An Evolving Exploration into the Head, Heart and Hands of Energy Descent
Transition Culture has moved
I no longer blog on this site. You can now find me, my general blogs, and the work I am doing researching my forthcoming book on imagination, on my new blog.
Here is a section from my recently completed thesis, which is available here, which looks at the potential of local building materials in the relocalisation process.
“The process of building with bales includes the possibility of making a profound change in the fabric of human societies around the world. In fact this vision is not exclusively a matter of straw bales: the questions we are trying to pose…. are basic: how do we build, and how does that process occur in relation to the community and to the life around us? Straw bales happen to be the material that has inspired many to look at the process of building in a different light”. (Steen et al.1994: xvi).
In the same way the local food movement shifts its focus from out-of-season, long supply chain, high embodied energy foods towards more locally sourced, low impact foods rooted in the local region or ‘foodshed’ (Kloppenberg et al. 1996), an emerging branch of architecture and construction examine similar transitions with building materials.
Three years in the making, I am delighted to announce the completion and availability of my PhD thesis, which offers the most in-depth study yet of the Transition concept in practice. It can now be ordered here. Exhaustively referenced and comprehensive in its analysis of the thinking underpinning Transition and of its impacts in practice (running to over 90,000 words), ‘Localisation and Resilience’ is a pivotal addition to the literature on this fast-growing response to peak oil and climate change. It takes as its focus the Devon town of Totnes, the UK’s first Transition initiative, looking in detail, using interviews, oral history, focus groups, surveys, World Cafe and Open Space methods, at the impact Transition Town Totnes has had during its four year existence. It also takes a detailed look at the literature on resilience, and argues that the combination of resilience thinking, localisation and social enterprise offer a powerful tool for the economic revival of communities and for achieving a low carbon economy. If you are interested in resilience, sustainability, Transition, and the future of local economies, this is an essential new publication.
Here's what happens at a Brazilian Unleashing ..they do the hokey-cokey and they turn around... (sorry, this joke probably only means anything to English readers....)
We start this month’s update of Transition inspiration, activity and celebration with wonderful news from Rio de Janeiro and the launch of Transition Santa Teresa, which was attended by 200 people from the neighbourhood association, the local chamber of commerce, local NGOs and residents from Santa Teresa and the neighbouring slum. So we send huge congratulations to T Santa Teresa! Here is a film about some Transition goings-on in Brazil, including a Transition rap in Portugese… fantastic…
Many people’s experience of engaging with local Councils is an intensely frustrating one. Yet in your book you argue that not only should Transitioners engage, but should also put themselves forward for office. Why?
Yes, it can be endlessly frustrating. I often use the analogy of trying to turn a tanker. Or the Titanic! But a local authority can make a huge difference. When I think how much we managed to change in Camden during 2006-10 and how much good practice I’ve seen at councils around the country and abroad – frankly it’s amazing. So frustrating yes but worth it if you persevere.
Hot on the heels of the talk by Tim Jackson that I posted here yesterday, here is a film of a recent event that was run in Totnes, which featured Tim, as well as Ed Mayo and TTT’s Naresh Giangrande. My thanks to the good people at nuproject for doing this…
How might our response to peak oil and climate change look more like a party than a protest march? This site explores the emerging transition model in its many manifestations
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In the same way the local food movement shifts its focus from out-of-season, long supply chain, high embodied energy foods towards more locally sourced, low impact foods rooted in the local region or ‘foodshed’ (Kloppenberg et al. 1996), an emerging branch of architecture and construction examine similar transitions with building materials. 
Three years in the making, I am delighted to announce the completion and availability of my PhD thesis, which offers the most in-depth study yet of the Transition concept in practice. It can now be ordered 
To celebrate the launch of Alexis Rowell’s book
