Eco online

By guest writer - Sandra Conte

Looking to the future: Eumundi-based permaculture teacher and author, Janet Millington. Image by: Anastasia Holt

The Sunshine Coast, as the world’s first recognised Transition Region within Australia, is an environmental pioneer. Eumundi-based permaculture teacher and author Janet Millington, explains the concept.

“It focuses on helping communities overcome fossil fuel dependencies in the face of peak oil and climate change. It means asking people to reassess their need for petrol, plastics, electricity, imported goods, remotely-grown foods and long-distance travel. It means asking people to consider their means of survival when dwindling resources reach record prices or disappear altogether, when climate change brings devastating storms and mercury-busting weather which cannot be fought by traditional fuel-infused means”.

Transition Town provides alternatives and answers for people to incorporate in their everyday lives.

“If something has to come a long way or is fossil fuel based, make sure you have alternatives. Try to buy local and to support businesses that are trying to compete with global-market forces. Network with neighbours and within your local community, to find people with expertise that can help you become prepared. Understand that this is something that cannot be done alone and that we need to improve our communication and decision making skills as we will succeed or fail only as a group,” she said.

Millington believes the Sunshine Coast is well and truly up to the challenge and points to the proactive stance of many Coast communities as proof of the region’s natural abilities.

The Sunshine Coast is proud of its leadership

“The Sunshine Coast is a leader with a long tradition of good environmental warriors who have fought hard to replace forests or not allow them to be cut down in the first place. We have a population with the economic means and business savvy to see opportunities in the changes that need to be made and we have a Council that is willing and asking for direction from its community. We have much of our eco-services intact or able to be restored and we have good minds that are wise in science and technology and are equally creative. The Sunshine Coast was the first initiative outside the United Kingdom and the first to be not simply a town.”

According to Janet, several local towns are well on their way to self reliance, such as Transition Eudlo, Transition Maleny and Transition Cooran, and urges all Coast householders to take steps toward greater regional independence. Succeeding as a group undoubtedly means the Sunshine Coast will continue to be known as one of the cleanest, greenest, lifestyle-oriented regions in the world, no matter what the future holds. It is one of the main messages of this year’s Sunshine Coast World Environment Day Festival.

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