An Introduction to Transition

Our mission is to be a catalyst for Santa Cruz’ relocalization—the development of local

self-reliance in food, energy, transportation, media, systems of care,

economy and the arts—through a broadly inclusive community-building process.

Transition Santa Cruz

Resilience: Handling hard times and surviving

What are some aspects of our resilience?

natural beauty diversity: ages,

cultures, skills, lifestyles...

educational resources

mountains, forests, ocean

tradition of civic involvement

tradition of community service and volunteerism

many artists many innovators agriculture

Santa Cruz, an extraordinary place

Climate change

Damaged communities

Social inequity

War

Energy crisis

Crumbling economies

Ocean acidification

Fishery collapse

Land degradation

Air and water pollution

Overpopulation

Etc., etc.

Worldwide trends...“normal” is getting worse

...the list seems too overwhelming to take on.

PEAK OILPEAK OIL

CLIMATE CLIMATE CHANGECHANGE

ECONOMIC ECONOMIC INSTABILITYINSTABILITY

How will these affect us?

How can we take a proactive stance toward them?

Climate change in California

More wildfires

More droughts

Loss of ag land and crop yields

Habitats shrink and move north (e.g., oaks)

Coastal erosion and flood risk

Ocean acidification

Is peak oil real?

98 Oil Producing Countries

Is peak oil real?

64 Post-Peak Oil Producing Countries

What do we use oil for?

What about substitutes?

Where are we going?

Indu

stri

al A

scen

t• Energy useEnergy use• Resource useResource use• Environmental Environmental

degradationdegradation• PollutionPollution

Peak Energy

Techno-Fantasy

Green-Tech

Stability

Earth

stewardshipPost Mad Max Collapse

Great Grand Children

Agriculture10.000yrs BP

Industrial Revolution

Baby Boom

Pre-industrial culture Historical Time Future Time

Creative D

escent

(Permaculture)

““The real issue of our age is The real issue of our age is how we make a graceful and how we make a graceful and

ethical descent.”ethical descent.”

David HolmgrenDavid HolmgrenPermaculture: Principles and PathwaysPermaculture: Principles and Pathways

Beyond SustainabilityBeyond Sustainability

For all those aspects of life that this For all those aspects of life that this community needs to sustain itself and thrive, community needs to sustain itself and thrive, how do we:how do we:

dramatically reduce carbon emissions (in dramatically reduce carbon emissions (in response to climate change);response to climate change);

significantly increase resilience (in response significantly increase resilience (in response to peak oil);to peak oil);

greatly strengthen our local economy (in greatly strengthen our local economy (in response to economic instability)?response to economic instability)?

do it all with fairness and unity?do it all with fairness and unity?

Key questions:

Percentage of food produced within a given radiusPercentage of food produced within a given radius Ratio of car parking space to productive land useRatio of car parking space to productive land use

Community Resilience Indicators

Proportion of the community employed locallyProportion of the community employed locally Percentage of essential goods manufactured Percentage of essential goods manufactured

within a given radiuswithin a given radius Number of businesses owned by local peopleNumber of businesses owned by local people Percentage of local trade carried Percentage of local trade carried out in local currencyout in local currency

Community Resilience Indicators

We get to rebuild our communityReestablishing our local interdependence and reclaiming power over

our lives in our neighborhoods, communities, and workplaces

Dominant myths of today Economic growth is always necessary There’s not enough for all, and... Some people are more deserving than others The “powers that be” always win Technology will solve all our problems Our system isn’t perfect, but all others are worse Humans are selfish and greedy by nature The market will solve it We’re all doomed…

What’s stopping us?

““Inherent within the challenges of peak oil Inherent within the challenges of peak oil and climate change is an extraordinary and climate change is an extraordinary

opportunity to reinvent, rethink opportunity to reinvent, rethink and rebuild the world around us.” and rebuild the world around us.”

——Rob HopkinsRob HopkinsThe Transition HandbookThe Transition Handbook

Transition Ingredient: Awareness raising

– outreach

– movies

– talks

– events

Transition Ingredient: Relationship building

with: – other groups

– existing projects

– official bodies

– businesses

– collaboration

Transition Ingredient: Form working groups

– starting new groups

– bringing in existing groups

– topics: food, water, waste, youth, health, “heart and soul,” energy, and many more

Transition Ingredient: Community visioning

–Open Space”Open Space”

–World Cafe

–Backcasting and visioning

Transition Ingredient: Action projects

– it’s not just talk

– getting physical helps make sense of things

– team building potential

– a garden is worth more than a thousand words

Transition Ingredient: The “Great Reskilling”

– repairing, cooking, fixing bikes, natural building, loft insulation, dyeing, herbal walks, gardening, basic home energy efficiency, making sour doughs, practicalfood growing (the list is endless…)

– Permaculture courses– Interviewing elders

Transition Ingredient: Produce a Community Resilience Plan

– assess current situation

– create 15-20 year vision for all key areas and backcast

– identify steps needed to get there

– integrate with General Plan if possible

– start the work

Working groups so far:Working groups so far:Food Food Transportation and Land UseTransportation and Land UseNeighborhoodNeighborhood Community group Community groupHeart and SoulHeart and Soul Other projects:Other projects:Monthly gatheringMonthly gatheringWebsite and newsletterWebsite and newsletterPeriodic reskilling eventsPeriodic reskilling eventsPeriodic awareness-raising eventsPeriodic awareness-raising events

Working groups and projects

TransitionSC.org

Transition is a social experiment on a massive Transition is a social experiment on a massive scale; we don’t know if this will work.scale; we don’t know if this will 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 just But if we act as communities, it might be just enough, just in time.enough, just in time.

A bold, hopeful experiment

““When will you guys take on...?”When will you guys take on...?”

There are no you guys.We are the ones who are going to get this done.

Who are Transition Santa Cruz?