Newark on Trent - First meeting to become Transition Town - September 14th 2008

Newark on Trent - First meeting to become Transition Town

On Friday 12th September, Newark had the first meeting towards becoming a Transition Town joining the 600 or so communities country wide that are considering join around 100 towns that are no transition towns.

The Transition movement recognises the need to deal with Climate Change and Peak Oil.

Q. What is Peak Oil?
A. The point where oil production starts declining as reserves start to dwindle. Many believe that this half way point has passed. Even petroleum company BP suggest that it is only a handful of years away

Q. How will it affect us?
A. It will affect evey one of us in the developed world. The supply of cheap oil is the world's lifeblood. It is essential to production of food, transport, in fact almost everything that our current economy needs to survive on a daily basis. As oil supply slows yet demand increases and becomes more expensive, a growth economy will not be able to survive.

Q. What are the althernatives?
A. There is no substitute for oil as an energy fuel. The governments are not taking action to address the problem. For them it is business as usual which will simply lead to us all in a climate catatrophe. It cannot be overstressed that the very future of mankind depends on what we do from this moment onwards. Quite simpley we will have to vastly reduce our energy consumption by re-localisong our communities n order to survive.

Q. How can we re-localise?
A. We need to move away from both global and national dependancy for our daily needs. By rebuilding our communities and harnessing everyone's particular talents in a locla area we will be able to create ecological sustainability

The Transition Town movement first started in Totnes. Transition Towns are aiming for a permanent change from fossil fuel dependancy to an economy that can be run by renewable energy sources with a coherent and planned descent. Localising the economy is a necessary part of that.

The current system of putting goods in plastic packaging and then moving them long distances in lorries, finally to be displayed in supermarkets with their intense lighing, open freezers creating high energy cnsumption, must change.

A move back to local markets is required along with improvements in public transport and encouragement of cycling.

Newark's surrounded by fertile, arable land. The market in Newark, already selling local produce and popular among many, could be improved for both shoppers and stall holders.

To join in Newark Transition movement email newarktransition@btinternet.com or call 07908 439020.

To find out more about Transition Towns click here