On the evening of Saturday 13th March the launch event for Transition Bookham (part of an international initiative to help communities to reduce their carbon emissions and prepare for the decline in fossil fuel availability) was held, at Bookham Baptist Church.

Trevor Sokell, of Bookham Vision, started by updating us on a Survey of Bookham residents taken last year. It was clear that not only did people participate in 'green' activities, but there was also an interest in doing more. Approximately 100 respondents had ticked a box for transition/greening initiatives.

There followed a screening of the movie The Power of Community: How Cuba survived Peak Oil, a fascinating look at what happened when the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 left Cuba with limited supplies of oil. The movie highlighted just how much modern society relies on fossil fuels, from transport to food production, manufacturing to heating.

Cuba is being studied as a blueprint for how the rest of the world will cope, as supplies of easy to access fuel peak. A return to local, sustainable, organic food production, the use of permaculture, public transport and  bicycles, an increased number of local, national health and educational institutions, renewable energy in remote areas and, most importantly, community initiatives, helped Cuba survive its Special Period.

After the movie we discussed it's significance to the issues we face, we heard examples of what Transition Dorking has been up to and took questions with answers given by members of Transitions Ashtead, Bookham and Dorking and The Green Mole Forum. The evening was rounded up with a chance to contribute ideas towards possible groups, ie. food, energy, recycling, transport, etc.

A follow-up meeting is to be held at St Nicolas Pastoral Centre, Bookham, on Wednesday 21st April from 7.30-9.30. This will look at the group ideas and take the viable ones forward. Subjects will include car sharing for school runs, community gardens and garden shares, a solar club and recycling beyond that which the council already provides.