Transition Town Totnes

September 25, 2006

NOTE: Images in this archived article have been removed.

Totnes is the UK’s first town exploring issues of how to prepare for peak oil.

TTT is a community-led initiative which is working towards the creation of an Energy Descent Action Plan for the town. The thinking behind TTT is simply that a town using much less energy than we presently consume could if properly planned for and designed, be more resilient, more abundant and more pleasuable that the present.

The project will develop, over the next 12 – 18 months, an Energy Descent Action Plan for Totnes, modelled on the Kinsale Energy Descent Action Plan, the first in the world, as a tool for designing a positive timetabled way down from the oil peak. It will strive to be inclusive, imaginative, practical and fun.

Some more articles by Rob Hopkins on the initiative from his Transition Culture site, compiled by EB editors:


Transition Town Totnes – Programme September – December 2006

We are delighted to announce the programme of events for the first 4 months of the Transition Town Totnes initiative. (more…)
(Aug 2006)
Great list of both practical, challenging and inspiring events.


Transition Town Totnes flyer available.

Image RemovedThe flyer for Transition Town Totnes is now done, is at the printers, and will be ready tomorrow. I thought those of you outside of the ‘pop into Totnes and pick one up’ radius would like to see it. It was done by the very creative, professional and patient Simon Blackler of Idealic in Ivybridge. Idealic is a South West Devon design agency specialising in corporate identity, concerned about the affects of climate change, wanting to work with companies who wish to work more sustainably, who I recommend wholeheartedly. You can download it here. Do feel free to print out and distribute or circulate in whatever way seems appropriate.
(1 Sep 2006)


Transition Town Totnes gets off to a great start!

Rob Hopkins, Transition Culture
Image RemovedOn Wednesday night in the Civic Hall in Totnes, The Official Unleashing of Transition Town Totnes took place. The evening was very successful, and was attended by over 350 people, who packed the hall to hear presentations by Rob Hopkins and Dr. Chris Johnstone. The evening was opened by the Mayor of Totnes, Pruw Boswell, who talked enthusiastically about the initiative and her hopes for its success. If this can happen anywhere, she told the audience, it will be in Totnes. (more…)
(6 Sep 2006)


The Great Adventure of Energy Descent – Chris Johnstone at the Transition Town Totnes launch

Here is an edited transcript of the talk that Chris Johnstone gave at the launch of Transition Town Totnes at Totnes Civic Hall on 6th September 2006.

Image RemovedAlthough there is a practical side to energy descent, what I want to look at is the psychological side to energy descent. I’m going to talk for a short while, and then I’m going to introduce a process where you talk to each other, because you’re the people of Totnes, you’re going to be involved in this, and therefore it’s really important that you hear from each other what you think and feel about this. I’m going to offer a structured process that will last about 20 minutes and then we’ll have some time for questions at the end. (more…)
(11 Sep 2006)


Unleashing Transition Town Totnes Feedback #1. Our Concerns

Image RemovedAt the ‘Official Unleashing of Transition Town Totnes’ on September 6th 2006, people were invited to reflect in pairs on the following question, “when I think about issues such as peak oil and climate change, my concerns are”. These were then written up on post-it notes and stuck on the wall for all to see. They are reproduced below (there are lots of them!). (more…)
(15 Sep 2006)


Unleashing Transition Town Totnes Feedback #2. Our Vision

Image RemovedThen people were invited to reflect in pairs on the following question, “my vision for Totnes after peak oil is…”. Thanks to Karen for typing them all up. They are reproduced below. (more…)
(15 Sep 2006)


Unleashing Transition Town Totnes Feedback #3. Steps We Can Take.

Image RemovedFinally, people were invited to reflect in pairs on the following question, “the steps I can take towards this vision are”. These were then written up on post-it notes and stuck on the wall. They are reproduced below. (more…)
(15 Sep 2006)


The Heart and Soul of the Transition Town Totnes initiative takes flight

This weekend sees the first course run by the first Transition Town Totnes group, which calls itself Heart and Soul – the Psychology of Change. The group is exploring the psychological aspects of the post-peak transition, how to facilitate peoples’ collective journey through this transition. Focalised by Hilary Prentice and Sophy Banks, they have designed a programme of events for the next 3 months, including a launch evening on Tuesday October 17th. (more…)
(22 Sep 2006)


Transition Town Totnes Turns it’s Focus Onto Food

Image RemovedHere is some information about the next two events run by Transition Town Totnes. Following the successful launch at the beginning of September, the first aspect of relocalisation to come under focus is food. Our first event brings together three people with particular perspectives on the past, present and future of food in the area. This will hopefully serve to energise people for the first TTT Open Space, which follows three days later, which takes the form of a self-organising community think-tank on food issues. Do come along, details below. (more…)
(25 Sep 2006)

See also the wiki based website for TTT: www.transitiontowns.org/Totnes

Rob Hopkins

Rob Hopkins is a cofounder of Transition Town Totnes and Transition Network, and the author of The Transition Handbook, The Transition Companion, The Power of Just Doing Stuff, 21 Stories of Transition and most recently, From What Is to What If: unleashing the power of imagination to create the future we want. He presents the podcast series ‘From What If to What Next‘ which invites listeners to send in their “what if” questions and then explores how to make them a reality.  In 2012, he was voted one of the Independent’s top 100 environmentalists and was on Nesta and the Observer’s list of Britain’s 50 New Radicals. Hopkins has also appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Four Thought and A Good Read, in the French film phenomenon Demain and its sequel Apres Demain, and has spoken at TEDGlobal and three TEDx events. An Ashoka Fellow, Hopkins also holds a doctorate degree from the University of Plymouth and has received two honorary doctorates from the University of the West of England and the University of Namur. He is a keen gardener, a founder of New Lion Brewery in Totnes, and a director of Totnes Community Development Society, the group behind Atmos Totnes, an ambitious, community-led development project. He blogs at transtionnetwork.org and robhopkins.net and tweets at @robintransition.

Tags: Building Community, Buildings, Education, Food, Urban Design