transition towns uwe march 2010
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“What do we do IF the lights go out?” Making the transition from our dependence on fossil fuels.
Dr Wendy WoodlandDept of Geography & Environmental Management
UWE Bristol
The problem…
Today’s society is strongly reliant upon fossil fuels· 130kg of packaging made from oil-derived plastics is consumed by British
households each year. Two-thirds of it is used in food production.· 3.5 litres of oil is needed to produce 0.5kg of steak
The Guardian newspaper, 2007
This reliance has created three key challenges:
1. “Peak oil”• worldwide discovery of crude oil peaks in volume• availability of cheap & easily accessible oil sources declines• oil prices increase• how do we maintain energy supplies?
2. Climate change
3. Global financial crisis
A solution? • take action now to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels• make a transition to a lower energy future • greater levels of community resilience (peak oil)• smaller carbon footprint (climate change)• transition towns; transition cities; transition communities
The “transition town” movementWhat is it?• began in Kinsale, Ireland in 2001• lead by Rob Hopkins (a UWE graduate!)• "for all those aspects of life that this community needs in order to sustain
itself and thrive, how do we significantly increase resilience (to mitigate the effects of peak oil) and drastically reduce carbon emissions (to mitigate the effects of climate change)?"
• co-ordinate a range of projects that leads to a collectively designed energy descent pathway
How might a small town reduce its use of fossil fuels (oil, gas)?
Where are the transition towns?• 278 schemes worldwide, with 1000 in the early stages of formation• UK, Europe, United States, Australia, New Zealand…
Case study: transition town Totnes
Where?• in Devon, England• population 23,258 (in 2009)• grown by 4.53% in past 10 years
Who?Totnes transition town
a) Energy Descent Pathways• start with the current situation• create a vision for Totnes in 2030 “the ideal situation”
How ?
• create a “road map” of practical steps to allow the community to move from current situation to the ideal situation
• changes in food, farming, health, education, energy, transport, buildings, tourism, waste, economy & livelihoods
• involves community within "action groups“• some examples from the food sub-group in Totnes...
b) The Totnes pound
The system• exchange sterling currency into Totnes pounds (TP); 1TP = £1• spend TPs at any of 70 participating businesses
Benefits:• builds resilience in the local economy by keeping money circulating in the
community and building new relationships • encourages more local trade and thus reduces food and trade miles • encourages tourists to use local businesses• other transition towns (e.g. Lewes) are doing the same...
How?
Can you think of any disadvantages of living in a transition town?
What’s happening in Bristol “transition city”
Transition Bristol
Will it work?
“We truly don't know if this will work. Transition is a social experiment on a massive scale.
What we are convinced of is this: • 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 just be enough, just in time.“
www.transitiontowns.org
Transition towns - resources
Internet resources• The transition towns network http://www.transitiontowns.org/• Information on transition town Totnes
http://totnes.transitionnetwork.org/• The transition primer (a handbook for communities planning to become
transition towns) http://www.transitionnetwork.org/resources/transition-primer
Video clips shown in the presentation:• Transition town Totnes http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSvAJ4hF894
• The Lewes pound (based on the example of the Totnes pound) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/working_lunch/7392286.stm
