THE TRANSITION HANDBOOK: From Oil Dependency to Local Resilience

THE TRANSITION HANDBOOK: From Oil Dependency to Local Resilience
by Rob Hopkins
(240 pages, 2008)
Price: $16.47

This book happily describes the British grassroots "Transition Towns" movement. Meant to be a guide and motivator, the handbook discusses how several U.K. towns are preparing for the twin threats of climate change and peak oil. Hopkins, a teacher of permaculture and natural building and a cofounder of the Transition Network, urges a community response—local sustainability made fun—in which groups grapple with issues like food, transportation, energy, building materials, and waste and even develop their own local currency. Hopkins takes our "addiction" to oil literally, and so we will read of "post-petroleum stress disorder," and see applied addictions psychology helping to ease the townies' withdrawal symptoms. It's a handsome book, thoughtfully designed, which may make its message a little more palatable to oil addicts on this side of the Atlantic.
[ See the author speak about his book and ideas at http://hopedance.org/community-media/videos/77-Rob+Hopkins+Transition+Handbook?userid=64 ]