Energy Descent Plans The Kinsale and Totnes Projects Rob Hopkins Transition Town Totnes * Plymouth University * TransitionCulture.org

Initial Symptoms of Peak Oil Awareness (Post Petroleum Stress Disorder) Common Symptoms Include; Clammy Palms / Nausea Mild Palpitations A Sense of Bewilderment and Unreality An Irrational Grasping at Unfeasible Solutions Fear Outbreaks of Nihilism / Survivalism. Exuberant Optimism. “I Always Told You So” Syndrome.

My Own ‘Peak Oil Moment’: September 2004.

Industrial Ascent (Modernism) Energy & Resource Use Population Pollution PollutionClimax (post-modern cultural chaos) Climax Techno-Fantasy Green-Tech Stability Earth stewardship Atlantis Great Grand Children Agriculture yrs BP IndustrialRevolution Baby Boom Old Growth Forest Pre-industrial sustainable culture Historical Time Future Time Creative Descent ( Creative Descent (Permaculture)

The Story of the Kinsale Energy Descent Action Plan Available to download at

Step 1. Awareness Raising Talks, End of Suburbia screenings… Talks, End of Suburbia screenings…

Step 2. Open Space Community Think Tank

Step 3. Engaging Existing Practioners. Step 4. Visioning and Backcasting.

Action Plan - layout Title (food, waste, etc…) The Present The Vision Practical Steps 2005 – 2021 Resources

Some Suggestions from the Kinsale EDAP… A Natural Health Partnership A Natural Health Partnership Local economy Local economy Research on local building materials Research on local building materials Permaculture courses in schools Permaculture courses in schools Slow Food Town Slow Food Town Looking beyond Tourism Looking beyond Tourism Energy Independence Energy Independence

December ‘05 in Kinsale… Notice of Motion This council supports the efforts of the not-for-profit company “Transition Design” in its initiative to act as “Process Leaders” in Kinsale’s transition to a lower energy future and in developing the concept of a “Transition Town” i.e. a town making the transition from fossil-fuel dependency to a state of energy independence.

Kinsale EDAP – sending up shoots.

“Jessica Harrison led a lively discussion outlining the Kinsale Energy Descent Action Plan … a captivated audience participated in discussion on the possibility of such a plan in Bass Coast…” The South Gippsland Sentinel Times. 22 nd August 2006.

Transition Town Totnes The Next Step…

Awareness Raising… Sept ’05 – Sept ‘06

The Official Unleashing… September ‘06 “Maybe they will tell stories about what happened in Totnes. Maybe this evening will be something that is the beginning of one of those stories”. Dr Chris Johnstone – TTT Unleashing Sept ’06.

Open Space Days. Food, Energy, Housing.

Oral History Interviews..

Learning from Totnes Past. 1930’s… © Totnes Image Bank

George Heath. A Powerdown Pioneer. © Totnes Image Bank

Visiting Speakers… Sept – Dec ’06. Bob Flowerdew David Fleming Helena Norberg-HodgeRichard Heinberg

Working with Business. December ’06. Oil Vulnerability Auditing Workshop with Simon Snowden of Liverpool University A pilot project in Totnes with three local businesses.

Skilling Up for Powerdown. A 10 Week Evening Class. Covers; Peak Oil / Climate Change, Permaculture Principles, Food, Energy, Building and Housing, Woodlands, Water, Waste, Economics, The Psychology of Change, Energy Descent Planning…

Transition Town Totnes Subgroups…. Up and Running Heart and Soul – the psychology of change / Medicine and Health / Arts / Food / Energy / Economics / Liaison with Local Government In formation; Education, Housing.

Outcomes so Far… (after 4 months). Solar Water Heater Challenge. Solar Water Heater Challenge. Local Food Directory Local Food Directory The Totnes Renewable Energy Supply Company (TRESCO) The Totnes Renewable Energy Supply Company (TRESCO) Plantings of high cropping walnut and sweet chestnut varieties within town Plantings of high cropping walnut and sweet chestnut varieties within town ‘ Seedy Sunday ’ ‘ Seedy Sunday ’ Workshop with estate landowners. Workshop with estate landowners.

Other Transition Towns… an idea goes viral… Transition Penwith. Transition Penwith. Lewes Lewes Stroud Stroud Moretonhampstead Moretonhampstead Falmouth Falmouth Lampeter Lampeter Bristol Bristol

A Role for the Soil Association? Support Transition Town food groups? Support Transition Town food groups? Develop an Energy Descent Plan for food and farming in the UK? Develop an Energy Descent Plan for food and farming in the UK? One Planet Agriculture: Handbook for Practical Action One Planet Agriculture: Handbook for Practical Action