Transition Scotland Support Starter Pack Sheet 4
BRANCHING OUT How your group grows ...
FROM the cluster of people which will often form surprisingly rapidly round your core group, specialist working groups will begin to spin off. A core aim of all Transition communities is to achieve much more efficient use of energy, in all aspects of life - from doing more hands on work, to sharing and swapping what we have, to producing more renewable energy. The working groups find ways to create fulfilling alternatives to our current high energy ways, and will eventually contribute to the creation of a local Energy Descent Action Plan (see overleaf).
ENERGY AS energy lies at the core of what Transition is about, it’s natural that energy groups are usually among the earliest to form. Weaning society off its ever more risky dependence on oil and finding practical, sensible ways to cut communities’ energy use - and fuel bills - is becoming ever more urgent. This is now becoming increasingly recognised by both Government and the private sector, as well as at community level. The remit of energy groups is extremely broad and can encompass a wide range of projects – bulk buying insulation, putting up a community turbine (and reaping the cash benefits), re-cycling batteries, organising community CO2 cutting competitions, getting local businesses to switch to green tarriffs, to name just a few.
FOOD THIS is a core area in most Transition initiatives; it’s a topic close to the hearts (and stomachs!) of many. Growing awareness of how vulnerable to disruptions of all kinds Scotland’s current food supply chain makes us, is fueling unprecedented interest in local food and home grown produce. Food groups set up community orchards and gardens, start allotment groups, start tool banks, throw harvest parties, bulk buy from wholesalers and share composting and seeds. They work with other local community groups like gardening clubs and ‘in Bloom’ groups as well as working to buy from local farmers and sell through local businesses. Making good links and getting broad support can reap great rewards. Networking with other groups is a great way to get ideas, inspiration and advice. Transition initiatives and a range of other groups with shared interests from throughout the country came together to form Nourish, the Scottish sustainable food network. It aims for regions in Scotland to ‘produce more of what they eat and eat more of what they produce’.
TRANSPORT WE all love going places, and cheap oil has made it easy for us not just to get from A to B, but to X, Y and Z as well. Transport groups work to promote sustainable travel options. Some of these, like cycling and walking will make us healthier too. Others, like buses and trains need to be made more frequent and connections improved. Transport groups organise car sharing, car clubs, electric bike pools, cycle to work days, local walking groups and school buses. Highlighting the benefits of ‘staying put’ can also fall under the remit of a transport group. Bringing the things that people travel for - cinema, shopping and socialising - to their doorsteps is a great way to cut miles and boost a sense of community. A transport group might just as easily run a local film club as work on a new cyclepath.
HEART AND SOUL HEALTHY, versatile, well-nourished roots will help your Transition group to grow strong and flourish within your community. Looking after yourself and your fellow group members is crucial to maintain vitality and energy. Stress and anxiety can contribute to what’s known as ‘burnout’ – one of the most common reasons for groups losing momentum and failing to achieve their aims. On a practical level this means sharing out tasks fairly, and keeping an eye out to ensure the same people are not consistently shouldering too much of the work. Just as important as physical wellbeing is the mutual support Transition colleagues can share in dealing with the mental challenges that come with working in the face of such daunting world issues. People waking up to the peril that faces all life on the planet often undergo deep change and turbulence and can benefit greatly from thoughtful support and inspiration from others. In Transition, the inner world is every bit as important as the practical day to day work in areas such as food, energy and transport. That’s why many Transition initiatives have active Heart and Soul groups. Here time is taken to reflect, discuss and explore more reflective themes that can get sidelined in the flurry of activity going on elsewhere. Joanna Macy’s ‘work that reconnects’, and elements of many spiritual traditions, as well as using the creative arts can be very useful to groups looking at their inner life.
WHAT’S AN EDAP when it’s at home? ENERGY Descent Action Plans are at the heart of the Transition model. This is the blueprint which lays out how your community can get from where it is today, to a future where oil is history and quality of life is high. This is a big undertaking, so don’t worry if your group doesn’t get round to it all at once. EDAPs start with a visioning exercise, where as many people as possible spend time imagining in detail what all aspects of their community would be like 20 years in the future if it was using almost no fossil fuels, and had a very high quality of life for all. Then, looking backwards, they work out what needs to be in place for each step of the journey to be able to happen – landing up in the present day, with a list of things to do in the next weeks, months and years to achieve the vision. Kinsale, Forest Row, Totnes and Dunbar all have well developed EDAPs that are well worth looking at (and pinching ideas from!)
....AND THE REST OTHER groups are likely to form, depending on the nature of your Transition area and the priorities and skills existing in the community. Local currency, local jobs, community markets, re-skilling, education, waste, working with Local Authorities and arts and crafts are just some of the other areas your group could end up working in.
www.transitionscotland.org
Images used with kind permission from Chris Booth, El Southern, and Jack Spellingbacon (whose image is used under a Creative Commons Attribution License).