Guardian Article - What next for Transition Towns

What next for Transition Towns?

It
has grown from a local to a global phenomenon, but how does the
Transition Movement keep itself relevant in the current political and
economic climate?

• The
  Totnes pound - a currency accepted by local shops and businesses in the
  Devon transition town that encourages people to spend local money on
  local produce in local stores. Photograph: David Pearson/Rex Features

Four years have now passed since the seeds were first sown in Kinsale, County Cork, for the Transition Movement.
In a relatively short period of time, the movement has grown into a
global phenomenon with Transition Towns now located in countries
ranging from the US and New Zealand through to Chile and Italy. And you
know it's crossed over into popular thinking when the fictional town of
Ambridge in the Radio 4's The Archers becomes a Transition Town, as it did last year.

The
core idea is simple enough: raising awareness among local communities
about their utter dependency on oil. But finding the best ways for each
community to wean themselves off oil have always been a little more
difficult to pin down. The teachings and theories behind permaculture
– self-sufficiency, sustainability, cooperatives, working with nature -
have always been at the forefront of the Transition Movement and, in a
way, it has often felt as if it has been a sort of rebranding exercise
for a philosophy and way of life that somehow appeared trapped in the
1970s. I believe that the Transition Movement has been a much-needed
reboot for the sensible thinking that underpins permaculture.

But
it also feels as if the time has now come to ask: where does the
Transition Movement go next? This weekend, many Transitionites will be
heading to the Sunrise Celebration festival near Bruton in Somerset to enjoy the music and speakers, as well as the predicted fine weather. Sunday is being hailed as "Transition Sunday"
by the organisers and they promise "talks, forum discussions, movies
and more to inspire everybody to get involved in their own local
initiatives".

They add:

We are lucky to be
based here in Somerset, where even the county council have made a
commitment to becoming the UK's first Transition local authority.

Among
the many talking points will surely be how the Transition Movement
keeps itself relevant in the fast-moving rapids of our current
political and economic turmoil. There are no doubt opportunities for
the movement, but I also sometimes worry about the company the movement
might attract by displaying such a high-profile lunge towards localism.

Looking at the programme (pdf)
of last week's third annual transition conference held at the Battersea
arts centre in south London, it doesn't appear as if there were any
events that specifically discussed the potential threats to the
movement, but it would be interesting to hear from any Transitionites
about the challenges that still need to be overcome if the movement is
to continuing expanding into new communities.

For example, many
of the communities that have warmly welcomed the ideals of the
Transition Movement have to date been those that already have, let's
say, something of a reputation for being hubs of left-leaning greenery.
I'm thinking Totnes, Lewes, Brixton, Bristol and the like. How does the
movement now reach beyond these low-hanging fruit?

Posted by
Leo Hickman
Thursday 28 May 2009
12.58 BST

guardian.co.uk

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/may/28/what...