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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Sustainable
OKC members, friends and colleagues, please feel free to pass this on. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span
style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Transition Town OKC Named 27<sup>th</sup>
Transition Initiative in Nation <o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><i><span
style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Group Brings a Community Approach to
Energy Challenges<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><u><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p><span
style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><u><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>For
Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></span></u></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Media
Contact: Lindsay Vidrine<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>405-802-5572<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>(Oklahoma
City) May 21, 2009 – Transition Town OKC was recently named the 27<sup>th</sup>
Transition Initiative in America. This recognition was given by Transition US,
a nonprofit organization that provides inspiration, support, training, and
networking for Transition Initiatives across the country. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>The mission
of Transition Town OKC (TTOKC) is to help Oklahoma City transition from foreign
oil dependence to local resilience, energy security and sustainability. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>“Working
together, we can strengthen our local economy, support our local farmers, and
develop renewable sources of energy,” said Shauna Struby, TTOKC co-chair
and president of Sustainable OKC. “We aim to bring information and
resources together in one place about groups and organizations already working
toward making OKC more sustainable and resilient.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>TTOKC does
not plan to launch any projects that overlap or duplicate work already being
done by other sustainability and environmental groups. Rather it aims to help
connect citizens and the general public with such groups and resources as they
journey on the road to energy transition.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>“Oklahoma
City is a special place, with a unique geography, natural resources,
demographics, ideals, and history,” said Christine Patton, TTOKC
co-chair. “What works for other cities may or may not work for us - we
need to design our own path to energy security and local resilience. Transition
Town OKC aims to act as a catalyst for our community to explore solutions to
the energy challenges we face.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Similar to
how communities prepare for severe weather or other emergencies, TTOKC will
serve as a vehicle to empower communities to plan for changes associated with
transitioning away from fossil-fuel dependency. The Transition Town model
engages directly with the public to raise awareness about key issues, and
encourages citizens to create a vision and actionable plan for a better future.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>According
to Transition US, the toughest challenges facing us all are those posed by the
current economic crisis coupled with impending fossil fuel decline and climate
change. The main goals of the Transition Movement are to increase community
resilience by developing energy security, strengthening local economies,
producing food locally, building self sufficiency, improving environmental
conditions and increasing social equity.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Transition
Town OKC is a project of Sustainable OKC. Details about this group and its
network of resources can be found at <span style='color:blue'><a
href="http://www.goinglocalokc.com/">www.goinglocalokc.com</a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:red'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Sustainable
OKC is a non-profit, grassroots organization working at the crossroads of
business, environment, and social justice in Oklahoma City. SOKC promotes
community sustainability by facilitating grassroots action, fostering awareness
of sustainability, and serving as an informational and networking resource in
the Oklahoma City area. For more information visit <a
href="http://www.sustainableokc.org/">www.sustainableokc.org</a> or the
community blog at <a href="http://freshgreens.typepad.com/">freshgreens.typepad.com</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span
style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>###<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Corbel","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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