greenliving Transition Towns T
he coastal town of
Lincoln City,
Oregon, has a lot to lose if nothing is done about climate change. The town sits 11 feet above sea level, and unchecked climate change could erode its beaches or flood the town.
Residents are
taking matters into their own hands. “We could ignore it, let the federal government deal with it,” Mayor Lori Hollingsworth says. “We’re not will- ing to do that.” Last year, Lincoln City committed to becoming carbon neutral, through renewable energy, energy ef- ficiency and carbon offsets. Communities like Lincoln City have long been ahead of Congress
Transition Naples
initiative is forming. Get involved at:
http://transitionflorida.ning.com/ group/transitionnaples
Where Sustainable Living is Real by Tara Lohan
More and more neighborhoods are making the transition to a climate-friendly community.
and the White House on climate commit- ments. Cities first began committing to Kyoto Protocol goals in 2005, through the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protec- tion Agreement. Now, more than 1,000 cities in the United States, the District of Colum- bia and Puerto Rico
have signed on. The community climate movement
goes beyond government initiatives; it’s a cultural shift involving people from tiny rural towns to major metropolitan areas.
The Heart of Climate Action
The fast-growing college town of Berea, Kentucky, is one of scores of U.S. com- munities that have become Transition
Towns and formed a diffuse, grassroots network, led by individuals who are working to transform their own commu- nities. While Berea is seeing its subdivi- sions expand and farmland disappear, one group of residents is making plans to help their community end its reli- ance on fossil fuels.
Berea locals have a goal they’re calling “50 x 25.” By 2025, they aim to have the town using 50 percent less energy, deriving 50 percent of the energy it does use from local sources, procuring 50 percent of its food from farms and processors within 100 miles of town, and generating 50 percent of its gross domestic product from locally owned, independent businesses. The Transition Town Berea group holds monthly reskilling workshops to help locals acquire the know-how to grow their own food, weatherize their houses and install solar panels. Their projects help neighbors replant lawns with edibles and build raised vegetable beds. They’ve also auctioned rain bar- rels painted by local artists and orga- nized a 100-Mile Potluck to celebrate local food and farmers.
Building a Future from the Ground Up
The Transition Towns movement in the United States is less than two years old, but it came from the seeds of earlier re-localization efforts and other community climate groups and nonprofits. A lecture on climate change may not appeal to everyone, but advo-
34 Collier/Lee Counties
swfl.naturalawakeningsmag.com
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