Poplar Hill Coldstream Resiliency Initiative (PHCRI) is a committee with interest in improving the already vibrant hamlets of Poplar Hill and Coldstream, Ontario through building community projects, sharing knowledge and cooperating towards sustainability.

News & Upcoming Events

Feb 14/11
Farm for a Future Screening on Thursday February 24th at 7:30pm at Poplar Hill Baptist Church

Ever wondered how farming might be different in a world with oil shortages? Since oil would be more expensive, it would mean finding alternatives to the way much of today's agriculture is done. Beyond the problem of fuel for running farm machinery, the very fertilizers and pesticides used on our fields would sky-rocket in price, or become unavailable, since both are sourced from the petroleum industry.

All these increases in the cost of agriculture to farmers would inevitably be passed on to consumers as well. Imagine what this would mean for our grocery bills.

Is a world with oil shortages, or very expensive oil an unlikely nightmare scenario? Many scientists now agree that peak oil - the point at which oil extraction starts to decline – may be upon us in the next few years. This doesn`t mean that gas prices would instantly go up, but it does mean that everyone world-wide will feel the economic principal of 'supply and demand' hitting close to home in the coming years.

In the BBC documentary Farm for a Future, Rebecca Hosking tackles just this issue. She comes from a long line of farmers, and is returning to take over her family farm. Along the way, she learns about the stark conclusions of scientists who predict a reduced amount of oil, and then investigates alternatives to conventional farming, such as permaculture.

Permaculture is an alternate way of growing foods and other useful products using conscious designs based on nature. For instance, an example of a permacultural project would be a 'forest garden,' in which the trees had fruits and nuts, and bushes at lower levels had berries. Below the trees, shade tolerant vegetables could be grown, and on the southwestern side of the forest, sun-loving vegetables.

What: Screening of Farm for a Future (49 minutes) to be followed by discussion
Where: Poplar Hill Baptist Church, 24415 Poplar Hill Rd, just north of Ilderton Rd.
When: Thursday, February 24th, 2011
Time: Doors open at 7:15pm, movie starts at 7:30pm
Contact: phcri08@gmail.com or Rob Read at 519-666-0168

May 7/10
Spring 2010 Newsletter Posted

The PHCRI Newsletter for Spring 2010 is in the mail, and will be arriving at homes in the RR#2 postal area on Monday. This issue has information on upcoming PHCRI events, and exciting news about Poplar Hill/Coldstream becoming an official Transition Town. You can download a copy of the newsletter here.

March 28/10
Richard Heinberg Speaks in London

Heinberg listens to an audience member's comment.

Members of PHCRI attended an evening with Richard Heinberg in London on March 24th. As a Senior Fellow-in-Residence at the Post Carbon Institute, Heinberg is a highly vocal advocate for responsible reactions to Peak Oil and Climate Change.

In an event organized by PostCarbon London at the East Village Coffee House, Heinberg responded to audience questions, and engaged in conversation, speaking about upcoming projects with the Post Carbon Institute, and Transition US, which he is also heavily involved with. Transition US is the national organization related to the same Transition Network that PHCRI is part of.

Heinberg, the author of nine books, many related to Peak Oil and Climate Change, was in London to give a talk on March 25th at the University of Western Ontario called Life After Growth: Why the Economy is Shrinking and What to Do About It.

Heinberg's vision does not focus on pessimistic outcomes, but instead tempers an unflinching realism with the optimistic challenge towards a sustainable future.

PostCarbon London is an organization set-up to assist London and area with understanding and acting on issues surrounding peak oil and global warming. A related group, Transition London, has also emerged, with similar goals to PHCRI.

From left to right: Rob Read, Rob Girard, Richard Heinberg.

 

Past Events

Feb 10 /10
‘In Transition’ Movie Night a Great Success

PHCRI hosted a free movie night on Friday, February 5th, at Valleyview Public School in Coldstream, about community, sustainability, and facing the challenges of peak oil and climate change with a positive attitude.

In Transition, is about the growing number of communities around the world involved with the Transition Network. It spends a small amount of time establishing background information about peak oil and climate change, but mostly focuses on what villages, towns and cities around the world are doing to prepare for a time when there will be less cheap oil available.

Ideas in the movie include growing food locally, including matching people with no land with people with extra land for ‘garden sharing’ projects, operating nurseries focusing specifically on edible and useful trees and plants, getting kids involved with planting community orchards, converting local pubs and restaurants to zero-carbon venues, and even issuing local currency to encourage people to support local businesses.

Over 25 people attended the event, including a mix of local citizens, local politicians, and some visitors from further afield.

We were very happy to see Albert Bannister (Deputy Mayor, Middlesex Centre), and Brian Ritchie (Councilor for Ward 4) attending the event. It means a lot to us that they took the time to come to the event, and see what our group is working towards.

Some of the things we're working towards are building local resiliency through events such as the Coldstream Farmer’s Market, co-sponsored with the Enviro-Friends of Coldstream Conservation Area, and organizing upcoming workshops on topics such as rocket stoves – a type of small easily made stove that reaches high temperatures using only sticks, and brief nature walks on how to recognize local edible wild plants that are both delicious and nutritious.

To learn about upcoming events by email or get involved with PHCRI, please email us. To arrange to borrow In Transition for home-viewing, please contact Rob Read.

 

Jan 12/10
Movie Night: Screening of "In Transition" on February 5, 2010 at 7:15pm in the Valleyview Public School Gymnasium in Coldstream

In Transition, a film about ways that communities can become stronger and more self-reliant, will be screened in the Valleyview Public School Gymnasium in Coldstream on Friday, February 5th with doors opening at 7:15pm and the movie starting at 7:30pm.

The movie recounts the efforts of ‘Transition Towns’ in Britain and around the world to counteract Peak Oil, and to grow their local spirit. The film avoids dwelling on the negative aspects of Climate Change and Peak Oil.  Instead it focuses on the creative solutions and positive outcomes to which these problems can lead.  An open discussion will follow the movie, where people can air their concerns, and talk about ways our communities can come together and plan for a better world.

The film was recently shown in London to a group of approximately one hundred people as an introduction to the group Transition London.  It left people excited about the possibilities of local and community gardens and orchards, sharing expertise and knowledge with other people in the community, buying and trading local products and using local services.

Contact Rob Read at 519-666-0168 for further details, or if you can't attend the movie night, but would like to make arrangements to see the film.

 

Sept 27/09
PHCRI Presentation Night on Saturday, October 17, 2009 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Join us at the Quaker Meeting House (359 Quaker Lane) for a screening of The Power of Community. This inspiring movie is about Cuba since the fall of the USSR, with a focus on how they survived a shortage of oil imports. Afterwards there will be a discussion about how to strengthen our own community. Refreshments provided.

Sept 27/09
New website launched!