Totnes: A Transition Town🌍🏫🌻 Case Study. A Level Geography. Globalisation. Home Town, Clone Town.

Summary

Totnes, a town in Devon, UK, pioneered the Transition Town movement in 2006, aiming to reduce reliance on global trade and foster sustainability. The town promotes local resilience against global challenges like climate change and fossil fuel shortages. Key initiatives include community support, environmental protection, and local business investment. Totnes introduced the Totnes Pound, a local currency to keep money circulating locally, though it ended in 2019. Other projects like Incredible Edibles, the Share Shed, and a green wall further embody the town’s commitment to sustainability and community well-being.

Takeaways

• 😀 Totnes is the birthplace of the Transition Town movement, which began in 2006.
• 😀 The Transition Town concept aims to make communities less reliant on global trade and more sustainable.
• 😀 This bottom-up approach protects local culture and history while building community resilience.
• 😀 Transition Towns address global uncertainties such as fossil fuel availability, climate change, and economic shifts.
• 😀 Totnes successfully fought off a Costa Coffee chain from opening in its town center, preserving local identity.
• 😀 Key goals of Totnes' Transition Town initiative include community support, environmental protection, and equality.
• 😀 The Totnes Pound, a local currency, was introduced to keep money circulating within the local economy but was discontinued in 2019.
• 😀 The closure of the Totnes Pound scheme was due to the shift towards a cashless society and tourists collecting the notes.
• 😀 The 'Incredible Edibles' initiative provides community gardens with free access to local produce such as herbs, broad beans, and kale.
• 😀 Other projects in Totnes include the 'Share Shed' for sharing tools and equipment, a time-based meditation group, and a green wall to improve insulation and reduce pollution.

Q & A

What is the Transition Town movement?

The Transition Town movement aims to make local communities more self-sufficient and sustainable by reducing their reliance on global trade. It focuses on building resilience in the face of challenges like climate change, fossil fuel scarcity, and economic uncertainty.

When and where did the Transition Town concept start?

The Transition Town concept began in Totnes, located in the southwest of England, in 2006. It has since grown into a global phenomenon.

What are some of the core goals of the Transition Town in Totnes?

The core goals of the Transition Town in Totnes include offering community support, promoting environmental protection, creating opportunities for all, promoting equality, and achieving investment in local businesses.

How does the Transition Town movement protect local culture and history?

The movement seeks to protect local culture and history by fostering community resilience, supporting local businesses, and resisting large, impersonal developments like big corporate chains. For example, the local community successfully prevented Costa Coffee from opening a shop on the high street.

What is the Totnes Pound, and how does it relate to the Transition Town concept?

The Totnes Pound was a local currency introduced to keep money circulating within the local economy. The idea was to promote the area's culture and history while reducing reliance on external financial systems. Unfortunately, the scheme closed in 2019 due to factors like the rise of cashless transactions and tourists collecting the notes.

What is the role of the Incredible Edibles initiative in Totnes?

Incredible Edibles is an initiative where community members plant food crops in public spaces for people to harvest and share. This promotes local food security, reduces waste, and encourages sustainable living.

What is the Share Shed, and how does it benefit the Totnes community?

The Share Shed is a community-owned service where people can borrow tools and equipment, reducing waste and promoting resource-sharing among locals. It supports the sustainable living goals of the Transition Town movement.

How does Totnes use green infrastructure in its Transition Town efforts?

Totnes uses green infrastructure like the 'Green Wall,' which is a living wall that helps with insulation, pollution reduction, and improving overall well-being for the community.

What is the 'Time to Breathe' meditation group in Totnes?

'Time to Breathe' is a local meditation group that encourages mindfulness and well-being. This initiative aligns with the broader Transition Town goal of fostering community support and mental well-being.

Why did the Totnes Pound scheme end in 2019?

The Totnes Pound scheme ended in 2019 due to the growing trend toward cashless transactions and the fact that tourists often collected the notes rather than using them for local purchases, making it less effective at circulating money within the community.