Freo Living Smarties and Friends
The Freo Living Smarties and Friends Group
One of the most common comments that we get after people finish a Living Smart course is “I want to keep on meeting!”. People enjoy sharing their stories, successes and ideas with likeminded folk.
After presenting a few courses in the local area and reading a lot about Transition Towns where there is a big focus on locals reskilling locals, Shani decided to set up a monthly Freo Living Smarties and Friends Group.
We have been meeting since May 2009 on the first Wednesday of each month from about 7pm until about 9pm. Generally between 20 and 50 people turn up each week. People bring along some food to share with a cuppa.
There is an underlying assumption that people understand the urgency of the twin issues of peak oil and climate change and are keen to work on continuously making their own lives and communities more sustainable – focussing on positive changes.
Every meeting we spend some time reflecting on what we have been doing to make our lives more sustainable, and sharing with others in small groups.
We then hear from a guest speaker who is a local person who has some skills or interest to share that expands upon some of the topics in Living Smart or show how the tips in Living Smart were applied in practice.
Topics we have covered so far have included measuring your home’s power and water consumption, using carbon offsetting for your home and business, going plastic free – a monthly plastic free challenge, how to reduce your household waste to nothing making your own personal care products, Living Smart in the home and work office, keeping chickens in the suburbs, bee keeping, home preserving, and alcohol making. Future plans include session to make a solar cooker, breadmaking, cheese making . . . . .and anything you might like to share.
You do not have to have done a course to join in but you might find it will motivate you to do so!
If you are interested in being on the Freo Living Smarties & Friends email list, you can join here http://thepaintedfish.us1.list-manage1.com/subscribe?u=d30b1bd03c86c09ffa0670d6b&id=dfd98ad7cf
Freo Living Smarties & Friends
First WEDNESDAY of each month Cup of tea from 6:30pm Meeting 7pm
Bring Snacks to share Usually we meet at the Meeting Place in South Fremantle but please check the venue as it does vary!
WEDNESDAY February 1st SEED SAVING
Once you start growing your own food, you soon get interested in saving your own seed. Come and be inspired and learn from Charlie, and hear about his plans for a Fremantle Seed Bank.
SUNDAY March 11th ECOBURBIA CONFERENCE
10am – 4pm Fremantle Town Hall $20 RSVP required
Making Sense of Economic Decline in an Age of Peak Oil A Discussion with Nicole Foss. Shani and Tim have been following Nicole’s work for some time, and feel strongly enough about what she has to say that they have sponsored her to come to Australia. Come and spend the day listening, thinking and sharing with Nicole and other Living Smarties from all over Perth. This is a day not to be missed!
WEDNESDAY April 4th MAKE YOUR OWN . . .
Whether you are worried about additives, wanting to save money or after a way to reduce your plastic use, come along to this session and learn how to make some of those personal care products we use every day – from toothpaste to deodorant, moisturisers to insect repellent. Join Mandy, Shani and others as they share their favourite recipes.
WEDNESDAY May 2nd MAIA MAIA and the BOYA
Maia Maia is a community based greenhouse gas emissions reduction currency system here in WA. The local currency based on these reductions is called a “boya” after rock trading tokens used by the Nyungar people. Come and here Sam Nelson talk about this system and how we can use it as an alternative currency in our community.