PETER CURRIER – As the founder and a pivotal sustainer of Transition Town Peterborough (TTP), Fred Irwin has been the leading voice of our vital local chapter of the international Transition Movement for fifteen years. In the face of the current climate crisis, he has worked tirelessly to forge partnerships with local businesses, farms, nonprofit organizations and the municipal government. Fred’s focus on community resilience and local sustainability has been unwavering in pursuing the TTP mission. And Peterborough is a more liveable, kinder, and progressive place because of it.
Transition Town Peterborough initiatives have been a standout amongst the scores of Transition Town International chapters worldwide. From initiating the Kawartha Loon local currency, the Greenzine magazine, and launching such local events as Dandelion Day and The Purple Onion Festival, TTP is recognized as one of Canada’s most respected. The dedicated assistance of local citizen volunteers, and the synergy of partnerships with Peterborough area organizations and businesses have set a model paradigm for a locally sustainable future which, if the road ahead is to be prosperous, will demand unprecedented community effort and cooperation.
In his recent book Now Is The Time, Fred details the challenges and ways forward: “It is the story of the building blocks of achieving more resilient communities during the multiple crises of energy, economics, environment and equity, including social, racial, economic and the distribution of energy.”
For 12 years, the hardcopy version of TTP’s Greenzine magazine was published and distributed quarterly throughout the Peterborough area. Volunteer efforts, and advertising funds were critical to our paper incarnation. Greenzine volunteers are particularly aware of Fred’s vision, hard work and commercial effort in making our paper version viable.
Now, a small, skilled, group of dedicated volunteers have, with the support of both Fred and long-time, pivotal TTP patron Michael Bell, reincarnated the Greenzine online. That has cut costs dramatically so that they now approach zero. We and the many readers who benefit from the publication’s Greenzine content, owe both Fred and Michael many, many thanks.
Peter Currier is an avid Transitioner and a long-time contributor to the Greenzine.
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