This past week I had the pleasure of attending my first Transition meeting – in Peterborough, Ontario.
I was really looking forward to it beforehand as this was my first time making a physical connection with an organized group of concerned community members on the future of their town.
A few lessons learned:
- The Transition Town concept is not only attractive to citizens concerned about climate change and peak oil, but also those with more radical social ideals. Working together with the ‘business is evil’ crowd is going to be an important part of my job.
- Generally speaking, older people get it. There was a divide in the room between those who understood that great ideas don’t always make profitable ventures, and those who didn’t. Of course, it’s important that we all agree on the measures of success we are going to use, but the point is still valid. “If you build it, they will come” isn’t a reason to invest.
- There was also a divide between ideas relating to social change and those for environmental change. My challenge will be to show the group that community energy initiatives (including biogas) can affect both environmental and social change.
More importantly, I learned that although the enthusiasm to do something and the connections to get it done are in place, the necessary funds and business skills are not necessarily. Proper engagement going forward is also going to require an educational component relating to business plan writing, fund raising, market research, etc. in addition to energy issues and the benefits of biogas.
Transition Town Peterborough (TTP) was the first official Canadian Transition Town and they claim to be the most advanced of all the groups now pursuing the same goals. However, that does not mean all of the important subgroups are already in place or that shovels are in the ground. An energy co-op working group was formed a year and a half ago, but had basically stalled in the idea phase. To say I’m excited to pick up where the group left off and move projects from the idea phase into full operation, is probably an understatement. The laws and regulations are now in place to encourage these projects to go ahead, and together with this group of concerned citizens, we’re going to make community-based energy (including biogas) happen.
ReGenerate can help your Transition Town plan and build biogas systems to grow local value and create jobs in your community. Talk to me to find out more.
photo credit – clagnut
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