[OKC] Local group hosts workshop for creating resilient, sustainable communities

[Shauna Lawyer Struby]

Please help us spread the word by sharing this with those you think might be
interested. Thank you -- Shauna

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact: Shauna Lawyer Struby

Co-Chair, Transition Town OKC

405.210.6027

 

March 25, 2010

 

Imagine Tomorrow . Today

Local group hosts workshop for creating resilient, sustainable communities 

 

Transition Town OKC (TTOKC) <http://www.goinglocalokc.com/>  started in
January 2009 with two basic questions: 1) How can communities respond to the
intertwining challenges of more expensive energy, resource depletion, a
changing climate, and economic instability? And, 2) How can we create more
sustainable and resilient ways of life even while facing financial
uncertainty?

 

A project of the local non-profit Sustainable
<http://www.sustainableokc.org/>  OKC, TTOKC decided to explore answers to
these two challenging questions using the Transition model outlined by Rob
Hopkins in the book, "The Transition Handbook: From Oil Dependency to Local
Resilience," published in 2008. The book has inspired an international
movement that's grown exponentially over the last two years, providing a
framework for communities to organize and implement their own energy
transition plans. There are now 278 Transition Initiatives throughout the
world and 60 official Transition
<http://www.transitionus.org/welcome-transition-us>  Initiatives in the
United States. 

 

As the 27th official Transition Initiative, Transition Town OKC,
www.goinglocalokc.org <http://www.goinglocalokc.org/> , is hosting a
"Training for Transition (T4T) Workshop," Fri., April 10 and Sat., April 11,
2010. The T4T course is designed to give a detailed introduction to the most
important skills necessary to set up, develop, and run a Transition project
in a neighborhood, town, city, church, school, community, business or
wherever people are gathered. 

 

"The Transition model can be used by any organization to jump-start the
process of making energy transition plans. Our dependency on a global system
makes us vulnerable to disruptions in supplies of energy and food, and
threatens our local economy. This is an opportunity to build resiliency at
the local level so communities can be more secure and less vulnerable to
global volatility," said Shauna Struby, TTOKC co-chair. 

 

The core concept of the Transition model: To provide people with flexible,
adaptable organizing tools for energy transitioning, to act as a catalyst to
educate and inspire communities to find their own, local, solutions, to
network with existing groups and band together to work collaboratively,
share information and ideas. 

 

An example of how Transition is working around the world: Transition
Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, recentlydelivered an Energy
Transition Plan to the Sunshine Coast Regional Council [local government].
The plan covers the entire region of the Sunshine Coast located in
Queensland, Australia which has a population of 330,000+ and covers about
1,926 square miles. The plan is the first step in creating opportunities for
bottom-up, top-down cooperation between communities and the government in
response to oil price volatility, a decline in cheap, easy-to-produce oil,
and climate change. 

 

Who should attend Training for Transition: Interested individuals, students,
farmers, tribal and community leaders, sustainable advocates and leaders,
grassroots organizations, local government, people wanting a deeper
understanding of our oil dependency and those who wish to create a positive
future in their neighborhood and community, as well as those considering
starting a Transition project or initiative in their communities. 

 

"Training for Transition is open to all. We are nonpartisan, inclusive and
committed to sharing information and resources whenever and where possible,"
said Christine Patton, TTOKC co-chair. 

 

At the end of the course participants will:

*	Have a clear understanding of the context for Transition
Initiatives, the current global situation and the transformational
possibilities that arise from the intertwining challenges of climate change,
resource depletion and the economic instability.
*	Know what the Transition model is and the tools it provides -
including an in-depth look at the 12 steps of the model, and how to set up
an initiating group, all the way to having active and effective working
groups.
*	Have taken part in a joint visioning process.
*	Understand how to organize effective meetings such as public talks,
open space days and small theme working groups.
*	Understand the purpose and principles of an Energy Transition Plan,
and of how to organize your community to prepare one.
*	Have formed useful contacts with workshop attendees.
*	The full curriculum for the workshop is available here
<http://www.transitionus.org/initiatives/T4T-curriculum.> . 

 

Trainers: Bill Aal and Zaida Amaral, trainers from the Transition
<http://www.transitionus.org/>  US office will guide participants through
this interactive workshop. Transition US is a national nonprofit providing
ongoing support to Transition initiatives throughout the nation and Canada
via free Webinars, online and telephone conferencing, networking and
resource sharing. 

 

Registration, costs and other workshop details are online at
www.sustainableokc.org <http://www.sustainableokc.org/>  or
www.goinglocalokc.org <http://www.goinglocalokc.org/> .

 

###

 

Transition Town OKC is a project of Sustainable OKC,
<http://www.sustainableokc.org/> www.sustainableokc.org, a local nonprofit
working at the crossroads of business, the environment and social justice. 

 

The mission of Transition Town OKC is to support the people of Oklahoma City
as we transition from oil dependence to local resilience, energy security
and sustainability. Via workshops, presentations, networking, book
discussion groups, films, events, online resources, and working together
creatively, our goals are to strengthen our local economy, support our local
farmers, and to support the development of clean, renewable sources of
energy. We are committed to helping others who wish to start up Transition
projects anywhere in Oklahoma. This nonpartisan, inclusive and positive
movement believes we can build a healthier, more connected and resilient way
of life - if we act now and work together. Find out more at
<http://www.goinglocalokc.org/> www.goinglocalokc.org.  

 

 

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