TI Resources

This page is for Transition Initiative Resources. Documents available for your Downloading pleasure.

Transition Whatcom Structure
On June 30, 2010, Transition Whatcom adopted a new structure.  Documents related to the structure can be found at the link above.

Transition Intro
A document that introduces what a Transition Initiative is and what the 12 Steps of Transition are.

The Purpose, Principles & Guidelines of Transition Initiatives
The above is a 4 page pdf document covering the basic and important points about Transition Initiatives. This document makes for a good handout at events. This paper is adapted from the "Why Transition" document from the Transition US website, and from the "Who We Are and What We Do" document from the UK's Transition Network. Those involved in beginning Transition Initiatives should carefully read both of those documents.

Another important document is the Transition Primer, which can be downloaded here: http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/TransitionPrimer

The Transition Handbook by Rob Hopkins, is of course a very important and valuable book. It can be purchased from us (talk to Cindi Landreth), or from Village Books, or borrowed from the Bellingham Public Library.

A quick summary of the Transition Handbook can be obtained from the following documents, divided by Head, Heart, and Hands:
Part One: The Head (rtf file)
Part Two: The Heart (pdf file)
Part Three: The Hands (rtf file)

Energy Descent Action Plans and Further Developments in Transition Thinking

The Kinsale Energy Descent Action Plan (2005)
The first EDAP, the work grew out of the inspiration from David Holmgren’s "Permaculture – principles and pathways beyond sustainability" and from the concepts laid out but not really fleshed out in Richard Heinberg’s "Powerdown".
More about the Kinsale EDAP
Download the Kinsale EDAP (1.2mb pdf file)

Energy Descent Pathways: Evaluating Potential Responses to Peak Oil
Master's thesis by Rob Hopkins, circa 2005 or 2006 (pdf file), created as Hopkins was preparing to initiate Transition Town Totnes.

Transition In Action, Totnes and District, 2030: An Energy Descent Action Plan (2010)
The UK's first comprehensive Energy Descent Action Plan (300 pages). Can be purchased or read online free.
More about the Totnes EDAP
Read the Totnes Plan online

Bellingham & Whatcom County Energy Resource Scarcity / Peak Oil Task Force Report
This report, prepared by a task force appointed by Mayor Dan Pike and County Executive Pete Kremen, might be a starting point for a Whatcom County EDAP.
Read about the Report
Download the ERSPO report (pdf file)

Transition Handbook 2.0: Preliminary Outline/Transition as a Pattern Language (2010 Transition Network Conference Guide)
Within this 108 page booklet is the working draft of the ’seeing Transition as a pattern language’ work Hopkins has been doing, and around which the conference, and the second edition of ‘The Transition Handbook’, is based. This is the most "up to date" Transition thinking available. Hopkins calls this "the first rough attempt at sketching out a new way of communicating Transition...in the interests of promoting non-attachment to ideas and enshrining the principle that none of us really know what we are doing, as encapsulated in the ‘Cheerful Disclaimer’, for the Transition Handbook 2.0 I am taking the original Transition model and throwing it up in the air, using ‘A Pattern Language’ as a way of recommunicating and reshaping it. "
Download the 2010 Transition Network Conference Guide (pdf, 8.64mb)
Read more about Rethinking Transition as a Pattern Language

Organizational Tools
It's important to be able to run effective meetings and have a smooth and effective decision making process. The TWIG has used Modified Dynamic Facilitation and Consensus Decision Making.
Modified Dynamic Facilitation - MS Word document prepared by Lynnette Allen of Sustainable Bellingham)
Consensus Decision Making MS Word document about our 3 finger voting method, plus a little bit of Holocracy.

Here's a list of neighborhoods/population centers in Whatcom County:
List of Populated Places in Whatcom County.doc

Transition Whatcom Sign Up Sheet
Use this sheet to collect email addresses for inviting to this website.

About Peak Oil
This is a 2 page (make 1 page double sided) document with a brief summary of the Peak Oil issue on 1 page, and a brief summary of the Energy Resource Scarcity / Peak Oil Task Force Report on the 2nd page.

The Great Unleashing Flyer
A Flyer to promote the Great Unleashing. Updated 3/11/10

Why I Joined Transition Whatcom

1 page document by Chris Wolf

TW Handout 1a

A good handout, but now somewhat dated

What Is Transition Whatcom?
1 page of text about TW