Transition in Action, Totnes 2030, an Energy Descent Action Plan

2026-2030

Elders story telling has become a common pastime and extended into the schools. Many young children have been brought up without a family car and enjoy the elder’s tales of picnics in stretch limousines (although they do detect some exaggeration). The squandering of fossil fuels and the problems it has caused are reflected on by people as a sorry episode in human history with a lesson on par with war.
Young people are very likely to stay local or return to the town and village after their gap year or further studies. Family connections and extended family care has benefited. Child care and elderly care needs have declined.
Holidays are taken more locally these days. Town and village twinning has continued to be popular and has helped understanding with the difficulties of the heat waves in France. A piece of French sculpture (a giant boule) has been erected on Vire Island to mark a recent visit by a group from Vire.
There is a strong sense that people feel they have come through the worst and they have made the transition to a low energy lifestyle with very positive results.

People are living in very close proximity to each other as local population has increased substantially. Very few people live alone as living costs have risen and life is so integrated with other people that extended private space would be little used. Open public space has been extended to balance close habitation and allow for natural health and wellbeing to be nurtured. Many people use the green gyms and greenways for leisure.
Low carbon games evenings with indoor board games and outdoor events in good weather are very popular. Public spaces, village greens and community halls are all well used for games. The Vire Twinning group has taught some people to play Boule.
Community cohesion as measured by networking, links, cooperation and neighbourliness is at an all time high. Despite the difficulties of austerity, rationing and global warming, people have a great sense of fairness and goodwill towards others in local society and great concern for other countries where these problems are causing severe difficulties and separating communities and families. Extensive support has been afforded to others coming into the local community from UK cities and other countries, people have been welcomed and integrated very quickly into local life.

SHDC in conjunction with DCC has extended its climate migrants fund for people to support those trying to rebuild and repair some of the damage in their homelands. Groups of people with building and other useful skills from Totnes and District are pioneering new work together with migrants who have been in Devon for a few years to start working on plans for reclamation of the countries which have suffered climate change but have improved by being emptied of humans for a few years. Their long term plan is for some people to be able to return to their homelands, although it is expected this may take some years.
An open air swimming pool is to be built on the Borough Park. It will be fed from the Dart and is not expected to need heating even in the winter. The outflow will irrigate the adjacent community orchard. Art groups are invited to make design proposals for the cob changing rooms including vegetable plots on the roofs.