Transition Towns

One of the interesting talks at SLF was on Transition Towns. Now if you haven’t heard this expression – Transition towns – are a world wide initiative where a community gets together to address the 2 challenges of Peak oil and climate change. They work out a plan for how they, as a community can reduce their dependence on oil, and drastically reduce their ghg emissions, to help mitigate the impacts of climate change.

Far from a negative thing, TT are very positive. They offer solutions to the many problems with energy security, carbon emissions, food, and how we can learn to live with the inevitable changes to the way we live and work. ‘Transition Towns’ is an inspiring vision and action plan for how a community can transition to an energy lean, carbon constrained, and relocalised future that is abundant, sustainable, pleasurable, and resilient.

Transition Towns began in September 2006 and has since morphed into a worldwide movement with over 100 official Transition Towns, cities, counties, and islands, and several thousand who are considering this model for positive change.

Once a town embarks on the transition to an oil free / ghg reduction they can be officially recognised as a TT – there is a list at http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/TransitionCommunities showing all the towns across the world that have are registered as TT. As you can see there are quite a few popping up in Australia from Bell in Geelong to the Sunshine Coast

The first TT was Totnes in England. They have around 20 projects going that are leading them towards their goals. These include bulk purchase of solar thermal kits for houses, helping business quantify their exposure to rising oil prices, and promotion of a local food guide. They even developed their own currency that is accepted in over 70 local shops – the Totnes Pound - to help support local businesses and to make people aware of shopping local and the benefit it brings.