Ideas from Hampden Energy Workshop, 5 September 2006

Ideas from Hampden Energy Workshop, 5 September 2006


How will we experience oil shortfall in our community?
Farm/Food

Difficulties for farmers

Farming change

Change in farming patterns

Farming could continue but differently

Money / Costs

Price rises

Money income less important

Increased cost of goods & services that are essential and can’t be produced locally

Save fuel costs

More money

Transport / Mobility

Less travel

Transport costs rise

Less mobility

Plan trips

Trains? Coal offset by fewer cars

No transport – would take more manpower

Railway more important

Goods / Services

Essential goods (i.e. difficulty in getting essential goods that are not produced locally)

Fewer goods

Less access to non-local goods and services

Central exchange

Deprivation – won’t be able to get stuff

Less choice

Electricity generation

Cooperation / Contact

Less oil, less opportunity to travel

Networking – for shopping, traveling

Much slower and less frequent physical contact with the outside world

More self-sufficient

Greater dependence on local resources

Share

Communicate

Increased community spirit

Work / Livelihood / Commerce / Education

Tourism disappears or is sourced locally – loss of vendors

Loss of educational opportunity

Need for local work rather than commuting

People move

Change in occupation

Redeployment to smaller enterprise

What does our community have that will work for us in a future with less oil?
Physical Resources / Infrastructure / Physical Capital

Gardens

Livestock

Schools

Tavern

Church

Store

Hall

Library

Doctor and surgery

Port

Water supplies

Railway

Local energy generation

Local infrastructure

Wharf at Moeraki

Main trunkline

Harbours

Port facility

Water supply

Proximity to other towns

Land

Railway

Local sporting facilities

Technology

Farms

Mixed farming

Social Resources / Social Capital

Small size

Strength of community

Good range of skills

School as local focal point

There is already a strong community here – note these meetings

Community attitudes

Community cooperation

Community spirit

Communities will become closer, more stable

Community resources

Skill bases – more sharing

Local capacity to produce food

Environmental Capital

Farms

Forests

Rivers

Flexible environment (?)

Sea

Ocean – sail

Sun

Renewable energy – hydro, wind, solar

Land – highly productive

Natural attractions for the rich few

What (realistically) can we do as a community to prepare and respond?
Learn More


Identify people with skills locally

Run workshops (permaculture, organics, community gardens)

Awareness of the current oil situation through education

Run workshop; education, knowledge and skills data base

Act

Economic Actions


Central exchanges; goods etc

Encourage buying local goods

Develop a local market

Strive to be debt free

Invest locally

Establish corporate-free zone

Support local business

Downsize

Political Actions


Lobby councils to plan

Develop independence i.e. not be dependent on councils

Develop local entity (for planning etc)

Hampden as model

Strive for Eco-village status as a model for NZ

Create a local community body for leadership

Develop local “government”

Communication event – community awareness education

Change political focus on economic growth

Lobby local & national government to plan for future, eg. keep fertile land for agriculture

Change political focus from economic growth to more sustainable activities

Spread the message

Self Sufficiency Actions

Physical Resources / Infrastructure

Retain, maintain, develop and use our existing facilities

Local sporting facilities

Community artefacts (?)

Reduce waste - recycle – reuse (plastics, etc)-repair

Encourage purchase/collection/preservation of long-lasting, useful goods

Structure education at local level

People Resources

Upskill

Use local talent

Build local awareness

Encourage people with skills to come to our area

Identify people with skills already living locally.

Knowledge / skills databases

Think ahead – medical needs, etc

Environmental Resources

Protect local resources ie sustainable management of resources

Transport

Share transport

Breed Horses

Bicycles & trails / short cuts

Food / Farming

Farmers’ market

Source locally

Heritage plants

Plant trees

Gardens

Nuts

Diversify farms / forestry to prepare & respond & follow up

Collect pest and disease resistant plants e.g. seed bank

Power

Wind turbines

Wave turbines

Wind turbines power cable cars?

Power plant

Develop local energy e.g. solar, wind, hydroelectricity supply

Cooperate

Pool resources

Pool skills

Share knowledge with other groups nationally

Form local groups eg car pool

Trade as a community

Coordinate a transport system – carpooling

Develop a strong sense of community




What to do next?

1) Another public meeting in 2 months to review responses to questions

2) Committee reconvenes to advance what has been started with the forums.



Facilitators: Patti Vanderburg and John Cocks