Sustainable Scarborough

We are currently locked into a world that is dependent on ever increasing economic growth (based almost entirely on the availability of cheap oil), an ever increasing need to buy 'things', and ever increasing creation of waste as a direct result. These factors combined are now proved to be the major cause of Climate Change. We are now witnessing at least the partial collapse of that economic system. The trigger, although not the cause, for that collapse was the sudden hike in oil prices – the direct result of the fact that we have just about reached the point where demand for oil is exceeding physical supply – commonly called Peak Oil.

It is now obvious to most people that solutions cannot come from Government alone. The main solution is a change from each and every one of us; a change in the way we think and a change in the way we live our lives. This is not easy with so many of today's pressures.

The Transition Town Network was set up in 2007 as a result of a very successful trial in Totnes in Devon. (See http://www.transitiontowns.org and
http://www.transitionculture.org for the full story) Already over 600 communities, villages, towns and cities have joined the network to find solutions to the problems that are appropriate to their community. Scarborough has now joined this network under the name of Sustainable Scarborough. At present we have a small Steering Group of committed individuals and we are now building an ever growing network of individuals and groups that wish to join us.

Sustainable Scarborough is an exciting new community initiative aiming to make the town of Scarborough more sustainable and resilient to the twin threats of peak oil and climate change.

We are a group of ordinary people looking for positive opportunities to relocalise the economy, cut our carbon emissions and rebuild communities.The first stage is raising awareness and building a network in Scarborough, so right now we're busy organising a series of films and talks. Click here to find out what's on.

Sustainable Scarborough is not 'another environmental group'. We aim to work with every existing community and social group, club, and organsiation in Scarborough. The big idea is about 'releasing our collective genius' - lots of people working together, inspiring each other and making a real difference.

Sustainable Scarborough has a small core group of volunteers guiding the process, and an ever expanding wider circle of supporters. We'd be delighted if you want to get more involved, as the project totally depends on ordinary people like you feeling inspired and deciding to do something.

Want to get involved? Want to know more?
Email us at: info@sustainablescarborough.org.uk
Telephone: 01723 353640

A Transition Town Initiative

Sustainable Scarborough's definition of the word 'sustainable' is: "The support of practices and systems that benefit the local community, that can be maintained without detriment to future generations, either local or global."

The Problem

The impact of burning fossil fuels on our climate has become obvious. Our streets are choked with cars. We are fed, clothed and warmed not by the produce of the land around us but by food, goods and fuel transported hundreds and thousands of miles, a system which is entirely dependent on supplies of cheap oil. The Age of Cheap Oil appears to have come to its inevitable end. With oil so deeply embedded in our ways of living, from transportation and food production to consumer products, the end of cheap oil will soon have a severe impact on the lifestyles of most of us.

A Solution

A change to a way of life that can be sustained for generations to come is essential, as is the urgent need to decarbonise our lives. The transition from our current wasteful, polluting and energy intensive way of life to one that uses energy and resources in ways that will enable us, our children and our grandchildren to enjoy a good standard of living in a lower energy context, is vital. At the forefront of defining this new approach is a growing band of communities that are adopting the
Transition Model to devise an entirely new way of thinking, living and working together to make our local communities more resilient and more abundant. Sustainable Scarborough is part of this network.

Think global, act local

Sustainable Scarborough is part of a rapidly growing international organisation that aims to inspire, encourage, network, and support local communities, community groups, and individuals in exploring the transition from oil dependency to
relocalised economies. Transition Initiatives make no claim to have all the
answers, but by building on the wisdom of the past and accessing the pool of ingenuity, skills and determination in our communities, we believe the solutions will emerge.
Now is the time for us to take stock and to start re- creating our future in ways that are not based on cheap, plentiful and polluting oil but on localised food, sustainable energy sources, resilient local economies and an enlivened sense of community well-being. The need for change is urgent and these profound changes can’t happen overnight. We still have sufficient time - if we start now. By thinking and acting together, the transition to a way of living that consumes substantially less carbon energy yet is a happier, more fulfilling and abundant place will become much more achievable.