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