December 2007
Hello again. We had loads of positive responses to our first newsletter and you clearly enjoyed yourself because you’re back again for more. Read on friends…
Turn On Turn Off
Isabelle Lemaire documents Even the best brands sometimes
the Red Cross response bow down to big businesses
to Climate Change
This whole newsletter business could be a lot more interactive. If you want to tell us what turns you on or puts you off, email it to jo@otesha.org.uk, along with any other ideas about what you’d like to see in the newsletter.
The Otesha UK Book – First Chapter braves online territories
We’re up, we’re online, we’re away. The first chapter of the amazing, astonishing and awesome Otesha UK Book is now available here.
This chapter's about food, next month we'll be releasing the money chapter into the world wild web.
Now here’s your chance to be immortalized in the Otesha UK Book. Submit your anecdotes of aubergine related antics to barbora@otesha.org.uk.We’ll post them all, every one, up on our website. Every month we’ll randomly select one lucky writer to receive an Otesha Trouble Kit, which will equip you with such goodies as fairtrade organic knickers.
Come next Autumn we’re gonna get a real life publisher to turn it into a real life book. We’ll be picking the very best of your stories for inclusion in the book, so your words could be cast in paper as well as cyberstone.
Lift off for the Otesha Groups Pilot Project
Since September us lucky bods at Otesha have been working with the lovely Briony from AntiApathy and the even lovelier EnviroClub at Goldsmith’s University. They’re our first local community group, the first of many we hope. They want to create a community garden, a space in South London where they can come get their hands mucky and gather together for sowing, growing, reaping, eating and maybe even feasting.
They’re hoping to plant the seeds for lasting links between the transient student population and the rest of the residents. They’ve been spreading the metaphorical muck by going out and asking the community about how they eat, how they’d like to eat and how we might be able to achieve the latter. We’ve been taming the vine, facilitating some of their meetings, focusing their ideas and providing support to make their ideas happen.
This is all part of a wider plan to help get those without outdoor space digging, those without green fingers gardening and generally get everyone munching daily on 5 portions of locally grown, seasonal fruit and veg.
The Everyday Activist
Are you an occasional activist but think you’d like to up the pace?
Michael Norton’s new book The Everyday Activist- Everything You Need to Know to Get Off Your Backside and Make a Difference provides a practical and easy-to-follow plan to help you do just that and has a cover design fit to decorate any bookshelf.
You can also find out more about Michael’s projects on hiswebsite and blogspot, where he can be found writing about such oddments as chopstick bras.
Liz, our correspondent in the Far East
This years UN climate change talks are massively important, as governments will be negotiating the second phase of the Kyoto Protocol.
Liz, Otesha UK’s very own project director, will be out there in Bali, giving the delegates some stick and generally stirring things up.
She’s going as part of the Canadian Youth Delegation and will be reporting back on http://itsgettinghotinhere.org/.
Want to know what else is happening this month?
As ever, put aside a few minutes to take a peek at our events calendar and you will be rewarded with the knowledge of all that’s worth seeing and doing this month. Including the day of climate action on December 8th to coincide with the UN climate change chats in Bali (where our Liz’ll be).
We also want to know where you’re going to be at this month. If you’re planning, hosting or attending an event send it to jo@otesha.org.uk for inclusion on our little patch of the world wide web.
And finally
This month at Otesha, we have mostly been taking long walks and kicking up the leaves.
Once again you’ve been a wonderful audience. We’d like to show our appreciation by letting you share this little piece of email joy (in your otherwise dull and empty inboxes) with your mates. Pass it on and they too can sign up here to receive our monthly musings.
Jo, Barbora & Liz
The Otesha Project UK
www.otesha.org.uk