Ideas to awareness-raise

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Permalink Reply by James Samuel on June 10, 2008 at 4:42am

Hi Natalie,

I think the "popularity" that you are speaking of comes not from awareness raising per se (which is one of the 12 steps in a transition initiative and the one which challenge's people's world view), but rather from the "visible manifestations" of the projects (which have the potential to inspire people to a brighter future possibility). If the Awareness Raising has done its work, and you have been asking people "what is your passion?" then you now have a large body of people to engage with.

You could be inviting people to Open Space events around specific questions: "How will we meet our [food. energy, transport, health, etc] needs in a Post Peak Oil world?" If you want to learn more about Open Space Technology and a number of other excellent dialogue tools and processes, I recommend you download the 80 page PDF called Mapping Dialogue. It's an easy read, and an inspiration.

And if the phase of Networking with other groups is well underway you might consider putting together a calendar of events under the Transition banner.

There's a great example here, of one from Totnes, and it's full of inspiration.

I hope this helps.

James
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09 372 8737

Attachments:

• Dialogue Project V 2.0c.pdf, 3.1 MB

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Permalink Reply by Natalie on June 11, 2008 at 2:28pm

Wow, that calender is impressive! Thanks for sharing that!

I think you're right - we need to have proper ways to follow up the awareness raising to make people feel they can make a difference. Nothing worse than causing a stir and then losing momentum because we're not sure whats next...

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Permalink Reply by Les Squires on June 11, 2008 at 3:30pm

Hi Natalie. If you like calendars, you might want to take a look at our networked calendar. You can put all desirable events on this calendar. The calendar items are searchable -- show me all events having to do with "oil". They can be read directly into people's Outlook. Attendees can RSVP - so creators of the events can know who is attending. And attendees can record their questions and observations in advance and after the event.

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Permalink Reply by Natalie on June 11, 2008 at 2:24pm

OK - here's one (although Daryl doesn't seem to like it...maybe it's too much of a German thing?) - How about we take it to the streets? - We could have a peaceful demonstration like back in the old days, when people where still concerned about stuff. Paint banners and walk along the main streets (Lambton Quay here in Welli, straight to the Beehive), pass out pamphlets with info on Peak Oil, Climate change and TT. Hand out vege seedlings to people. Be friendly and positive about it - have music and dance of sorts. If we got other groups on board as well and advertised properly, we could get quite a crowd I'd say. Could have it at the same time all over NZ... How about that for a making the point to government that there ARE people concerned about this, demanding action. How about that for a bit of publicity??

What do you think? (If this is too German for you, too - hey, give me a break, it effectively got us out of Nuclear! ;-)

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Permalink Reply by James Samuel on June 11, 2008 at 10:06pm

You asked this as a question, so I feel moved to respond.

I am not a fan of this "taking it to the streets" for a number of reasons, but one key one is that it reinforces an assumption that the government is powerful and can help and that we are not and need them.

These are unhelpful and debilitating assumptions and unless the event creates an immediate and dramatic shift it has the potential of leaving people with a deep sense of hopelessness - because people generally engage in the hope that their voice is more likely to be heard (because they were one of many voices). But even the biggest such events (like the Hikoi march from North Cape to Wellington) often has little immediate or even long term effect.

I would rather take the position that we, the people, are powerful (we do have the numbers on our side), and that we can get on with the job. Just do it!

When the people lead, the leaders will follow.

James

PS: think Les' point about the online calendar of events is fine, but a printed version (as in the above example from Totnes) gets to many, many more people.

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Permalink Reply by Alun James on June 12, 2008 at 1:58pm

I am with James on this one, I think we need to be anti-activists, be knowledgable so that when people ask a question have a well thought out and backed up answer for them.

Do not be emotional, be calm and factual. Even present facts that say it is OK (at the moment) production IS growing 8.2% p.a. ahead of consumption 6.2% p.a. BUT we would all be very silly if we thought it was never going to run out.

Peak oil is not going to see us go the way of Mad Max 1 but we would be naive not to start talking about it and conditioning ourselves for a "depleted" energy future.

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Permalink Reply by Natalie on June 12, 2008 at 8:53pm

Hi James,

I agree and disagree... I am completely with you regarding the "do it yourself" aspect of your post (you're such DIY people, you kiwis ;-)) - and totally agree that we need to get on with the job and get started in any way we can. In fact, that is probably the biggest aspect that draws me to TT.

However, whether we like it or not - governments are (relatively) powerful and could certainly do a whole lot to speed up the process (if only they tried...) If we didn't believe they were, we'd be turning away from our parliamentary, representative democracy (which is a whole new discussion). So, showing our elected officials we're reaching critical numbers can't be a bad thing, because in the end, they are there to represent the majority.

My concern is - and ultimately, that is what this whole discussion is about - that currently there is still a majority of people out there who have never even heard about Peak Oil. Or if they have, they have no understanding of the implications and therefore dismiss it as just another bad news that will be followed by other bad news tomorrow - so what? It is still only a (comparatively) small number of people who understand and take on board the issues enough to kick into action.

Where does that leave us? - Daryl heard a good analogy on the radio today: It's like trying to turn around a war/battleship with one handcarved, wooden oar. Good luck.

I think - one way or the other - we are going to have to get louder and more proactive about being heard. And here I completely agree with Alun: in doing that we want to present ourselves as knowledgeable, calm and factual. But definitely heard.

I see where you are coming from, James, when you say things are going to naturally progress from the awareness raising to physical manifestations and thus more "recognition". Hopefully it will be that way. This movement has grown organically thus far and with a bit of luck it will continue to do so and not just shrivel away. What worries me here, however, is time. Do we have enough time for our projects to be conceived, born and manifesting themselves to then draw in more "followers"? Gosh, I read the news and feel we need some significant, fundamental changes now, today! And not only in small numbers...

Despite our best efforts here in Lower Hutt (this being: an article in the Hutt News, a mail drop in the area, other, related articles prior) we only had about 20 people attend our movie screening last Saturday (and that included some of "us"). How many of the people who attended are going to come back or start making changes in their lives? - Who knows?? - And all that even with the "help" of steeply rising petrol prices.

Don't get me wrong - I see great momentum out there and in fact the numbers of people coming to meetings is often encouraging, if not overwhelming. But still - it's not the majority. And until it is, we won't see changes happening to the extent we need them. And that is not a question of government stepping in or not - just a question of critical mass.

So, to cut a long story short - I guess what I mean when I say "take to the streets" is not so much getting governments attention - but getting the majority's attention. And like I said in my opening to this discussion - I am happy for any other ideas in this regards, they don't have to involve painting banners. Let's just find something that makes us visible for everyone out there and makes them wonder and start asking questions.

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Permalink Reply by James Samuel on June 12, 2008 at 9:28pm

getting the majority's attention

What are we going to invite them to, when we get their attention? I humbly suggest that we need to have some projects that people can connect to when they come along.

I suspect a good deal of the attention-getting is driven by a need to share the shocking news we ourselves have only just recently awakened to. This has been my experience. Some of the film nights (I started running them for three years ago) would have less then a handful, and I would go home feeling hopeless. I know time is short. And we may not "make it." But as Heinberg stated rather eloquently...

As the Great Unraveling proceeds, there may in fact be only one occupation worthy of our attention: that of identifying the qualities that make our species worth saving, and then celebrating and exemplifying those qualities. If we concentrate on doing that, perhaps we win no matter what. Outwardly, it will probably look a lot like what many of us are already doing: working to save a species, an ecosystem, a human community; to make a village sustainable, or to halt a new coal power plant.

Taking in traumatic information and transmuting it into life-affirming action may turn out to be the most advanced and meaningful spiritual practice of our time.

I would suggest that we need to make good use of the 20 who show up. We need to find our intimacy, so we can support and encourage each other to find our voices and invite more people along to the next event.

And then we need to begin the work - that follows from the talk - so that things start appearing in our communities which makes them wonder and start asking questions.

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Permalink Reply by Jenese on June 12, 2008 at 11:23pm

Hello Natalie,

I would just like to relate something that might help, you have so much energy and enthusiasim for change that its spilling over :-))

I was part of the Peak oil group in my town from 2000 - I have known about peak oil and climate change for way over a decade - few wanted to know back then - we studied all the ways peak oil would impact our society - yet few wanted to know - now after 8 years I attended a meeting - the first TT meeting in my town Nelson and instead of the handfull of usual faces there were 180 faces - something I had never ever seen before at these types of meetings - it was hearting

what I am trying to say is that you cannot get peoples attention if they don't want to look - its a timing thing - most here have probably at some stage banged their head against the wall of public indifference over the years - but now that things are really starting to have an impact, people are wanting solutions

From what I understand about TT it isn't about solutions per sae, its about alternatives and people at this point will either come to that realisation or not by themselves, - change comes by doing - by example, so doing what you can where you can is what is going to get their attention and its a slow process that will accelerate quite soon - you have time on your side

the things that will pick up their interest are the things that are impacting them - for instance the price of food is rising so a meeting/or flyer on why that is so and ways on which people can offset that - i.e home gardening etc will be more impact full than a march down the main street

don't look to government - thats the whole point of people coming together like this, its because of government inaction that we find our selves facing multiple crisis - working with people - doing things, physical action in the community is where the real heart of change happens

I can feel your passion and your frustration - I know it well ;-) and possibly because of your children it rises in you and you want something big to happen right now, LOL thats natural - I know that feeling well, but timing is everything in this - conserve your energy and put it to use where it can be of use right now - things will come from it and things will grow and people will come to see

focus on what is topical - what is affecting people right now, little notices etc in shops - you will get their attention and they will come

Johns words above have wisdom in them

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Permalink Reply by Harvey Jones on June 12, 2008 at 11:59pm

Hi All
I have read the various posts following this so can see both sides of the story. I have been part of union protests which have ended up taking to the streets and would need to acknowledge that they do have their place and trigger some changes even if only at later dates. Working with what seems to be a growing movement is far more positive aspect and we may need to be ready to guide the flow of energy which is going to move in one direction or another. A public prank, activity, media are just the various methods to get the story and possibilities and make contact with awakening spirits comotosed by TV etc.

Campaigns, letters to the ed, posters and pranks also have a place. Last week we even had a Green Heart campaign in Palmerston North which attracted 300 brave souls in the rain and cold wind.

There is certainly a place for the various networks many of us have developed being tapped into and information shared with the 'doers' and those beginning to see that pertol heaven and associated economic systems are likely to change. Lobby groups and knowledge of various governance systems is all part of the training some of us have met. (eg submissions to councils etc). From what I am picking up in just the last week there is a growing movement.

As things become tighter, I think there will be more people coming on board and considering options. The time is getting closer and we can probably identify change by the increasing uptake in public transport in different areas.

Timing is difficult on where and what to publicise and how to do it. Too early and we miss the mass' attention.

We all have our strengths and can make use of them by grabbing opportunities when they come up and making use of them. There is likely to be opposition in somne quarters as business interests or those in control resist the change which will be forced up from the bottom. As James suggests the masses can move mountains. it just takes a wheelbarrow at a time.

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Permalink Reply by Geoff Cox on June 14, 2008 at 5:18am

Hi Natalie,

How about a small stall or just a sandwich board at your local market with info and contact details. Start a vehicle share group locally and tell all your contacts. Encourage all your friends to join up to TT and groups. Speak about it as much as you can .....

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Permalink Reply by Brent Dickens on July 14, 2008 at 9:07am

I totally agree. I believe if we do want transition towns to be the new Coca-Cola etc then we need to approach it in the same way. How do you brand the idea to appeal and engage people? What is cool or sexy about it? What does it even mean? How can it be easily described to the average person?

It's a big ask to turn a public movement into something as big as the next ipod but it is possible I'm sure.

So when does the branding meeting begin?

BD

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