dissertation "Energy Descent =
Pathways:=20
     Evaluating potential responses to Peak Oil"<BR><<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://totnes.transitionnetwork.org/system/files/msc-dissertation=
-publishable-copy.pdf"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://totnes.transitionnetwork.org/system/files/msc-diss=
ertation-publishable-copy.pdf</A>><BR><BR>    &nbs=
p;  "'[F]or=20
     many commentators, the need for =
engagement<BR>   points=20
     inexorably in the direction of new fora, such as=20
     focus<BR>   groups, citizens juries or panels, =
round=20
     tables, "visioning",<BR>   and new consensus =
conferences,=20
     in which, with no technocratic<BR>   monopoly of=20
     information, the necessary deliberation can=20
     take<BR>   place'. This arises from a growing =
realisation=20
     that environmental<BR>   values are not preformed, =
rather=20
     that they 'emerge out of<BR>   debate, discussion =
and=20
     challenge, as [people] encounter new<BR>   facts, =
insights=20
     and judgements contributed by=20
     others'."<BR>      "[Tom] Atlee's =
concept of=20
     'co-intelligence' offers a tool =
for<BR>   harnessing the=20
     power of communities to implement change.<BR>   He =
defines=20
     its aim as being 'to increase the capacity of=20
     a<BR>   society as a whole to act in a =
co-intelligent=20
     manner' and<BR>   recommends the use of a wide =
range of=20
     facilitation and<BR>   empowerment tools to enable =
this.=20
     'Our goal...' he writes,<BR>   'can become the =
creation of=20
     ways in which people can<BR>   collaboratively =
arrive at=20
     solutions to their (and our) =
collective<BR>   problems'.=20
     Some of the mechanisms cited by [Gene] =
Rowe<BR>   and [Lynn=20
     J.] Frewer, most notably Open Space =
Technology<BR>   and=20
     World Caf=E9, are also advocated by Atlee, and=20
     are<BR>   increasingly being used around the world =
by=20
     groups working<BR>   to initiate relocalisation =
projects."=20
      (p. 41)<BR><BR>Wow.  It made my day to find that my =
work played=20
     a role in inspiring and informing this intiative that just might =
make a=20
     decisive difference in how things turn out in our =
world.<BR><BR>But back=20
     to the Transition Towns movement.  It has much to teach us.=20
      Here's my take on one set of its core principles:<BR><BR>The =
key to=20
     sustainability is RESILIENCE -- resilient communities, resilient =
people,=20
     resilient cultures, resilient systems.  Resilience, TT folks =
like to=20
     point out, means a community or system can bounce back after =
challenges=20
     and shocks -- everything from food-supply interruptions to =
economic=20
     downturns to energy crises.  Resilience is in many ways the =
healthy=20
     counterpoint to obsessive efficiency.  Resilience makes =
healthy=20
     systems in which life-serving productivity arises from their =
well-being=20
     and responsiveness.  Obsessive efficiency, in contrast, makes =

     productive systems at the expense of well-being, degrading people =
and=20
     trashing ecosystems to maximize production and monetary profit. =
 When=20
     productivity is defined as units produced and profits made per =
hour,=20
     rather than as life-value added, it becomes the enemy of life. =
 The=20
     effort to create resilient Transition Towns is an effort to make =
an=20
     evolutionary leap into a kind of economics that focuses on =
supporting and=20
     adding value to life, not only in the OUTCOMES of productive =
activity, but=20
     in the vitality of the activity, itself.<BR><BR>Three requirements =
for=20
     resilient systems are Diversity, Modularity, and Tightness of=20
     Feedbacks.<BR><BR>DIVERSITY is about the variety of a system's =
elements=20
     and parts.  It shows up in the idea that every vital function =
should=20
     be performed by more than one entity (redundancy, which is =
essential for=20
     resilience) and that if a community includes diverse people =
pursuing many=20
     various approaches to challenges and providing different sources =
of=20
     resources, it can keep functioning even if some of its parts fail. =

      And if one approach doesn't work, there's a good chance =
another=20
     will.  When you want to nurture diversity, you help people do =
what=20
     they are individually and collectively passionate about and good =
at rather=20
     than formulating and managing master plans into which you engineer =
human=20
     cogs.  This kind of "follow your energy" self-organizing =
dynamic is=20
     where the Open Space process shines.<BR><BR>MODULARITY means that =
the=20
     whole scene works largely through groups or communities who=20
     are<BR>   (a) able to perform all the needed =
functions=20
     and<BR>   (b) networked so they can share =
experience and=20
     information.<BR>This is an alternative to having everyone =
dependent on=20
     centralized governance and vast and vulnerable supply networks =
that pull=20
     everyone down when they collapse.  Modularity enables the =
system as a=20
     whole to better re-organize in the event of a =
shock.<BR><BR>TIGHTNESS OF=20
     FEEDBACKS refers to how quickly and strongly one part of the =
system can=20
     respond to changes (good or bad) in another part.  This =
factor=20
     involves good communication systems and, more importantly, =
local-ness.=20
      The more local our interactions are, the more the results of =
our=20
     actions are obvious to ourselves and others, and the more readily=20
     consequences can inform and shape our individual and collective =
responses=20
     through learning, answerability, corrections, rewards and =
penalties, and=20
     all the other forms of feedback.<BR><BR>Rob Hopkins stresses that=20
     Transition Towns is about cutting carbon and building resilience.=20
      Cutting carbon and building resilience. They go hand in =
hand, each=20
     inadequate by itself, each helping the other, each with long- and=20
     short-term implications.<BR><BR>There is MUCH more to the wisdom =
and=20
     practical know-how contained in the Transition Team materials, but =
I'll=20
     leave it for you to discover.  I've included a number of =
further=20
     links below -- including links to the basic TT primer and Rob =
Hopkins'=20
     extensive TRANSITION HANDBOOK -- mostly sent to me by people on =
this list=20
     (Thank You!).<BR><BR>I have a feeling that in the not too distant =
future a=20
     majority of folks reading this will be involved, one way or =
another, in=20
     Transition Towns.  The time is very very=20
     =
ripe.<BR><BR>Coheartedly,<BR>Tom<BR><BR>=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D<BR><BR>For=20
     a quick, clear, and compelling introduction to the Transition Town =

     movement see this great article from the Christian Science=20
     Monitor*<BR><<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/09/11/communities-=
plan-for-a-low-energy-future/"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://features.csmonitor.com/environment/2008/09/11/comm=
unities-plan-for-a-low-energy-future/</A>><BR>and=20
     this great introductory talk by TT co-founder Rob Hopkins, about 6 =
minutes=20
     long<BR><<A =
href=3D"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DkGHrWPtCvg0"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DkGHrWPtCvg0</A>><BR><=
BR>For=20
     some no-talk inspiration about community engagement for the kind =
of world=20
     we dream of, here's a wonderful slideshow -- with great music -- =
about the=20
     many Transition Town communities being formed in New Zealand. =
 It's=20
     about 4 minutes long:<BR><<A=20
     href=3D"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DAPMTXrIL48A"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DAPMTXrIL48A</A>><BR><=
BR>Here's=20
     an excellent talk by Rob Hopkins, about 18 minutes long<BR><<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://www.ifg.org/programs/Energy/triple_crisis_av/panel5/3rob-v=
.htm"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.ifg.org/programs/Energy/triple_crisis_av/panel=
5/3rob-v.htm</A>><BR><BR>Here's=20
     a PDF file about the Transition Network (14 pages), "Who We Are =
and What=20
     We Do":<BR><<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://www.transitionnetwork.org/Strategy/TransitionNetwork-WhoWe=
AreWhatWeDo.pdf"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.transitionnetwork.org/Strategy/TransitionNetwo=
rk-WhoWeAreWhatWeDo.pdf</A>><BR><BR>And=20
     here's a PDF file (51 pages) of the Transition Initiatives=20
     Primer:<BR><<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://transitionnetwork.org/Primer/TransitionInitiativesPrimer.p=
df"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://transitionnetwork.org/Primer/TransitionInitiatives=
Primer.pdf</A>><BR><BR>These=20
     PDFs contain information and guidelines that show a lot of wisdom =
about=20
     the psychology of an enterprise like this, and about connecting =
and=20
     partnering with different segments of the community, including =
local=20
     governments.<BR><BR>Here is the Amazon Link for The Transition =
Handbook by=20
     Rob Hopkins:<BR><<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://www.amazon.com/Transition-Handbook-Dependency-Local-Resili=
ence/dp/19"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.amazon.com/Transition-Handbook-Dependency-Loca=
l-Resilience/dp/19</A><BR>00322188/ref=3Dpd_bbs_sr_1?ie=3DUTF8&s=3Dbo=
oks&qid=3D1227893553&sr=3D8-1><BR><BR>Rob=20
     Hopkins' blog <A href=3D"http://transitionculture.org/"=20
     target=3D_blank>http://transitionculture.org/</A> includes, among =
much else,=20
     an engaging account of his own family's efforts to give up their =
addiction=20
     to "the car".<BR><BR>Here are a recent set of videos, about ten =
minutes=20
     each:  Rob Hopkins, co-founder of the Transition Towns =
Movement,=20
     speaking at the Positive Energy Conference in Findhorn this past =
Spring.=20
      They are short and very enjoyable, instructive, and=20
     inspiring.<BR><BR>First segment<BR><A=20
     href=3D"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dkizxt14aPM8"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Dkizxt14aPM8</A><BR><BR>S=
econd=20
     <A href=3D"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DkbLsmR21gnk"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DkbLsmR21gnk</A><BR><BR>T=
hird=20
     <A href=3D"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DUwjGDtHGd9c"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DUwjGDtHGd9c</A><BR><BR>F=
ourth=20
     <A href=3D"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DciZc5vv5-yY"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DciZc5vv5-yY</A><BR><BR>F=
ifth=20
     <A href=3D"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DL0GYI5CJTkw"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DL0GYI5CJTkw</A><BR><BR>S=
ixth=20
     <A href=3D"http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DDb9KpaELhCg"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DDb9KpaELhCg</A><BR><BR><=
BR>-----------<BR><BR>*=20
      NOTE:  I wanted to feature that excellent Christian =
Science=20
     Monitor article on Transition Towns (ironically dated September =
11, 2008)=20
     -- in its entirety -- but the Monitor has done something with its =
website=20
     that makes it impossible to cut and paste that article (and =
others?), so=20
     all I can give you is the link and hope that you will take the =
trouble to=20
     click it.  I do highly recommend it.<BR><BR>PS:  In =
researching=20
     this, I ran across this stunning fact: "Americans drove 100 =
billion fewer=20
     miles in the 12 months ending in October than they had the year =
before, a=20
     decline of about 3.4%, the Transportation Department reported =
Friday.=20
     Miles driven fell by 9 billion miles, or 3.5%, to 250 billion =
miles in=20
     October compared with October 2007. So far in 2008, miles driven =
have=20
     fallen 3.5% to 2.45 trillion miles."<BR><<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/energy/americ=
ans-drive--billion-fewer-miles-past-year/"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/energ=
y/americans-drive--billion-fewer-miles-past-year/</A>>.=20
      I'm boggled that people can throw around numbers like =
billions and=20
     trillions when talking about miles driven.  I then stumbled =
on a=20
     chart showing miles driven each month from 1983 to 2007<BR><<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://paul.kedrosky.com/archives/2008/05/06/nothing_but_flo.html=
"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://paul.kedrosky.com/archives/2008/05/06/nothing_but_=
flo.html</A>>=20
     which shows the yearly average was at 3 trillion miles per year =
for both=20
     2006 and 2007 and will -- thankfully, painfully, undoubtedly -- be =
much=20
     lower for 2008.  At 20 miles per gallon (about average for =
the US),=20
     that's 150 billion gallons of gasoline burned by American drivers =
during=20
     each recent year.  If I were the earth, I'd be getting hot =
under the=20
     collar, too...  It is high time to get our act together. =
 And it=20
     adds immense poignancy to Rob Hopkins' blog entry on his own =
efforts to=20
     give up driving<BR><<A=20
     =
href=3D"http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/07/five-months-and-counting-=
the-realities-of-giving-up-driving/"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://transitionculture.org/2009/01/07/five-months-and-c=
ounting-the-realities-of-giving-up-driving/</A>><BR><BR><BR>++++++++++=
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<BR><BR>TO=20
     SUPPORT THE CO-INTELLIGENCE INSTITUTE & TOM ATLEE'S=20
     WORK...<BR><BR>Please send a donation of any amount -- $25, $50, =
$100,=20
     $500 or more -- to<BR><BR>  The Co-Intelligence=20
     Institute<BR>  PO Box 493<BR>  Eugene, OR=20
     97440<BR><BR>or use your Visa or MasterCard to make an online =
donation=20
     at<BR><A href=3D"http://co-intelligence.org/donations.html"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://co-intelligence.org/donations.html</A><BR><BR>Do =
let=20
     me know when you've mailed a donation, so I can add it to our =
tally right=20
     away.  Including your email address on your check will help =
me keep=20
     track of your=20
     =
gift.<BR><BR>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<BR>Your=20
     donations to the Co-Intelligence Institute are fully=20
     =
tax-deductible<BR>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++<BR><=
BR>________________________________<BR><BR>Tom=20
     Atlee =95 The Co-Intelligence Institute =95 PO Box 493 =95 Eugene, =
OR=20
     97440<BR><A href=3D"http://www.co-intelligence.org/"=20
     target=3D_blank>http://www.co-intelligence.org</A> =95  <A=20
     href=3D"http://www.democracyinnovations.org/"=20
     target=3D_blank>http://www.democracyinnovations.org</A><BR>Read =
THE TAO OF=20
     DEMOCRACY =95  <A href=3D"http://www.taoofdemocracy.com/"=20
     target=3D_blank>http://www.taoofdemocracy.com</A><BR>Tom Atlee's =
blog <A=20
     href=3D"http://www.evolvingcollectiveintelligence.org/"=20
     =
target=3D_blank>http://www.evolvingcollectiveintelligence.org</A><BR>Plea=
se=20
     support our work.  =95  Your donations are fully=20
     =
tax-deductible.<BR><BR>________________________________<BR><BR><BR></DIV>=
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------------------------------

Date:    Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:17:52 -0700
From:    Christine Whitney Sanchez <milagro27 at cox.net>
Subject: Opening

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Dear Open Space, Appreciative Inquiry and World Caf=E9 Friends,
=20
As Barack Obama is sworn in as President of the United States, may we =
all
experience the opening of hospitable space for what we CAN do together.
=20
With excitement from a balmy Phoenix morning,
=20
Christine

=20

Christine Whitney Sanchez

CWS =96 Collaborative Wisdom & Strategy

2717 E. Mountain Sky Avenue

Phoenix, AZ  85048-8990

480.759.0262

http://www.christinewhitneysanchez.com
<http://www.christinewhitneysanchez.com/>  =20

<http://www.linkedin.com/in/christinewhitneysanchez>
http://www.linkedin.com/in/christinewhitneysanchez

<http://christinewhitneysanchez.myplaxo.com/>
http://christinewhitneysanchez.myplaxo.com/=20

=20

Please consider the environment before you print this email

=20

*
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<BODY>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3D#000080 size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D704110215-20012009>Dear=20
Open Space, Appreciative Inquiry and World <SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; =
mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; =
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Friends,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3D#000080 size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D704110215-20012009></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3D#000080 size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D704110215-20012009>As=20
Barack Obama is sworn in as President of the United States, may we all=20
experience the opening of hospitable space for what we CAN do=20
together.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3D#000080 size=3D2><SPAN=20
class=3D704110215-20012009></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DVerdana color=3D#000080 size=3D2><SPAN =
class=3D704110215-20012009>With=20
excitement from a balmy Phoenix morning,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Dleft><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Lucida =
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<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" align=3Dleft><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: 'Lucida =
Handwriting'"><EM>Christine</EM></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3DVerdana></FONT> </P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><STRONG><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Calibri; =
mso-bidi-font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic">Christine=20
Whitney Sanchez<?xml:namespace prefix =3D o ns =3D=20
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" =
/><o:p></o:p></SPAN></STRONG></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><STRONG><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-WEIGHT: normal; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: =
Calibri"><EM>CWS=20
=96 Collaborative Wisdom & =
Strategy<o:p></o:p></EM></SPAN></STRONG></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><?xml:namespace =
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w:st=3D"on"><st1:address w:st=3D"on"><SPAN=20
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Mountain Sky=20
Avenue</SPAN></st1:address></st1:Street><SPAN=20
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<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><st1:place =
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style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: =
Arial">480.759.0262</SPAN><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 8pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><A=20
href=3D"http://www.christinewhitneysanchez.com/">http://www.christinewhit=
neysanchez.com</A>=20
<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 8pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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color=3D#0000ff>http://www.linkedin.com/in/christinewhitneysanchez</FONT>=
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NT=20
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End of OSLIST Digest - 19 Jan 2009 to 20 Jan 2009 (#2009-21)
************************************************************

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