“The transition proposals originated in England 6 or 7 years ago because they realized that within the challenges of climate change and energy descent, there is an extraordinary opportunity to reinvent and rethink our communities.” This movement started in 2005 with a group of students who basically analyzed data that is accessible to everyone and decided that “something must be done.”

The movement began in a small town, and today there are over 700 towns where a small group of people decided, “we are going to start the transition, let's see how we can redesign our community, our town, even our family, to increase the resilience of our place and not succumb to these changes.”

“The transition movement was born with ordinary people who basically decided to start taking action on changes that impact life itself.”

It is important to stop denying what is happening; it is important to stay positive. Yes, this change is not only coming from above; we can make this change here and now.”

“Today, there is much uncertainty regarding the future, and we tell ourselves various stories about that future.”

Rod Hopkins conceptualized this social movement in a Transition Manual (available for download here). It is full of practices and proposals on how communities can act creatively in the face of challenges.

Resilient Communities

Holger shared strong and positive ideas with the neighbors of La Paloma: how to create resilient communities. And what is a resilient community?

The concept of resilience in the social sphere refers to a community’s ability not to collapse in the face of energy shortages, resources, or food, and its ability to respond to this shock, even of external origin, and come out stronger.

It is the capacity of a system, be it a community, city, or town, to not collapse in the face of adversity, “to recover despite failure.”

“There is no doubt that a small group of people can change a lot. In fact, it has always been the case; small groups of people decided to make a change. If that change is successful, it can generate broader-scale changes.”

How do we design human habitats in harmony with the environment? How do we generate natural abundance while respecting nature's limits?

How do we respond to the current environmental and social crisis positively, based on ethical and design principles?

Permaculture design provides clear answers to these fundamental questions. Holger Hieronimi shares, “I was passionate from the moment I first heard about permaculture and continued to delve deeper into the various aspects of holistic living.”

Permaculture and the Transition Movement invite us to become interdependent on the people around us, rebuild relationships with those closest to us—your family, your community—prioritizing the common good.

“Today, we are already creating the future we want and need.”