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“Peak oil” is
the term for the end of cheap oil. Our contemporary society is leveraged
upon a continuous stream of the stuff. But as prices climb, things are
going to change...
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The future
with less oil could be better than the present, but only if we engage in
designing this Transition with creativity and imagination.
--Rob Hopkins, founder of the Transition Towns
movement |
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Join us as we explore the Transition Towns
concept that is catching on like wildfire in the
UK. What Can We Do about peak oil and global warming? The answers
are in our neighborhoods and communities.
Through the Transition concept, we take a positive,
forward-thinking view of what the future will hold
for our area in the time beyond oil.
- Sunday, Sept. 14, 6pm -
Movie "The End of Suburbia" followed
by community discussion
- Saturday, Sept. 20,
9am-5pm - "Designing the Transition" - a full day conference
exploring the Transition concept
- Thursday, Sept 25,
7-9pm - Peak Oil Community
Discussion - the first followup event to the
Transition conference
- Thursday, October 23, 7-9pm - "Power Down"
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The
converging challenges of peak oil and climate change mean that
change--on an almost unimaginable scale--is coming whether we want it or
not. |
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| Our series will begin
with an examination of the "hydrocarbon twins" -- peak oil and global
warming. We'll acknowledge the magnitude of the cultural Transition
before us. We'll provide an introduction to the Transition concept
by its founder, Rob Hopkins, via video from the UK. Then we'll get
down to work on our local Transition: exploring, visioning,
planning, brainstorming, identifying key players and key issues, and much
more. |
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Meet others in So
Calif who are grappling with peak oil and climate change ideas. Join
forces with people who are shaping a positive plan for our
power-down
future. |
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| This is the first time
(to the best of our knowledge) that the Transition Towns concept has been
explored in Los Angeles. Come be part of this pioneering
series! |
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| Detailed agenda: |
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| Sunday, September 14 movie: "The End of
Suburbia", a movie that discusses the dwindling
supply of cheap energy in the form of fossil fuels and its effect on
society. Movie website here. We will conclude the
screening with a community discussion to address what Rob Hopkins
humorously calls "post-petroleum stress disorder." Attendees will
leave with a homework assignment for the week prior to the Sept 20
session. |
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Saturday, September 20
session: Designing the Transition
- Part I: Understanding what lies ahead
- "The Hydrocarbon Twins" an
examination of global warming and peak oil. Also, biocapacity
issues. Guest speaker T.B.A.
- "Energy Descent Futures"
Joanne Poyourow, co-founder of the Environmental Change-Makers, recaps
the ideas David Holmgren shared in a 2005 conference in Santa Barbara
(preview
here)
- The Great Turning
concept
(preview here)
- "Sustainability as a
Yardstick" by Joanne Poyourow, co-founder of
the Environmental Change-Makers
- Break, with assignment
- Part II: How Do We Get There From Here?
- "Introduction to the
Transition Concept" by Rob Hopkins via video
- Introduction to Energy Descent Action
Plans (EDAP)
- Vegetarian and local foods lunch, with assignment
- Part III: Roll Up Your Sleeves
- Scoping: What is our
community? Rob Hopkins works with
distinct towns of 2500 people. We have WAY more than that.
What is our community? How much do we bite off for the first
known Transition Town attempt in the LA basin? How do we
determine what is enough, and what is too much? The community
discussion in this segment will determine the makeup of the breakout
sessions that follow.
- Breakout sessions
- Track A: EDAP development track.
Attendees who live within geographical proximity of each other will
break out into group(s) to brainstorm. What is needed in order
to begin an EDAP for our community? How far away are we from
beginning a Plan? We'll take a beginning inventory of tools at our
disposal: positive happenings in this local area, power-down
resources, human resources.
- Track B: Cross-pollination track.
Cross-pollination is what bees do as they carry pollen from one
flower to another. Attendees who live in outlying areas will
brainstorm ideas about getting their community ready for a gathering
like this conference. Rob Hopkins describes "Creating a sense
that something is happening." How do you do this? How
did Westchester get ready enough to host this conference? (we'll
tell you) What do I need to do within my pocket of So Calif?
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| Thursday, September 25 session: Peak Oil Community Discussion -
We'll conduct a World Cafe style discussion about power
down solutions, the Transition concept, and application here in
LA. This session is designed to continue the
community-oriented work we began on Sept. 20. |
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| Thursday, October 23 session: "Power Down" - This regular
meeting of the Environmental Change-Makers will be related to the
conference topic. We will discuss What We Can Do, as individual
citizens, to "power down" our own lifestyles. |
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Registration information
Download a registration
form (pdf)
(or html if
pdf doesn't work). Please return your registration form via email,
snail mail, or hand delivery, to the Environmental
Change-Makers. Registration is due by Sept. 6. |
| Yes, it is
possible to attend some sessions and skip others - we invite you to attend
as many portions as you can. Realize, however, that the Life After
Oil Conference is designed as a continuous progression; you will miss out
on content. |
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Cost
information
- Sunday, Sept. 14, 6pm -
Movie "The End of Suburbia" - free,
no registration required.
- Saturday, Sept. 20,
9am-5pm - "Designing the Transition" -
$50 tuition includes
vegetarian lunch, and helps defray conference costs. (A limited
number of work/study scholarships are available - contact us
asap if interested)
- Thursday, Sept 25,
7-9pm - Peak Oil Community Discussion - free, no registration
required.
- Thursday, October 23, 7-9pm - "Power Down" - free, no registration
required.
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Prerequisites
With the Life Beyond Oil
conference, we are embarking on a journey. This conference is not intended
as a mere one-day entertainment. It is intended as the beginning of a
transformative process, upon which rests the security of our urban
future.
Our mainstream society has ill-prepared us to consider the
concept of Life After Oil. Thus we ask that you do some homework to orient
yourself into these power-down ideas. At a minimum, please complete the
Essential Reading list (3 items). It would be great if you could
read a few of the other items suggested prior to the conference. |
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Essential reading (pretty
much mandatory):
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Strongly recommended:
- Hopkins, Rob, The Transition Handbook. A detailed
discussion of the Transition concept and a refinement of several years
of what Hopkins has explored in the UK and shared on his blog. The
book is currenly only available in the UK, but a limited number of
copies will be available at upcoming Environmental
Change-Makers meetings. Otherwise, order directly from the author.
- selections from the Transition Culture website:
- Ecological Footprint: overview,
and world
trends (two single webpages)
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Suggested reading -
general:
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Suggested reading -
specific topics:
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