The Transitional Network Model Sustainability, Climate Change and Peak Oil - Dissertation Example

? The Transitional Network Model Sustainability, Climate Change & Peak Oil May 21st, The traditional network model of community development is related to the Permaculture movement founded by Bill Mollison over thirty years ago in Australia and subsequently spread around the world in local communities as a means of social organization. Permaculture seeks to build communities on the basis of sustainable agriculture principles in order to address the environmental problems facing the earth today, including both peak oil and climate change. Peak oil and the related pollution problems associated with petroleum powered vehicles particularly is a motivating force behind Rob Hopkins’ “transitional towns” initiative, which seeks to establish new development patterns in local communities in order to make a transition from old models of community organization to new ones based on environmental concerns. As the Comhar Sustainable Development Council (2011) in Ireland wrote about the history of the transitional cities movement: “The movement originates from a student project overseen by permaculture teacher Rob Hopkins at the Kinsale Further Education College in Ireland. The project involved writing an Energy Descent Action Plan, which looked at creative adaptations in the realms of energy production, health, education, economy and agriculture as a road map to a sustainable future for the town. The term Transition Town was coined by Louise Rooney and Catherine Dunne, two of Rob Hopkins students, who set about developing the Transition Towns concept presented it to Kinsale Town Council, resulting in the historic decision by Councillors to adopt the plan and work towards energy independence. Following its start in Kinsale, it then spread to Totnes, England where Rob Hopkins and Naresh Giangrande developed the concept. The movement currently has thousands of member communities worldwide.” (Comhar SDC, 2011) The expansion of transitional towns programs around the world can have a major impact on the economy and particularly industry, real estate, and technology. The transitional towns movement creates new jobs in ‘green’ industries such as solar, hydrogen power, fuel cell technologies, hydropower, wind, geothermal, and tidal technologies for energy generation alternatives over oil based products. The focus on sustainability for communities in environmental harmony and balanced development in Permaculture and the transitional towns movement places a focus on the transformation of the home environment to incorporate new technologies that reduce the dependency of the local economy on fossil fuels and petroleum products. The additional focuses are in transportation, industry, and agriculture, implementing the best of environmental science and alternative energy research into already established businesses and organizations. From this process, the movement takes its name of transitional towns which connotes the technological and ideological changes behind the organization. “As of October 2010 there are 321 ‘transition initiatives’ in Europe, mainly in England, as well as 8 in North America and 3 in Australia.” (Baez, 2010) While the small nature of the movement may make it seem isolated and lacking broader support or acknowledgement in the society at large, the rapidly expanding emergence of the transitional towns networks and interrelationship with other environmental organizations points to the impact that this movement can have on the local and international economy. The transitional towns movement can support the development of ‘green’ technologies such as hydropower, wind, solar, fuel cells, hydrogen, geothermal, and tidal energy sources in order to move communities away from economic and cultural development patterns that are environmentally destructive. For real estate developers and home owners, this means the integration of new sustainable energy technologies into the home environment, and from this comes many opportunity for new business and products. For example, smart grid technologies can be implemented in the home to make energy usage more efficient, as well as decentralized power generation such as solar or fuel cells. Vehicle transition from high-mileage petroleum vehicles, to electric cars, bio-fuel, and fuel-cell cars, trucks, motorbikes, or public transportation units can also add a great deal of environmental balance to a transitional community. The transitional towns movement can focus on local policies and international solidarity to build a wider context and network of businesses and communities working together globally to initiate these changes. Rob Hopkins, widely regarded as one of the founders of the transitional towns movement, suggests “Six Options for Action” that cities can implement regarding the problem of peak oil. (Hopkins, 2011) Peak oil is based in the theory that oil is a limited natural resource globally, and that many if not most of the major production areas in the U.S., Britain, Saudi Arabia, and other countries are actually depleted and entering a lower stage of production ability. From this, oil and gasoline products can be expected to become more expensive as global supplies are reduced in the oil fields and demand for these products increases in economies such as China, India, Brazil, and other parts of the developing world. In discussing a Bristol city council resolution on peak oil, Hopkins suggests that the “Six Options for Action” are: Acknowledgement: “Publicly acknowledge peak oil as a threat. Pass a resolution to take actions now to lessen the impacts which peak oil would cause.” Leadership: “Set up a cross sector team, with a budget, to take the work forward. This could be owned by the Bristol Partnership with oversight on team selection and monitoring of progress by the Green Capital Momentum Group.” Engaged Communities: “Emphasise the role which communities have to play in Bristol’s future. Support community engagement activities and provide education and assistance on building resilience and reducing reliance on public services.” Focus on Accessibility: “Drive actions and policies which reduce the need to travel for essential services and needs. Support cycling and walking and development of a sustainable and effective public transport system.” Food Security: “Drive actions and policies which improve food security by supporting local food growing and production. Develop sustainable agricultural practices.” A Robust Economy: “Support and develop a local business environment which can thrive in a low carbon, low waste economy. Ensure that jobs and opportunities are available across the city to avoid creating conditions for social breakdown.” (Hopkins, 2011) In acknowledging the threat of peak oil and climate change, the transitional town movement establishes this recognition of the problem as primary for the individual and society, based on the scientific research which has widely recognized these problems. From this acknowledgement, individuals can form into activist and political groups to support movements like local council resolutions that support transitional towns policies. Furthermore, individuals and groups can begin to make the changes required in their own lives and homes that are essential for a widespread implementation of sustainable energy policies. This can include vehicle change, from petroleum based cars, trucks, and SUVs to electric cars, fuel cell technology, or other renewable energy sources. Individuals and groups in co-operation can build more efficient networks for public transportation and electricity generation using sustainable resources. Once the problem is recognized, the new construction can proceed by using futuristic, sustainable technologies rather than archaic, environmentally destructive, and unsustainable petroleum or coal fuels. This begins the practical aspects of transforming a community, and thus Hopkins stresses the point of an initial acknowledgement of the problem of peak oil, in individuals, groups, social institutions, governments, and businesses, so that the local economy can begin a transition to sustainable environmental and social policies. After acknowledgement of the problem and initial steps at community organization, Hopkins states that leadership is required to further the movement socially. Importantly, this leadership is based in cross-sector organizations that bridge business, government, and activists into a common cause. Too many times, activists face a social isolation and inability to get progressive policies discussed or implemented in the broader society. Nevertheless, a movement such as the transitional towns network can grow through education, advocacy, and leadership in building a wider understanding of the problems and a broader discussion of the possible solutions. When business, industry, real estate, government, education, and activist sectors are all combined in a single wider purpose, then an actual transition from old policies to new can take place in a coordinated manner. The leadership aspect is based in media and raising awareness on one level, but must progress to a practical implementation in the home, garden, business location, and public places together to become a truly transformative process. Engaged communities are the next aspect as these reflect the coordination of cross-sector alliances in business, government, education, and activism to move from awareness of peak oil and climate change as problems, to actually building and implementing solutions on the local and international level. The transitional towns movements has an “official” character when communities adopt the interpretation of peak oil and climate change as fundamental to politics, governance, business, and community organization and publicly label themselves as part of the movement. From this comes a joint-organization of policies and initiatives on a collective basis that seeks to reach a critical mass of awareness that leads to the change required to solve these problems. Engaged communities can work in private-public partnership to develop sustainable energy solutions such as EVs or renewable electricity generation on a collective basis, and also export these technologies to other communities as a wider recognition of the need arises and businesses produce more consumer or industrial technologies that are based on the transitional cities program. The research from this sector is not only hypothetical or activist-driven; in many ways current events show that it is a very important part of emergency management that communities must plan for if they want to survive and avoid a collapse of civilization in natural disasters. For example, as Peter W. Newton writes in “Transitions: Pathways Towards Sustainable Urban Development in Australia” (2008), "We live in a human economy that relies more on production than on the renewable webs of life that the planet can offer. The major issue here is that all cities are increasingly vulnerable to some sort of failure - flood, drought, salt intrusion from sea-level rise, failed infrastructure (water, sewage, electricity, communications), transport congestion, food shortages, material bottlenecks, and the like. No city could function without all of these services if deprived for more than three days, and many would show signs of strain within 24 hours." (Newton, 2008) If peak oil and climate change are inevitable, and advanced civilization is increasingly at risk from overpopulation and development that is located in natural environments prone to flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, etc., these communities must transition from centralized models of utilities to localized ones. This decentralization of power, sanitation, food production, and other social organizations could encourage entirely new ways to develop homes, villages, and ecosystem, as the Permaculture ideology suggests. In this way, engaged communities form a transition to a sustainable future for a planet, protect society, and solve problems related to energy production and technology use by developing new social organizations following natural patterns and renewable sources of energy. Food security is an important part of Permaculture, and this is where the home environment and real estate sector has the greatest potential for change in the transitional cities movement. Permaculture homes are generally based around a pattern of sustainable agriculture that promotes local food security. In many ways, autonomy of the household is an important part of Permaculture as well, meaning that the ideal Permaculture home includes self-sufficient local organic farming that integrates the home with the environment, and uses “decorative lawn space” for sustainable organic food production. Socially, this may be healthier, more sustainable, safer, and more cost efficient than mono-culture and centralized farming techniques. The Permaculture approach supports biodiversity and endangered species whereas the mono-culture and industrial farming methods may harm these. The organic farming method using natural composts from the home environment for fertilizer rather than chemicals, using natural harmony methods of gardening rather than insecticides and poisons, local production over factory farming, all promote a higher quality of life in society, albeit on a different social organization from the modern. In this regard, the transitional cities movement and Permaculture represent a profound, grass-roots, and institutional change in social organization. The sixth and final aspect of Hopkins’ “Six Options for Action” is a robust economy, and this is a green economy that thrives on multiple levels. At the basis, the autonomous organic household with garden rather than yard, solar or fuel cell technology for onsite energy self-sufficiency, local sewage treatment converted into compost, biodiversity and endangered species gardening all combine to create a beautiful, harmonious, and safe environment for all life. Excess produce is sold in farmer’s markets, grocery stores, and shops, and green business is promoted through advances in renewable fuel technologies, solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, tidal, and fuel cell technologies, electric vehicles including public transport, business logistics, cars, motorbikes, and other forms of personal and mass transit all leading to a strong economy that supports the transitioning towns movement. These green products and technologies can also be exported internationally, initiating change through their use but also enabling employment on the local level. The use of the environment as a moral basis has a wide application across all sectors of society including governance, business, education, and activism. Green technology is based in renewable and sustainable energy sources such as solar, hydropower, geothermal, wind, tidal, and fuel cell technologies. These new technologies lead to a stronger, healthier, and more environmentally sound society, and one that is more able to survive natural disasters as may arise with climate change. Peak oil requires a transition away from petroleum to renewable sources of energy in transportation particularly. This involves not only electric vehicles, public transportation, and collective energy production based on non-polluting technologies, but also a wider partnership between all aspects of society in implementing environmental consciousness into daily living. Smart grid technologies, solar installation, organic gardening, composting toilets, and local water supply are just some of the aspects implemented through Permaculture to the home environment that can impact the real estate development market. Combined, green technologies, Permaculture, sustainable and renewable energy sources form the basis of the transitional towns movement advancing in England, Ireland, the U.S., Australia, and Germany currently, seeking to build practical solutions to the problems of climate change and peak oil particularly, as well as building a more socially just and naturally harmonious society collectively. Sources Cited: Baez, John 2010, Transition Towns, The Azimuth Project, October 31, 2010, viewed 21 May 2011, http://www.azimuthproject.org/azimuth/show/Transition+Towns Bailey, Ian & Hopkins, Rob and Wilson, Geoff 2010, Some things old, some things new: The spatial representations and politics of change of the peak oil relocalisation movement, Geoforum, Themed Issue: Geographies of Peak Oil, Volume 41, Issue 4, July 2010, Pages 595-605, viewed 21 May 2011, http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V68-4XF7XXP Balls, Jonathan 2010, Transition Towns: Local networking for global sustainability?, Energy Bulletin, University of Cambridge, Published Apr 3 2010, Archived Jul 18 2010, viewed 21 May 2011, http://www.energybulletin.net/node/53474 Comhar SDC 2011, Transition Initiatives, Ask About Ireland, 2011, viewed 21 May 2011, http://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/environment-geography/greening-communities/going-greener/sustainable-living/transition-initiatives/ Hopkins, Rob 2011, Ingredients of Transition: Peak Oil Resolutions, Transition Network, February 28, 2011, viewed 21 May 2011, http://www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2011-02-28/ingredients-transition-peak-oil-resolutions Hopkins, Rob 2008, The Transition Handbook: From Oil Dependency to Local Resilience, Green Books, 2008, viewed 21 May 2011, http://books.google.co.in/books?id=Vb2IHRGiIYIC Newman, Peter & Beatley, Timothy & Boyer, Heather 2009, Resilient cities: responding to peak oil and climate change, Island Press, 2009, viewed 21 May 2011, http://books.google.co.in/books?id=ZTIafSpJZR4C Newton, Peter W. 2008, Transitions: Pathways Towards Sustainable Urban Development in Australia, Springer, 2008, viewed 21 May 2011, http://books.google.co.in/books?id=c47nD1k_efgC Read More