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Transition Streets: saving money, saving the planet

  • by JW

“The idea is to bring together a group of neighbours to explore how to improve life on their street. And each group that has formed so far has developed their own innovative ways to tackle the cost of living crisis, save the planet and overcome social isolation.”

The idea of saving money and saving the planet is at the heart of the Sustainable Sidmouth Champions Awards 2023.

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Over a decade ago, Transition Totnes, the granddaddy of the transition town movement, set up Transition Streets: Transition Streets – Transition Town Totnes

And here they are popping up in Victoria, Australia, a couple of years ago: Transition Streets Geelong – Empowering Local Community

And again in Totnes, from earlier this year, looking at how the project is going – which is very well and very inspiring: Totnes – Transition Streets – A Together We Can Summit 2022 Story of Transition – YouTube

Here’s more from the dedicated website: 

How does Transition Streets work? 
To take part, you and your neighbours form a group of 6-8 households.
‍You meet together over a few months to explore a range of topics including: Energy, Food, Travel, Water and Resource Use .
Homes reduce their carbon footprint and cut their household bills by taking simple actions.
‍Connections are formed, friendships are made, more sharing takes place and all sorts of unexpected, wonderful things arise.

Transition Streets – Bringing the  Totnes community together, one street at a time.

And it is very relevant for our current times:

Totnes is tackling the cost of living crisis street by street
Transition Streets has now received interest from places including Suffolk, Scotland, Hampshire, Hertfordshire, Bolton, London and Birmingham as well as other towns and villages across Devon
Nick Maxwell knows all his neighbours. They hold regular street parties. They’re part of a collective that bulk buys food and household items to save money. They’re working together to find ways to better insulate their homes and reduce their energy bills. And they’re even scoping out places to create edible gardens for them all to grow and share food.
Nick’s neighbours on Sparrow Road in Totnes formed one of the first Transition Streets in the UK 10 years and a decade later, they’re still feeling the benefits of the project which brought them together. The scheme has been relaunched this year and is sparking interest from communities across the country.
The idea is to bring together a group of neighbours to explore how to improve life on their street. And each group that has formed so far has developed their own innovative ways to tackle the cost of living crisis, save the planet and overcome social isolation.

Totnes is tackling the cost of living crisis street by street – Devon Live

Totnes community project in Crowdfunder call – Radio Exe 

The idea of Transition Streets for Sidmouth has been discussed by the town council’s environment cttee: minutes-311022-Environment.pdf

And the idea of saving money and saving the planet is at the heart of the Champions Awards 2023:

Enter the Champions Awards 2023 – Sustainable Sidmouth Champion Awards