2011 Midyear Report
Transcription
2011 Midyear Report
CENTER FOR EARTH LEADERSHIP Forging citizen leadership to a sustainable future l 2011 MIDYEAR REPORT Lily Pads and Happiness R ecently, lily pads and happiness have been on our minds. Let’s begin with the well-known lily pond metaphor. Suppose you have a pond with a single water lily. You know that water lilies will double in surface area each day and that the lilies will cover the entire pond, thus killing all living organisms in 30 days. Question: if you decide to cut out the lilies when the pond is only half covered, and plenty of open water remains, what day would that be? For a growing number, the lily pond has become the Alan AtKisson trains Center Agents of Change. See page 2. elephant in the room. As a society, we continue business as usual as the lilies keep growing. And we cannot be certain how many days have elapsed, but we have a gnawing feeling that time and opportunities are rapidly slipping away. In a recent seminar that Dick was leading, one participant expressed the despair of feeling impotent in a world where an anonymous global economy is moving relentlessly ahead without regard for the natural world or the future. Moreover, financial uncertainty among responsible citizens has never been higher. Responding to this growing concern, in January our Center for Earth Leadership was the organizing sponsor for the premiere showing of The Economics of Happiness produced by Helena Norberg-Hodge, a long-time colleague. We were astounded when close to 1000 people showed up at the First Unitarian Church in downtown Portland, and some had to be turned away for lack of space. The title of the film had deeply touched the yearnings of people. If you look at the science that describes what is A main theme of the film was that economic globalization happening on earth today and aren’t pessimistic, you has produced a crisis of the human spirit by homogenizing don’t have the correct data. If you meet the people in culture. In effect, under the onslaught of economic this unnamed [sustainability] movement and aren’t globalization, humans are no longer grounded in a unique culture of place that allows them to know who they are. optimistic, you haven’t got a heart. – Paul Hawken, Blessed Unrest Rudderless, they look to commercial messages to define themselves. A Swedish linguist fluent in seven languages, Norberg-Hodge is internationally recognized as a sharp critic of economic globalization. She is also an inexorable proponent of what we call deep localization. Through localization, happiness is nurtured. The lily pads and happiness underlie our mission. We work at this critical time with citizens to create a sustainable local culture, including a vibrant local economy. Those trained in our agent of change program work with people at a level where they see the visible results of their efforts. They work with hope and with joy, without direction from the global economy, to create a unique local culture where neighbors work hand in hand. This is the happiness factor promoted by Norberg-Hodge. “ “ – Jeanne and Dick Roy, Co-Founders Change Agents and Happiness T he happiness of localization involves neighbors working to meet living needs locally, to become rooted in their neighborhoods, and to connect with the natural world of a unique watershed. Many of our agents of change are creating resilient ways of living in their personal lives and in their communities: Ana Inclan raises chickens in her back yard, a natural alternative to industrial eggs; Chris Musser developed Lost Arts Kitchen to teach others how to prepare and preserve locally grown foods; John and Janelle Sorenson and Seth Truby formed a non-profit to promote district energy; and Steve Couche formed a neighborhood tool library. By its very nature, work as an agent of change creates a stronger, more resilient, local culture. Keri Carkeek wished to promote sustainability within her condo association. After being appointed as the facilities chair, she and her neighbor first requested an association expenditure report to determine areas of potential cost savings. Noting that the largest shared cost is for heat and electricity, they developed a plan to replace the boiler, install compact fluorescents, and remove half of the bulbs from common area fixtures. Their next projects were to replace all four laundry room washers and dryers with energy- and water-saving machines and to construct space for interior bike parking. Jon Mehlschau, an architect at SRG, used his project management skills to develop a three-step plan to advance sustainability within the office building housing his firm: (1) upgrade recycling within the building, (2) earn the BEST Climate Champions award, and (3) improve the embryonic carbon Localization Quiz 1. Do you know the geographical source of your water? 2. Do you know where your garbage goes? 3. Can you name ten native species found in your neighborhood or closest green space? 4. Do you grow food or purchase food from a CSA or farmers’ market? 5. Do you give preference to local restaurants, pharmacies, and retail shops rather than chains and big box stores? 6. Do you keep your money in a local bank or credit union? 7. Do you know the names of neighbors in the eight closest residences? 8. Do you borrow or loan tools with neighbors, share chores (pet care, mail pickup), or help a neighbor in need? 9. Do you know how water run-off in your neighborhood makes its way to the sea? 10. Do you purchase items from local businesses rather than order over the Internet? SRG architect hauls recyclables to depot. footprint assessment tool used by his firm. As a result of his efforts, the building is now recycling difficult non-curbside items such as plastic clamshells and fluorescent light bulbs, his firm purchases carbon credits for electricity use and business transportation, and bicycle commuters receive a small stipend. To find recruits for a sustainability team for her Oak Hills Neighborhood, Jen Lockwood held a Home Eco-Party in the recreation center. Five interested participants initiated a few small projects, but not much happened until the group got excited about the idea of a community garden. Their homeowners association not only gave permission but also pledged $1,000 to pay for construction of 12’x 4’ raised garden beds and a water system. Through volunteer labor, 18 beds were constructed, which are now fully leased to neighbors in the broader community. With the proceeds, Jen and her colleagues will pay operational costs and construct additional garden beds. A Formula for Change In March, Alan AtKisson, an international sustainability consultant based in Sweden, spent an evening training 40 of our Portland agents of change. He explained the formula for change developed by Robert Gilman, who many consider to be the father of the Northwest sustainability movement. Many people state they are willing to make changes for the public good, but don’t actually do so. When an agent asked AtKisson how to be more effective in facilitating such change, he offered a tip. For someone to enthusiastically switch from an old way of doing things to a new way, that person must perceive that the additional value provided by the new way is greater than the “cost” of making the change. Here is the formula: Perceived value of new way Perceived value of old way = Perceived cost of change Young student admires new Hayhurst compost bin. The perceived cost may be monetary, psychological, or both. The message: A change agent can 1) build up the value of the new way (riding a bike to work increases physical fitness), 2) reduce the value of the old way (cars contribute to global warming), or 3) decrease the cost of the change (secure bike parking or a workshop on what to wear). Or the agent can work on all three. Students lobby the Portland School Board about trays. Within our Eco-School Network, we see the Gilman formula at work. • Student testimony at school board about styrofoam. To help eliminate stryrofoam trays from Portland Public Schools, in 2010 the Network decreased the perceived cost of change by lobbying the City to grant PPS $70,000 to purchase washable trays. Yet, by January, the trays had not appeared in the schools. Therefore, three students from Network EcoSchools testified before the school board, armed with a week’s worth of styrofoam trays from one school cafeteria, to shine a bright light in the dark corner of continual delay in eliminating these disposables. To emphatically reduce the perceived value of the old way, fifth grader Camille ended her talk by handing each school board member a gift-wrapped styrofoam tray and plastic fork and asking them to please use the disposables for their next lunch. • Synergy. Cultural change occurs more readily in a circle when two or more agents collaborate. At Hayhurst Elementary, Kendall KIC started the parentled Without a Trace Team by toting a week’s worth of plastic cafeteria disposables into a PTA meeting. The PTA responded with a vote to buy metal utensils and paper straws for the lunchroom. This year, Helena Nissen joined Kendall, and the two instituted a new recycling system with green bins for paper and red bins for other recyclables. They also recruited a team of parent volunteers to help students sort properly. Their hard work is paying off. Hayhurst will be the first school this year to eliminate styrofoam and receive washable trays from the district. Perceiving the value of the new way, Hayhurst parents have been energized. Agent Jeffrey Briley had no difficulty adding gardening to the school’s sustainable practices. The garden council he formed raised funds for seeds, soil, and construction materials and recruited enough volunteers to build raised beds plus a compost bin and worm bin that will accept food scraps and garden debris. All students got to plant pea seeds in donated wine barrels placed on the edge of the playground, and all teachers want to incorporate school gardening into their instruction. Reike Elementary has also experienced the synergy of two agents working together. Jamie Rapaski joined forces with Cindy Eldkrona to launch a styrofoam packaging drive in the school parking lot after the holidays. Also, in January they started a student EcoThink Club. 4. Center Briefs Rieke student helps to crush styrofoam packaging. Center Briefs Michael Allen Harrison plays at our Earth Day celebration. Producer Helena Norberg-Hodge speaks at our premiere showing of The Economics of Happiness. Left. Skyline Elementary’s green team acquired Portland Public School’s first wind turbine. Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper 2011 Mid-Year Report 319 SW Washington Suite 400 Portland, OR 97204 (503) 227-2315 [email protected] www.earthleaders.org Nonprofit Org. US Postage PAID Portland, OR Permit No. 3891