It's a fact of life that oil prices are increasing as we move towards peak oil: the point where oil demand exceeds supply because we have used up more oil that we have in reserve. Transport costs are rising, which means the prices of everything brought into our area from outside, must increase. We are already seeing this. Food prices are rising rapidly and will rise even more steeply in the near future.

The idea that we are likely to experience more and more extreme climatic events as CO2 levels rise and affect the Earth's climate is also generally accepted. We are already experiencing these types of climate extremes.

Unless governments of world powers do something incredibly foolish (like going to war to take control of the scarce resources that are left), expensive oil will inevitably cause economic contraction. One benefit is that this may slow down the impact of climate change.

Some doomsday thinkers believe that the peak oil and climate change challenges indicate the "end of the world" but perhaps, if we change our perspective, we see that it is not "the end", but rather the start of a whole new, and better, world: one we have the opportunity of creating for ourselves.

Perhaps these challenges represent a blessing in disguise. Without cheap energy, wars, on the scale we have seen in recent decades, cannot be fought. Mindless manufacture of goods we don't need will be curtailed. Pollution levels will drop. Lower production levels will reduce the strain on Earth's resources. At community level, it is possible to have greater self-sufficiency, diversity and cohesiveness. But we need to start planning and implementing the steps NOW.

There is no doubt that, as the effect of climate change and peak oil start to impact, our lifestyles will change. The sooner we start planning for changes that will be inevitable, the easier the transition will be.

In 2005 the idea of planning for a sustainable future in the face of peak oil and climate change took shape among students attending a permaculture course at Kinsale Further Education College in Ireland. Prior to that time nothing was happening that constituted a community response to peak oil and climate change.

The transition model for inspiring local resilience building that developed from Kinsale has spread rapidly. In an incredibly short space of time community initiatives are starting up across the World. As at October 2008, transition initiatives have been adopted in 31 towns, cities and communities in the United Kingdom, 40 in New Zealand and 10 in Australia. Australian initiatives have been started on the Sunshine Coast and in Hervey Bay in Queensland, Armidale, Bellingen, Newcastle, Sydney and Katoomba in New South Wales and Bell in Victoria.

Transition initiatives are based on four key assumptions:

i) It is inevitable that we will soon experience life with dramatically lower energy consumption and it is better to plan for it than to be taken by surprise.
ii) Our settlements and communities lack the resilience to enable them to weather the severe energy shocks that will accompany peak oil and the disruption of extreme climatic events: severe storms, extreme temperatures, extended rain periods.
iii) We have to act collectively and we have to act now.

(iv) By working with the collective genius of people everywhere it is possible to creatively and proactively design ways to reduce reliance on oil. In recognition of the biological limits of our planet, we need to build more energy efficient ways of living: ways that are more connective and more enriching.

In New Zealand, the transition 'virus' seems to be spreading fast and a formal Transition Network has been established. A sense has emerged that the strongest need at this moment is to create the means by which people can share their successes and their visions for the future. The reason for this, it is felt, is because people need to be able to feel they are not alone and can see what others are doing and be inspired to take practical action. Scott Willis from Transition Town Waitari, sums up the transition concept as "providing a network, building a national community and a virtual global transition society which is kept informed through the Internet. It enables us to begin constructing a network of resilient communities at the heart of a fading civilization. And it gives us the tools to light the way to a more human scale, egalitarian, resilient society."

In Austalia, the following initiatives are being implemented:
Sunshine Coast has been running an educational programme called "Time for an Oil Change" since 2007, and see their main focus as being on education. Maleny has set up a community bank and a large food co-operative.
Bellingen's Local Food Network is working with Food Connect is Brisbane to establish a locally grown food distribution system. A car pooling network has been established.
Suburban Bell is planning a "Fruit and Nut Tree Neighbourhood", focusing on getting productive trees into gardens, bulk purchasing of solar hot systems, photovoltaic systems and water tanks.
Katoomba has a food co-operative with over 2,000 members and a combined council, tourism and business initiative to build sustainability for local companies.

Although Tamborine Mountain is not a "Transition Town", and to date there are moves to become one, much has been done in recent years to increase Tamborine Mountain's resilience and sustainability by organizations such as Sustainable Gardeners, Community Care, Tamborine Mountain Sports Association, Garden Club, Historical Society, Local Producers' Association and Landcare.

Bellingen's Local Food Network is working with Food Connect is Brisbane to establish a locally grown food distribution system. A car-pooling network has been established.

Suburban Bell is planning a "Fruit and Nut Tree Neighbourhood", focusing on getting productive trees into gardens, bulk purchasing of solar hot systems, photovoltaic systems and water tanks.

Katoomba has a food co-operative with over 2,000 members and a combined council, tourism and business initiative to build sustainability for local companies.

Although Tamborine Mountain is not a "Transition Town", and to date there are no moves to become one, much has been done in recent years to increase Tamborine Mountain's resilience and sustainability by organizations such as Garden Club, Sustainable Gardeners, Community Care, Tamborine Mountain Sports Association, Historical Society, Local Producers' Association and Land Care.
A bulk buying initiative for solar panels has meant that many houses are now generating and using solar energy. A community garden is being established in Long Road.

Reference: "The Transition Handbook: Creating local sustainable communities beyond oil dependency" Rob Hopkins.

The New York Times recently published this information in their "Spotlight on the Home" series.

Feeling tired? Eat a cucumber. The B vitamins and carbohydrates prove a quick pick-me-up that lasts for hours.

Bathroom mirror fogging up? Rub with a slice of cucumber. It eliminates the fog and provides a spa-like fragrance.

Squeaky hinge? Rub it with cucumber and the squeak will go.

Feeling peckish? Cucumbers eliminate hunger pangs.

Are grubs and slugs eating your seedlings? Place a few slices in an aluminium container and place in the garden. The chemicals in the cucumber react with the aluminium to give off a scent that drive garden pests away.

Shoes need polishing? Rub a freshly cut cucumber over the shoe. The chemicals in the cucumber will provie a quick and durable shine that repels water.

Creative kids? Cucumber skin will erase pen writing and works well on crayons and markers that the kids have used to decorate the walls!

Headache or hangover? Eat some cucumber slices befre going to bed and wake up refreshed and headache free. Cucumber contain enough sugar, B vitamins and electrolytes to replenish essential nutrients the body has lost, keeping everything in equilibrium.

Stressed out? Cut up a whole cucumber and place it in boiling water. The chemicals and nutrientsrelease a soothing, relaxing aroma that reduces stress in new mohters and students studying for final exams.

Stains on taps, sinks or stainless steel? A slice of ccumber will remove years of tarnish, bring back the shine and not leave streaks.