An Overview of Transition

An Overview of An Overview of TransitionTransition

Economic Instability & Inequity

Global WarmingResource Depletion

What’s going on in the world?

What does it mean for What does it mean for communities?communities? Climate Change responses cost $:Climate Change responses cost $:

– Impacts on food production, water, Impacts on food production, water, infrastructure, transportation, carbon offsets!infrastructure, transportation, carbon offsets!

Economic inequity & instability:Economic inequity & instability:– More debt & more volatility = less controlMore debt & more volatility = less control– More poverty pushes service demandsMore poverty pushes service demands

Resource depletion:Resource depletion:– Forest & fisheries sectors declineForest & fisheries sectors decline– Ecosystem disturbance & stress Ecosystem disturbance & stress – Peak oil = rising fuel costsPeak oil = rising fuel costs– Land competing demands and priceLand competing demands and price

How’s the system working?How’s the system working?

How did we get here?How did we get here?

What are the What are the actions and actions and behaviours behaviours that have contributed that have contributed over time to the conditions that we over time to the conditions that we are now facing? are now facing?

(Peak Oil, Climate Change, (Peak Oil, Climate Change, Economic Instability & Inequity)Economic Instability & Inequity)

Resilience –Resilience – can we can we adapt adapt to change?to change?

65 years ago:65 years ago:

65 years from now?65 years from now?

Transition towards resilience:Transition towards resilience:

From global to localFrom global to local From centralized to diverse (connected)From centralized to diverse (connected) Tight feedback: learn/adapt/learn/adaptTight feedback: learn/adapt/learn/adapt From growth to steady stateFrom growth to steady state From consumption to self-reliance (re-From consumption to self-reliance (re-

use, repair, borrow, grow, make, share)use, repair, borrow, grow, make, share) From depletion to stewardshipFrom depletion to stewardship From individual to collective … From individual to collective …

The 4 Recognitions of the The 4 Recognitions of the Transition Movement.Transition Movement.

1.1. 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 surprisebetter to plan for it than be taken by surprise

2.2. We have lost the resilience to be able to cope We have lost the resilience to be able to cope with energy shockswith energy shocks

3.3. We have to act for ourselves and we have to We have to act for ourselves and we have to act nowact now

4.4. By unleashing the collective genius of the By unleashing the collective genius of the community we can design ways of living that community we can design ways of living that are more enriching, satisfying and connected are more enriching, satisfying and connected than the present.than the present.

CONVENTIONAL ENVIRONMENTALISM THE TRANSITION APPROACH

Individual behaviour Group behaviour

Single issue Holistic

Tools: lobbying, campaigning and protesting Tools: public participation, eco-psychology, arts, culture and creative education

Sustainable development Resilience and re-localization

Fear, guilt and shock as drivers for action Hope, optimism and proactivity as drivers for action

Changing national and international policy by lobbying

Changing national and international policy by making it electable

The person in the street is the problem! The person in the street has the solution!

Blanket campaigning Targeted interventions

Single level engagement Engagement on a variety of levels

Prescriptive – advocates answers and responses Acts as a catalyst – there are no fixed answers!

Carbon footprinting Carbon footprinting + resilience indicators and actions

Belief that economic growth is still possible, albeit ‘green’ growth.

Designing for economic renaissance, albeit a local one!

1st Principle: Build & Hold Positive Visions for the Future Our popular culture offers

future visions like star trek or star wars, mad max and the disaster theme (earthquake, insects, etc.).

There is no positive vision that speaks to a gradual descent in energy use over time – that is oriented to stewardship – we need to create one!

2nd Principle2nd Principle: Make it real! : Make it real!

“Totnes, the Nut Tree Capital of Britain”. Tree Planting, January 2007.

Estates in Transition conference. June 11th 2007.

3rd Principle3rd Principle: Work with Special : Work with Special Interest Groups & other PartnersInterest Groups & other Partners

Example - Build a Bridge to Example - Build a Bridge to Local GovernmentLocal Government

World Cafe on Peak Oil and Climate Change with Local Councillors

City staff on transportation, food (etc.) working groups

Contributions to Local Development Framework.

4th Principle4th Principle: Include : Include everyone - honour the everyone - honour the elders – youth ...elders – youth ...

5th Principle5th Principle: Attend to : Attend to inner transition as well as inner transition as well as outerouter

transition

Inner world individual

psychology, world view, beliefs

Outer world society, behaviour,

institutions

Understanding ourselves – and each other

What are our beliefs, assumptions and values that underlie the actions that have contributed to our current situation?

Everyone thinks of changing the world, Everyone thinks of changing the world, no one thinks of changing himself.no one thinks of changing himself.

Leo TolstoyLeo Tolstoy..

How can Transition movement support inner transition? Meet people where they are – Meet people where they are –

encourage comfort zone – doing, encourage comfort zone – doing, planting, organizingplanting, organizing

Reconnect with natureReconnect with nature Home groups – peer supportHome groups – peer support Celebration, ritual, healing, Celebration, ritual, healing,

encourage abundance viewsencourage abundance views

66thth: Let It Go Where It Wants : Let It Go Where It Wants to to

Solar projectsSolar projects Farm marketsFarm markets Car share co-opsCar share co-ops Bike trailsBike trails Housing retrofitsHousing retrofits Local currencyLocal currency Tree plantingTree planting Car Share ClubCar Share Club Green Music Green Music

Festival…Festival… Recycled art Recycled art

showshow Transportation Transportation

policiespolicies ??

And always – have fun!And always – have fun!

Step One: Form an Initiating Step One: Form an Initiating Group and Do Your Group and Do Your Homework Homework

Second Step: Awareness Second Step: Awareness Raising…Raising…

Pre-contemplation

Contemplation

Preparation

Change

Who needs what?Who needs what?

“Keep going?” “Something else?”

“What will I do? and how?”

What needs doing?

Is there a problem?

Talks, films, information!Peak oil films, 11th hour

Detailed reasons for change, and solutions

Re-skilling; transition teams; take the bus

Support, company, celebrations, deepening work

Stages of Change

Some towns: The Official Some towns: The Official UnleashingUnleashing

“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”.

Dr Chris Johnstone – TTT Unleashing Sept ’06.

Step Four: Form Working Step Four: Form Working GroupsGroups

• Key to engaging citizens – let it Key to engaging citizens – let it go where it wants togo where it wants to

• Key to making it realKey to making it real

• Key to representing the depth & Key to representing the depth & scope of the “transition”scope of the “transition”

• Scope: regional, neighbouhood, Scope: regional, neighbouhood, “bio-region”?“bio-region”?

• Eventually working groups form Eventually working groups form the core group – the “governing” the core group – the “governing” body & initiating group disolves.body & initiating group disolves.

Example: Local Food Directory

Example: The Totnes PoundExample: The Totnes Pound

Example: Facilitate the Great Example: Facilitate the Great ReskillingReskilling

Skilling Up for Skilling Up for Powerdown.Powerdown.Peak Oil / Climate Change, Permaculture Principles, Preserving Food, Building and Housing, Gardening, Water Conservation, Bike Maintenance, The Psychology of Change, Energy Descent Planning… etc.

Other group examples:Other group examples:

EnergyEnergyFoodFoodGovernment PolicyGovernment PolicyHealth and WellnessHealth and WellnessHeart and SoulHeart and SoulHousingHousingIntroduction to Introduction to TransitionTransitionLocal EconomyLocal EconomyMeaningful WorkMeaningful WorkOutreach/EducationOutreach/Education

MediaMedia

TransportationTransportation

Urban DesignUrban Design

BusinessBusiness

Neighbourhood Neighbourhood GroupsGroups

Regional RelationshipsRegional Relationships

Art and CelebrationArt and Celebration

Green BuildingGreen Building

Step Five: Establish Step Five: Establish Core GroupCore Group Strategic Focus: Reps from working Strategic Focus: Reps from working

groups, government & …. ?groups, government & …. ?

Geographic: Regional Hubs – reps from Geographic: Regional Hubs – reps from areas, villages, urban “hoods”areas, villages, urban “hoods”

Blended: A bit of both at the tableBlended: A bit of both at the table

New hybrids are evolving New hybrids are evolving

Step Six: Energy Step Six: Energy Descent PathwaysDescent Pathways

Engage the community!!Engage the community!! Start with a vision and Start with a vision and

then backcastthen backcast Use scenario planning to Use scenario planning to

work with uncertaintywork with uncertainty Incorporate creative Incorporate creative

activities – Transition activities – Transition TalesTales

Integrate with municipal Integrate with municipal planning?planning?

Where to from here?Where to from here?

Send reps to a Transition workshop Send reps to a Transition workshop near you: near you: www.cedworks.com//transition.html

Powell River April 9/10: Powell River April 9/10: [email protected]

Read the Transition HandbookRead the Transition Handbook Watch Rob Hopkins on You TubeWatch Rob Hopkins on You Tube

Victoria TransitionVictoria Transition

http//www.transitionvictoria.ning.com

Email: Email: [email protected]

http://twitter.com/Transition_Vic