transition towns

I've heard about the idea of Transition Towns a few times in the past couple months. And the more I hear about them, the more I like them and want to live in one.

The Transition concept is a relatively recent movement, but it's not really a new idea at all--it's all about getting back to the basics. Started in Totnes, England in 2005, Transition Towns is a project that seeks to equip communities with the tools and systems necessary to deal with the rising problems of climate change and energy consumption. The main goal is to work toward energy independence.

What I love about Transition Towns is how they are working to reach their goal. The communities are encouraged to work toward sustainable living by reducing energy usage and increasing their self-reliance. So they have community gardens to grow fruits and vegetables, businesses swap their unneeded items/waste, community members are encouraged to buy their dairy and meat from local farmers.

In Totnes, they've gone so far as to make their own local currency. While residents are still able to use the normal British pound, the Totnes pound is redeemable in most of the locally run shops. The local store owners then turn around and use what they receive to do their own shopping within the town. It keeps the money within the town, within their own economic community, which totally increases their self-reliance. If the residents are able to reach a point where everything they need for their daily lives can be bought at a store within walking/biking distance of their home with a local currency that has no value outside the city limits, the community can become self-sufficient on many levels.

And while it gets back to the basics, it's not like these people are reverting and living in some kind of nonmodernized society. They are simply being more intentional about how and where they are spending their time and money.

vote

i just did. absentee style.

pure michigan.

These ads are all.over.the.place in Chicago. On TV, on the radio, on billboards and the sides of buses. I know they are cheesy and over-the-top and a little ridiculous, but I totally love them.

Giant Pool of Money

In case you're a little confused about the economic 'crisis' that's going on right now and want some clarification as to how the U.S. got itself into this mess, listen to this. It'll take you an hour. But it's fascinating and informative and entertaining. I recommend it.