Guest Column: Albany’s Great Unleashing on May 22

While we face many problems going into the future, there are already lots of good efforts going on to address them in Albany. You can find a list of working Albany organizations on the City’s website.

But the problems are far too big for a few organizations or for government to tackle alone. Behind all of them – over-population, species extinction, climate change, fossil fuel depletion, unsteady economy – it is the idea that we can continue to “grow” our economy, when we live on a planet whose resources are limited, that is to blame. We’re going to have to seriously rethink our lifestyles if we are to have a world of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for all.

It’s going to take everyone – young, old, working, not working, rich, poor, Latina/o, African American, White, Asian – working together to create neighborhoods that can gracefully weather the changes ahead in a way that’s fair, fun and inclusive.

The Transition movement believes that there are plenty of people in every community with the smarts to come up with solutions that are unique for their place. So for those of you who have been coming to our events for the last 18 months and left thinking, “What’s next?”, here’s what’s next:

The Great Unleashing … of the Genius of the Community!

The time has come for all of us to put our shoulders to the wheel in the areas where we each have the most passion and interest. Then, with the advantage of everyone’s best thinking focused on the problem, we can devise practical solutions that dig deep, solutions that are uniquely applicable to the place where we live.

The task? To make Albany resilient to sudden, as well as gradual but inevitable, change, especially in areas where we rely on a fragile supply system for our essentials. You can find a list of suggested working groups on the Transition Network site.

We’ve been led to believe that consumption is what life is all about, but what about learning to be producers again? Good neighbors? These are the kind of issues that we will be addressing together at the Great Unleashing.

➢ If we wait for the governments, it’ll probably be too little, too late.

➢ If we act as individuals, it’ll be too little.

➢ But if we act as communities, it might be just enough, just in time.”

Some Things We Need To Address In Albany

• If the price of oil stopped trucks from running, how would we feed ourselves? Safeway and other food stores only have enough to keep us going for about three days.
• What if we couldn’t afford to buy the essentials we need? Do we have skills to share with others in exchange?
• What if pharmaceutical drugs became less accessible? Are there effective alternatives we could develop locally?
• Are our children equipped to deal with the practical demands of a life without gadgets and technological aids, most of them made overseas?
• How well do we manage during a power outage, or when the water’s turned off for a few hours, several days? What about sewage?
• How are we dealing with the realization that our children and grandchildren are going to be living with a lot less of what we’ve been taught is our “due”?

So, what exactly IS the Great Unleashing?

It’s a working afternoon with a celebratory feel, starting 2 pm Sunday afternoon, May 22nd, at the Albany Vet’s Building in Memorial Park on Portland Avenue.

After reminding ourselves briefly of the problems, those who want to will propose initiatives or changes they would like to see. Then we gather into working groups with others of like mind to brainstorm projects that will ensure a future Albany that is energy-lean, satisfying and resilient. Each participant will come away with contact information of neighbors they would like to work with going into the future, and a plan to meet again to put these projects into action.

This is called Open Space Meeting Technology.

After a chance to eat, we’ll hear Richard Heinberg give the keynote address. We’ll finish with great music: rap from AshEL Seasunz (Rap/Hip Hop) and contra dancing with local band, Crow for Day.

We’re asking local food merchants to provide food, there’ll be a bookstall and a separate area where children can enjoy their own learning and creative space throughout the afternoon. And of course there’s the great outdoors if the weather’s kind.

And what happens AFTER the Great Unleashing?

From this celebratory event will emerge groups of Albany residents committed to address areas that are not already covered by existing groups … as well as stronger groups in those areas that have been well served for years.

These working groups will continue to meet as often as necessary, with the goal of initiating and implementing practical projects that will inspire greater involvement and action on the part of even more people to increase resilience while reducing consumption.

Support and coordination could come through a core group consisting of one person from each working group.

Together, over the next year or so, the idea is to create an “Energy Descent Action Plan” (EDAP) that addresses not only the reduction of carbon emissions in Albany (as already outlined in Albany’s Climate Action Plan) but also resilience: the ability of our community to respond to sudden and gradual change.

Other East Bay towns are already working in the same direction. Richmond has an active Transition Town,Berkeley has just started, Kensington won’t be long in following, Oakland is jazzed up and has Bay Localize, El Cerrito has all kinds of good initiatives in place and in the works… And globally the idea is catching fire.

YOU are invited to Albany’s Great Unleashing

$10 tickets are available at Brown Paper Tickets.
People under 18 attend free and no-one will be turned away at the door for lack of funds.

You can also download a PDF of a trifold flyer or banner to inform your friends and neighbors about Albany’s Great Unleashing on May 22.

Stay tuned.