13 Nov 2012
Identifying the positive trends of Transition already emerging
2011 was the first year for over 40 years that more new bicycles were sold than cars in Italy.
Someone once said that things are “getting better and better, and worse and worse, faster and faster, all at the same time” or something like that. For this new book I’m doing I have a short section that lists some of the trends in which we can start to see the seeds of a Transition future already emerging around us. I have gathered some, I wonder if you can think of any more that you’ve come across that I can add to this list? Any you’ve spotted? Any ideas or suggestions very welcome. Thanks. Here are mine:
The rising cost of fuel has meant that sales at out of town stores fell by 12% compared to comparable stores in town (ref) • 2011 was the first year when, in Italy, sales of new bicycles outstripped sales of new cars for over 40 years (ref) • The Scottish government is considering introducing legislation to presume in favour of the use of land owned by public bodies and private landowners for people to grow food • number of bicycles in the UK has increased 18% since 2007, compared with a slight decline for cars/taxis and at 20% fall for motorcycles (ref) • the internet and social media enable the spreading of ideas and information almost instantaneously, with a profound impact on how social change and movements can happen • 40 million more journeys were made by bicycle in the UK in 2012 than in 2010 • A 2011 survey found that a third of UK adults planned to grow the majority of their food that summer (ref)
