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…by Colin Endean, 2006
(Colin was Director of Permaculture International 2005-2008)

Strategies for transition on the path of energy descent

Transition Energy Descent is the process of living with less net energy. As a process it is ever changing, adapt-ing, responding and reflecting a new paradigm for human cultures and communities.

• It is both a response and an oppor-tunity:
  A response to the imposition created by Peak Oil and the oppor-tunity to reconfigure our energy and lifestyle priorities as a strategy to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases & impact of Global Warming.
  The energy descent transition is a process beginning now and continu-ing long into the future. It is the path we nurture and create for our chil-dren and generations to come.

• As a vision or path forward from Oil Peak* it empowers us to envision more from less:
  To recreate com-munities and cultures of less con-sumption, better quality of life and relationship with people and nature.
  It is our beacon of hope in the face of difficult challenges posed by the realisation of Peak Oil and Climate Change as economic and cultural constructs of the way we lived in the Age of Oil.

Values for living ‘in transition’

• Enjoy and value travel more – less frequently
  Addicted to travel, we can gain value & main-tain enjoyment by more restraint in our desire for exploring the new and different.
• Value the local
  Being here and being now and looking closer to home for entertainment and activity
• Watch your eye out to the world
  Chasing the greener grass is always tempting but Thinking Globally and Acting Locally still works
• Think energy, know energy & live energy
  Know the facts and understand the basics of thermodynamics and resource depletion
• Create active living and livelihood
  Walk, cycle, garden and live actively in both work and leisure
• Design & manage consumption withdrawal
  Choose less rather than more on our path to reduce tour ecological footprint.

Strategies

• Connect with food
  Avoid the supermarket trap that creates thou-sands of ‘food- miles’.
  Grow food, buy local and regional organic produce and share ‘slow food’ with family and friends
• Connect with people
  Find the local networks and connections with people concerned and active in responsible living
• Connect with nature
  The natural world and ecosystems provide and teach us the skills of sustainability.
• Observe and interact with nature, from soil to wilder-ness
  Invest in Storage & Conservation Consider rainwater tanks, home insulation, so-lar hot water & photovoltaics, organic soil man-agement as investments in sustainability and resilience.

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