Earth Matters by Jacqueline Milner – Transition Cornwall to Host Film Series – February 14, 2011 – Cornwall Ontario

Cornwall ON – Are we ready to deal with the consequences of climate change; peak oil?

This question has birthed a local community group, Transition Cornwall +.  The focus of this group is “to build resilience and sustainability in Cornwall and the surrounding rural area, in preparation for the combined challenges of peak oil, climate change and global economic instability.”

The group believes that with thoughtful and deliberate planning, the transition to life without cheap fuel will be far gentler, and our community can become an even more fulfilling, socially connected, sustainable and self-reliant place to live.  Transition Cornwall will be hosting a film series over the coming months which will discuss the challenges of soaring oil prices and the changes we can expect with climate change.  The goal of this group (some of the groups volunteers seen below) is to present the material and initiate discussion with the community, local business and community leaders on how we can move forward positively and prosper in our changing world.

There will be two film and discussion series presentations. An evening series will be hosted at the Cornwall Community Museum and an afternoon series will be hosted at the Cornwall Public Library.  Admission is free; free will donations will be accepted.  The films presented will be as follows.

In Transition: From Oil Dependence to Local Resilience, This film highlights the imaginative, creative actions real communities have taken to rebuild their local economies and communities.  This film delivers a solution focused positive message.

A Crude Awakening: The Oil Crash, An award winning film about peak oil, presenting the message that our consumerist society built on cheap oil needs to be rethought and reworked.

The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil, This is a real world example of what community and hard work accomplished when faced with peak oil crises. The film highlights the move from an industrial agricultural system to organic and local urban methods of gardening.

Oil is not a limitless commodity.  As we begin to see the amounts of oil that we are able to extract from the earth decline this is referred to as ‘peak oil’.  According to Ian Bowering of the Cornwall Community Museum, the material needs of most people were produced within a one mile radius of Cornwall in the 19th Century. We have lost this self-reliance as most of the products we now purchase are shipped to us from around the world.”  Peak oil will increase the price of transporting these products to us.  This will also increase the price of products which rely on oil such as fertilizers, pesticides, (hence our food prices) plastics, medicines, electronic components and many more items too numerous to mention.

Transition Cornwall is NOT about returning to the horse and buggy. (although this could be a good thing)  It is about taking the best of what we have now, incorporating the ‘tried and true’ methods of the past and creating a future that is sustainable; perhaps even better than anything we have had or could have imagined. No question life after cheap fuel can lead us to simpler, gentler way of living which embraces community and real face to face connections.

For more information visit www.transitionnetwork.org/initiatives/cornwall-andarea   You can find ‘Transition Cornwall’ on Facebook.

Your commentary is encouraged and welcome. Communicate below or to earthmatters@cornwallfreenews.com