Local response to climate change and oil supplies

TO THE EDITOR:

Congratulations to the organizers of Coal-Free UNC for convincing UNC to stop using coal by 2020! This is a huge step in the right direction. It gives hope to the thousands of local residents who are concerned about climate change.

More hope is available this Saturday, May 15, when Transition Carrboro-Chapel Hill holds its “Great Unleashing” from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Carrboro Century Center (100 N. Greensboro St.).

The Transition Town movement began in England in 2005 when one community started to envision a local response to climate change and dwindling oil supplies. There are now nearly 300 Transition Towns around the world, 65 of them in the U.S.

The model leads eventually to an “Energy Descent Action Plan” that transitions us to a lifestyle that is resilient, i.e., able to withstand such shocks as climate change, economic instability, and increasingly expensive oil.

By the end of the Unleashing, we expect to form action groups in areas such as transportation, energy, food, health, and more. Exactly what is unleashed on Saturday will depend on who shows up.

The “open space” format that will be used ensures that anyone can propose a Transition project.

The proposals are then discussed in small groups throughout the day, and those that attract the most interest will be pursued.

The Unleashing is open to the public and free of charge (except for a requested donation to cover the cost of lunch). Come join us!



Sally Robertson
The Steering Committee of Transition Carrboro-Chapel Hill