Week+10


 * WEEK 10: ** ** Energy Efficiency, Transition Towns and Sustainable Energy Solutions **


 * 1. List the twelve principles of Transition Towns. **


 * 1) Step up a steering group and design its demise.
 * 2) Start raising awareness.
 * 3) Lay the foundations.
 * 4) Organize a great unleashing.
 * 5) Form theme (or special interest) groups.
 * 6) Use open space.
 * 7) Develop visible practical manifestations of the project.
 * 8) Facilitate the Great Reskilling.
 * 9) Build a bridge to Local Government.
 * 10)  Honour the elders.
 * 11) Let it go where it wants to go.
 * 12) Create an Energy Descent Action Plan.

**2. Describe why Rob Hoskins calls Transition Towns ‘a design concept’.**

Rob Hoskins call Transition Towns a design concept because it is coming with practical ideas to solve underlying problems, such as society’s dependence on fossil fuel for energy. The concept relies on communities and individuals to collaborate and implement strategies that will be actually realized. It also allows people to view their lives without the use of oil.


 * 3. What is ‘peak oil’ and how was Transition Towns created to correct it? **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Peak oil is the point in time where the maximum rate of petroleum/fossil fuel extraction is reached. After this point, rate of production will decline. There are different times that have been suggested where peak oil has occurred; the most optimistic estimation of oil decline will be after 2020. It is inevitable that oil will run out and that it is increasingly difficult to extract which is why we must learn to live without fossil fuels and find alternative sources for energy. When we approach decline, we will inevitably lead to overconsumption and faster depletion. The rate of decline is dependent on our rate of extraction, consumption, and production.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Transition Towns aims to correct the consequences of peak oil to starting to reduce carbon emissions at a local level by providing education for both local citizens and government. By teaching how to decrease oil dependency, residents can prepare for the inevitable depletion of oil resource as energy.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**4. What is micro-credit? What are the benefits and challenges?**

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Micro-credit are small amounts of money that are loaned to low income individuals to establish their own businesses Those with low income poor did not have collateral. Their businesses as well as the loan companies experience exponential growth to to the sudden supply of this new good. Loan companies receive a 99% repayment to all of their entrepreneurs as there is no middleman to take their profits.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Benefits**: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">People find out the value of their goods. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Economic independence. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Control their labour. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Generate their own income to sustain and improve their life, especially women.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Challenges**: <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Limited value / caps.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">5. The United Nations stated that sustainable development “implies meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Given this definition do you think the programs of Grameen Bank and Grameen Shakti (the non-profit organization) are promoting sustainable development? Why or why not? Use specific examples. **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Companies like Gareem Bank does promote sustainable development. Their investment in making photovoltaic cells in rural areas assist in providing energy that is clean and renewable. Their use of these cells becomes popular in these regions, promoting further use by the population that has not been reached yet. Light bulbs that are powered by these photovoltaic cells also encourage education by allowing children to read and complete their homework, even at night. The Gareem Bank also employs women who are taught to install these lights.


 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">6. How did access to renewable energy help the economic growth of the poorer communities of Bangladesh? **

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Renewable energy encouraged the community members to make and run their own business using this energy source, such as biogas or tea stalls. This increased the local economy and businesses. Some community members would also rent out power as a business model. There is also an increase in the use of women in the workforce; this increased the number of workers and total hours worked in total. Women became economically independent and became much less vulnerable financially. There is also an increase in education through the use of renewable energy sources by providing illumination to children to do readings and their homework at night.