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Common Sense Solutions - Starting Now

Transition Town Japan

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Apply The Eco Village Concept To Your Town

"Instead of approaching the challenge from a negative place, it's an opportunity for many people to contribute their ideas and imagination to create a positive vision together. This movement really values this approach." says Hidetake Enomoto who is part of the Transition Town movement in Japan.

The challenge he refers to is an "empowered downsizing" that is in the cards for all of the western world, as resources become more precious and fossil fuels more scarce.

The vision of the Transition Town movement is that every community can engage its collective creativity to unleash an extraordinary and historic transition to a future beyond fossil fuels; a future that is more vibrant, abundant and resilient; one that is ultimately preferable to the present.

How do they do that? The Transition approach is very much a study of permaculture in itself. It asks not: How can we make sure people take action the way we know they ought to and grow food, start composting, install solar panels, etc?" No, it asks: what is already going on in this town and how can we maximize the interchange and benefit of all the commerce and activity already in motion - regardless of people's views, politics, awareness of energy issues, etc.

He adds: "I started to feel that we don't have the leisure to build an eco-village from scratch. So how can the average person apply the eco-village concept to their town? That's when I came across the Transition Town movement."

This is a movement done together, not alone.

--Bibi Farber

For more information on the Transition Town Movement, visit www.transitionnetwork.org
This video was produced by www.ourworld.unu.edu