“Kilowatt Ours”
Film showing on January 26 at 6:30 pm, Belfast Free Library

“The Transition Handbook” written by Rob Hopkins
Discussion on Feb. 3, 10, 24 and maybe Mar. 3, 6:30-8:00 pm, Belfast Free Library
Facilitated by Douglas R. Fox, Dir. of Center for Sustainability and Global Change at Unity College.
VIDEO of Rob Hopkins describing his book.

Those interested in signing up for the discussion series, may do so at the Co-op or by calling the Co-op at 338-2532, or call Brenda Harrington at the Belfast Free Library, 338-3884 ext 30.  Books are available for purchase at the Co-op at a discount for discussion participants. You may also check out a copy through the library system while supplies last.

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“The Transition Handbook, from Oil Dependency to Local Resilience” by  Rob Hopkins is a book that is creating a stir in this country, the UK, and Europe. The Belfast Co-op and Belfast Free Library are teaming up to offer a Community Book Discussion series around this book, to begin in February 2010.

The series will kick off on January 26 at 6:30 pm with a short introduction of the Transition Culture concept by Jim Merkel & Susan Cutting (who have attended Transition Culture Trainings) and the showing of the documentary film “Kilowatt Ours: a Plan to Re-Energize America” at the Belfast Free Library.

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A brainstorming session with approximately 30 participants of the March 2009 Eat Local Celebration in Belfast, ME, was aimed at gathering information about what residents feel they need in the area to develop a secure local food system. Erica Buswell who is on the management team at the Belfast Co-op Store facilitated the session.

Belfast is the hotbed of Local Food Activity. We are doing things in isolated packets all around the State. How can we bring projects together and help to create a viable local food system. The following is a list of what we have for a local food system and what we need. It is not a complete list but is the beginning of trying to identify a just and secure local food system.

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Empowering poor communities around the world is the number one goal of Fair Trade. Education, environmental concern, health care, worker safety, training, and business support are just some of the resources available to the communities who are producing products for the fair trade movement.

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“After sampling so many of the country’s food co-ops, I got a pretty good feel for what makes an outstanding co-op experience and what kills any joy I may have had about grocery shopping. There were five outstanding co-ops that I thought provided the best foods and the best experience of the 20 or so we checked out (sometimes to shop, sometimes just to investigate!).”    Read the whole article at: The Ethicurean.

Jack Hedin, a farmer in Minnesota, writes in an Op-Ed for the New York Times that “the federal government works deliberately and forcefully to prevent the local food movement from expanding.”

We would be interested to hear if any of our local farmers have run into this issue and/or have a perspective on it they would like to share.

My Forbidden Fruits (and Vegetables)