A Transition town, or more generally a transition initiative, is a grassroots community project that seeks to build resilience in response to peak oil, climate destruction, and economic instability by creating local groups that uphold the values of the transition network. Local projects are usually based on the model's initial '12 ingredients' and later 'revised ingredients'. The first initiative to use the name was Transition Town Totnes, founded in 2006. The socioeconomic movement is an example of fiscal localism. Since then, many Transition groups have started around the United Kingdom (UK) and, in recent years, the world.
Budding communities[edit | edit source]
Some Transition initiatives have not reached recognized transition Town status, and may not even have gained traction in their local communities. Try an internet search for "Transition Town" and the name of your town, suburb,city, region and/or country, or ask on one of the networks found above.
Related initiatives[edit | edit source]
- Auroville and other Appropriate technology villages tend to have a more radical view of necessary change, with an emphasis on overcoming poverty, the use of simple appropriate technologies and simple living.
- Ecovillages are widespread but there is less agreement on the use of the name, and while some are very serious efforts at transitioning to a global economy, others are examples of:
- Greenwash - where the "ecovillage" name and image is a marketing ploy, at least in part (see co-opting)
- Shallow green - where the image is green, but the reality is no significant impact, or even a negative impact - for example through locating the development in an isolated place, from where residents regularly commute by car.
- Common Security Club 50 communities around the USA have piloted "Common Security Clubs" in 2009
See also[edit | edit source]
- Transition Network
- Transition Towns around the world
- Cities
- Food security
- Localism
- Canadian Transition Towns
External links[edit | edit source]
- Wikipedia:Transition Towns - Wikipedia article on Transition Towns movement.
- Wikipedia:Peak oil - lengthy article that surveys different viewpoints on peak oil. Lots of supporting references. The discussion page,W which is sometimes longer than the article (and that's not including the archive!W), is an interesting read.
- TransitionInitiativesPrimer.pdf - 1mb PDF file, 50 pages - peak oil, global warming, relocalization, 12-step program for a town to make the transition
- Transition Culture - Rob Hopkins' blog
- You are now entering an oil-free zone | Energy | Guardian Unlimited Environment, The Guardian , April 19, 2007.
- Resources - description and links to help with implementing the 12-step transition program
- Communities - links to officially designated Transition Towns. See By Country, USA.
- List of Transition Towns arranged by country, (scroll down halfway to the "By Country" heading).
- Transition Towns Ireland & Northern Ireland
- Transition US