Transition Milwaukee will host the fifth annual Power Down Week from July 6 to 13 with a series of events and gatherings throughout the city designed to build community and reduce energy usage. Residents, businesses and organizations will set energy-saving and sustainability goals and collaborate as a community on do-it-yourself projects, energy descent concepts, resilience-related workshops and neighborhood parties.

Power Down Week is intended to demonstrate ways Milwaukeeans can empower themselves beyond the use of fossil fuels. So far, events include a honey-tasting and mead-making workshop, potlucks, music jams and “anything goes” performance gatherings, clothing swaps, a permaculture tour, a bird walk, organized group cycling and a no-sew, repurposed T-shirt bag-making workshop. Transition Milwaukee also proposes a no-screen challenge, encouraging people to replace their computer, tablet, phone and television with a week of self-reliance and face-to-face social interaction. Carpooling, cycling, walking and public transportation are encouraged.

Those interested in hosting gatherings or events can post them in the online calendar. Event hosts and Transition Milwaukee will cooperatively promote the events through social media, word of mouth, simple printed materials and local media outlets.

For more information, call 414-339-6992 or visit PowerDownWeek.com.