1. “What do we do IF the lights go out?” Making the transition from our dependence on fossil fuels. Dr Wendy Woodland Dept of Geography & Environmental Management UWE Bristol

2. The problem… Today’s society is strongly reliant upon fossil fuels · 130kg of packaging made from oil-derived plastics is consumed by British households each year. Two-thirds of it is used in food production. · 3.5 litres of oil is needed to produce 0.5kg of steak The Guardian newspaper, 2007

4. availability of cheap & easily accessible oil sources declines

5. oil prices increase

6. how do we maintain energy supplies?Climate change Global financial crisis

8. make a transition to a lower energy future

9. greater levels of community resilience (peak oil)

10. smaller carbon footprint (climate change)

12. lead by Rob Hopkins (a UWE graduate!)

13. "for all those aspects of life that this community needs in order to sustain itself and thrive, how do we significantly increase resilience (to mitigate the effects of peak oil) and drastically reduce carbon emissions (to mitigate the effects of climate change)?"

14. co-ordinate a range of projects that leads to a collectively designed energy descent pathwayHow might a small town reduce its use of fossil fuels (oil, gas)?

17. population 23,258 (in 2009)

18. grown by 4.53% in past 10 yearsWho? Totnes transition town

20. create a vision for Totnes in 2030 “the ideal situation”How ?

22. changes in food, farming, health, education, energy, transport, buildings, tourism, waste, economy & livelihoods

23. involves community within "action groups“

26. encourages more local trade and thus reduces food and trade miles

27. encourages tourists to use local businesses

29. What’s happening in Bristol “transition city” Transition Bristol

31. if we act as individuals, it'll be too little

32. but if we act as communities, it might just be enough, just in time.“www.transitiontowns.org

34. Information on transition town Totnes http://totnes.transitionnetwork.org/