Transition Scotland Support Starter Pack Sheet 5
THE TRANSITION NETWORK
You’re not alone ... A POTTED HISTORY BY working within the natural systems that have sustained and nourished life on Earth for millions of years, people have the potential to build a society in tune with the planet. Working with nature rather than attempting to work against it or ‘conquer’ it is the idea at the heart of permaculture. The word comes from ‘permanent agriculture’ and ‘permanent culture’. Permaculture is all about living lightly on the planet. Human society can only exist within the natural environment; by fighting nature and destroying ecosystems we risk wiping ourselves out, along with a myriad of other life on the planet. It is only by observing and working in harmony natural systems that a truly sustainable future is possible. The transition model now spreading like wildfire across the globe has evolved from this kind of thinking. The touch-paper was lit when permaculture teacher Rob Hopkins (pictured right) became aware of peak oil and the vulnerability of communities to energy shocks, when he was working as a lecturer in Kinsale in south west Ireland. He and his students broke new ground in producing
an ‘Energy Descent Action Plan’ for the town, which has a population of around 7000 people. This trailblazing piece of work looked forward to 2021 and charted a path which would dramatically reduce Kinsale’s use of fossil fuels and increase the town’s self reliance.
into communities. Making the transition to a low carbon society has the potential to create work, reconnect people with each other and help us all enjoy a healthier, more fulfilling way of life.
From there Rob moved to Totnes in Devon where he got together with other inspired people who were concerned about the potential of peak oil and climate change to wreak havoc on countless unprepared communities. Even at this early stage, communites had started hearing about Kinsale and were already leaping into action based on what had been done there. PEDAL, in Portobello – Scotland’s first Transition Town, was established about the same time as the one started by Rob and friends in Totnes. Since then the movement has snowballed, with groups forming almost anywhere in the world you care to look. Like all the best ideas, the transition vision boils down to simple common sense. Boosting local food production, reducing energy use, producing energy locally, rediscovering local building materials and being smart about how we reuse and manage waste has the potential to breathe new life
TIME and energy are precious. No one would claim to have all the answers to the issues that will face your fledgeling Transition Group. However there is a wealth of support and advice available - and great opportunities and reasons to talk to lots of great people who share your concerns and passions.
NORTH OF THE BORDER HERE in Scotland we are uniquely lucky in having a support network helping people get together to make a better, lower energy life for themselves. Transition Scotland Support (TSS) works with communities who want to move towards a more local way of living, which saves money, brings benefits to health and boosts local jobs and wellbeing, as well as helping the planet. The energy, inspiration and motivation generated by getting people together is what has given transition in Scotland such momentum. From that bold start in Portobello in 2005, transition initiatives have popped up across Scotland, from the Borders to the northern Highlands. Many other Scottish communities are following a similar path. The collective strength of communities striving for common goals has created an unstoppable head of steam energy at local, regional and national level in Scotland.
THE TRANSITION NETWORK THE Totnes-based Transition Network defines its role as being to “inspire, encourage, connect, support and train communities as they self-organise around the transition model.” It organises UK and international conferences and training, and shares information on the ever evolving world of transition across the globe.
TSS has 5 members of staff who are ready to help you in lots of ways: in areas where people are interested in getting a their own group off the ground, wecan help by providing or sourcing a speaker to help rally like-minded people and kindle enthusiasm, or by providing a growing selection of free materials – like this starter pack, DVDs on loan and a range of inspiring case studies, showing what Scottish communities have already achieved. Further down the line, TSS can advise groups on the nitty gritty of drafting their constitution, staying vibrant and healthy and sharing expertise and inspiration. It can organise and fund visits between communities and lend groups resources and help them think through the next stages of their development. When it comes to injecting a bit of zip into your own transition work, there’s nothing like getting involved in a regional or national transition gathering. These invariably feature a fantastic range of speakers and workshops, but every bit as importantly, give you the chance to meet others involved in transition in their communities. Making new friends, sharing experiences, bouncing ideas off each other and having a good time is what makes transition gatherings really special. You can keep in touch with what’s going on across Scotland by signing up to TSS’s monthly news email, and sign in to the website to join the fast growing virtual network, where you can get in touch directly with others working in communities all across Scotland.
www.transitionscotland.org Images used with kind permission from Andrew Jones, Transition Black Isle, Falkland Centre for Stewardship