Reimagine our town, rebuild our world

Taking action on climate change is now critical. At Transition Town Lewes in East Sussex, we believe that, by working together as a local community, we can find brilliant and inspiring ways to reduce our contribution to global warming, manage our impact on the planet – and help our town to thrive.

‘Transition Town Lewes’ simply means we’re working to transform our town into a community that isn’t reliant on fossil fuels and that can live, work and feed itself in ways that support, rather than damage, our natural world.

We run projects, provide information and host talks and workshops to enable everyone do their bit to tackle the challenges our world faces. Check out what we’re doing – and come and join us!

News

Lewes’ Warm Home Box gets funding!


Lewes’ Warm Home Box gets funding!


Lewes’ Warm Home Box gets funding!
 We’re delighted to say that the Warm Home Box initiative featured in last month’s TTL News got enough votes to get funding. Big thanks to all TTL supporters who voted for it.

 In February, Ouse Valley CARES, the National...

One-to-one Energy Help & Advice

One-to-one Energy Help & Advice

One-to-one Energy Help & Advice Fridays 4, 11 & 18 February, various venues, FREE  Lewes Climate Hub and community energy company Ovesco are running three more of their free energy bill support drop-in sessions this month – and Ovesco has lots more plans to...

Why are energy prices rising so steeply?

Why are energy prices rising so steeply?

Why are energy prices rising so steeply? Shocking increases in household energy bills are due this Spring – but why are gas and electricity prices rising so fast? TTL’s Kirsten Firth answers some key questions How much are energy prices set to rise? The natural gas...

Help with heating

Help with heating

Help with heating As heating prices rise, TTL’s Ann Link offers a round-up of support in Lewes to help keep your home warm and cosy – from financial assistance to learning draughtproofing skills. Warm Home Check service This service, run by Citizens’ Advice and East...

The natural benefits of community solar farms

The natural benefits of community solar farms

The natural benefits of community solar farms As local community energy company Ovesco puts forward its proposals for a community-owned solar farm near Ringmer with the potential to generate enough power for 4,000 homes, Ovesco director Patrick Crawford explains the...

Want to borrow a thermal imaging camera?

Want to borrow a thermal imaging camera?

Want to borrow a thermal imaging camera? Ovesco has acquired a thermal imaging camera to help with its work promoting better insulation. And it’s inviting Lewes businesses and community groups to borrow it to help see how well-insulated their homes or premises really...

Lewes’s favourite green podcasts

In lockdown, podcasts are proving a great way to be inspired, get new ideas and learn from others’ real-life experiences – especially when it comes to taking action on climate change. So we asked seven of Lewes’s environmental movers and shakers what they’re listening to.

Helen Meade - Programme Manager, Railway Land Wildlife Trust

Mothers of Invention – episodes 55 mins
One podcast I have been really enjoying recently is Mothers of Invention. It covers everything from the crucial role of indigenous communities to how microbes can help in carbon capture, with great humanity and a good dose of humour.

The Wild – episodes 10 mins-30 mins
I’ve never been very good at picking favourites, so would also mention The Wild with Chris Morgan, especially the fabulous soundscape episodes, which are like a balm for the soul.

Tim Rabjohns - Plastic Free Lewes and Lewes Open Eco Houses

 

How To Save a Planet – episodes 45-60 mins
I really like this podcast partly because the two presenters are very personable but also because they look at climate issues in a very human way.  For example the episode called ‘Trying To Talk To Your Family About Climate Change? Here’s how.’ – is something that I struggle with and they illustrated the point by interviewing a US senator and his son.  The former is very conservative and was anti climate change at first and his son talks about how he won him over, over time.  They also give practical tips in the show notes

There are many good episodes, including Breaking Building’s Addiction To Fossil Fuels, where a business man retrains to offer financial products for the greening of buildings affordable to low-income households in New York

People Fixing The World – episodes 25 mins
This show is not only about the environment, but many of the episodes are about solutions people have found to specific environmental issues e.g. saving Dolphins in Cape Cod, new solar technology, solar railways, building with fungi etc.  I always come away having learnt something and feeling better because I know the solutions are out there. Friendly, no nonsense style that you’d expect from the BBC!

Mark Engineer – Organiser, Extinction Rebellion Lewes

The End Of The World Has Already Happened – episodes 28 mins
Don’t be put off by the title! This BBC three-parter is a lot more positive that it sounds. Actually, that’s not true. It pulls no punches about the fact we’re in deep trouble. Which is fine – because we’re in deep trouble. But it’s not without hope, and is particularly interesting on dealing psychologically with the scale of the crisis and the helplessness we all feel. Plus some William Blake poetry.

Lesley Healey – Director, Common Cause Cooperative

What Planet Are We On?episodes 60 mins
This series presented by Liz Bonnin talks about solutions. Not pie in the sky, far in the future things (though they often get a mention), but practical actions on lots of different fronts that will make a difference to our planet and our ability to occupy it kindly and carefully. More to the point, things that individuals can achieve.

English Pastoral – episodes 14 mins
I also recommend listening to ‘English Pastoral’ by James Rebanks, farmer and author of the best-selling ‘A Shepherd’s Life’. I was just about teenaged when the farmer ripped out the hedges and trees along the field behind our house to make one enormous field. Sitting crouched under piled up straw bales, listening to the mice is a cherished childhood memory and one that I hope future children may experience.

Matthew Bird - Cabinet Member for Sustainability, Lewes District Council; Climate Lead at Sussex Wildlife Trust

The Climate Question on the World Service is wide ranging and very listenable. I listen to Costing the Earth regularly which picks some really interesting subjects and Crossing Continents has the odd climate change episode from a Finnish perspective or something!

I’m really interested in climate adaptation as I don’t think there’s enough public examination of what we need to do now to deal with locked-in climate change. Listened to a few episodes of America Adapts which annoys me in style as much as it interests me in content! Generally I watch/listen to Ted Talks especially the two Georges, Monbiot and Marshall!

Audrey Jarvis - Chairperson of Friends of Lewes Trees Committee, Lewes Urban Arboretum

Tweet of the Day – episodes 5 mins
I enjoy Tweet of the Day, BBC Radio 4 and available on Sounds as a back catalogue. I like it because it reminds me of how good it is to be out and about in Lewes and hear and see the birds singing.

Dinah Morgan – Management team, Lewes Climate Hub

George Monbiot – The invisible ideology – Part 1- Consumerism, capitalism and neo-liberalism – 47 mins

Not a podcast per se, but I strongly recommend this talk by George Monbiot recorded in February 2020 exploring the forces that have led to the dire state our world is in.  In three-quarters of an hour, it explained so much that was just an unclear shape in my mind and turned it into a coherent form. As usual Monbiot was eloquent with loads of interesting references. I cannot recommend it enough!