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We're addicted to oil - and it's time to wean ourselves off it
WE won't always be able to rely on oil. What will life be like when oil is in short supply? Not that it will run out altogether. But it won't be as easily or readily available as it has been. And the price will be horrendous.
"We need to learn to live in ways that are less reliant on oil," says Kate Murry, chairman of Transition Town Clitheroe. "This won't be easy as so many things rely on oil for their manufacture, and almost everything for their transport and delivery. Remember what happened when the tanker drivers went on strike?
"In days, the country was in crisis. The Government was in a panic. Supermarkets only have about three days' food for the town on their shelves because of 'just in time deliveries'. This should have been a wake-up call for us to see how vulnerable we are in our dependence on oil.
"It is also a great opportunity for us to rediscover our sense of community so that instead of being passive consumers of products, we can apply our ingenuity and enrich our lives."
Transition Town Clitheroe is one of many communities around the world asking how we can best prepare for life with less available oil. Better to learn now how to live without it than to wait until a crisis hits us unprepared. A smooth transition will be easier than a hard landing.
We need to look at every aspect of our lives which have only been made possible by cheap oil: food, transport, energy security, our economy and livelihoods, health, education and so on. What are the alternatives? What would make us more resilient to oil shocks to come? Our first project is planting trees for food.
"Children at two of our primary schools – St James' and St Michael and St John's – were delighted to be planting trees in December which they will be able to harvest in years to come," says Charlie Stephenson, co-ordinator of the project.
Our children are our future. Our fruit and nut trees too are an investment. We have also now started a garden share scheme, to give more people the chance to grow food.
The transition movement doesn't have all the answers. In each community we have to work these out for ourselves. The first step is to appreciate that we have a problem. Then we can begin to imagine possible futures in which we don't rely on oil. It will then become clear what steps we can take to wean ourselves from our addiction to oil.
This is not about returning to the pre-industrial era. We can't turn the clock back, but we can learn from our grandparents. Our high consumption, throwaway society is coming to an end.
Transition Town Clitheroe has started on the road to resilience. Films and books are useful for learning so we have put some DVDs and books in Clitheroe library in the sustainable living section. The library now has a display of these at the entrance.
For more information on transition, ring 01200 458253 or check out the website at: www.transitionclitheroe.wikidot.com
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Weather for Clitheroe
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 11 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: West
