The Power of Just Doing Stuff

Imagine neighbors helping neighbors to build a vegetable garden or a rainwater harvesting system. Imagine neighbors discovering together ways to can and preserve food, or repair clothing.  

Imagine people sitting down together and talking proactively about what we can do in the face of climate change, peak oil and economic contraction.  In hundreds of neighborhoods around the world – a network that forms the international Transition Movement – people are “just doing stuff” like this.

Rob Hopkins, the UK founder of the international Transition Movement, is coming to Los Angeles on October 13 and 14.  Hopkins is an inspiring speaker, an Akosha fellow, and a veteran of TED talks, who has captured the attention of British Members of Parliament.  Hopkins and the Transition groups are recognized around the world as the potential dawn of a new era, weaving localized lifestyles which could potentially be better than what we have now.

Many of the things modern life takes for granted right now -- from our conventional food supply to our transportation system to our economy -- are very much dependent on a cheap, plentiful, inexhaustible supply of oil.  Global warming says we should shift to lifestyles which burn less oil.  Peak oil -- the fact that humanity is currently burning its way into the declining second half of the planet's oil supply -- means we're going to have to make some big changes.

As we delve into the harder-to-get-to, more expensive half of the oil supply, it is bringing on economic shifts which are the ultimate enforcer.  The economy says that big, big change is happening now.

And Rob Hopkins declares that big changes can be delightful -- if we apply our creativity to making them so.  His work inspired grassroots communities around the world.  Today the Transition Network includes more than 1,100 groups in 43 countries, including local groups in Mar Vista/Venice, Culver City, Pasadena, and Rancho Palos Verdes.  There are 18 groups around Southern California which are working with Hopkins' ideas.

These groups are building community gardens, as places to grow local, transportation-free food.  They've hosted Cluck Treks to tour local chicken coops, and helped launch a chain of Little Free Libraries.  They're setting up time banks and sharing networks, to provide economic alternatives.  They're exploring local businesses in new formats and new industries -- more appropriate for a world that is radically changing.

On Sunday October 13, Transition Los Angeles will host Rob Hopkins in West LA.  The day's celebration will begin at 2:30pm with a free "Just Doing Stuff" festival at the Emerson Avenue Community Garden, Emerson Ave at 80th Place, Westchester/LA 90045.  There will be live music, demos, and activities for all ages.  Food will be available for purchase.

At 4:30pm the doors will open across the street for the speaker portion of the event, to be held at the Westchester United Methodist Church, 8065 Emerson Ave, LA 90045.  Rob Hopkins will hold a dialog with some of Los Angeles' prominent activists, including Andy Lipkis of TreePeople, D'Artagnan Scorza of the Social Justice Learning Institute of Inglewood, Joanne Poyourow of the Environmental Change-Makers of Westchester, Meghan Sahli-Wells, Vice Mayor of Culver City and a member of Transition Culver City, and moderated by Anneke Campbell of Transition Mar Vista/Venice.  

Tickets to the speakers portion are $10, with advance purchase necessary through http://www.transitionus.org/rob-hopkins-visit