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They are Joining the Transition Movement
The movement is comprised of communities that are making the Transition away from oil dependency and towards local resilience.
But how did we get here?
With the most recent research and data, we can begin to clearly coalesce and identify Three (3) distinct crises barreling our way. Each of them on their own are daunting, and require immediate action. Put together, they will pose the greatest challenge that this generation has ever faced.
Many are beginning to call it…
Economic InstabilityEconomic Instability
Peak OilPeak Oil
Climate ChangeClimate Change
““The Long Emergency is an opportunity to The Long Emergency is an opportunity to pause, to think through our present course, pause, to think through our present course,
and to adjust to a saner path for the future. We and to adjust to a saner path for the future. We had best face facts: we really have no choice. had best face facts: we really have no choice.
The Long Emergency is a horrible predicament. The Long Emergency is a horrible predicament. It is also a wonderful opportunity to do a lot It is also a wonderful opportunity to do a lot
better. Let’s not squander this moment.”better. Let’s not squander this moment.”
——Albert Bates (paraphrased)Albert Bates (paraphrased)The Post Petroleum Survival Guide and CookbookThe Post Petroleum Survival Guide and Cookbook
The challenge of global climate change The challenge of global climate change makes a shift away from fossil fuels makes a shift away from fossil fuels necessary for planetary survival.necessary for planetary survival.
The impending peak in oil and gas The impending peak in oil and gas production means that the transition is production means that the transition is inevitable.inevitable.
Our only choice is whether to proactively Our only choice is whether to proactively undertake the transition now—or later.undertake the transition now—or later.
For all those aspects of life that this For all those aspects of life that this community needs to sustain itself and community needs to sustain itself and thrive, how do we:thrive, how do we:
Dramatically reduce carbon emissionsDramatically reduce carbon emissions
(in response to climate change);(in response to climate change);
Significantly increase resilience Significantly increase resilience
(in response to peak oil);(in response to peak oil);
Greatly strengthen our local economy Greatly strengthen our local economy
(in response to economic instability)?(in response to economic instability)?
Life with less energy is inevitable, and it is Life with less energy is inevitable, and it is better to plan for it than be taken by better to plan for it than be taken by surprise.surprise.
We have lost the resilience to be able to We have lost the resilience to be able to cope with energy shocks.cope with energy shocks.
We have to act for ourselves and we have We have to act for ourselves and we have to act now.to act now.
By unleashing the collective genius of the By unleashing the collective genius of the community we can design ways of living community we can design ways of living that are more enriching, satisfying and that are more enriching, satisfying and connected.connected.
““I believe that a lower-energy, more localized I believe that a lower-energy, more localized future, in which we move from being future, in which we move from being consumers to being producer/consumers, consumers to being producer/consumers, where food, energy and other essentials are where food, energy and other essentials are locally produced, local economies are locally produced, local economies are strengthened and we have learned to live more strengthened and we have learned to live more within our means is a step towards something within our means is a step towards something extraordinary, not a step away from something extraordinary, not a step away from something inherently irreplaceable.” inherently irreplaceable.”
——Rob HopkinsRob HopkinsThe Transition HandbookThe Transition Handbook
……A creative, engaging, playful process, A creative, engaging, playful process, wherein we support our communities through wherein we support our communities through the loss of the familiar and inspire and create the loss of the familiar and inspire and create
a new lower energy infrastructure which is a new lower energy infrastructure which is ultimately an improvement on the present.ultimately an improvement on the present.
Local production of food, energy and goodsLocal production of food, energy and goods Local development of currency, government Local development of currency, government
and cultureand culture Reducing consumption while improving Reducing consumption while improving
environmental and social conditionsenvironmental and social conditions Developing an exemplary community that Developing an exemplary community that
can be a working model for other can be a working model for other communities when the effects of energy communities when the effects of energy decline become more intensedecline become more intense
Percentage of food consumed Percentage of food consumed locally that was produced locally that was produced within a given radiuswithin a given radius
Ratio of car parking space to Ratio of car parking space to productive land useproductive land use
Degree of engagement in Degree of engagement in practical relocalization work practical relocalization work by local communityby local community
Amount of traffic on local Amount of traffic on local roadsroads
Number of businesses owned Number of businesses owned by local peopleby local people
Percentage of local trade Percentage of local trade carried out in local currencycarried out in local currency
Proportion of the community Proportion of the community employed locallyemployed locally
Percentage of essential goods Percentage of essential goods manufactured within a given manufactured within a given radiusradius
Percentage of local building Percentage of local building materials used in new materials used in new housing developmentshousing developments
Number of 16-year-olds able Number of 16-year-olds able to grow 10 different varieties to grow 10 different varieties of vegetables to a given of vegetables to a given degree of basic competencydegree of basic competency
Percentage of medicines Percentage of medicines prescribed locally that have prescribed locally that have been produced within a given been produced within a given radiusradius
Care of the EarthCare of the Earth——rebuild natural capitalrebuild natural capital
Care of PeopleCare of People—look —look after self, kin and after self, kin and communitycommunity
Fair ShareFair Share—set limits —set limits to consumption and to consumption and reproduction, and reproduction, and redistribute surplusredistribute surplus
“…“…I have become fascinated by how we apply I have become fascinated by how we apply these principles to whole towns, whole these principles to whole towns, whole
settlements, and in particular, to how we settlements, and in particular, to how we design this transition in such a way that people design this transition in such a way that people
will embrace it as a common journey, as a will embrace it as a common journey, as a collective adventure, as something positive… collective adventure, as something positive… How can we design descent pathways which How can we design descent pathways which make people feel alive, positive and included make people feel alive, positive and included in this process of societal transformation?”in this process of societal transformation?”
——Rob HopkinsRob Hopkins
Our Our visionvision is a future where life is more socially is a future where life is more socially connected, more meaningful and satisfying, more connected, more meaningful and satisfying, more sustainable, and more equitable in a greater sustainable, and more equitable in a greater community of relocalized communities…community of relocalized communities…
Where production and consumption occur closer to Where production and consumption occur closer to home…home…
Where long and fragile supply chains—now Where long and fragile supply chains—now vulnerable to surges in oil prices and economic vulnerable to surges in oil prices and economic volatility—have been replaced by interconnected volatility—have been replaced by interconnected local networks…local networks…
Where the total amount of energy consumed by Where the total amount of energy consumed by businesses and citizens is dramatically less than businesses and citizens is dramatically less than current unsustainable levels…current unsustainable levels…
Set up an initiating Set up an initiating groupgroup
Raise awarenessRaise awareness Lay the foundations Lay the foundations
(partnering)(partnering) Organize a Great Organize a Great
UnleashingUnleashing Form groupsForm groups Use Open Space Use Open Space
TechnologyTechnology Develop visible, Develop visible,
practical projectspractical projects
Facilitate the Great Facilitate the Great ReskillingReskilling
Build bridges to local Build bridges to local governmentgovernment
Honor and engage Honor and engage the eldersthe elders
Create an Energy Create an Energy Descent Action Plan Descent Action Plan (EDAP)(EDAP)
Let it go where it Let it go where it wants to gowants to go
..and design its evolution from the outset!..and design its evolution from the outset!
Collaborate Collaborate where possiblewhere possible
Co-operation, Co-operation, not competition not competition
““Maybe they will tell stories about what happened in Totnes. Maybe this Maybe they will tell stories about what happened in Totnes. Maybe this evening will be something that is the beginning of one of those stories”.evening will be something that is the beginning of one of those stories”.
Dr Chris Johnstone – TTT Unleashing Sept ’06. Dr Chris Johnstone – TTT Unleashing Sept ’06.
Up and RunningUp and RunningArts / Food / Energy / Arts / Food / Energy / Economics / Liaison with Local Economics / Liaison with Local Government / Heart and Soul Government / Heart and Soul – the psychology of change / – the psychology of change / Medicine and Health /Medicine and Health /Housing / Education / Housing / Education / TransportTransport
local government and MPs
experts
voluntary sector and community groups
local businesses, chamber of commerce
Skilling Up for Skilling Up for PowerdownPowerdownPeak Oil / Climate Change, Peak Oil / Climate Change, Permaculture Principles, Food, Permaculture Principles, Food, Energy, Building and Housing, Energy, Building and Housing, Woodlands, Water, Waste, Woodlands, Water, Waste, Economics, The Psychology of Economics, The Psychology of Change, Energy Descent Change, Energy Descent PlanningPlanning……
Start with a vision and Start with a vision and then backcastthen backcast
Incorporate Transition Incorporate Transition TalesTales
Base it on current Base it on current planning documentsplanning documents
Focus on the questionsFocus on the questions Unleash the collective Unleash the collective
genius of the communitygenius of the community Any sense of control is Any sense of control is
illusoryillusory
““The future with less oil could be preferable The future with less oil could be preferable to the present, to the present, if if we are able to engage with we are able to engage with
enough imagination and creativity enough imagination and creativity sufficiently in advance of the peak…”sufficiently in advance of the peak…”
——Rob HopkinsRob Hopkins
Balances inner/outer, left/right brain, Balances inner/outer, left/right brain, masculine/feminine, young/oldmasculine/feminine, young/old
Provides a replicable model, a clear Provides a replicable model, a clear pathwaypathway
Engages whole communities in the Engages whole communities in the processprocess
Scalable and adaptable to particular Scalable and adaptable to particular communitiescommunities
““The Transition process is one of acting as a The Transition process is one of acting as a catalyst, unlocking the collective genius and catalyst, unlocking the collective genius and
enthusiasm of the community, and enthusiasm of the community, and harnessing the untapped power of engaged harnessing the untapped power of engaged
optimism.”optimism.”
——Transition Town TotnesTransition Town Totnes
Boulder, COBoulder, CO Sandpoint, IDSandpoint, ID Montpelier, VTMontpelier, VT Portland, MEPortland, ME Ashland, ORAshland, OR Berea, KYBerea, KY Pima, AZPima, AZ Los Angeles, CALos Angeles, CA
Sebastopol, CASebastopol, CA NE Seattle, WANE Seattle, WA Denver, CODenver, CO Newburyport, MANewburyport, MA Laguna Beach, CALaguna Beach, CA Whatcom, WAWhatcom, WA Mount Shasta, CAMount Shasta, CA Ann Arbor, MI!Ann Arbor, MI!
Training for Transition
The 26th “official” Transition Initiative in the U.S. (161st in the world)
Initiating group of five, that will dissolve within 6 – 12 months, after minimum of 4 working groups have formed
Our focus: awareness-raising and laying the foundations with existing groups
◦Speakers Bureau◦PR (media outreach, tabling, etc.)
◦Film Showings◦Gather Information/Map existing transition-related groups
◦Spread the Transition message in your own work
Transition is a social experiment on a Transition is a social experiment on a massive scale; we don’t know if this will massive scale; we don’t know if this will work.work.
If we wait for the governments, it’ll be too If we wait for the governments, it’ll be too little, too late.little, too late.
If we act as individuals, it’ll be too little.If we act as individuals, it’ll be too little. But if we act as communities, it might be But if we act as communities, it might be
just enough, just in time.just enough, just in time.
““All things are possible once enough All things are possible once enough human beings realize that human beings realize that
everything is at stake.”everything is at stake.”
——Norman CousinsNorman Cousins