Planning for a brighter future - Transition Torbay

Mounting scientific evidence confirms that the planet is undergoing unprecedented change. We are witnessing, global warming, mass extinctions, deforestation and the end of cheap, readily available fuel. Predictions suggest this will all begin to have a serious impact on our lives over the next decade.

But what does all of this really mean?

The impact in Torbay will be increased temperatures all year round. We are likely to see a reduction of rain in the summer leading to droughts and increased rain in the winter causing flooding. We are also likely to see more storms and storms of a greater intensity. Predictions suggest that Torbay will face a 90cm rise in relative sea levels by 2080 - this is predicted to be one of the highest sea rises experienced in Britain . The end of readily available fuel is likely to mean that food, electricity and petrol prices increase dramatically as the global market pushes the price of oil ever higher.

So what can we do?

Faced with this stark picture it can feel as though there is nothing we as individuals can do to impact upon the global scale. Obviously we can make small changes: eat locally produced food, recycle, cycle, use less plastic bags - but after all much climate damage is being done across the globe in China, India and The United States.

However, there is one more very important step we can take and that is to plan for a different future. Transition Torbay is a local initiative that aims to develop and implement local solutions to local problems. We want to bring the people of Torbay together to develop self supporting networks, offering alternative ways of providing for our collective needs. If the fabric of our world is changing we need to make sure we have a safety net!

This will eventually mean ensuring that the bay can feed itself, cloth itself and deal with its own waste, amongst other things, without being reliant on the massive input of fuel currently required to fulfil these basic necessities. The changes to come do not have to be disastrous. We want to encourage and celebrates the ingenuity of the people in our locality. The good news is that this process itself will be good for the Bay. By working together and forging links within the community we hope to also make our area more integrated, more harmonious and an even greater place to live.

If you would like to get involved contact:

transitiontorbay@hotmail.co.uk