Personal Energy Descent Action Plan

Transition Asheville www.transitionasheville.org

Family/Personal Energy Descent Plan:

How to Change Your Habits & Save the Earth

Sample Energy Descent Guidelines:

·         Fix or don’t replace; or if needed, buy smart (quality, longevity, ease of repair, efficiency); if possible, plan how to phase out.

·         Use less, buy less; develop sharing & barter strategies

·         Move to low maintenance & wherever possible, to no maintenance.

Stages of Energy Descent:

·         Immediate (first steps)

·         Intermediate (projects or changes that require some learning)

·         Energy Descent (commitments to change designs & behaviors)

Some Areas to Rethink:

·         Food (growing, finding/gathering, preserving, cooking, sharing)

·         Energy Management (increasing efficiency, preventing waste, developing new strategies for usage)

·         Water (multiple use strategies, preventing waste, collecting rain water)

·         Transportation (changing driving habits, planning for ride-sharing, alternatives to the auto)

·         Property Maintenance (redesign yards according to permaculture principles, develop cooperative arrangements with neighbors such as tool-sharing)

·         Acquisitions/Consumer behaviors (reduce-reuse-recycle, buy from/support local suppliers & businesses, develop ways to share items when possible)

·         Investing (investigate the ideas of the Slow Money movement, learn about socially responsible investing, explore agencies that primarily support local &/or regional enterprises)

An Example of Energy Descent Planning:

AREA                    IMMEDIATE          INTERMEDIATE          LONG TERM

Water for Garden   Use drip irrigation    build rainwater       use non-motorized

                                                             collectors                pump(s)    

     

Food-growing      Create garden beds   learn about growing       grow 50% 

                                                       winter vegetables           of food

Food preserving    learn how to can      build a solar dryer        preserve 40%  

                              & dry foods                                             of food

Lawn mowing      leave some areas     electric or hand mower     all areas in 

                            unmowed             study permaculture     garden or natural        

                                                                 

Home heating    install programmable  increase insulation,           replace 

                              thermostat                seal                    heating system                                                    

                                                                                     with solar system

                                                

(Print out and Fill-in below to create your own individual energy descent plan.)

Area	Immediate	Intermediate	Long-term goal