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How the Transition Movement Differs from Conventional Environmentalism
Posted on Wednesday, January 14th, 2009 at 3:46 pm by webeditor
The Transition Movement takes a different approach to creating a sustainable world than the methods of conventional environmentalism. It focuses on the positive progress we could make if we take collective action, instead of the destruction that would occur if we don’t. I would argue the Transition Movement is a more evolved form of environmentalism.
In his book, The Transition Handbook: From oil dependency to local resilience, author Rob Hopkins details what he sees to be the major differences:
| Conventional Environmentalism | The Transition Approach |
| Individual behaviour | Group behaviour |
| Single issue | Holistic |
| Tools: lobbying, campaigning and protesting | Tools: public participation, eco-psychology, arts, culture and creative education |
| Sustainable development | Resilience/relocalisation |
| Fear, guilt and shock as drivers for action | Hope, optimism and proactivity as drivers for action |
| Changing National and International policy by lobbying | Changing National and International policy by making them electable |
| The man in the street as the problem | The man in the street as the solution |
| Blanket campaigning | Targeted interventions |
| Single level engagement | Engagement on a variety of levels |
| Prescriptive – advocates answers and responses | Acts as a catalyst – no fixed answers |
| Carbon footprinting | Carbon footprinting plus resilience indicators |
| Belief that economic growth is still possible, albeit greener growth | Designing for economic renaissance, albeit a local one |
If you want to begin shifting your town to a sustainable future, consider starting a local Transition initiative.
