Transition Towns Movement

Overview
A community-led movement based on preparing for life after peak oil (Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global oil extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline). The main aim is to raise awareness of sustainable living and build local strategies to deal with the challenges of peak oil and climate change. The result is a growing number of communities in the UK developing local food networks, local energy supplies, local transport – even local money.

The movement was originally popularised by permaculture expert Rob Hopkins, based in Totnes. "The idea of transition towns has caught people's imagination," he explains. "All we have been able to do before is protest, lobby or campaign for change. Now we want to give people the tools to be self-sufficient and withstand the kind of shock that a reduction in oil would bring. We don't have all the answers, but the amount of momentum and energy created by the project is amazing."

Emerging Trends
The Transition movement is increasingly engaging with local food growing. This is motivated by the need to do more to reduce dependence on the global market and the recognition of the power of working collaboratively. The movement advocates local people getting together to rebuild local food networks.

This can be done through more established routes, such as allotments, community gardens or social enterprises such as market stalls and vegetable box schemes. Some Transition Towns have a range of activities taking place. For example, Transition Town High Wycombe has a very active food group involved in community allotments and orchards, fruit tree planting, a Community Supported Agriculture scheme, a gardenshare scheme, forest gardening and guerilla gardening.

The transition movement also advocates relearning the trades that once made up traditional local food economies. Alongside growing their own food, some transition food groups are also learning about preserving foods, storing and saving seeds, baking breads and foraging for wild food.

The Transition movement is also at the forefront of a innovative idea known as Gardenshare.

Gardenshare
These schemes match up a garden or plot owner they cannot manage with someone who wants a place to grow food. In most cases, gardenshare projects arrangements are made between owners and gardeners themselves. Some gardeners may pay a small rental fee, while others may share part of their produce with the owner.

Schemes aim to form lasting gardening relationships between people and try to pair people who have similar expectations. Schemes usually encourage garden owners to use the opportunity to learn some food growing skills themselves.
They tend to attract people living in flats, town houses and rented accommodation, who have no access to a garden. Some schemes offer courses, workshops or buddy-gardener training to make their projects more accessible to a wider audience of potential growers.

Things to consider for those wanting to set up a gardenshare scheme are:

• public liability insurance to cover for injury or damage (BTCV provide a cover for volunteer groups)
• getting a reference or (where applicable) a CRB check from the gardener
• who pays for or provides the tools, seeds and materials
• who will decide what to grow and how often gardening will take place.

Gardenshare Examples:
Transition Town Totnes garden share project:
www.totnes.transitionnetwork.org/gardenshare/home

Transition Town High Wycombe Bare Gardens - garden swap scheme:
www.baregardens.org.uk

GroFun, garden share scheme in Bristol:
www.grofun.org.uk/gardenshare.htm

Transition Brighton and Hove, organises a garden share scheme and an allotment.
www.transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk

More Information:
Websites
www.transitionnetwork.org
The main website for the Transition Towns Movement. It provides information and support to projects through its website, newsletter, videos and training. The website also gives details of transition groups involved in food growing projects.

www.transitionculture.org
Website of Rob Hopkins, founder of the Transition movement in the UK.

Publications 

Local Food -- How to make it happen in your community, 2009, by Tamzin Pinkerton & Rob Hopkins
A practical guide to what can be achieved by communities. It explores a range of local food initiatives and information about how to get ideas off the ground. It draws on the practical experience of Transition initiatives and other community projects around the world.

For details of this and other publications visit www.transitionbooks.net/