This month I've been watching talks on TED which provides a huge reservoir of riveting talks by inspiring people, in the know... for free! I especially recommend the talks under the 'greener future' section

and I have been harvesting no end of vegetables from our garden! its harvest time!

I've been watching the story of stuff ... a wonderful, clear animation thats brilliantly researched and a little worrying to hear! highly recommended.

I've been reading all about natural beekeeping methods... fascinating stuff! and bees are surprisingly easy to keep... and ever so important!

Cheriton Bishop's New Sustainability Group

Cheriton Bishop has a new sustainability group (SEARCH - saving energy and resources in Cheriton).

CCA applauds Cheriton Bishop for setting up this group and offers them our congratulations on getting started and any help we can give to their continued success.

The Group will be showing two films in Cheriton Bishop Village Hall: Power of the Community and Farm for the Future

Jessie's book and film spot

Many of you will know Jessie Watson Browne who ran the Green House in Crediton with her sister Milly so well at the beginning of 2009 whilst their parents were on an extended trip. Jessie now has a fantastic new job at Embercombe in S. Devon and we send her our congratulations and best wishes for a successful career. She has agreed to continue her book and film spot for us. This month's contributions are:

This will now be a regular little spot on new books and films related to Transition Culture you might like to know about

"I had the idea of recommending a book/book reviewing (And along these lines... I thought a quick online film recommendation might be good too. I find them very inspiring sometimes....)

this month we've mostly been...

watching: Tipping Point Ahead - a great animation about the state we are in with some really clear information and positive messages!

reading: 'Wild Food' by Roger Phillips... and having a good forage for supper! its easier than you think, and the result couldn't get much more local!

eating: the foraged food! Nettle soup anyone?"

The Sustainable Communities Act (SCA) came into law in October 2008. Using the SCA people can ask the government to devolve powers to local communities and councils to promote the sustainability of their local area. Sustainability is defined very broadly and can cover anything which could improve the economic, social or environmental well-being of the area. After lobbying by CCA among others, MDDC have opted into the Act and have set up a process for handling proposals from the general public. A guide to the SCA can be here.

Here is what Peter Hare-Scott, Leader of MDDC, has to say:

"The Council recognises the opportunity that the Act presents to individuals and local groups to put forward proposals that could really make a difference in their local communities. The Council has formally opted into the Act and has asked the Local Strategic Partnership to help us to collect and appraise proposals. We are asking people to submit proposals by 31^st May so that they can be processed before the July deadline. 

Once the proposals have been collated and checked against the Act's criteria, they will be put to Mid Devon Citizen's Panel, a representative group of Mid Devon residents, in early June.  The prioritised list will then go before the Mid Devon Strategic Partnership in July for them to recommend to the Council which proposals should be submitted. Finally, proposals will be submitted to the Local Government Association (LGA) before 31^st July 2009. It is the LGA's role to consider proposals made under the Act and in co-operation with the Secretary of State, to draw up a short-list to act upon.

If you or your group are thinking about submitting a proposal please contact John Bodley Scott on 01884 234363 or email jbodleyscott@middevon.gov..uk so he register your interest and discuss your ideas with you."

The deadline for 2009 is only just over a month away. If you have any proposals you can of course submit them directly to the Council, or alternatively you can contact us and we will review the idea with the CCA steering group before the deadline. The Steering Group feels submitting a proposal would be a good opportunity to test the effectiveness of the process set up by MDDC and the government.

There has been a lot of discussion recently about whether CCA's current name is appropriate for a Transition Town Initiative which encompasses more than just climate change awareness. We would like to know your views before any action is taken. Below are some suggestions for new names but the list is not exhaustive and you may be able to think of something catchy and great not listed here. You may however think CCA is just fine and we should stick with it. If you would like to comment in any way please contact us.

Some suggestions below with abbreviations:

• Carbon Neutral Crediton CNC
• Carbon Neutral Crediton- a Transition Town CNC
• Green Crediton - Transition Town
• GCTT, Crediton - Going Local CGL
• Crediton Carbon Revolution CCR
• Crediton - Building Community Resilience CBCR
• Transition Town Crediton TTC
• Sustainable Crediton, Sustainability Crediton SC
• Crediton - Transition Town CTT
• Crediton Transition Initiative CTI
• Zero Carbon Crediton ZCC
• Towards Transition - Crediton TTC
• Crediton Climate Action CCA
• Crediton Climate Action Now, Crediton CAN
• Crediton in Transition CIT
• Future Proof Crediton FPC
• Crediton - Go Zero CGZ
• Low Carbon Crediton LCC
• Crediton Lets Live Local CLLL

If the Group's name is eventually changed, it has been mentioned that the name Crediton Climate Action need not be lost as the climate action aspects of the Group can be retained as a sub-group.