Friends and neighbors who are developing a community-wide movement following the Transition Town model

A transition initiative is a positive local response to the challenges of peak oil, climate change, and economic instability.

Transition Initiatives are based on four key assumptions

1. Life with lower energy consumption is inevitable, and it’s better to plan for it than to be taken by surprise.

2. Our communities presently lack the resilience to enable them to weather the coming changes.

3. We have to act collectively, we have to act locally, and we have to act now.

4. By unleashing the skills and ideas of the community we can creatively design our energy transition and build ways of living that are connected, enriching and sustainable.

Global climate change and peak oil are concepts that were once “out there” in the future. We now know these forces are here now and will dramatically impact how we live. Energy experts no longer debate whether peak oil will occur, but when. And many feel that we have already passed it. Increasing demand for oil and decreasing supply will create a gap in availability and rising costs.

By organizing, we can brainstorm ideas to address issues such as; energy solutions, green jobs, transportation, local food production, waste treatment, water conservation, recycling, building practices, and funding.

The first Transition Initiative was started in Totnes, England by Rob Hopkins in 2006 and has spread into a worldwide effort to re localize communities. HRTI shares many principals with the Natural Step process being used by eco-municipalities in our area. The Hay River Transition Initiative is focused on addressing the issues of energy descent, environmental impact, and economic instability.

A Transition Initiatives’ goal is to bring people together to plan for changes in our future, rather than waiting for a crisis. By focusing on our individual skills and common needs, our lives become more connected.

It’s about getting together as a community and planning our future.