HRG have initiated the formation of Henley as a Transition Town see www.transitiontowns.org.

The Henley in Transition Group formed in 2008 to gain support for Henley becoming a Transition Town. It has been looking at a variety of ways that individuals and the community as a whole can start the process to become more sustainable, to protect us all against the instabilities of future energy supplies and climate change. 

Why do we need to become a sustainable community?

On average each person in the UK uses three times more of the world's resources than it can support. We eat, heat, wash, waste, buy and travel too much. Our methods of food production, energy production and transport are energy intensive and polluting. Landfill produces millions of tons of methane which is an even more potent greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide.

Since the 1950’s there has been a dramatic increase in greenhouse gas emissions which are more than the earth can absorb.  This has increased the ability of the earth’s atmosphere to trap heat so warming the planet. This causes floods, threats to health and damage to the countryside and its biodiversity. The scientific consensus is that this trend will only accelerate through world-wide industrialisation.

In addition to climate change, we also have the problem of Peak Oil: The rate that oil is being found in the world is reducing so pushing up prices and making the oil producing countries much more powerful. We are entering a period where oil supply will be much more unstable.

We need to move away from an oil based economy to alternative energy sources over the next 50 years and by becoming a Transition Town this community can help protect itself from radical and painful change.

What is a Transition Town?

A Transition Town is a community which has agreed to work towards sustainability and will eventually exist using local supplies of energy, food, housing and transport without being dependent on external sources to survive. The ‘Think Local’ campaign, sponsored by the Henley Standard, relates to the transition town concept.

Being sustainable means satisfying the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Places like Totnes and Lewes are already transition towns and use their own currency to promote local trading. The  Henley Pound may become a reality soon.

Actions we can all take to reduce carbon emissions:

• Reduce food miles by growing plants such as runner beans, lettuces and tomatoes using Growbags, window boxes or any sunny corner.
  
  
• Shop locally as much as possible. Bring your own bags - plastic bag use in Ireland has dropped from 300 per year/per person to 30 and has saved 18 million litres of oil.
  
  
• Think about walking or cycling for local journeys. Car share or use public transport whenever possible. Leaving the car at home one day a week is a great step towards reducing carbon emissions.
  
  
• Use low energy bulbs at home, which will also save money.
  
  
• Compost uncooked kitchen organic waste along with garden waste.
  
  
• Choose power suppliers that supply from renewable resources.
  
  
• Install house insulation – it can be surprisingly cheap to make a significant saving to wasted heat and, of course, the bills.
  
  
• Consider installing solar power, heat pumps or a carbon neutral woodburner.
  
  
• Check bills year by year to monitor savings. Calculate your own carbon footprint by logging on to http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk.
  

Objectives of Henley in Transition (HiT):

• To make Henley energy neutral by 2020 and carbon neutral by 2012 by reducing energy consumption at home and work.
  
  
• To seek renewable supplies and apply genuine offsetting measures.
  
  
• To increase supplies of locally grown and marketed food and to have a local currency to encourage local trading and help build community resilience.
  
  
• To increase opportunities for energy efficient transport and reductions in waste.
  
  
• To work for bigger projects towards sustainability such as hydroelectric power from the river weirs and creating a Henley Forest.
  
  
• To share information about all these opportunities throughout the local community including setting up a website. To encourage as wide an understanding and participation as possible, including schools, and to develop educational materials and projects.
  
  

  
  Interested to know more about Henley in Transition?
  
  See www.henleyintransition.org.uk and www.transitiontowns.org/Henley-on-Thames.
  
  If you would like to be more involved and to help the development of the group email info@hrg.org.uk.