Overview: The Kinsale 2021: Energy Descent Action Plan
Below is a table summarising the timetabled recommendations in the Kinsale 2021: Energy Descent Action Plan. Thanks to Josephine Mountwinter, Jessica Harrison's mother for producing this.
Background: 
Kinsale, a small seaside town in Ireland, was the first community in the world to adopt a plan for dealing with Peak Oil. But it was more than just a plan for mitigating the worst impacts of energy depletion, it was a vision for a better, healthier, more environmentally sound Kinsale. The plan presents the possibility that Peak Oil need not be a disaster, if communities are willing to assess the situation, plan, design and work towards a managed descent.
Many of the recommendations might be quite relevant almost anywhere, many are regionally specific. They serve as a good starting point for stimulating the imagination on steps any community might follow. For more on Energy Descent Action Plans see the primer. And keep an eye on Rob Hopkin's Transition Culture blog.
Download the full Kinsale 2021 plan from www.FuellingTheFuture.org
I'm making some space so this wide table can be seen…
If it's still under the menu you can download the word doc file.
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THE PRESENT |
THE VISION |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
|
FOOD |
Over 80% of all food comes from outside |
By 2021 Kinsale is self-reliant in food |
Local Food Officer Think Tank Food Partnership |
Action Plan Directory Schools, Fruit Tree Planting |
Slow Food Town? Banquet, Farmers Markets, Hospital, TAFE, Permaculture |
|
YOUTH & COMMUNITY |
Youth now mostly unmotivated, vandalistic, antisocial |
Youth are the community-supported driving force around new core values |
Youth Café open, with Cyber centre, chess comps, advice, talks |
Youth photo competition. Free Permaculture course Movies |
Opinion Forum Identifying areas of interest and visualising future |
|
EDUCATION |
Education academically-oriented – no life skills taught |
Students now skilled for life, due to combination of practical and academic subjects |
Teachers’ Think Tank (show movie) Request local skill-sharing |
Start projects on health and food. Grow organic food for school |
Training in composting for school staff and parents. TAFE Action Plan for sustainability |
|
HOUSING |
Housing increasing, bad planning makes energy consumption higher than necessary |
Affordable, sustainable houses that use local materials |
Review building regulations, practices and development plans. Publish results |
Event to educate builders in the use of new materials. Refitting workshops |
Action Plan for Sustainability. Housing Authority website set up. |
|
ECONOMY |
Local economics supplanted by centralised funding based on growth & debt |
Local resources re-structured, local currency established. Town now self-reliant |
Design and compile website, with many links to local area entertainment, including freebies, noticeboards, events etc |
Publicise website in local press – prepare to register as charity |
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HEALTH |
Kinsale’s hospital and Health services reliant on oil-based pharmaceuticals, mainly conventional medicine |
Shift towards sickness prevention and self-treatment. Use of medicinal plants |
Organise and hold Health Forum of all healthcare groups – set up Health Care Partnership – TAFE Course on herbal medicine |
Liaise with doctors, therapists etc. Hold Slow Food Festival |
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|
TOURISM |
Oil shortage increasingly reducing international tourism |
Kinsale sustainability setting a precedent and gaining independence from oil prices |
Eco-tourism Officer, Public think-tank, Market research |
Ecotourism Association set up to unite local businesses |
Businesses going green – TAFE students building site sought |
|
TRANSPORT |
Locals in need of more public transport – air polluted by traffic |
Need for private cars reduced by improved public transport, light railway, safe cycling, electric vehicles |
Transport Officer. Review of bus times to enable commuting. More bus stops and shelters |
Lift-share website, noticeboard, schools survey traffic patterns, bike paths, maps |
Electric circular bus service ; survey of resident’s travel patterns |
|
WASTE |
No garden or kitchen waste disposal, inadequate recycling, over-packaging of supermarket and hardware products |
Zero waste produced |
Public meeting ; Recycling \sites, composting info at library, shops |
Zero Waste Mgr ; Strategy program ,Digesters ; Global Action Plan |
ZWM investigates papermaking from waste, textiles from hemp |
|
ENERGY |
Town is entirely dependent on fossil fuels for electricity generation |
Power generated within 10mile radius using wind, solar, anaerobic digesters and energy-saving measures |
Energy-saving info for residents, solar panels on public lamp posts |
Energy Ratings, Solar Buyers’ clubs set up , wind farm plans |
Coppicing trees ; Heat+power(CHP) scheme, solar & ph/v cells used, Energy audit for hospital |
ND
|
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 - 2016 |
2017 - 2021 |
|
Slow Food Town! Community Garden Glass Dome |
Polytunnels Chickens Grants
|
Farmers Co-op ordering &delivery scheme “Tasty Towns” Niche markets? |
Special mushrooms “Easy Gardens” “Apple Day” Grants for home conservatories |
Aquaculture system. Press set up for apple juice, cider Events to celebrate |
|
Website set up Youth Mayor elected (with seat on Council) |
International Youth Exchange programme |
Youth Conference, Festival, Youth Manifesto proposed |
Follow-p to World Youth Conference Support earlier projects |
|
|
Energy Awareness Week, when only 25% used. Forum, Other schools invited |
Students make school furniture, roofing, metal work, wind turbines, solar panels |
TAFE to teach sailing, Woodwork, tree management. Reassess all |
LETS scheme setup and implemented |
Permaculture Sustainability course included in final year school |
|
TAFE project displays model of sustainable heating in Town Hall. Organise events |
Help grown for insulation. New council guidelines for developers. Produce manuals |
Build sustainable house as example and as tourist attraction. Videos, DVDs |
Continue research on sustainable housing. New markets for recycled materials |
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|
Online “Your Opinion” forum and Need Lists for the community |
Create Time Bank Assist isolated elderly. Youth bands, youth literacy |
Currency credits issued – savings accounts online. Old crafts revisited
|
TimeBank credits Ensure protection Against pension fund failures Kinsale immune to Stock Exch. Fluctuations – 70% self-sustaining No work shortage – many apprentice-ships available Pace of life is easy – stress gone |
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|
Discuss Integrated Health Centre. Lobby Council for Primary Care Trust. Talks to schools |
Schools switch to organic local food Building plans for Integrated Health Centre completed |
Work begins on new Centre, including Birthing Centre, medicinal garden |
Health Centre goes from strength to strength – more health giving food available, resulting in less obesity, asthma etc |
|
|
Weekly Farmers markets. Edible landscape in town centre |
No more non-sustainable buildings or tourist attractions allowed. Plan to join Slow Cities movement |
Summer Festival – every restaurant has Slow Food option |
||
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Centre for reprocessing oils to supply bio-diesel filling station |
Bio-diesel trials for Council vehicles. Subsidised conversions |
Bio-fuel filling stations |
Service stations have solar panels in roofs, for battery recharges |
Kinsale not 100% free of petrol-driven transport |
|
Uni research link: Gasification/pyrolysis heating for schools, hospital |
Composting innovations, Community Shredder |
ZWM and farmers trial help growing, publish results. Paper mill set up Marketing drive |
ZWM investigates uses of farm residues – site visits |
Zero Waste Manager continues search for more sustainable solutions |
|
First wind farm now supplying 60% of towns electric energy |
CHP School & Community Centre heating “House of Tomorrow” built |
Accelerate energy use improvements. Farmers grow more biomass |
Hot water to 40% of buildings now solar-heated |
Kinsale’s energy needs now supplied by 100% renewables |
naisioxerloro said,
November 29, 2007 @ 1:38 am
Hi.
Good design, who make it?