The Transition movement, a worldwide effort to get back to a simple, self-sufficient life, is taking root locally and your neighbors may be a part of it.

Transition South Bay meets about four times each month. The group spans the entire South Bay of Los Angeles, including Palos Verdes, the beach cities, Torrance and other localities. In their meetings, members of Transition South Bay view documentaries, participate in community discussions, and brainstorm practical ways to make a difference. 

Patch visited Carolyn Miller's home in Manhattan Beach for a potluck meal and documentary viewing. The group was focusing on solutions, not just problems.

"A lot of people get scared," Miller said, referring to what she describes as the perfect storm of peak oil, climate change and eco-contamination. "We actually try to give solutions."

Those solutions include efforts such as composting and learning to reduce oil consumption. And the group is also big on "re-skilling."

Re-skilling is a return to hands-on skills that have been lost over the years. Members of the group offer to teach bread-making, sewing, gardening and more. Transition also supports Local Exchange Trading Systems. This means that rather than paying large corporations for necessary items, members of the group connect with those who can make those items, resulting in a cashless transaction in which one party trades with another for services.

"I'll garden for you, you babysit for me," is how Miller described it.

The goal is to keep things simple and involve the whole community. Miller feels strongly about honoring elderly people, forming working groups to accomplish tasks that matter to individuals and working with local governments to impact change.

For example, the group is involved in the the Beach Cities Health District's Vitality City initiative, the South Bay Bicycle Coalition's efforts and the Environmental Priorities Network. Through these groups,  Transition hopes to create community gardens, increase the city's bike-ability and more.

Transition South Bay's next event is on Saturday, Feb. 26. The group will screen Flow: For the Love of Water, a documentary about our planet's potential fresh water crisis.