Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Hence it is argued that it is imperative for individuals, working together in their
communities, to create a bottom-up process that will initiate meaningful change by
their own actions, as well as convincing local governments of the imperative for
local action before the shocks of oil shortages of higher prices and climate change
take effect. However the various TT sources emphasize that there cannot be a single
solution to the creation of local resilience to future shocks and the problems of
sustainability faced by towns. The unique qualities of each settlement, plus their
varied strengths and weaknesses, usually make it necessary to always adapt the
movement to local circumstances. The 12 Step Process does omit one key feature,
namely the recommendation that a charitable organization should be created in the
adopting community to further the cause. Such an organizational step means that
funds that are brought in to help the development of transition will not be taxed and
also ensures that formal accounting procedures are adopted to make the transition
development process accountable and transparent to others.
One of the important results of this open and co-operative process in creating a
Transition Town has been the creation of greater interaction within the community
and the fostering of a new spirit of co-operation within the adopting towns. This co-
operation spreads beyond the various discussion groups. Transition Town activists
stress the need to contact and involve church and various other local organizations
in its developments. Teachers in the local schools have also been encouraged to
share the TT ideas with their students and involve them in local projects to build
environmental awareness. Additional contributions from the life-experiences and
skills of senior citizens are welcomed, as they are often marginalized in contem-
porary western society. These initiatives have been found to re-build local con-
tacts and interest, reduce the individualisation of society, and create resistance to
the practice of unsustainable practices. A key goal of the movement is to establish
groups to review all the key aspects of contemporary life in the town—such as
food, energy, transport, health, community links, commuting levels, economies and
livelihoods. These areas have been called
sectors of transitioning
, which search
for ways to make its local area less vulnerable to external influences by becoming
more resilient. This resilience is not primarily from the natural forces discussed in
Chap. 8, but a local resilience against dependency, the socio-economic and eco-
logical changes stemming from variations in the way society is currently organized
and operates. This will help build a low-carbon, low oil-based future of greater
sustainability that makes the town less vulnerable to many of the decisions made by
outside forces that negatively affect the town.
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Transitioning Sectors
The first goal of every group working on a particular sector in a Transition Town
is to provide an understanding of existing conditions that relate to sustainability.
Subsequently this leads to the search for ways to not only reduce carbon-based en-
ergy use, waste and environmental degradation, but to increase local production and
