We live in an oil-dependent world, arriving at this level of dependency in a very short space of time by treating petroleum as if it were in infinite supply. Most of us avoid thinking about what happens when oil runs out (or becomes prohibitively expensive), but The Transition Handbook shows how the inevitable and profound changes ahead can have a positive outcome. These changes can lead to the rebirth of local communities that will grow more of their own food, generate their own power, and build their own houses using local materials. They can also encourage the development of local currencies to keep money in the local area. There are now over 30 “transition towns” in the UK, Australia and New Zealand with more joining as the idea takes off. They provide valuable experience and lessons-learned for those of us on this side of the Atlantic. With little proactive thinking at the governmental level, communities are taking matters into their own hands and acting locally. If your town is not a transition town, this upbeat guide offers you the tools for starting the process.

"The book is a great guide for how we must live in a future world where the limits of nature are honored, but so are the basic comforts and joys of communities coming together in a great common cause. There is no more important book than this one for any community seeking change toward ecological sustainability."--Jerry Mander "This is much more than just a book. It is a manual for a movement. And not just any movement, but one which in avoiding the civilizational collapse threatened by the twin crises of peak oil and climate change could prove to be the most important social force humanity has ever seen."--Mark Lynas, author of Six Degrees "The Transition movement is the best news there's been for a long time, and this manual is a goldmine of inspiration to get you started."--Phil England, New Internationalist

"Rob Hopkins is the Gentle Giant of the green movement, and his timely and hugely important book reveals a fresh and empowering approach that will help us transition into a materially leaner but inwardly richer human experience. Full of reliable, readable, far-reaching scholarship, and warmhearted practical advice on how to instigate transition culture wherever you are, this book will energize and regenerate your commitment to place, community and simple living. There is no better call to action than this book, and no better guide to the hands-on creation of a livable future."--Dr. Stephan Harding

9" X 9", 240 pages, profusely illustrated, printed on Recycled Paper, $24.95.