Transition Bloomington to Host Town Meeting for Great Unleashing event

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 16, 2010

For more information, contact:
Rhonda Baird, Transition Bloomington, 320.1058, rk.baird@yahoo.com
Jared Schlemmer, Assistant Deputy Mayor, City of Bloomington, 349.3406,schlemmj@bloomington.in.gov




Bloomington, IN -- Mayor Mark Kruzan, City Council Member Dave Rollo and others will speak at the Transition Bloomington kick-off event on April 24.

The event will begin the process of creating a 10-20 year energy descent action plan for Bloomington. The one-day town meeting is designed to motivate and educate the community about the importance of a less energy-dependent community.

Transition Bloomington is part of an international movement that provides training for Transition Initiatives across the world and strengthens communities against the challenges of peak oil, climate change and the economic crisis. Bloomington has become the 54th Transition Initiative in the United States and is currently the only Transition Initiative in Indiana. The Great Unleashing event will kick off the Transition Initiative and bring community members together to develop a tangible plan to form a dramatically less energy-dependent Bloomington.

"Inherent within the challenges of peak oil and climate change is the opportunity for a social, economic and cultural renaissance the likes of which we're never really dreamed before," said Transition Bloomington founder Rob Hopkins.

The Great Unleashing will be an Open Space event in which participants create and manage their own agenda and work sessions while concentrating on the central goal of energy conservation and re-localization. This event will motivate, excite and educate the community in coming together as a Transition Town and to begin making real changes that will lead to a more resilient community.

The town meeting will begin with informational presentations by Rob Hopkins (via video feed), founder of the Transition movement and Dave Rollo, City Council Member and founder of the Bloomington Peak Oil Task Force, to educate community members about the Transition movement and what can be done to address these environmental issues. Mayor Kruzan will also be speaking at the event. Following lunch, brainstorming workshops and the implementation of a new plan with take place. The Great Unleashing will commence with live entertainment and celebration. The event will take place in City Council Chambers, 401 N. Morton Street on April 24 from 9:30 am to 5:30 p.m.

For more information, contact Rhonda Baird of Transition Bloomington at 320-1058 or rk.baird@yahoo.com.

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