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Cardedeu en Transició

Last Updated: 727 days ago
Spain

Halfway between Barcelona and Girona, there is a small town called Cardedeu where the world of Transition is beginning to make itself more widely known. To some extent we hope to be pushing on an open door: the town already has a strong network of associations, and a rich cultural calendar. As well as a successful Timebank, of particular note are two initiatives which have been created in just the past three years.

We have a consumer cooperative of 35 families with the ambitious name of Cardedeu Autosuficient (Self-sufficient), the idea being that the members themselves produce as much as possible: so far that is achieved with all the vegetables, bread, soap, muesli, and a part of the eggs. We also have our own collectively hand-sown and hand-reaped organic spelt flour, and all other basic products we buy in are as local, organic, and small-scale as possible.

To assist in the process of (re)learning skills and (re)discovering the joy of simply making and doing the essential things yourself e.g. bread, cheese, clothes, beer, organic gardening, beekeeping, basketry, natural cosmetics, we have the Esbioesfera school. It was there too that some of us spent a rainy November weekend participating in an intense yet inspiring Transition Towns course.

A few weeks before, in the very same room, the first seed had already been sown -or perhaps the first fruit harvested- when the inaugural Transition Berenar (“Afternoon tea”) was held. The concept is an informal, open gathering, where people can get to know each other, and more about the movement, through presentations, group dynamics, and of course shared cake. Every Berenar is organised by new people and different areas ared discussed, last two Berenars we worked on Local Economy for example. We have now celebrated seven such events, and each time we are having to find more and more chairs.

In the meantime, a smaller group has begun meeting more frequently to establish a solid foundation for “Cardedeu en Transició”, and to develop its objectives. To stimulate ideas, we begin the meetings with a pre-dusk walk; the simplest of activities, yet wonderfully fluid in terms of the conversations it generates. The motivation of the group is extremely high, and we are now planning our first projects to apply during Spring-Summer 2014, among them our launching.

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