POWER DOWN FOSSIL FUELS :
POWER UP COMMUNITY
3RD ANNUAL POWER DOWN WEEK
JULY 7 - 15, 2012
POWER DOWN WEEK OBJECTIVES
1. To make your carbon footprint as small as you can.
2. To do it with others. During Power Down Week we challenge people to use less EVERYTHING! It is an experiment for individuals and communities. Loaded with activities that help re-educate and beef-up our self-sufficiency, the programs are seemingly run for the community, by the community. In 2011 hundreds of people participated in over 50 different workshops at over 20 locations. Ice Cream Socials, Potlucks and Reskilling Workshops – how will you power down this year? In 2012 – the organizing committee is partnering with organizations around the city that are working on education and making the city a more resilient, community-driven habitat. Please visit www.powerdownweek.com for a full schedule, list of activities, and more details. Think about what skills you would like to share with your community and plan a get-together with lasting purpose! |
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A Scope on Milwaukee’s Environmental Volunteer Organizations : Molly Farison
Article by Jessica Cohodes│jessicacohodes@gmail.com In the summer of 2011, Milwaukee was lucky enough to have been visited by Molly Farison. Molly is a student at Olin College of Engineering outside of Boston. She spent her summer as an intern at Rockwell Automation, and doubled up the fun writing a thesis and comparison of 3 of Milwaukee’s Environmental Organizations; Growing Power, The Urban Ecology Center, andTransition Milwaukee. Molly’s thesis is well researched, outlining key successes, challenges and her suggestions for these 3 organizations to collaborate in a way that will propel Milwaukee’s resiliency network. The great part, is that Molly’s recommendations for TM are just the direction the organization plans to march toward. Read Molly’s Thesis Here |
 ReThinking Our Abandoned Buildings : The ReThink Factory Enables Community Spaces, Forums and Training
Article by Adam Spoerri│adamspoerri@gmail.com Still a project in its infancy phases, the ReThink Factory has plans to renovate the oldest standing brewery in the state sitting on the edge of the Menominee valley with the hopes of creating a green hub for Milwaukee's green organizations and its Layton Avenue community. The ReThink Factory will be a sustainable design school with a focus in Food, Water, Waste and Energy systems. Their primary teaching method will be building Low-tech, passive and open source systems throughout the community with student help and public involvement. Rethink Factory will educate youth about alternative energy, water, and food production and waste reduction systems to create more self-sufficient, sustainable and resilient communities. By demonstrating and producing these systems through hands on design/build workshops and community projects using low-tech, open source technology and design that is accessible and reproducible by the general public. Executive Director Adam Spoerri explains: “I inquired about the building a while back to the Layton Blvd. West Neighbors (LBWN) and they directed me to the property owner. It just so happens that a church was in serious need of design services but could not afford to pay a firm. I assembled a team and we designed a renovation for their new church. They have decided to let us use the other two buildings because we helped them, LBWN doesn’t know what to do with the building and if something doesn’t happen soon the city wants it gone.” The main ReThink Team:
- NJ Unaka-Co-founder : President, Head dreamer - Architecture and Design Education
- Adam Spoerri : Co-founder, Executive Director, Design/build
- James Godsil : Board Member, Social Enterprise and Urban farming
- Daniel Adams : Board Member, Community Organizing and Urban Planning
- George Claudio : Board Member, Church Ministry
Organizations ReThink is in partnerships discussion with...... but many more to come Sweet Water Foundation, Urban Ecology Center, Core El Centro, Groundwork Milwaukee, Marquette, UWM, LBWN |
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TM West Side Power Down News
Article By Greg Banks │Contact Neal Styka │neal.styka@gmail.com Make it happen with us. Transition Milwaukee Westside is making Powerdown Week happen with a varied menu of interesting and fun activities. Many of these are reskilling demonstrations. Some, like the bonfire and potluck on the Washington Park Lagoon Island are being held in conjunction with the Washington Park Urban Ecology Center and will also feature a drum circle. Others, like the Geothermal Home Tour Open House, are happening on location in Wauwatosa. Other events include: concert in the park, a real Facebook wall, food forest preparation and planting in Washington Park and many more.. See event description on the Transition Milwaukee Westside Groups homepage for more details. Reserve the dates now July 7 th – July 15 th. RSVP is very helpful but not entirely necessary. |
 TM Steering Committee Volunteers Earn Time Bank Hours
- Plumber – $150/hr OR 2 hours of organizing a reskilling workshop
- Babysitter - $10/hr OR 3 hours of coordinating a newsletter
- Haircut - $12 OR 1 hour of a neighborhood brainstorming meeting
- Engaging your Community – PRICELESS
Get your stuff in exchange for skilled time, not dollars. Earn Time-Bank Exchange hours for your TM Steering Committee volunteer time. TM is ready to kick-off in a BIG way. And it can’t be a collaborative organization without you. ARE YOU THE NEXT…..?
- NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS LIAISON
- WORKGROUPS LIAISON
- PARTNERSHIPS LIAISON
- MEMBERSHIPS LIAISON
- RESKILLING COORDINATOR
- TIME BANK EXCHANGE LIAISON
- COMMUNICATIONS & PR
- (HUB) MEETINGS COORDINATOR
- EVENTS & PROJECTS COORDINATOR
- ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LIAISON
- FUNDRAISING LIAISON & BOOKKEEPER
- SPEAKERS BUREAU LIAISON
- WEBSITE & IT DESIGNER
- SOCIAL COMMITTEE LIAISON – OR HEART AND SOUL
For Full Liaison Descriptions please go to: http://transitionmilwaukee.org/page/volunteer-1 If you are interested in getting involved in any capacity…please contact: steering.committee@transitionmilwaukee.org |
HUB MEETINGS
Contact: natalie.berland@gmail.com Transition Milwaukee meets on the 4th Monday of each month at the Urban Ecology Center - Riverside. Join us for education and socializing with a great group of people! UPCOMING HUB MEETINGS
- June 25th - Speed Reskilling! Have a skill you would like to share?
- July 23rd - Prepare for the Unexpected
- August 27th - Neighborhood Resilience
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