creating a better future
Have you ever dreamt of a world where people stop talking about the change they want to see but actually start to act?
Well, we probably all have! As burocraty, fear and sometimes just lazyness stopps us from acting, most things we want to change stay how they are or even become worse. In 2006 the british environmentalist Rob Hopkins started a modell for a environementally and socially healthy community in his home town Totnes in the middle of Devon called Transition Town, which soon became an international movement with more than 1,120 registered Transition initiatives in 43 countries in 2014.
Two weeks ago I watched the documentary Tomorrow in our local cinema Palatin. It was the fist time I’ve heard of Transition Towns. And I couldn’t believe it when almost a week later I met in Würzburg members of the local transition movement by chance.
But what about New Zealand?
With many initiatives all over the islands a huge amount of people take action in protecting their country as a part of the the movement Transition Towns New Zealand.
So let’s have a look at one of the transation towns, Transition Point Chevalier in a western Suburb in Aukland. In 2008 two local resisents started the initiative and soon the became a group of people. Harre, one of the cofounder’s, is an author and associate professor in the School of Psychology, University of Auckland. As you see they are all normal people! You definitely don’t have to be a hippie, freak dropout or hipster to become part of the movement! But one thing units them all, the Transition movement was their modell to start. As Harre eloquently points out “I’ve always looked for ways to better live my ideals around social justice and ecological enhancement. Transition Towns appeal to me because they’re about changing ourselves rather than assuming the problem is outside ourselves and someone else needs to change”. This thought connects people and creates a strong community.
In the article “How to live in a Transition Town” Ann Warnock summarizes clearly the key initiatives of Transition Point Chevalier:
“1 Personal shared gardening: local residents work cooperatively in each other’s organic gardens on the first Sunday of every month. The goal is to encourage urban sustainable gardens and food production.
2 The Point Chevalier Community Garden at a local community centre where food, time and knowledge are shared. Part of implementing community-supported agriculture.
3 Lemon, avocado and banana trees have been planted on a local public reserve where a community orchard is being developed. Achieving Auckland Council agreement was straightforward.
4 Transition Point Chevalier Purchasing Group (20 members). It buys from local growers and suppliers to limit food miles, back a local food economy and foster alternative systems to mainstream supermarket buying. Products are selected according to the principles of organic, local, Fair Trade, less packaging, quality and price. Items have included free-range eggs and chickens, avocados, flour and grains. “Purchasing seems an important part of creating a society that is more considerate of the environment and our responsibilities to each other.”
5 Transition Point Chevalier works in tandem with Point Chevalier School to provide a venue for soft-plastic recycling; as a result there’s been a huge drop in local plastic going to the landfill. Enviroreel recycles the plastic to make such items as pulleys and wheels, cable covers and garden edging.
6 Point Chevalier School works in tandem with the community to deliver a strong sustainability programme. School gardens include fruit trees, vegetables and herbs; students harvest and cook the produce grown. The school recycles its soft plastic, paper and cardboard and uses worm farms and compost bins to recycle food waste.”
Transition Point Chevalier is mainly engaged in recylcling and food processes. Of course every community has different needs. But they all have something in common, they need a roof over their heads and food. So it all comes down to energy and resources. Especially if you consider that all the food which is imported and exported by New Zealand needs a lot of energy to be moved to another country, food should be a big issue in NZ. The dominance of supermarkets grow and more monocultures develop. To stop this development for the benefit of locals producers, local consumers and an eviromentally friendly community not only Transition Initiatives but also companies such as OOOOBY start to rebuilt local food economies in providing food delivering services in New Zealand.
Sometimes we just need a modell such as Transtion Town and an idea can develop to a worldwide movement. One movement might only make a difference in some people’s life but all together we can make a change! So wherever you are dream big and don’t slow down. Your answer to anyone who is questioning your ideas should be like Rob Hopkins’ note on their 21 pound of their local currency. What a 21 pound note?
“Because you can! Why not?” (Rob Hopkins)
