Planting hope amid gloom

Life without cheap oil need not be all doom and gloom, says a group which wants to help Aucklanders bounce back from any future energy shocks.

An import from Britain, the Transition Towns movement offers "a practical vision and hope" to people worried about the impact of energy prices and climate change on their lives.

Transition's New Zealand co-ordinator, James Samuel, says networks are developing on Waiheke Island and in Orewa and Manukau to prepare a local response to a low-energy future.

On Waiheke, for example, a group is ready to start planting fruit and nut trees - the aim is to have 20,000 on public and private land in the next decade. A map of all fruit trees on the island will identify those with fruit to share and quality trees for grafting.

Ostend retirement village is getting a raised-bed vegetable garden and the Waiheke Retirement Trust will provide a worm farm to help it along. Wayne Thompson

* www.transitiontowns.org.nz