Transition Handbook, The

Around the world, societies are facing the prospect of a future with dwindling oil reserves, an unstable climate and unpredictable food production. What are the ways we might move away from our dependency on oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and still enjoy a good quality of life? The Transition Handbook provides accounts of how individuals have responded with their local communities to the twin threats of peak oil and  climate change. This practical book explains how we can 'transition' from fossil-fuel based communities to ones that are more self-reliant and generate less carbon emissions. The Transition Handbook shows how such changes will result in a greater development of local food, local economies, local water harvesting and energy generation - and so create more sustainable communities in the longer term. The Transition Handbook includes detailed accounts of Transition initiatives in the UK (where they now number more than 100) and profiles of Australian and New Zealand initiatives currently underway. This inspiring guide shows the necessary steps to establishing a transition town in a local area and provides an achievable model for people who would like to transform the life of their community.

This is a rare book. Not only does it educate and inspire you on the path to sustainability, it also shows you how to get their by being a great 'how to do it' manual. It has already had an impact even before it's release here. Towns from Katoomba in the Blue Mountains of Australia to Nelson on the coast of New Zealand are amongst the many communities already influenced by Rob Hopkins' work. This local release is sure to inspire many more.' Paul Klymenko, Planet Ark.

 
'The Transition Handbook clearly sets out the unprecedented and looming challenges climate change and peak oil pose for our civilization, and makes it clear that a concerted community response is our only option. And yet, the book is a profoundly positive - even joyous - read because it tells us how working together as communities and facing these challenges head-on will give us the capacity not just to survive but to actively build a future that is better than our alienated and oil-fuelled present. ... [It] is your invitation to join a clear-eyed, community-based, worldwide movement of grounded visionaries who choose hope and action over denial and apathy.' Nick Heap and David Suzuki, The David Suzuki Foundation. 

'The Transition Towns process is one of the most exciting outcomes of permaculture thinking and action in the world today. ... It promises to be the guide for peak oil and permaculture activists everywhere who are taking action in the their local communities.' David Holmgren, co-originator of the permaculture concept and author of Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability.

 
'The Transition concept is one of the big ideas of our time ... it is inspirational, harnessing hope instead of guilt, and optimism instead of fear.' Patrick Holden, director of the Soil Association. 

'This book, by the visionary architect of the Transition movement, is a must-read. Growing numbers with their microscopes trained on peak oil are convinced that we have very little time to engineer resilience into our communities before the last energy crisis descends. This issue should be of urgent concern to every person who cares about their children, and all who hope there is a viable future for human civilization post-petroleum.' Jeremy Leggett, author of The Carbon War and Half Gone.