What have you done today to lower your impact?

We are washing away the foundations of our existence on every front. It is high time we move from crashing about on the planet like a bull in china shop and find a way to go forward with intent. We must find systems of living based on sustainability. The systems and tools exist, it is up to each of us to adopt them.

Blog Archive

Wednesday, 1 July 2009

Employment opportunities presented through Transition

Check out the list of possible employment creation available to communities that pursue a transition initiative. This list is specific to Totnes in England but many of these will apply anywhere. Thanks to Rob Hopkins at Transition Culture for this table.

Employment Opportunities for a Post-Peak Oil Totnes and District

Employment Sector

Industry Type

Opportunities for Economic Development

Food Production/Land Use

Organic Farming

Farm workers, research and innovation, value adding and processing, retail, Community Supported Agriculture initiatives


Textile Production

Farming, processing, manufacturing


Organic Food Production

Training, freshwater aquaculture, organic gourmet mushroom production for food and medicines, intensive market gardening


Forestry

Timber for construction and a variety of uses, sawdust for mushroom cultivation, charcoal, wood gasification, coppice products, saps, tannin, bark mulch, education, training, food crops, fibre


Urban Agriculture

Co-ordination, land access provision, edible landscaping consultancy, online tools for linking growers and consumers, large potential for commercial production, plant nurseries and propagation


Gleaning

Apple harvesting and pressing, hedgerow drinks and other products, education


Agroforestry systems

Design consultancy, planting and ongoing management, selling of wide range of produce, long term enhanced timber value, courses, publications, research


Schools

Edible landscaping, teaching, Education for Sustainable Development, food growing training, apprenticeships, bespoke Transition training programmes

Manufacturing and Processing

Recycling

Salvaging building materials, processing and reclaiming materials (bricks, timber etc), making insulation from waste paper, glass bottles into insulation


Sustainable Industry

Renewable energy technologies manufacturing and installing, technology systems,


Repair

Extending the life of machinery, building for durability


Fabric

Processing of locally produced fabric, hemp, flax etc, making a range of clothing for retail, and repairs


Scavenging

Materials reuse, refurbishing, resale to low-income families

Services

Healthcare

Holistic healthcare, research into effective herbal medicines, local herb growing and processing, training for doctors, apothecaries, nutritional advice


Energy

Home insulation advice, energy monitoring, energy efficient devices, investment co-ordinators, sale of energy to grid or decentralised energy systems, producing wood chip/pellets for boilers, Energy Resilience Analyses for businesses


Compost Management

Collecting, Managing, Training, Distribution, Education, potential links to urban food production


Information Technology

Creation of effective software systems for energy management, carbon footprinting and much more


Hospice services / bereavement

Hospice services, supporting families who keep relatives at home, green burials


Financial Investment

Credit Unions, local currencies, mechanisms whereby people can invest with confidence into their community, Green Bonds, crowd funding

Government

Councils

Opportunity to organise efforts throughout region, and parishes


Researchers

Opportunity to gather information from the many projects and enterprises underway.

Education and Design

Educators

Wide range of opportunities for supporting ‘The Great Reskilling’, developing Distance Learning programmes, training for professionals


Sustainable Designers

Landscape architects specialising in edible landscaping, zero carbon buildings


The Arts

Art projects documenting the Transition, installations, exhibitions, public art workshops, local recording studios, storytelling


Transition Consulting

Working with businesses on energy audits, resilience plans, a range of future-proofing strategies

Personal / Group Support

Counselling

Personal ‘Transition Counselling’, group support, community processes


Citizens Advice

Debt advice, housing advice, financial management skills, debt scheduling


Outplacement/Redundancy Support

Support, retraining, ongoing support and training

Media

Print media

Local newspapers, small print run books on different aspects of the Transition


Internet

Online retailing systems for local markets


Film media

Online TV channels documenting inspiring examples of Transition in Action

Construction

Reskilling

Retraining builders to use local materials and green building techniques, improving awareness around energy efficiency in building, setting up local construction companies


Materials

Creating local natural building materials, clay plasters, timber, lime, straw, hemp etc. Growing, processing, distribution, retail etc. Locally made wallpaper.


Architects

Specialists in passiv haus building, local materials, retrofit advice

Transportation

Low energy vehicle fleets

Marketing, maintaining, renting, chauffeuring


Bicycles

Selling, servicing, maintenance training, rental


Rickshaws

Importing, servicing, taxi service, weddings etc.


Biodiesel

Sourcing, processing, selling, training and advice


Biomethane/Electric vehicles

Fleet management, sales, leasing, car clubs

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