2. They are Joining the Transition Movement

3. 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?

4. 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…

5. Economic Instability Peak Oil Climate Change

6. “The Long Emergency is an opportunity to pause, to think through our present course, and to adjust to a saner path for the future. We had best face facts: we really have no choice. The Long Emergency is a horrible predicament. It is also a wonderful opportunity to do a lot better. Let’s not squander this moment.” —Albert Bates (paraphrased) The Post Petroleum Survival Guide and Cookbook

8.  The challenge of global climate change makes a shift away from fossil fuels necessary for planetary survival.  The impending peak in oil and gas production means that the transition is inevitable.  Our only choice is whether to proactively undertake the transition now—or later.

9. For all those aspects of life that this community needs to sustain itself and thrive, how do we:  Dramatically reduce carbon emissions (in response to climate change);  Significantly increase resilience (in response to peak oil); (in response to peak oil);  Greatly strengthen our local economy (in response to economic instability)?

10.  Life with less energy is inevitable, and it is better to plan for it than be taken by surprise.  We have lost the resilience to be able to cope with energy shocks.  We have to act for ourselves and we have to act now.  By unleashing the collective genius of the community we can design ways of living that are more enriching, satisfying and connected.

11. “I believe that a lower-energy, more localized future, in which we move from being consumers to being producer/consumers, where food, energy and other essentials are locally produced, local economies are strengthened and we have learned to live more within our means is a step towards something extraordinary, not a step away from something inherently irreplaceable.” —Rob Hopkins The Transition Handbook

13. …A creative, engaging, playful process, wherein we support our communities through the loss of the familiar and inspire and create a new lower energy infrastructure which is ultimately an improvement on the present.

15.  Local production of food, energy and goods  Local development of currency, government and culture  Reducing consumption while improving environmental and social conditions  Developing an exemplary community that can be a working model for other communities when the effects of energy decline become more intense

16.  Percentage of food consumed locally that was produced within a given radius  Ratio of car parking space to productive land use  Degree of engagement in practical relocalization work by local community  Amount of traffic on local roads  Number of businesses owned by local people  Percentage of local trade carried out in local currency  Proportion of the community employed locally  Percentage of essential goods manufactured within a given radius  Percentage of local building materials used in new housing developments  Number of 16-year-olds able to grow 10 different varieties of vegetables to a given degree of basic competency  Percentage of medicines prescribed locally that have been produced within a given radius

17.  Care of the Earth— rebuild natural capital  Care of People—look after self, kin and community  Fair Share—set limits to consumption and reproduction, and redistribute surplus

18. “…I have become fascinated by how we apply these principles to whole towns, whole settlements, and in particular, to how we design this transition in such a way that people will embrace it as a common journey, as a collective adventure, as something positive… How can we design descent pathways which make people feel alive, positive and included in this process of societal transformation?” —Rob Hopkins

19.  Our vision is a future where life is more socially connected, more meaningful and satisfying, more sustainable, and more equitable in a greater community of relocalized communities…  Where production and consumption occur closer to home…  Where long and fragile supply chains—now vulnerable to surges in oil prices and economic volatility—have been replaced by interconnected local networks…  Where the total amount of energy consumed by businesses and citizens is dramatically less than current unsustainable levels…

20.  Set up an initiating group  Raise awareness  Lay the foundations (partnering)  Organize a Great Unleashing  Form groups  Use Open Space Technology  Develop visible, practical projects  Facilitate the Great Reskilling  Build bridges to local government  Honor and engage the elders  Create an Energy Descent Action Plan (EDAP)  Let it go where it wants to go

21. ..and design its evolution from the outset!

23. Collaborate where possible Co-operation, not competition

24. “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.

25. Up and Running Arts / Food / Energy / Economics / Liaison with Local Government / Heart and Soul – the psychology of change / Medicine and Health / Housing / Education / Transport

30. local government and MPs experts voluntary sector and community groups local businesses, chamber of commerce

31. Skilling Up for Powerdown Peak Oil / Climate Change, Permaculture Principles, Food, Energy, Building and Housing, Woodlands, Water, Waste, Economics, The Psychology of Change, Energy Descent Planning …

32.  Start with a vision and then backcast  Incorporate Transition Tales  Base it on current planning documents

33.  Focus on the questions  Unleash the collective genius of the community  Any sense of control is illusory

34. “The future with less oil could be preferable to the present, if we are able to engage with enough imagination and creativity sufficiently in advance of the peak…” —Rob Hopkins

35.  Balances inner/outer, left/right brain, masculine/feminine, young/old  Provides a replicable model, a clear pathway  Engages whole communities in the process  Scalable and adaptable to particular communities Why the Transition model works

36. “The Transition process is one of acting as a catalyst, unlocking the collective genius and enthusiasm of the community, and harnessing the untapped power of engaged optimism.” —Transition Town Totnes

37.  Boulder, CO  Sandpoint, ID  Montpelier, VT  Portland, ME  Ashland, OR  Berea, KY  Pima, AZ  Los Angeles, CA  Sebastopol, CA  NE Seattle, WA  Denver, CO  Newburyport, MA  Laguna Beach, CA  Whatcom, WA  Mount Shasta, CA  Ann Arbor, MI!

38. Training for Transition

39. Transition Ann Arbor  The 26 th “official” Transition Initiative in the U.S. (161 st 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

40. Want to work with us? ◦ Speakers Bureau ◦ PR (media outreach, tabling, etc.) ◦ Film Showings ◦ Gather Information/Map existing transition-related groups ◦ Spread the Transition message in your own work

41.  Transition is a social experiment on a massive scale; we don’t know if this will work.  If we wait for the governments, it’ll be too little, too late.  If we act as individuals, it’ll be too little.  But if we act as communities, it might be just enough, just in time.

42. “All things are possible once enough human beings realize that everything is at stake.” —Norman Cousins