In SA, it is quite different because this country has already for some time copied specially USA in its way to live and consume. For various other reasons, many here have lost touch with nature, live like in developed countries in a virtual world wherein nature and environment have no great sense or meaning. Because of this combine with a poor education, climate changes and environmental problems are the least of the majority SA’s preocupation.

Copenhagen could be very successful if it could recognise the injustice of the global system which rape and kills the planet and poor people. But is it possible that it turns upside down, stopping promoting business as usual with Carbon offset or capture and start recognising and listening to grass root experiences and expertise ? Regards PL

In my local context there are already many people living the reduced energy lifestyle described in the Handbook. There exists here as in many other parts of the “developing world”, a depth of skills and knowledge that the “developed” world can learn from them about how to live in a future post-oil society. The inevitable and painful re-skilling that the developed world will require to live in a more local society could be greatly facilitated through a “dialogue” with people who never made the transition to an oil-dependent society in the first place.

Unfortunately, much of the knowledge and skills these “poor” people have is not documented, but with the increasing penetration of information technology, I wonder if opportunities are now emerging for them to share or “trade” this with others. It would be really interesting to explore possibilities where transitions Towns in the UK for example, trade some of their resources for this expertise and thereby also help communities in Laos (for example) who are also trying to make a “transition” out of poverty. As the Transition movement grows, would it be useful to think in terms of a wider concept of “Transition”? One that includes the changes that many communities in the developing world are also trying to make. I would be keen to hear other people’s views on this.

I’ve also started to think that in the same way that you, Rob, say addressing only Climate Change could conceivably have no impact on our vulnerability to Peak Oil. I think addressing only CC and PO, could conceivably have no impact on poverty, social injustice and war. Of course addressing CC has a potential positve knock on but i think we the TN need to incorporate and address these issues head on.

While many in the north worry about the time of peak oil, there must be many southern communities, such as the Ogoni peoples of the Niger Delta, who dream of and cry for the end of oil. Then they can have their lives, livelihoods, lands and health back again.

Reading Marc’s letter moved me to tears. Memories of the wonderful people who treat strangers as friends, memories of my little children, memories of my friends, memories of my love. The most important issues for the poorer people in the south are security of food and water. And Transition has much to offer here. Many of the strategies that help local communities in the south to build resilience and adapt to climate change are also being encouraged by Transition such as: planting fruit and nut trees; sustainable agriculture to produce healthy food, increase soil fertility, protect the soils and increase water retention; strengthening local economies by encouraging local production and consumption; producing a diversity of crops, an obvious and crucial food security strategy; seed saving and seed exchanges; using local materials for local contruction. And community…. There’ll be the need to strengthen the focus on some important areas, for example water harvesting, storage and conservation; growing drought and pest resistant crops; encouraging farmers to produce more of their own seeds so they don’t rely on the seed companies; reducing pesticide use; enhancing soil fertility and soil conservation; and growing economically viable fruit and nut trees. Sustainable livelihoods must also somehow be carefully woven into the Transition model.

But there are challenges. While much food is still local, Ghanaians increasingly value imported products. They want US rice because they think it’s better quality, even though it has little flavour compared to Ghana’s perfumed rice. The market traders won’t admit if they’re selling local rice. I asked a trader where her rice was produced, and she pointed to one she said came from the US, and another she said came from London… Ah, the rice paddies of London-town. So to satisfy demand for US rice, local rice traders fill their U.S. rice sacks with locally grown rice and sell it with the US label. But much of the food available in the markets is local and very fresh. There are some beautiful examples of urban agriculture, although the quality and source of the water used to irrigate the vegetables is highly suspect….

I do think there is enormous potential for Transition to flourish in southern countries. Northern countries can share their skills in renewable energy production; let’s face it, there’s enough sunshine around. Since Transition is about building the resilience of communities to climate change and peak oil, it has to be adapted to a different situation, a shift in focus on to resilience and adaptation to its impacts, and much less about mitigation, because southern communities are going to face the worst of the climate change impacts. Transition is about experimentation, adaptation and adoption, and so it fits the need. It’s a community-led process, so the communities own the model and decide for themselves what will work, with some help along the way from the north. The south is really ahead of the north, but we have to encourage them not to lose track, not to lose their values, not to follow us.

Liberals in the United States have long used the public school system as a channel for propaganda, pushing social agendas for decades. Third graders telling their parents they kill the planet for discarding a 2 liter soda bottle – instead of making a terrarium? Check. School children under age 9 telling parents that smoking kills them and the family? Check, of course the commercials still attract the 10-20 age kids to “experiment”, and the punitive taxes on cigarettes mean that legal bans are applied unevenly.

But we see few children’s books, well written with compelling story and respected academic review, detailing the culturally based evictions in Africa, the localization of food in Transition, the planning parents do to reduce carbon footprints, endure after losing common utilities in the “developed” lands, and secure food and water.

Such writers need illustrators and clear, accurate information to work from. A Robin McKinley, a Roald Dahl, a Shel Silverstein that can put simple, distilled messages out for the masses. Perhaps a series of cheerful, positive message coloring books detailing gardening, children working with their parents (an element of “family values” that seems to have been squandered in modern society), and enduring an unheated home for pleasures of heated beds and gathering about a morning stove for family breakfast.

And perhaps a series of cookbooks, well researched for balanced diet and also, but not necessarily compliant with “government recommended” dietary needs. Someone mentioned Socrates’ description of a simple life on boiled grains – how does that meet nutritional needs? Bugs in the flour – do you sift them out or discard the flour? Mold on bread – break off the affected parts, or discard the loaf and disinfect the kitchen and dogs, cats, children, re-wash all the clothes, and dance nekkid under the full moon?

If my mayor’s kids aren’t discussing economic descent and carbon footprint, how will he become aware of what is coming and how will he make effective plans and preparation?

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books brought Little House On The Prairie to life for a generation. How is Transition going about bring to life the next generation?

opens up a whole new line of discussions that I find extremely necessary in the Transition Movement-

How does Transition deal with the incredibly unbalanced distribution of energy, resources and wealth in a world of decline-

While at least part of the “rich west” tries to face its addiction to fossil fuels, a high energy lifestyle is still promoted as a desired development model in the less affluent world, through consumer goods, advertising, governmental and corporate programs… – meanwhile, many African and Latin-American communities are living out already the scenarios of “lifeboat” or “earth steward”, as described in Holmgrens recent book and website “Futurescenarios”

Regardes from Mexico

Holger Hieronimi