We
face a time of inevitable changes brought on by global warming, finite natural
resources, and economic uncertainty.
These are challenging times, but also times of unprecedented
opportunity. The
transition away from our current resource intensive standard of living to this
life-style may be gradual and orderly or it may be sudden and tumultuous. The degree to which we develop this
fulfilling style of life and the grace with which we reach it will largely
depend on how well we accept and adjust to the loss of the resources we have
enjoyed and how resilient we have become as individuals and communities.
The
development of local community is the cornerstone of this resilience. Communities that work together, play
together, and support each other will be more resilient when crises occur. These communities will come to feel
prosperous while consuming less physical resources. These
Action Focus Areas focus on opportunities for the development of healthy,
vibrant, and fulfilling life-styles in an imminent lower-energy, less resource
intensive economy.
The
purpose of this document is to provide a graphic overview and introductory
description of planning and activities that characterize such healthy,
resilient communities. This
is not an organization chart, but rather a lens through which an overview of
Transition Tulsa projects, partnerships, and resources may be viewed.
In
keeping with the Transition model, the aim of each of these Action Focus Areas
is to draw attention to the efforts of existing organizations, to foster
collaboration among them, and to facilitate development of new organizations as
needed within each local community. This
information is dynamic and fluid. That
is, the descriptions in each of these Action Focus Areas will need to be
modified as circumstances and planning develop.