The Goals of Transition Paso Robles over the next 6-12 months are to:

1. • Raise awareness of the current and future impacts of the economic instability, peak oil and climate change challenges on our communities;
   

1. • Create a vision for the kind of communities we want to live into over the next 10 years and beyond, in cooperation with interested citizens, local business, civic organizations and local government;
   

1. • Form at least 4 Theme Groups that design and implement high-impact, practical community resilience and self-reliance projects that address these challenges; and
   

1. •Accomplish Steps 1 through 6 of the Transition Initiative described further in The Twelve Steps of Transition page.
   

Click HERE if you want to see a 3-minute video of Rob Hopkins talking about the initial stages of the Transition Initiative in Totnes in England.  Click the back arrow on your Internet Browser to return here after the video.

1. Local Self Reliance
   

2. Transition Paso Robles is part of a fast-growing network of communities in the world that are each implementing their own plan for new local food, energy efficient transportation and buildings, renewable energy and other projects.  The goal is to increase our local self-reliance, moving away from dependence on shrinking supplies of fossil fuels, lower our impact on the environment in response to climate change, and create a joyful, well planned transition to a positive future based on community collaboration.
   

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4. Declining Fossil Fuel Production and Availability of Water
   

5. Over the next number of years, oil and other fossil fuel production will decline and prices will rise significantly as global demand increases.  Water shortages are already occurring   and   will   probably increase due to changing weather conditions.  These factors will result in further shocks to the economic and social well being of Paso Robles residents, businesses, schools and government.  The Transition Community will establish a path in response to these demands that is gradual, well planned and a joyful transition to a positive future.
   

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7. Creating a Positive Community Vision
   

8. Transition Paso Robles seeks to connect with all concerned citizens, business, schools and government leaders that desire to collaborate in creating an energy descent action plan in response to these challenges.  We desire to raise public awareness of the challenges, create a positive community vision of the future and support the work of volunteer working groups. 
   

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5. What is a Transition Town?
   

6. As described by the author of the Transition Handbook, Rob Hopkins, a Transition Town is a community in the process of imagining and creating a future by:
   

7. Responding to the growing challenges of peak oil, climate change and economic instability by moving away from dependence on fossil fuels and increasing local resilience; and
   

8. Creating a sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, socially just and joyful community.
   

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10. The residents of 160+ cities in the US and globally, and 700+ more in the “mulling” stage, are adopting the Transition Initiative process described in the Transition Handbook and the Transition Town website ( www.transitiontowns.org ) and creating local organic food networks, energy efficient transportation and building, and renewable energy initiatives. These strategies increase community self-reliance- the capacity to meet essential needs locally- and strengthening resilience to economic and energy shocks. Transition/relocalization engages government and business in these initiatives as well as the process of developing a comprehensive Energy Descent Action Plan for the entire community.
    

1. ORGANIC FOOD FROM LOCAL FARMS AND COMMUNITY GARDENS
   

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3. Transition encourages expanding the production and markets for locally grown, healthy, organic food by local farmers and residents in community and personal gardens, a system that is truly designed to feed local people today, and to go on doing so for the indefinite future with a significantly lower fossil fuel consumption and carbon footprint.
   

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5. A THRIVING AND RESILIENT LOCAL ECONOMY
   

6. Transition encourages local investment approaches that support the regeneration of the local economy. As the focus becomes increasingly local, local currencies are more supportive of local business and the needs of the community. As global business models unravel, local entrepreneurs are providing services and goods desired by local residents.
   

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8. ENERGY EFFICIENCY & LOCAL RENEWABLES
   

9. Transition encourages a significant reduction in local energy use through efficient lighting, appliances, and building systems and massive scale-up of renewable energy to provide the remaining energy needs of residents and businesses.
   

10. LOCAL TRANSPORT & COMMUNITY REDESIGN
    

11. Transition supports transforming our towns and cities from bland places dominated by strip malls, cars, trucks, strip and parking into aesthetically-pleasing, pedestrian friendly places with green spaces, trees, gardens, and public art, providing people with more to see, more opportunities to meet friends and family and more to do. The redesign of urban and suburban streets can accommodate pedestrians, cyclists, buses, carpools and more energy efficient and lower carbon public transportation.
    

Transition Initiative Principles

1. ★That life with dramatically lower energy consumption is inevitable, and that its better to plan for it than be taken by surprise;
   

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3. ★That we need to build the capability to produce locally those things like food, renewable energy, and other goods and services that can produced locally with locally available renewable resources;
   

1. ★That our communities presently lack the resilience to enable them to weather the severe energy shocks that will accompany peak oil;
   

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3. ★That we have to act collectively, and we have to act now;
   

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5. ★That by unleashing the collective genius of those around us to creatively and proactively design our energy future, we can build ways of living that are more connected, more enriching and that recognize the biological limits of our planet, such as the need to reduce greenhouse gas and other emissions;
   

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7. ★That we need to deeply understand that the outcome is not up to us as separate individuals. It is our job to join together in community;
   

1. ★That we need to share our knowledge with others to adapt promising approaches that are effective in accomplishing these objectives; and
   

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3. ★That we can work effectively in partnership with local businesses and government when we share a common vision, goals and objectives. 
   

HARNESSING THE POWER OF A POSITIVE VISION

1. We are only just beginning the process of creating a vision of an abundant future for our local community: one which is energy-lean, lower carbon footprint, time-rich, less stressful, healthier and happier. 
   

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3. Transition is committed to a process of creating a community vision for the future as described further in the Twelve Steps of Transition section.
   

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5. Until that process can be fully engaged and a vision developed, the following are some preliminary examples of potential key elements of a more resilient, local community and economy.
   

1. FROM OIL DEPENDENCE TO LOCAL RESILIENCE
   

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3. Transition responds to the growing awareness that the declining availability of petroleum (the peak oil problem) and inevitability of significantly rising demand and fuel prices will inevitably lead to relocalization of our economy.
   

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5. Transition encourages the building of local capability to produce those things that can be produced locally such as: seasonal fruits, vegetables and grains, livestock, dairy products, bread, timber, wood, paper, wool and leather products, soap, ceramics, insulation and building materials, many medicines, etc.