Mar 2009

Transition Inishowen Initiative

The Transition Inishowen group will be hosting an open evening Saturday 4th April, 2pm - 4pm in the Inishowen Development Partnership Carndonagh, when an expert on sustainability will be the guest of honour in an effort to raise awareness of what life will be like when oil supplies cannot meet demand.

There will be a showing of the short film 'Peak Oil - Imposed by Nature,' which will explain what global oil decline will mean and that will be followed by a talk by Dr. John Barry, a Professor of Environmental Politics and Sustainability at Queen's University in Belfast, who is renowned for his lively and charismatic talks. As a member of the Transition Town in Holywood Co. Down, he will explain what Transition Initiatives are and how people can get involved.

In recent weeks Transition Inishowen have been raising awareness of what life will be like in Inishowen when the demand for oil exceeds the supply. Films have already been shown in Carndonagh, Moville and Buncrana introducing the concept of peak oil, a concept that shows the supply of oil is running out and will be much more expensive to extract in the future.

Transition member Claire Gilmour says: "Inishowen needs to be able to meet its own needs. This movement is about people working together, re-localising everything, supporting local cottage industries and growing our own food." She added that in Inishowen, with the recession biting, we are already seeing local people and businesses becoming more aware of keeping as much of their spending power in the community as possible, "Everyone can make a difference," she explains with passion. "We need to work together, if we wait for the government, it will be too little, too late. If we act as individuals, it will be too little, but if we act as communities, it might be just enough, just in time."

Claire feels very optimistic about the Transition in Inishowen. "We are in a good spot for alternative energies such as wind and waves," she begins "and we have people within the community who can still remember the old ways so that their memories and skills are still with us."

If you are interested in the Transition Town movement you can check out the website www.transitiontowns.org or phone Claire 074 9378577 or Bev and Mike Doherty on 074 9374581.

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