Examples of Transition Groups in Action

Energy

Transition Northfield (MN) developed an energy descent plan for their community, which they brought to their city council. An affiliated youth group signed up 300 households for rooftop solar installations.
A new neighborhood group organized monthly energy “mini-challenges” in which attenders could practice a low-energy behavior or make one energy-related change in their home each month.
A larger neighborhood group organized an energy fair, which attracted more than 100 participants. The Fair included workshops for families, small businesses, and churches and included discussion of low-cost energy audits, energy saving technologies, and solar energy financing.
A group taught people how to sew insulated curtains. When homes are less drafty, people are less likely to turn up the thermostat.
A group partnered with a local congregation to develop a community solar garden.
A group invited people to go together to see their state legislators discuss a Clean Energy & Jobs bill. This made it less intimidating to see how local government makes decisions.

Local Economy Activities

Several groups around the country have created local investment groups (LIONS) to enable people to invest in local small businesses.
A local economy workshop at the Transition US national gathering in 2017 resulted in a solar business looking for local investors to fund a solar project at a Native American reservation. Government funding had stalled the project for several years but local investors were able to fund it in less than a year.

Food & Garden Activities

Several groups have created garden installation events, adding hundreds of raised beds and in-ground garden beds to in inner city neighborhoods and small towns. Perhaps the largest of these projects is the Victory Garden project of Transition Milwaukee (WI).
Transition Sarasota (FL) developed a farm gleaning project that delivered thousands of pounds of food to a local food bank throughout the Florida growing season.
Groups host, or co-host with local extension offices, skillshare events to teach skills like setting up a multi-rain barrel system, growing greens indoors in winter, proper pruning of vegetables, composting and worm bins, food preservation, and solar cooking.
A group helped a local church build a Walipini for year-round growing.
Groups host movie nights with films on food growing, farming, and food policy.

Climate Resilience Activities

A Minneapolis group hosted a 6-part speaker series explaining current and near-term climate change impacts that would effect their neighborhood, culminating in a preparedness fair.

Waste Reduction Activities

Several groups have hosted Repair Cafe where people can bring broken items to be repaired, or to learn how to repair them themselves.
Transition Media (PA) started a highly successful Free Store, that is now run by several dozen community members.
A neighborhood group conducted Getting Ready to Go Zero Waste workshops at a local reuse business.

Transportation

"Meet the Bike" events help people become more active bikers or bike commuters with workshops on biking equipment, how to use transit options while biking (bus and light rail), and how to dress for bad weather.
A group develop plans they wanted to bring to neighborhood leadership to create resting places throughout the neighborhood to encourage seniors (and everyone) to walk more.

Housing Activities

A St. Paul (MN) group advocated to its neighborhood council for increased population density with the addition of accessory dwelling units. They also host a land use efficiency group.

School Activities

A former teacher helped in a classroom with Transition-related projects (e.g., zero waste breakfast, building a rain garden, solar powered boats, beekeeping, and wind generators).
A local gardener shared her vegetable garden with students from a local charter school.
Two Minnesota Transition groups offered Transition-related community ed classes through their local schools.

Our Mission

Our mission is to inspire, support, connect, and train individuals and groups throughout the U.S. who want to cultivate more cooperative, resilient, and regenerative households and local communities.