Residents of Berea, Kentucky, have a goal of “50 x 25.” By 2025, residents aim to have the town using 50 per- cent less energy, deriving 50 percent of the energy it uses
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.
cates find they can interest people in things like gardening, says Richard Olson, director of the Berea College Sustainability and Environmental Studies program. “We talk to them about heirloom seeds and what their grandparents grew and if they’d like to learn canning. We get them involved without even mentioning transition or sustainability.” Interest in climate-readiness
is spreading: Austin, Texas, has an ambitious plan to make city facili- ties, vehicles and all other operations carbon-neutral by 2020. Louisville, Colorado, now has a car share pro- gram. Charlottesville, Virginia, is creating a trail system for walking and biking to connect schools, parks and other public spaces.
Greensburg, Kansas, a city of fewer than 2,000, was leveled by a tornado
in May 2007. Residents have de- cided to rebuild as green as they can, requiring all city buildings to meet the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED platinum rating for top-level environmentally friendly construc- tion. They’ve also formed the group Greensburg GreenTown to increase public education about green liv- ing, make resources available at the library and distribute educational ma- terials through online and telephone classes and events. Green building initiatives also are
spreading, thanks in part to Architecture 2030, a nonprofit based in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which calls for an im- mediate 50 percent reduction in fossil fuel consumption in new buildings and renovations, and sets a goal of carbon- neutral design by 2030. The U.S. Con-
ference of Mayors adopted the program in 2006. These communities hope they can
lead the way toward the big changes we’ll need, both nationally and in- ternationally, to respond to climate change. “Working at the community level to build resilience is the strategy that has the most chance of success,” observes Olson. “It’s not going to take until our grandchildren’s generation to see if we’ve succeeded. I think in 10 years we’ll see if we’re going to have a chance.”
For more info visit
TransitionUS.org.
Tara Lohan is a contributing writer to YES! Magazine, a senior editor at AlterNet and editor of the book, Water Consciousness.
natural awakenings
October 2010
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