Get The ‘Dirt’ On Transition Newtown Movement

By Kendra Bobowick

Do you know how to use herbal medicine? Do you know how to preserve food for the winter? Do you know what wild plants you can eat, or use to stop bleeding?

Andrew Mangold knows the answers to his questions, and knows where other residents can find them: Transition Newtown. As part of the growing transition — a community-based grassroots movement meant to raise awareness to environmental, economic, or societal challenges, members will be showing Dirt “the story with heart and soil,” on October 14 from 3 to 5 pm at the C.H. Booth Library as part of Transition Newtown’s film series. The film is free, and will be followed will be a discussion. Anyone can attend.

The film series is meant to raise awareness of environmental issues and to educate people about sustainability and why it is important, said Transition Newtown member Barbara Toomey recently. Learn more about the movie at TheDirtMovie.org.

But what is Transition Newtown? Ms Toomey, also a Sustainable Energy Task Force member, said, “It’s about making communities more sustainable.” Meeting earlier this month to discuss green efforts including sustainability were Ms Toomey, Andrew Mangold, Parks and Recreation Director Amy Mangold, Andrew’s mother, and Kathleen Quinn, who chairs the Sustainable Energy Task Force.

According to TransitionUS.org, “The Transition Movement is comprised of vibrant, grassroots community initiatives that seek to build community resilience in the face of such challenges as peak oil, climate change and the economic crisis.” The larger Transition United States is “a resource and catalyst for building resilient communities that are able to withstand severe energy, climate or economic shocks while creating a better quality of life in the process.” What is now a worldwide transition initiative started in the UK.

Like the Newtown members gathered recently to talk about high gas prices and a struggling economy, the TransitionUs.org site states, “It all starts off when a small collection of motivated individuals within a community come together with a shared concern…” In 2011 Ms Toomey had taken a training course that got her started on the transition path. The Mangolds, Ms Quinn, and others are also now involved.

Envisioning other scenarios where Transition Newtown could apply, Andrew pictured sidewalks lined with medicinal plants, a community compost, and a community garden.

He would also like to take steps toward a more efficient society. Rather than burn what fossil fuels remain, he would rather see them used “to build something more sustainable.”

The small group hopes more residents will join or at least develop an interest in the topics transition members discuss.

“We are concerned about keeping people involved,” Ms Mangold said.

Possibly, the concept of a sustainable society, renewable resources, and green community efforts do not feel urgent to enough people, Ms Toomey said.

The few members present spend time brainstorming. Could they get children involved, could they host community events or recruit more residents to volunteer for transition training in order to educate others about the movement?

Ms Toomey suggested having a presence at Newtown’s annual Earth Day Festival. They envisioned projects such as a community orchard, education, safe hiking trails to and from schools. Interested in getting children involved, Andrew suggested many outdoor activities, hoping to generate children’s interest in “caring for the place around you.” They could do plant identification, locate seeds, and other activities, it was suggested,

The transition movement could also connect people with their neighbors.

“It’s about getting away from the individual, isolated lifestyle,” Andrew said.

Members will follow leads of several ideas generated at the early October meeting.

Learn more about Transition Newtown on its Facebook page, or visit TransitionNewtown.com.