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Transition Oakville. Transition Oakville. Hart Jansson. What is a Transition Town?. Started by Rob Hopkins in Kinsale, U.K., in 2005 A citizen-led initiative tackling peak oil and climate chaos together
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Transition Oakville Transition Oakville Hart Jansson
What is a Transition Town? • Started by Rob Hopkins in Kinsale, U.K., in 2005 • A citizen-led initiative tackling peak oil and climate chaos together • The goal is a local community less dependent on fossil fuels, and more locally resilient in the face of various shocks
How? Via creative, orderly energy descent. • Energy descent: transition from high-fossil-fuel usage to less energy usage, and more renewables • Energy descent is achieved through a combination of creative activities and lifestyle changes • The result is a healthier environment and a more fulfilling society
How do Transition Towns work? Transition Model • Understanding: • Peak Oil + Climate Change means “business as usual” doesn’t work • Adaptability, creative • Action now • 12 Steps • Transition Network
What’s going on in Canada with Transition Towns? • Peterborough • Guelph • Dundas • Victoria There are 185 Official Transition Initiatives around the world, doubling every six months The officially recognized Transition Towns in Canada are: There are dozens of towns and cities in Canada that are getting started, including Oakville, Brantford, Barrie, Chatham-Kent…
Transition Model – 7 “buts”1) Aren’t other green groups are already doing this? • Oakvillegreen Conservation Assoc’n • Natural Heritage System • Pesticide bylaw, Tree planting • Advocacy (incinerator, trails, …) • Halton Environmental Network • Residential solar project,… • Oakville Sustainable Food Partnership • Harbourside Organic Food Market • GreenTrans • improved public transit, cycling…
Transition Model – 7 “buts” cont. 2) Isn’t it too late anyway?
Transition Model – 12 Steps • Set Up a Steering Group • Raise Awareness • Lay the Foundations • The Great Unleashing • Form Working Groups • Use “Open Space”
Transition Model – 12 Steps cont. • Develop Visible, Practical Results • Start the Great Reskilling • Involve local government • Honour the Elders • Let it go where it wants to go • Develop an Energy Descent Action Plan
What have other TT’s achieved so far…? Bristol • many films, talks and events • transition training 2-day course • city orchard (central buying of trees for productive planting by individual homeowners) • guerrilla gardening • competition of “living more, using less” Brixton • greenmapping / urban agriculture project • permaculture design course • films and talks • presenting to school boards on peak oil and climate change • urban food growers network day Totnes • 8 films, 11 talks, 7 events • 10-week “skilling up for powerdown” course • seed sharing days • oil vulnerability auditing • Estates in Transition • local food directory • local currency (phase 2) • oral history archives • nut tree capital of Britain • transition stories • lobbying (food and sustainable building regs) • community plan engagement • Totnes Renewable Energy Company • Energy Descent Action Plan pending
Our choice… • We’ll be transitioning to a lower energy future whether we want to or not. Far better to ride that wave rather than get engulfed by it.
How will you choose to go forward? • With boldness, honesty and exuberance to do something useful and meaningful? Community Garden Seminar - Hosted by OakvilleGreen
Break into working groups • Energy -- -- conservation, local production • Food -- -- urban gardens, local farms, food shopping behaviour • Transport -- transit, cycling, less driving! • Heart and Soul seeing the positive; the arts; the spiritual side • Local Economy local jobs, local currency, more resilient local businesses