This website will no longer be updated for the time being (but VVIT is very much still going!).
Further info on VVIT is available on http://www.valevillagesintransition.wordpress.com
Group Update »
Since our events in February and March 2011, we have been in the process of setting up a new group to plan future activities for Vale Villages in Transition.
Everyone is welcome to get involved.
Email info AT valevillagesintransition.org.uk or call Jane on 01949 860 242 to find out more.
Group meetings and events are taking place on a monthly basis.
For the latest news about upcoming meetings and events, go to: http://www.valevillagesintransition.wordpress.com
Welcome »
Our website is work-in-progress. This home-page is intended to be a brief introduction to VVIT and Transition in general. For a greater understanding of why we exist and what we are working towards, please visit the 'about' pages. If you like what you see and would like to be kept informed of our plans and events, please sign up to our newsletter (see opposite). We promise to never pass your address on to anyone else and never to send emails more frequently than monthly!
What is Vale Villages in Transition?
Vale villages in Transition (or VVIT for short) is a local 'Transition Initiative' (or TI for short), one of many who are pary of a growing international movement that came into being to address the twin challenges of peak oil and climate change.
Climate Change, yes; but what is 'Peak Oil'?
We are now using oil at a much faster rate than we are discovering new reserves; we are using around six barrels of oil for every new barrel discovered. Industry experts believe we are about to reach a point known as "peak oil" where we have consumed half of the available oil reserves. This will lead to competition for oil and continuing price increases.
Why does Peak Oil matter?
We depend totally on oil to support our current lifestyle. Oil is essential for growing food (for fertilisers, harvesting, processing and storage), transporation, heating, cooking and plastics. As present there are no viable alternatives.
What can a Transition Initiative actually do?
TIs aim to help communities to increase their resilience and reduce energy use in the local economy and community. They do this by encouraging a range of local projects such as transport, food production, supporting local businesses and holding community events. The ultimate aim is a long-term plan to create local resilience against energy shortages.
What is Vale Villages in Transition doing?
VVIT started out in February 2009 when a small group of people came together who had been individually working towards a Transition Vision for some time. We're therefore full of ideas and enthusiasm and are busy planning events for our local communities. In time we hope to expand our initiating group so that together we can inspire our communities to make a transition towards a positive and truly sustainable future.
One of the main ways we'll try to do this is by working to create a positive vision of the villages in the Vale, where we meet our energy needs without using fossil fuels. We believe that a fossil-fuel-free network of local communities would be a vibrant, abundant, cohesive place in which to live.
Isn't this 'Positive Vision' unrealistic?
Challenging, yes; unrealistic, no! What is unrealistic is assuming the world can carry on as it is, with such fundamental dependence on vast quanities of fossil fuels.
But isn't it too late to do anything?
It may be too late, but the chances are that it isn’t! As Margaret Mead (American cultural anthropologist) said
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
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