"LIVING THE GOOD LIFE IN THE TIME OF PEAK OIL"
Transition article in Denver's Washington Park Profile!
 by Paul Kashman
In the olden days of yore – say 50 years ago – when fossil fuels were cheap and perceived as plentiful, the potential problems caused by the delocalization of housing, energy production, food supply and other essential community resources just didn’t seem much of a threat.
At 30-cents per gallon, American families in 1950 were pleased to move from the congestion of the cities to the great open spaces of suburbia. The cost to drive the smog-spewing family auto to and from home, work and play was a minor impact on the family budget...
FULL STORY
Transition Colorado website
We like to invite you to join us at http://transitioncolorado.org. This site is provided by the Transition Boulder County for use by all Transition Initiatives and "mullers" throughout the state.
If you're not familiar with social networking technology, this site may seem a bit confusing at first. We're all building this site together! It's a revolutionary approach completely consistent with the principles and ethics of Transition.
We suggest that you sign in to the site, fill out your profile so people can know who you are, and if possible upload a photo of yourself. Look around, see who's participating, check out upcoming Transition events, and connect with people in other communities who are exploring the Transition process.
Feel free to invite locals from your area to join Transition Colorado. You can even invite Transitioners from other states. Click on Invite on the main menu to issue your invitations.
If you have questions about how to use this site, contact Les Squires. He can be reached at LSquires@groupcommons.com, or LSquiresSkype, or 303-926-5159. Or just click on his nose in the Members directory and send him a direct message!
Training for Transition in Boulder!
More than 60 people from several states across the country gathered in Boulder, Colorado on Sept. 13-14 for the first Training for Transition ever to be held in the U.S.
Graduates of the course will play a key role in firmly establishing the Transition movement in this country.
The training, conducted by Transition Boulder County co-founders Michael Brownlee and Lynette Marie Hanthorn, was originally developed to support nascent local initiatives in the Boulder-Denver area, but was opened up to accommodate others who are interested in bringing Transition to their communities.
Along with the curriculum developed by Sophy Banks and Naresh Giangrande of the Transition Network, participants were treated to key lessons from three years of practical relocalization experience garnered by the trainers, and perspective from Post Carbon Institute's Relocalization Network.
A highlight of the training was a presentation by networking expert Les Squires on how social networking technology can be used to support Transition initiatives. Les has been building Ning-based sites for communities in Transition New Zealand, and demonstrated the new Transition Colorado site which is now supporting Transition efforts throughout the state.
Sept. 15 Updates
TRANSITION COLORADO: Click here to see how the Transition network is expanding in Colorado.
Sept. 9 Updates
WE'RE CHANGING: The Board of Directors of Transition Boulder County has appointed Lynette Marie Hanthorn as Executive Director. She brings more than 20 years experience in running a non-profit organization. Michael Brownlee will remain as Catalyst.
TRANSITION LYONS: On August 20, Lyons officially became the first Transition Town in Boulder County! The initiating group (catalyzed by Jennifer White, co-founder of Green Heart Institute) is beginning to actively pursue awareness-raising activities and laying the foundation for a full-blown Transition process for Lyons. Congratulations!
TRAINING FOR TRANSITION: More than 50 people have registered for the first Transition Training to be held in the U.S., Sept. 13-14. Most attendees are from the Boulder-Denver area interested in bringing Transition to their communities, but many are coming from out of state as well. This is an historical event in the launching of Transition in the U.S.! Click here for details.
New Transition Initiatives Forming
Interest in Transition is exploding in Boulder County and beyond! Steering Groups are already forming in a race to become the first official Transition Town in the area (Transition Lyons is way ahead of the pack). If you are interested in participating in a Transition Steering Group for your community, here are the appropriate contacts:
If you live in another community, you might be the one to get a Transition Initiative started there! Please contact Michael for more information.
 The Transition Handbook has finally arrived!
There seems to be great demand for Rob Hopkins' Transition Handbook: From Oil Dependency to Local Resilience. Call our office now at 303-494-1521 to get your copy, or pick up a copy at any Boulder County Going Local event! $24.95 ea.
For those outside the Boulder County area, books can be ordered directly from the distributor, Chelsea Green Publishing. Contact Darrell Koerner, DKoerner@chelseagreen.com, 303-963-5612.
Monthly Transition Boulder County Meeting
We now hold monthly public gatherings for all those interested in or engaged in Transition efforts throughout Boulder County (and beyond). We are beginning the process of involving entire communities in transitioning off fossil fuels, reducing energy consumption, and making our communities more resilient and self-reliant.
This is the place where you can get involved and connect with others working together in this relocalization effort! Meetings will be the first Thursday of each month, 7:00 p.m., at Boulder Meadows Community Room, 4500 19th Street (19th & Violet).
Transition Training Workshop Sept. 13-14
Part of the requirement for launching a Transition Initiative in your town or city is having at least two from your Steering Group attend Transition Training. Until now, this training has only been available in the U.K. (clearly unsustainable!). Boulder County Going Local is offering this training on Sept. 13-14, which will be open to anyone interested in Transition (whether from Boulder County or beyond). Details will be available soon, but if you know you want to go through the Transition Training, please let us know as soon as possible, for we expect this first course to fill up fast! Email michael@bouldergoinglocal.com.
Click here for full details on the Transition Training Workshop!
Volunteering Reloaded
Since we became an official Transition Initiative, interest in volunteering for Boulder County Going Local has taken a giant leap. But as we deepen our understanding of relocalization and the Transition movement, we realize that volunteering will take on new meaning within the context of Transition.
Volunteers embody the heads, hearts and hands of a Transition Initiative, and these aspects must be synchronized with the global Transition movement. Several individuals have identified specific activities in which they would like to engage as volunteers, but we have been slow to move on confirming these. Within the Transition movement, we are called to participate and contribute to our communities, often in ways beyond our expectations.
As we adjust our strategies to incorporate Transition, we are encouraging everyone who has expressed interest in volunteering at Boulder County Going Local to read The Transition Handbook: From Oil Dependency to Local Resilience by Rob Hopkins and to become immersed in the relocalization/Transition perspective. See www.transitiontowns.org, www.transitionculture.org, www.relocalize.net, and www.postcarbon.org for more information.
Also, please consider participating in one of the Transition Initiative Steering Groups forming in Lyons, Longmont, Boulder, and Denver, as well as the Transition Training Workshop (Sept. 13-14). Contact Lynette Marie (lm@bouldergoinglocal.com) if you are interested in either of these programs.
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