Spring 2014: Eastern New York State Transitioning News Essex & Washington to Westchester & Rockland Counties
by Eastern New York State Transitioners
Edited by Pamela Boyce Simms
What better way to throw open wide a Spring
2014 window to Transitioning news in
Eastern New York State, than for Transitioners to speak directly to readers?
Here’s your moment of Transition:
Transition Albany: “Small but
enthusiastic. Core members are active in efforts to address the trans-shipment
of Bakken crude through the Port of Albany via rail.”
For Transition
Albany, Dave Hochfelder, Initiator
Transition Catskills: "While we are
still very much in the startup phase, we have done a lot of planning over the
winter and are arranging a number of public outreach events in the coming weeks
to launch ourselves into the community."
For Catskills
in Transition, Jeffrey Tomasi,
Initiator.
Hamptons in Transition: “Hamptons in Transition has several
new members and is working on a bus/cash mob to support local businesses and
promote public transportation usage. We’re revamping our brochure, producing a
series of speaking engagements, and exploring cohousing. Teamed with the
Conscience Point Shellfish Hatchery Project, we’ll animate their next
fundraiser on June 13th at the Charles Adams
House in East Hampton.” For Hamptons in
Transition, Bobbie Cohen, Initiator.
Kingston Transition: “Small as our numbers are, we do still
exist and are getting stronger. Kingston Transition now has a table at the
Kingston Farmers Market.”
For Kingston
Transition,
Gai Galitzine, Initiator.
Transition
Marbletown: “Transition Marbletown originated and co-sponsors the annual Common
Ground Celebration (http://www.rvcgc.org/)
which brings people together to recognize our common ground and celebrate our
shared vision for the Rondout Valley as a healthy, creative, regenerative and
sustainable community. Signs of Sustainability awards local citizens who
have contributed significantly to our sustainability and our community are
featured.”
For Transition
Marbletown,
Cornelia Wathen, Initiator.
NYC
Metro in Transition: “The 2015 North East Permaculture Convergence, supported
by a partnership between the Permaculture Institute of the Northeast (PINE) and
the Mid-Atlantic Transition Hub (MATH) will be held for the first time in the
New York City metropolitan area during the summer of 2015. This is such an
exciting endeavor because the Transition movement is maturing so quickly as it
penetrates the consciousness of like-minds focused on re-localization. Next
year's convergence is, I believe, only just the beginning of what's to come in
terms of future collaborations. This event will mark a year of many firsts for
both movements and we are excited that the time has come for Permaculture and
Transition to unite.” For the MATH Council
& PINE 2015 Convergence Organizing Committee, Kelly Fragale.
Transition
Ossining: “We have supported the formation of a community garden on the grounds
of a ministry of the Dominican Sisters of Hope. Due to its Rivertown location on
the Hudson, the initiative is evaluating opportunities to revitalize its
waterfront as part of the Mid-Atlantic Transition Hub (MATH) waterways project.”
For Transition Ossining, John Bell, Initiator.
Rosendale Transition: “Rosendale won't sit on its hands
watching with heartbreak as the earth becomes less hospitable to life. We are
retraining hands to play music, grow food, repair tools, take care of our neighbors,
and provide energy locally. And our hearts are into it!” For Rosendale Transition, Amy Trompetter,
Initiator.
Sustainable Saugerties: “We bring together people interested
in creating the infrastructure needed for local resilience. We support strong
local food production, small house, and emergency preparedness initiatives born
from our networking activities all while building momentum and holding the
larger picture so these efforts don't take place in isolation. Sustainable
Saugerties will sponsor our 4th "Revisioning Local" panel discussion
on Sustainable Housing; will return to the weekly Saugerties Farmer's Market in
May; and sponsor spring and summer neighborhood potlucks. We’ve created a
Saugerties-specific Transition brochure and PowerPoint to spread the word, and
have been recruiting new members for our vibrant and exciting working
groups."
For
Sustainable Saugerties Transition Town, Karuna Foudriat, Initiator.
Transition
Schenectady “A catalyst for change with the Vale Urban Farm, Electric City Bike
Rescue, and SchenectadyNYStrong.TimeBanks.org;
all young and potentially powerful vehicles to carry us into a
better tomorrow. Don't let our diverse interests and small numbers fool
you. We are creating the tomorrow we have dreamed of.”
For
Transition Schenectady, Clarence (Rennie) Fountain, Initiator.
Transition Troy: “We meet weekly and have a monthly public
informational event followed by a potluck. We started a Solarize Troy campaign
to provide group purchasing of solar systems. Ongoing related efforts
include Troy Shares, a community timebank, composting with Troy’s City Counsel,
a Farmer’s Market, and Community Gardens. Local Transition-related groups are
looking at co-housing projects, vehicle shares, and solar powered boat
transportation for our lakes, rivers and canals.”
For
Transition Troy, David Borton, Initiator.
Tri-county-NY
Transition: “We are a widely recongnized affiliation of towns, villages and
cities in Warren, Washington and Essex Counties
and on the radar of local officials as a group of aware resident-activists with
access to current information about issues related to the need to decrease our
dependency on oil. Tri-County Transition projects
include: reduction of plastic shopping bag usage; a solar exhibit at a community
arts gathering followed up this May with a solar panel discussion;
collaboration with a local community college to foster the availability of
locally grown foods; and a Local Foods Symposium.” For Tri-County-NY Transition, Lisa Adamson and Ruth Lamb, Initiators.
The Transition Westchester Hub “We co-hosted the first
Transition Training in Westchester County which boosted the profile of
Transition in the county tremendously. Transition Westchester plans a
monthly Transition Café for discussion of key issues over coffee and desserts. Recent
victories were a Seed Swap in Dobbs Ferry and a Noah event in Mt. Kisco; a potluck and discussion of response to
extreme weather followed by a viewing of the movie “Noah.” Transition Westchester also sponsors
ongoing reskilling classes. For The
Westchester Transition Hub, John Bell, Initiator.
Woodstock
NY Transition “(WNYT) is evolving organically with a solid core of committed,
connected members within eight working groups, namely: Garden Share—hosts monthly meetings chock full of presentations and
skills sharing. Woodstock Organic Waste
(WOW)—featured in a March 2014 Woodstock
Times article works towards the establishment of an organic waste hauling
system in Woodstock, and Ulster County. Green
Energy—works with collaborators to avail people of subsidies for home
energy-efficiency improvements. Working
Group Support develops group trainings and conflict resolution guidelines. Publicity and Community Outreach—co-hosts
a film and community conversation series with local partners. Local Living Economy organized a
community conversation event for local business owners and residents. Total Wellness and Transportation organizes
ongoing projects. Throughout the
unfolding of this Woodstock Transition journey, we are in it together for the
long haul.
For Woodstock Transition, Caroline Ritchey, Member.
Visit
the websites of NYS Transition Initiatives via:
http://transitionmidatlantic.org/mid-atlantic-regional-directory-of-transition-towns/
Pamela
Boyce Simms is a Certified Transition Trainer with Mid-Atlantic Transition Hub
(MATH) of Transition USTransitionmidatlantic.org—TransitionUS.org
Posted by Chris Hewitt
on 11:34 AM.
Filed under
Feature,
Transition Field Notes
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