SFABA Looks to Build Economic Resilience

(1/5/09) Several SFABA members including Mary Vilbon, Susan Flaccus, Will Flanders, Chris King, and Sarah Fournier-Scanlon are working to organize a public conversation on how to build resilience in West County.

We don't know how the future is going to play out given the current critical state of the economy, global warming, energy descent, and natural disasters. However the more resilient we become, the better we'll be able to cope with whatever comes. Further, even if nothing too severe happens, whatever we've accomplished will enhance our community nonetheless.

Topics ranging from food/farming, energy, housing, health care, transportation, and education will be explored, with a particular emphasis on re-localizing economics, and how to serve area residents while continuing to build a local and vibrant business community.

Thus far, we have begun a sociological survey to ascertain who some of the most influential people are in West County. The intent is to make sure we are inclusive from the beginning of all movers and shakers of our community, inviting all voices to be heard, and to maintain a broad interface with local politics. The conversation on creating resilience will be held in February, the exact date is forthcoming.

One possible culmination of the reliance chat would be to launch a Transition Initiative for Shelburne/Buckland.

Originating in a handful of market towns in the United Kingdom, the Transition Movement began catching on in the States this summer. A Transition Initiative is based on ecological design principles, and is created when a community comes together to respond to the challenges and opportunities of Peak Oil and Climate Change.

Transition Initiatives are based on four key assumptions:

• That life with dramatically lower energy consumption is inevitable, and that it's better to plan for it than to be taken by surprise.
• That our settlements and communities presently lack the resilience to enable them to weather the severe energy shocks that will accompany peak oil.
• That we have to act collectively and act now
• That by unleashing the collective genius of those around us to creatively and proactively design our energy descent, we can build ways of living that are more connected, more enriching, and that recognize the biological limits of our planet.

What if Shelburne/Buckland were the first carbon neutral towns in the U.S.? What if we ran with our image as a beautiful and creative enclave, and made it all the more inviting for tourists and residents alike? Eco-tourism is booming. Going  green and conserving energy are in the forefront of people's minds, coinciding with both saving money, and keeping it within the community. Having a visible, local, Transition Initiative could help to foster a revitalized image for the Shelburne/Buckland area, generate free publicity, and attract a broader range of visitors.

As global and otherwise dependent-on-cheap-oil models continue to unravel in the current economy, local entrepreneurs have a unique opportunity to step in to fill the gaps, and in doing so, create local-reliance, vibrancy, meaning, and joy.

For more information on the Transition Initiative, check out The Transition Handbook (available at the Arms Library, SFABA Office, or Boswell's Books), www.transitionculture.org, or hunt down Sarah Fournier-Scanlon, as she's always keen to discuss it.