Work Groups Purpose...Energy Decent Action Plan (Path)or: The EDAP???

[Angela MacLeod]

I was not at the 2nd day of the Great Unleashing. I'm thinking about getting involved in a Work Group and I'd like to know more about them and how they function.  Are the Work Groups different from other Transition groups? My understanding is that the Work Groups are specifically for addressing the creation of the EDAP: (energy decent action plan) Is that the unifying purpose of the work groups?  Is there a format or process that is being used in the Work Groups?
I really appreciated what Trathen said in his Keynote address about how we need to have patterns or models that help us stay in alignment with what is the most important to us. I extend this to working in groups where having a clear unifying purpose helps us harness, ground and develop all the myriad of creative ideas that individuals can generate. A defined purpose for a group can help all those involved remember to channel their individual energies toward serving the shared vision.

Will the Work Groups be posting any summary or out lines of what they are doing on this site?

[David MacLeod]

Yes, the bigger purpose of what will eventually become the official Transition Whatcom Work Groups is to be working toward an Energy Descent Action Plan (EDAP) for Whatcom County.

I recommend folks start researching what such a plan might look like. A good place to begin (after reading the Transition Handbook), is the first EDAP that was created in Kinsale Ireland.
http://transitionculture.org/wp-content/uploads/KinsaleEnergyDescen...

Transition Totnes should be releasing their EDAP very soon, so we'll be pointing to it when it's available. Follow their progress here:
http://totnes.transitionnetwork.org/edap/home

Also, the book "Transition Timelines" by Shaun Chamberlin, available from TWIG member Cindi Landreth, or Village Books, will be helpful in preparing for the EDAP process.

More info to come about our work groups and about how we handle the different "Groups" on this Ning site and keep things organized and distinct. We will need to distinguish between the "official" work groups working toward the EDAP and those special interest groups created here by members with special interest focus, which we've been happy to provide as a way for our members to connect and share and work together.

[Heather K]

Thank you for asking the question Angela!

David, can you express how the EDAP plan differs from the work paper recommendations that was presented to the city this past year? (I forgot the name of it, but I did read much of it online, and it was very complete! ) Wouldn't that work be useful to the groups working on parts of the EDAP?

[David MacLeod]

Heather,

The ERSPO report (Energy Resource Scarcity / Peak Oil) was the result of a task force appointed by the Mayor and County Executive. That report could serve as a beginning point from which an Energy Descent Action Plan written by our community and for our community could expand upon and deepen, with more specific actionable items. The ERSPO report stated it is just a beginning, a first step, and ERSPO also recommended support of Transition Whatcom projects.

Read a summary of the ERSPO report here:
http://transitionwhatcom.ning.com/forum/topics/bellingham-whatcom-c...

And download the full report here:
http://www.cob.org/documents/mayor/boards-commissions/energy/energy...

Heather K said:

Thank you for asking the question Angela!

David, can you express how the EDAP plan differs from the work paper recommendations that was presented to the city this past year? (I forgot the name of it, but I did read much of it online, and it was very complete! ) Wouldn't that work be useful to the groups working on parts of the EDAP?