2012
Individuals
- Media news stories about rising population hits home as food prices take a hike. Young families in the area are very worried about the kind of future their children might have and become very active in reducing their energy use to address climate change. A number of people are swapping their cars for car share schemes and cycling to work. Most households have reduced their energy use and cut down on consumption generally. Solar systems have been appearing on many roofs, some streets have all converted.
- The economic decline continues to deteriorate and many families are down to one breadwinner. Streets are busier during the day as more people are about. Gardens are getting planted out with more vegetables and there has been a revival of interest in home baking and making preserves. Walking is gaining popularity.
- More people worry about their carbon footprint and refuse to fly abroad for holidays. “Off grid” holidays become more popular, with people enjoying the chance to live closer to nature for a while, camping on Dartmoor or by the sea, wild swimming, cycling, appreciating the slower pace of life and a lower carbon lifestyle for a week or two.
Community
- Local community groups join forces decide to promote local ‘Greenways’ for regular walks and cycle rides for their members. In response to local concern about rising obesity rates, they get together to call for an increase in pedestrian facilities safer town and villages. A Community Forum is established which will link in with the Green Map group and skill share system.
- Community groups are thrilled with the new health and wellbeing garden and open spaces in Totnes. The Totnes Times carries a major feature the same week as the Chelsea Garden Show is on, making very favourable comparisons. A private benefactor has donated a contemplation bench at Leechwell as a mark of gratitude to the work of Totnes Caring. Local school children have planted small trees and dropped some coloured marbles into the ponds. Interest is stimulated into looking for new sites for more community gardens.
- The local LETS scheme is thriving, but a group of disabled campaigners points out that it serves able-bodied people with fewer responsibilities best, and tends to exclude those with limited energy or high existing commitments (such as single parents) who may be the ones most in need of help. The scheme decides to rearrange and weight its points system to reflect an ethos of “from each according to their ability, to each according to their need”.
Policy Makers & Service Providers
- To the delight of many, Post offices are back – its official with local government support to upgrade local services. Totnes Post Office moves into a larger designated premises in the town, which once again sorts the mail and also acts as a centre for local same day deliveries as a service for local shops and businesses. To minimise travel, SKYPE and other virtual communication systems are being upgraded and improved. Every village is to have Post Office with a Fast Node for access to high quality communication speeds for virtual conferencing and ‘Communication Across the Miles (CAMcam) with camcorders.
- SHDC Community Support Network in conjunction with existing Tree Warden Scheme comes into effect. Fruit and nut trees which have been planted around T & D will be protected and managed under this scheme and the officers will lead the annual harvests.
- Funds are to be drawn down under the Sustainable Comm. Act to support the street enhancement and open space schemes identified under the community plan. The Strategy Group will work with SHDC and community representatives to review the plans in place and prioritise the rolling out of works.
- SHDC adopts a motion to become a Transition District Council. They appoint the UK’s first Transition Officer to assist Community groups in actions to mitigate the impacts of climate change and peak oil. Working with DCC’s Climate change officer, policies will be reviewed to bring the local authorities more into line with the principles of transition and look for ways to accelerate implementation of changes as global temperatures are rising rapidly. They adopt a policy of buying local ‘whenever possible.’
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