JiT in July

The filmnight this month has a money and business theme. If you've ever wondered where all the money goes, or if there don't seem to be enough hours in the day to earn it, spend it, and pay all the bills, there might be some vital information for you in one or more of the three films. As usual, there'll be two short films starting at 7.30 pm (don't be late), followed by a 20 minute tea and chat break before the main feature starts. And of course, there's more tea and chat afterwards for those who want to mingle.

• Grow your own fruit and veg - Tuesday 2 July, 7.30 - 9.00 pm at  La Source, Le Mont Vibert, St Ouen, JE3 2DS. Christine says:  We should be really starting to see the result of our labour by now, lots of veg are ready to be harvested. http://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=49.2371&mlon=-2.1865&zoom=15
• Eco-transport in Jersey - Monday 8 July, 6.30 - 7.30 pm at the Curiosity Coffee Shop, 14 Sand St, St Helier. This meeting is to inspire ideas and discussion into ways to improve and make our transport system more eco-friendly here in Jersey. All initiatives, and ideas, big or small, are welcome!! Its good to meet with like minded, eco-aware people, so come along. All welcome
• Jersey Climate Action Network (J-CAN) monthly meeting - Tuesday 9 July, 8.00 pm at Frances Le Sueur Centre, Les Mielles, St. Ouen's Bay. Jersey Air Quality Strategy and Action Plan (R.49/2013): to consider this recently published report, and the links between air quality and climate change. Campaigns and activities: to discuss campaigns and activities, including Transport Policy, Renewable Energy, and Recycling.
  http://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=49.226&mlon=-2.2284&zoom=14
• Occupy Love Meditation - Monday 15 July, 6.00 - 6.45 pm at Liberation Square, St Helier. Inspired by last month's JiT Filmnight film, you are invited to join us in Occupy Love Meditation: "Be the change you want to see in the World" - Mahatma Gandhi.
  18:00 to 18:30 - Sitting meditation, in your own style. This is entirely optional: we invite you to meditate on your heartfelt wish for well-being, peace and happiness for yourself and for all beings; breathing in love into your heart, breathing out love out from your heart; love for yourself, love for all beings. 18:30 to 18:40 - Optional sound bath: You can use any mantra or sound, for example, Om, Ah, Ong, Nah or any other sound that calls you personally. If you choose to move closer to one another, donate your physical presence, your positive energy and your voice. It's also a lot of fun and just sounds awesome to everyone around. You are welcome to come to the entire event or you can come for part of it. You can meditate the entire time, or you can chill and bask in the peace. Please feel free to bring your own cushion or stall for sitting meditation. Bring everyone! This is going to be a beautiful event that we will all remember! This is an event open to everyone, all ages, from every path, experienced or not. Let us come together as One Community. This is a movement that our entire world is creating together as one unified force to set the momentum for the future of our planet! "If you are a Buddhist, please come. If you are a Christian please come. If you are Jewish, Muslim, or belong to or identify with any other religions, creed or peace organization, please come. We shall learn together that wrong perceptions of self and others
  are at the foundation of separation, fear, hate, and violence; and that
  togetherness and collaboration is possible." - Thich Nhat Hanh
  
• Filmnight: Money as Debt 3 - Evolution Beyond Money  (2011, 62 mins) - Saturday 20 July, 7.30 - 9.30 pm at Communicare, Quennevais Rd, St Brelade. Paul Grignon's film presents an attractive picture of how money could work in the future. It is full of surprising specifics for creating a nurturing economy using technologies that exist right now. It demonstrates in simple terms why our primitive concept of money as a "single uniform commodity" is a root cause of dysfunction and injustice. The film illustrates in extensive and entertaining detail how a fundamental change how a fundamental change in our long-held concept of money, paired with recent breakthroughs in technology, opens the door to a liberated, self-balancing global "money" backed by real value and open to all. Preceded by Heart in Business and What the Economic Crisis Really Means, two short films with different but similar takes on the same subject. Free teas and coffees. All welcome.
  
• JiT General Meeting - Wednesday 24 July, 7.30 - 9.00 pm in 'The Boardroom', The Townhouse, New St, St Helier. This is where we plan and discuss, and hear 'News from the groups'. If you have ideas for events, activities, groups or campaigns, please come along. All welcome.
• Grow your own fruit and veg - Thursday 25 July, 2.00 pm. Meet in the car park of Durrell Wildlife Park, Les Augrès Manor, La Profonde Rue, Trinity. Christine says: I've arranged a zoo visit to look at how they grow the food for the animals.  It's organic, they have polytunnels and sound pleased to have us. All welcome. 
• Qi Gong Walk and Talk, Maz Heaney - Sunday 28th July, 11.30 am - 12.30 pm, tea and chat 12.30 - 1.00 at Les Platons. Directions: drive past Trinity Church past the old Trinity Stores, take the next left , then next right, then first left. Car parking on the left, Qi Gong on the ''lawn'' area on the right. The Qi Gong walk and talk is limited to 16 people, please message Maz on Facebook or email maz@bobheaney.com to register. Please wear comfortable shoes and clothing, depending on the weather you may need a sunhat or raincoat in these unusual weather times. Chinese tea and chat afterwards ;o) Should the weather be really bad Maz will let people know via Facebook or email. Qi Gong is an ancient Chinese exercise system for health and vitality. Gentle movements are linked to the breath and the flow of Qi. Qi is the Chinese word for '' life energy'' and Gong means ''work'' or ''benefits acquired through perseverance and practice''. The exercises are designed to massage the internal organs enabling them to function at their optimum whilst increasing the level of oxygen around the body. Maz has been practicing Qi Gong and Tai Chi for 15 years and has also visited China for further training.
  
• Green Drinks - Tuesday 30 July, 7.30 - 9.00 pm The Townhouse, New St, St Helier. No agenda, no hassle. Put your feet up among like-minded folk, and chat about the stuff that matters.

Upcycling is talking a well-earned summer break, and will be back in action in September.

There is a worldwide 'United Global Monsanto Mega March' on Saturday 20 July. Quite a few of us joined the similar 'March Against Monsanto' in St Helier in May, and this will be bigger and better. I'm not sure what is planned in Jersey yet, but there will be more details on Facebook nearer the time.

JiT in January

There is plenty going on below to stimulate any Beginner's Mind. We continue to look for positive, fun and practical things to do, to sow the seeds and tend the shoots of a kinder, more skilful, more resilient and more self-reliant island community.

• J-CAN monthly meeting - Tuesday 8 January, 8.00 - 9.30 pm at the Town House, New St, St Helier. Energy White Paper; Transport Policy; Energy audits; Campaigns and Activities; J-CAN website and newsletter
  
• Upcycling (sewing) - Thursday 10 January, 6.30 - 9.00 pm at the Harbour Gallery, St Aubin.     New creative ideas for 2013? Come along and enjoy MAKING something, professional advice, chat and laughter. It is important that you book in with Kirsten, so that she knows approximate numbers,  via Facebook, or by e-mail at atlanticblueuk@aol.com
• J-CAN talk: Electric Cars: The Future for Jersey? - Tuesday 15 January, 8.00 - 9.30 pm in the Members’ Room, Société Jersiaise, Pier Road, St. Helier. Kevin Sharpe of Zero Carbon World ( http://www.zerocarbonworld.org/) will talk about the importance of electric transport in a low-carbon strategy, and the particular relevance of electric vehicles to an island such as Jersey.
  
• Green Drinks - Thursday 17 January, 7.30 - 9.00 pm at the Town House, New St, St Helier. Start the New Year with a quiet drink, chatting with like-minded and friendly people, in front of the open fire. What could be better?
  
• JiT Talk: The big picture and YOU - Saturday 19 January, 7.30 - 9.00 pm in the Cafe, Communicare, Quennevais Rd, St Brelade. A talk by James Williams. James was a friend of the late John Seymour and helped John on some of his projects. He also worked at the Tibetan Farm School, set up to teach Tibetan refugees subsistence farming. James became a follower of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and meditated at least an hour every single day for over thirty years. He bought a nine acre property in Hereford and grew crops using the Bio Dynamic method. In his talk James would like to share a point of view that is not commonly held. He now lives in St Brelade, with his wife of over fifty five years and is a keen organic gardener.
  
• Open Meditation - Wednesday 23 January, 6.00 - 6.40 pm under cover at Liberty Wharf, or outside in Liberation Square if the weather if fine. Thirty minutes of silent meditation followed by ten minutes of sound bath - please bring your voices, singing bowls, chimes. Bring a candle, bring your own cushion or stall for sitting. Everyone welcome, all ages, from every path, experienced in meditation or not.
• JiT General Meeting - Wednesday 23 January, 7.30 - 9.00 pm, in 'The Boardroom', The Town House, New St, St Helier. Minutes of the last meeting are attached here, as always. Everyone welcome.
• JiT Filmnight: Home (2009) 93 mins. - Saturday 26 January, 7.30 - 9.30 pm in the Cafe, Communicare, Quennevais Rd, St Brelade. Moving and visually stunning footage, all shot from an aerial perspective. Yann Arthus–Bertrand shares with us his sense of awe about our planet and his concern for its health. "In the past 200,000 years, humans have upset the balance of planet Earth, a balance established by nearly four billion years of evolution. We must act now... The price is too high." A symphony of beautiful music throughout written by Armand Amar.
  

Everyone is welcome at all these events. There is no charge for any of them, and where we can, we make free refreshments available.

Jersey in Transition (JiT) December

• Green Drinks - Thursday 6 December, 7.30 - 9.30 pm at the Town House, New St, St Helier. Drinks and a chat in front of the open fire. Eco this and climate that, Christmas is coming and we're all getting fat. Bag of crisps anyone?
  
• Open Meditation - Tuesday 11 December, 6.00 - 6.40 pm under cover at Liberty Wharf, or outside in Liberation Square if the weather is fine and if people prefer. Thirty minutes of silent sitting followed by ten minutes of sound bath. Please bring your voices, your mantras, singing bowls, chimes, bring a candle, bring your cushion or stall for sitting meditation. Bring everyone! A moment of stillness at the turn of the year... Everyone welcome, all ages, from every path, experienced in meditation or not.
• J-CAN monthly meeting - Tuesday 11 December, 8.00 - 9.30 pm at the Town House, New St, St Helier.
• Upcycling (sewing) - Thursday 13 December, 6.30 - 8.30 pm at the Harbour Gallery, St Aubin. Finish your handmade Christmas presents and decorations. As always, it is important that you book in with Kirsten, so that she knows approximate numbers, either by phone 485976, via Facebook, or by e-mail at atlanticblueuk@aol.com
• Giving Table - Saturday 15 December, 10.00 am - 3.00 pm, at the junction of Don St and King St, St Helier. Our Christmas gifts for weary Christmas shoppers. We need your unwanted items - good things that you no longer use, but which will make somebody happy this year as they give them a new life. Please bring items to give either at the start, from 9.30 am while we're setting up, or at any time during the day directly to the stall. You can also give items in advance either to Ruth or to Anna . Ruth is also organising a rota for the day to man the stall - please contact her by phone, e-mail or via Facebook if you can help for an hour. Last year, this was a joy and it worked very well.
• JiT General Meeting - Tuesday 18 December, 7.30 pm, in 'The Boardroom', The Town House, New St, St Helier. Minutes of the last meeting are attached here, as always. Everyone welcome.
  
• Film - Chasing Ice - Thursday 20 December, 8.00 pm, at the Jersey Arts Centre, Phillips Street, St Helier. Acclaimed photographer James Balog discovers undeniable evidence of our changing planet. "You've never seen images like this before... It deserves to be seen and felt on the big screen" says Robert Redford. Travelling with a team of young adventurers across the brutal Arctic, Balog risks his career and his well-being in pursuit of the biggest story facing humanity. As the politicians dawdle and the intensity of natural disasters ramps up globally, Chasing Ice (76 mins) depicts a heroic photojournalist on a mission to deliver fragile hope to our carbon-powered planet. Admission: £3, with an optional donation of £1.50. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to Jersey in Transition and sponsorship for event was kindly provided by the Jersey Cooperative Society. Bring family, friends and colleagues.
  
• Yule Celebration - Friday 21 December, 6.30 - 9.00 pm, in The Press Room, The Elms, La Chéve Rue, at the top of St Peter’s Valley. All are welcome. Bring food and drink for yourselves or to share, bring 'plate bags' with whatever plates, bowls, cutlery, mugs or glasses that you need (and don't forget to take them all away with you at the end!) Bring good cheer and merriment, and we'll provide the twinkling candles, green decorations, music, teas, kettles, and somehow we'll all have a great time. Please leave quietly and promptly as there are residents and families in the other buildings.
• Talk - Marine Conservation Zones - Thursday 27 December, 7.30 - 9.00 pm in the Café, Communicare, Quennevais Rd, St Brelade.  JiT member Sam Andrews also works on behalf of the Marine Conservation Society. In 2009, a network of marine conservation zones was proposed around the UK, including Jersey. These zones are a way of ensuring healthy, productive seas for everyone because they help control activities that are damaging so much of oceans, and rebuild damaged habitats and populations. She will talk about how they work, the challenges faced, and why we all need to stay informed and to care about our precious marine environment. Shake of the fug of Christmas and get your brain cells working again!

Jersey in Transition October

Following on from the Transition Conference, and the last General Meeting where we discussed it all, this month marks the first steps of a local REconomy initiative. This will be a new group within JiT centred around people who want to start, or have started, a local business with a Transition ethos to it. This could be self-employment, a partnership, or a co-operative. It should be low on imports, low on crude oil and its products, and provide good honest products or services in exchange for good honest money. How many people in Jersey are either unemployed or stuck in a job that does nothing either for the greater good of the Island, or for their self-respect? How many people in JiT are either thinking of it, or already have a sustainable business running? Come along on Monday the 22nd so we can see who's interested, and build on this exciting vision for a rich and sustainable local economy.

• Meditation Flash Mob. Tuesday 9 October 6.00 - 6.40 pm, Liberation Square, St Helier. 30 minutes of silent meditation followed by 10 minutes of sound bath - please bring your voices, your mantras, singing bowls, chimes, bring a candle, bring your cushion or stall for sitting meditation. Bring Everyone! Let us come together as One Community... as ONE... This is an event open to everyone, all ages, from every path, experienced in meditation or not.
  
• J-CAN Monthly Meeting. Tuesday 9 October, 8.00 pm, The Town House, New St, St Helier. The Jersey Climate Action Network have moved their monthly meetings back into town for the winter. Their agenda is attached.
• Upcycling. Thursday 11 October, 7.00 - 8.30 pm, Upstairs at the Harbour Gallery, St Aubin. Sewing machines and magic with Kirsten. If you want to take part, please contact Kirsten either via Facebook or by e-mail at atlanticblueuk@aol.com
• Free hugs. Saturday 13 October, 10.30 am - 1.30 pm, King St, St Helier. Come and help spread some love and kindness in town. For every hug you give, you get one free! It's fun and worthwhile once you break the ice, and we really know how to break ice.
• Cider making. Saturday 13 October, 2.30 pm starting at Hampton Villa, La Rue du Douet de Rue, St Lawrence in the orchard, and moving on to La Robeline, St. Ouen, where the cider is actually produced. Jersey Organic Association member Sarah Matlock has kindly agreed to show JOA supporters and friends how organic cider is produced, and has kindly extended this invitation to include supporters of Jersey in Transition. Sarah and her husband Richard will talk us through the production process, and there will also be an opportunity to sample the product for those so inclined. We are advised that Morris dancers will hopefully also be there to add to the atmosphere.
  Parking is limited at both Hampton Villa and La Robeline, and you are therefore asked to share cars if possible. Directions for Hampton Villa: From Carrefour Selous, take La Rue Sara (the road that runs between the front of David Hick Antiques/Laura Ashley shop on the left and the Carrefour Selous Health/Fitness club on the right) then take the left/immediate right (in other words, go straight on) into La Rue du Douet de Rue.  Hampton Villa is on the right hand side about 1/4 mile down the road.
• JiT General Meeting. Thursday 18 October, 7.30 - 9.30 pm, "The Board Room", The Town House, New St, St Helier. Hear the latest news from all the JiT groups, and help to make the plans that steer JiT into the future. All welcome. 
• Green Drinks. Friday 19 October, 7.30 - 9.00 pm, The Town House, New St, St Helier. The informal, kick-back time when we can relax and chat together over a drink. Ask questions, have ideas, make friends, laugh.
  
• REconomy inaugural meeting. Monday 22 October, 7.30 - 9.00 pm, St Brelade's Youth Project, Communicare, Quennevais Rd, St Brelade. There will be a plan in place in time for this evening, I'm just not sure what it is yet. I'm talking (and listening!) to people in the meantime about the details. Please come along if you are interested in the proposal in general. I hope that this, alongside everything else we already do, can rejuvenate the interest of lots of people, and should bring in many of those who have been hovering around the edges of JiT for some time, interested but not sure whether to get more fully involved. If that describes you a bit, we'd really love to see you there, and hear your thoughts.
• JiT Film Night. Saturday 27 October, 7.30 - 9.00 pm, St Brelade's Youth Project, Communicare, Quennevais Rd, St Brelade. The last Fishermen ‎"You're going to lose all the knowledge that's been handed down, and that you'll never get back... When it's too late, people'll think, 'Oh! We should've helped them', but it's too bloody late then" (5 mins). Followed by Future Permaculture in Britain, a BBC Natural World documentary from 2009. With her father close to retirement, Rebecca returns to her family's wildlife-friendly farm in Devon, to become the next generation to farm the land. But last year's high fuel prices were a wake-up call for Rebecca. Realising that all food production in the UK is completely dependent on abundant cheap fossil fuel, particularly oil, she sets out to discover just how secure this oil supply is. Alarmed by the answers, she explores ways of farming without using fossil fuel. With the help of pioneering farmers and growers, Rebecca learns that it is actually nature that holds the key to farming in a low-energy future. (48 mins).