Keep on Keeping on.

by Nathan Jackson

Sustainable Seattle has been making waves with its Happiness Initiative, the fifth iteration set of indicators, and people are noticing our work. We have been pushing forward revamping our programs and projects to reflect the results of the Happiness Initiative and we have just completed a revamped communications strategy.

We are an organization made up of tireless idealists who give so much of themselves to see these programs and projects be as successful as they can be. We put our hearts, minds and souls into this work and the work has been noticed.

The last few months media giants such as: Seattle Times, Reuters, Seattle P.I., King Five and CSR Wire have all written and spoken about our work and we continue to have hundreds of people take the happiness survey every week. We've had numerous blogs, and locally independent coverage of our work around the initiative and we have even attracted the notice of many professional counselors, psychiatrists and other human service providers.

The thing about Sustainable Seattle is that we do this work while seeking sustainable funding. We are pushing the world of indicators in a new direction just as we have in the past when we were the first organization to create regional indicators that were replicated throughout the world. We do this for the love of the work and we realize that in order to continue this important work that has enlightened and heartened so many people we need to look to our own material well being.

We are taking a different approach to nonprofit funding than many other organizations. As a 501(c)3 organization we are very mindful of tax regulations and therefore we've taken an approach that combines varying revenue streams. Most nonprofits have a financial plan that starts with individual donations then grants then corporate sponsorships and then in a few cases fee for service. We are Sustainable Seattle and we are flipping that model on its head.

We are approaching our revenue gathering from a fee for service, corporate sponsorship, grants and then individual donations perspective. We have had success with our training classes and we are rolling out in response to the overwhelming demand for such services such as: Corporate Social Responsibility (Sustainability and CSR Reports Services), forums for dreaming and initializing a more sustainable future (Dream a Sound Future), ideas and practical actions to enhance our personal happiness (The Flow Campaign) and helping people make significant changes to their own property to lower their negative impact on our fragile Puget Sound watershed (Sustainable Rain).

Our approach is to make our financial futures more sustainable and within our own control. We want to be able to keep this work going while still being able to feed ourselves and our families. We look at our financial security as a serious challenge and opportunity to create a new model for other nonprofits who perhaps view the financial side of their work as somehow lesser or base. Without a secure future for ourselves this work that is in such demand cannot continue in perpetuity. Here's where you, dear reader, come in.

We are seeking individual donors, corporate sponsorships as well as grants in combination with our fee for service work. We have many ways for the individual to get involved from the very much appreciated donation to supporting our partners such as Ideal Network to joining our Facebook Cause called Support Sustainable Seattle. We are also looking for corporate sponsorships from organizations that are aligned with our mission and values and we are seeking grants that can help finance our work as we continue to lead change and fight the good fight.

We have many different events and projects coming up as well and we would love, love, love your participation as well. Check out what we have going on in the next few months here at our shared calendar with Sustainable Ballard and Sustainable West Seattle.

Quick update post

Just a stream of thoughts today I'm afraid. I've been so busy lately and when you are working as basically your own boss, sorta, the time really does start to become the most valuable commodity you have. It reminds me of why my work with the Flow Campaign is so important. I have really taken the lessons I've been learning from this work to heart. Time is the premium.

Yesterday I did some initial shooting of a site visit for the Sustainable Rain project for Sustainable Seattle. The location was on the corner of MLK and Union in a formerly vacant lot that was overrun by blackberries, brambles and broken furniture. Across the street is a Grocery Outlet, a cafe espresso stand, and a series of houses with no fences, dogs and comic book readers who flip through superhero hijinks while taking drags off of early morning cigarettes.

The neighbors are all behind the new project that is being lead by a fiscal sponsoree of Sustainable Seattle, Green Plate Special. The project is all about teaching youth about healthy eating, cooking and urban agriculture. It takes youth who have not had the training and examples of a well rounded diet or even the baseline knowledge of where food comes from or what it takes to bring that food from farm to table.

An opinion on political hate speech

As most of you are aware there was a tragedy this Saturday January 8th that left six people dead and 18 people wounded in a senseless act of violence in Arizona. The shooting was as we have learned, preplanned and brought to fruition by a mentally disturbed and troubled young man. This act violates everything we believe in about the nature of a civil society and we wish the injured the swiftest and complete recoveries.

The action was deplorable and the climate in which this sort of twisted act could take has been a quagmire of hate, intolerance, and fire and brimstone. Politics has always bartered with the coin of emotions and fear, but the past few years have seen an increase in intolerance, and increase in vitriol and a blatant disregard for public safety in our civil discourse.

Words have power and when they are thrown around in times of economic uncertainty they become more than mere rhetoric. They become driving forces that can in certain circumstances be the final push of those already on an unstable path. The sick and mentally ill are already struggling to survive in a society that does not care for them and casts them off as lost, but when an environment of hatred is bred and then made mainstream by the sheer amount of bombastic points of view, these people begin to feel normalcy in their sickness.

I will not blame a specific person, party or group, but I will blame the rest of us who silently support the type of political claptrap by being ourselves silent. We cannot sit by and reward those who spread hatred and bile by simply turning the channel or changing the radio dial. We must oppose hatred with understanding. We must stand up against those who would try to frighten us into believing that political matters are life and death. We need to confront, not ignore.

It is time that we stop hiding in our own chosen political silos and start again listening, confronting in a civil way those who have opposing views, but also understanding those opposing views. I've suggested this book a million times, but I will do it again.

The Big Sort by Robert Cushing

This book talks about how the political divide in the United States has grown into a chasm due to a variety of factors and that chasm is spreading ever further ironically with the increase in information. We need to stop isolating ourselves with opinions, news and radio that confirm our own beliefs. We need to once again temper our opinions so that we do not ourselves become extreme in our views. Extremism is the enemy of a civil society.

Election Results: an opinion

I wrote a brief examination of the election results for Washington State that went out in our twice monthly newsletter that focused exclusively on the initiatives and their potential impact. I wanted to play it as "hard" news so I did not editorialize my own thoughts about what the people of Washington State have unleashed in their votes, but I think I have calmed down enough to do it with slightly less throbbing in my head as I write.

First of all, I am a pragmatist in my views about government, taxation and the role and responsibility we have towards each other and the unfortunate. Government is one of the pillars that hold up our society and it is one of the only institutions that can systematically help create and maintain a more equitable society. It is not the only solution to our many problems, but it is one of the most powerful influences on our everyday lives.

This election cycle we saw another side of democracy that sickened many of us. Negative campaigns, fear, anger, and a sense of hopelessness was rained upon us minute after minute to inflame the passions, deaden the heart and distort the actual facts of the state of our nation. Many people were disappointed in the actions taken by the government before the election and did not even see the work that has been accomplished.

The general mood in Washington State was "don't tax me at all, but don't touch my medicare." Nearly all the tax initiatives that would have gone far to supply revenue to the state coffers were overturned or reversed. Also, there were new laws put into place that make it harder for the state to gather resources in the future. It is a short sighted outlook and general mistrust of government that made many voters check the boxes towards hamstringing their own government.

With the laws of Washington State in regards to budgets in mind, we will see a cutting of services that are essential such as health care, education, and human services. It is little surprise that the ones who will suffer the most are the most unfortunate. Many people in the middle class have had a rude awakening with this economic recession that they are not as economically solid as they were lead to believe. This causes fear and a tightening of purse strings in regards to the aide and comfort of their neighbors. People are looking to their own houses instead of seeing the larger picture that without our neighbors, colleagues and friends none of us can make it in this economic system of give and take.

On the national level the biggest disappointment is the naivete of the defeated Democrats. Repeatedly they have said that they see this thumping as a sign that people want compromise and the language nearly to a person in the Democratic caucus has been expecting compromise from the Republicans. Republicans on the other hand have made it clear that compromise is not in their plan.

Politics has gotten too charged with personal insults, class warfare and misunderstanding. It is a tug and pull of fear and loathing and in the end we are the ones to suffer. The election results will lead to extended gridlock and we will see a slowing of accomplishments as the term begins in January. We can't afford to have a government that is sitting on its hands in this economic pressure we face. We need a government that will put aside its ideological differences and get things done for those who cannot do on their own without assistance. We need to set in place economic systems that open up opportunities and an education system that will prepare us for the near and present future.

For another analysis of the midterms from the viewpoint of its effects on Nonprofits check out The Nonprofit Quarterly.

Dream a Sound Future Final Event a Huge Success

On 10/10/10 Sustainable Seattle held its Dream a Sound Future Final Event at the Seattle Center Pavilion. The event was made possible by generous gifts from a long list of collaborators including Frog Box, Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation, SCALLOPS, Feet First, Washington Lawyers for Sustainability and a special thanks to Mike O'Brien City Council member who gave the keynote speech to launch the day.

The event had twice as many entries as was our original goal and the variety and talent of the entries were astonishing. We had musical performances including original songs, raps, and music videos shot entirely in the city of Seattle.

We had artistic visions of the future with a variety of mediums from oil on canvas, crayons, pen and ink, to collages, clay, and wood. The entries were pictures and words all around a concept of a more sustainable world with practical applications, dreams, and aspirations. We had performance art, essays and audio recordings, a break dance crew and to tie it all together we had a wonderful MC, Ania who was the program lead for the entire event.

One of the most interesting aspects of the event was an entry that was an audio recording and performance piece. The audio was of two women talking in a coffee shop about the past, our present, and talking about some of the things that we didn't know that has fundamentally changed the society in which they lived. It was an optimistic and sometimes haunting recording talking about the unlimited potential of human beings to bring about positive change if we only have the courage to start taking those initial steps.

We are already looking forward to next year's competition and if you want further information you can email us at dream at sustainable seattle.org. We look forward to making the next Dream event even more successful and far reaching than the first. Thank you to all participants and sponsors and let's get started on our next iteration!

The importance of process and preventative measures

One of the most fundamental needs when working with others in a group setting is reasonable, well understood rules of engagement. Many committees set up what they call "house keeping rules," but those are usually only involving bodily functions, cell phone etiquette or eating opportunities. Most committees however miss the largest gorilla in the jungle, interpersonal relations.

We had our largest strategy meeting of this year that took place on a Saturday with many thanks to PNAIS for the facilities. It was a balmy, pleasant beginning of fall and the meeting was filled with food, coffee and many homemade treats. We began the day with rules regarding time management, restrooms and went over the schedule for the day. We even had a vote on the agenda with official "aye's" and "nays."

It was assumed that the facilitator would control the tone and we all dug into the day's work with our minds firing on all cylinders, or rather synapses. The day went well and smoothly talking about the main mission of Sustainable Seattle, our theme, our focus and the ways to better our financial standing. We got a ton of work done in regards to governance and strategy, but we missed one major component of any organization.

We were a factory producing shiny, new and improved goods until a snag in the belts almost ground production to a halt. You guessed it, it was interpersonal interference. We had never discussed how we would disagree. We never got around to talking about how we would resolve differences in opinion before the meeting had begun. This is an essential part of any meeting of more than two or three people. There needs to be a process involved to take the personal emotions if not completely out of the equation then at least deafen them to the point of a quiet whimper.

Conflict is inevitable and we have taken this example as a motivation to explore differing processes that allow us to remain true to our shared leadership, team building approach to management. Committees are where conflict should occur and we will be more mindful of the way we deal with it. We will not respond in the way most conflict is handled that of ignoring or tabling the discussion. We will face the conflict head on.

We are going to be trained in Dynamic Governance, a method to include people into difficult conversations without emotional ties that muddy the water.

"The name, dynamic governance, reflects the method’s roots in system dynamics and cybernetics. These principles are ingeniously combined with decision-making and governance to create a comprehensive and elegant feedback system that guides production and planning. This optimizes an organization’s ability to respond to internal and external pressures while maintaining security and stability." (Dynamic Governance)

It is also important as a committee to understand the needs for subcommittees, further discussion and in some events tabling discussions. We will be focusing our work as we move forward with our new mission and goals on bringing our core beliefs into every aspect of the organization. We've done so much this year and we still have plenty of time left.

Let's get to work.

Legacies

The word invokes images of southern plantation houses, wills and foundations begot by rich donors and aristocracy, but the actual definition of Legacy in our modern day society is starting to change. We will leave this place behind one way or the other and the question that we all need to really ask ourselves is "How will the world be different because of my actions?"

Last night I could not fall asleep as ideas kept rolling through my mind about what kind of place we will leave behind. Our future is not set in stone and their are unknowns from every angle that twist our ambitions and desires without us even knowing. What we do know is that there is a choice about what we do with this life that we have.

Do we choose to continue to buy and sell our natural resources overreaching nature's ability to replace and compensate? Do we choose to continue to seek material wealth and forget our connections to our family, communities and city? I tossed and turned all night thinking about the underlying motivation that most people have if they are not mindful. Our motivation determines our actions, behaviors and thoughts. If we are motivated with a "live for today" type of attitude with no thought of the future, we will erode our ability to be happy, secure and low impact. We also cannot only live for the future as we live in this world today. What we need is a balance.

Sustainable Seattle is concerned with our legacy as a people in the greater Seattle area. What kind of environment, people and economy are we going to bequeath on our children and their children? We cannot live for today only and still have a sustainable future and we need to understand the actual facts of our actions. Without mindful thinking and correct actions we are leaving this place worse off then when we found it.

This idea of mindfulness does not have to be anything beyond thinking about consequences and the actual cost of materials, actions and our attitudes. We need to think about how we spend our money, how we interact with our fellow beings and of course, what kind of person we want to be. It is simple really. We cannot afford to define ourselves by our stuff anymore. We need a new definition that is created from our relationships, experiences and our actions. After all we are human beings not human havings.

New Directions

I've had my head down and have been working my way towards a new direction. I'm working on a new campaign at Sustainable Seattle that will anchor our different programs and initiatives and it is rewarding, mentally intensive work. It is a campaign that is coloring our mission in my opinion. I think the new direction is evident in our everyday work and attitude and we just have not expressed it.

The campaign is going to be focused on lowering one's environmental impact through different practices, education and actions while encouraging people to take advantage of the things around them that make life in this region so exciting and wonderful, nature and people.

Sustainable Seattle is involved in a wide scale of projects, actions and events and the sheer volume and width of our involvement makes me proud to be associated with this organization. We've taught people new ways of thinking, behaving and appreciating. We've been part of events that brought a new sense of purpose to lives and we've done it all with an underlying goal to bring about sustainability to the Puget Sound region within our lifetimes. We want the idea of minimizing negative impact to be so much a part of our day to day thinking that it becomes routine.

Scroll down through our blog entries for examples of some of the actions we've been doing and feel free to get involved with us in the numerous ways we need assistance. Thanks for reading and see you soon.

Book Recommendation 7/19/2010

Today I'm going to recommend a book that has fundamentally changed my thoughts on politics here in the United States. It's called, The Big Sort by Bill Bishop.

The book takes a look at historical markers of the segmentation of American society and how this has lead to a hardening of positions on all sides of the political scale. The book examines how the information age has enabled like minded people to shut out all the sounds of other opinions. We have seen the results of this hardening in our sundered political parties that are becoming more and more unable to actually govern without "super majorities."

The fact that parties are getting to the point of desiring and needing a "filibuster proof" majority is another blog altogether, but the underlying cause of this division is our filtering of other influences that are different from our own. The way we can choose to listen, see, read, or interact only with people that have the same views as ours has made us all more extreme in those views.

The book is an eye opening read about how we have gotten to the most divided political scene that did not involve a civil war. It is written in a conversational tone that reads like a novel as the author explores different people and movements that have steadily driven us to a nation divided.

July Events from Sustainable Seattle and Updates

So what is next for Sustainable Seattle? We the month of July is filled with various events and trainings that are still barely available for attendance. We do have limited space so make sure to sign up today!

July 1,2010 Climate Solutions from Buddha



July 15, 16, 2010 Triple Bottom Line Reporting





July 28, 2010 Life Cycle Analysis











Whew, the last few months have been busy here at Sustainable Seattle. We've been working towards a holistic vision of sustainability with all engines firing with different events, trainings and collaborations that have widened the spectrum of sustainability and broadened our minds.

First, we had a fantastic event at Hidmo located in the Central District. It was a cultural exploration of East African people's through dance, song and food. Our partnership with Walking with Africans was to bring the vision of micro lending into the wider audience of the Central District. The event was a tremendous success and the performances were entertaining and educational.

Our Dream a Sound Future project is fired up and bringing in ideas and plans from numerous sources both professional and dreamers from all ages. Some of the ideas that have emerged include an energy source from the motion of falling rain to solar powered street lights.

We have also just completed the first step in our Rain Garden project.
The project was a joint collaboration with Alleycat Acres and Creatives 4 Community and it included an extensive training project that teaches homeowners and individuals about the importance of the Puget Sound Watershed and the steps they can take to lower their impact on this important resource.

The Rain Garden Project was funded in part from a grant from the Puget Sound Partnership via EcoNet.

Sustainable Seattle and Seattle Good Business Network Team Up

Our partnership with Dibspace and Seattle Good Business Network has enabled us to open the official Sustainable Seattle marketplace on Dibspace.

The Marketplace is called "Sustainability Cubed" and membership is open to businesses, non profits, and individuals who wish to exchange resources, training and ideas but cannot or choose to not use cash. It is a project that at its heart wants to open up the doors between non profits working towards similiar missions.

One of the unfortunate truths about non profits is the scarcity of resources, which leads to competition between organizations that are all doing the good work. With this marketplace I hope to see some of that competition erode and become collaboration.

Stay tuned for updates on the marketplace and this fascinating experiment based around a community currency.

Also, if you haven't checked it out you should look into Dominic's Blog about living a year on only dibits.

Dibbit Life.

Cafe Press Store

We have opened a store via Cafe Press. Now, I am not a believer in buying everything that you see as that leads to more and more resources being devoured, however, in the event that you need replacement clothes or items, then why not support Sustainable Seattle and meet those needs as well?

http://www.cafepress.com/SustainSeattle

The store is not going to be elaborate, but basic. It will focus on those items that make sense instead of simply putting our logo on every material Cafe Press offers. Hats, t-shirts, water bottles and tote bags with a few stickers and buttons to spread the word is the order of the day.

Thank you for all your support of Sustainable Seattle and I hope that this shop gives you another opportunity to support us as you know the funds raised, if any, will go towards an organization on the forefront of sustainability and social justice.

Okay, advertisement done. Go forth and do good!

Non Profits and Motivation

In the non profit world one of the leading causes of problems is retention of qualified, well trained, and skilled employees. Non profits have to compete with not only each other, but with the for profit world in keeping their pillars of their organization.

One of the lessons we have learned in the past few months has been the importance of motivation in keeping employees, staff and volunteers satisfied to continue doing the hard work that is so necessary. We have had numerous ideas thrown around about what is most effective, but I think i can sum them up here quite succinctly.

First, get to know your staff. Your staff are more than the skills they bring to the office or organization. One of the most successful ways is to do an activity outside of the workplace that is purely for entertainment. Sustainable Seattle just had an event this last Saturday that was at Gas Works park. We played Soccer, Frisbee, and mostly just sat around and ate picnic foods and watched all the various wedding parties, family groups and a particularly large group of adult "Nerf" gun-players.

Second, find out what little things a staff member really enjoys either directly or through observation. I can't tell you the amount of loyalty is garnered when someone makes some cookies that are nut free in response to my asthma inducing allergy. Little things that speak to the importance of a person's presence can be as simple as a food product, small compliment, or even something like sharing a lunch break.

Thirdly, constantly let the staff and volunteers know that their time is appreciated. Nothing says to someone that you could care less about their dedication than either ignoring them or never giving them acknowledgment of their efforts. Do not waste volunteer's time. If you cannot find anything for volunteers to do that requires a bit of brains and elbow grease, then thank them for their commitment and send them home. Stapling papers or taking out trash does not a satisfied volunteer make.

Living Harambe Press Release

May 13, 2010

Sustainable Seattle and Walking with Africans presents: Living Harambe Building a Bright Future Together

Sustainable Seattle

Phone: +1.206.622.3522
Email: laura@sustainableseattle.org, marie@sustainableseattle.org, chimmy@walkingwithafricans.org

Seattle--Sustainable Seattle and Walking with Africans is pleased to announce a joint fundraiser venture called Living Harambe: Building a Bright Future Together. The fundraiser takes place at Hidmo, a local community restaurant and cultural center, and the event will feature world music, food, and opportunities to connect in this vibrant, culturally important locale. The event takes place on Thursday May 20th from 6:30 p.m. until well past sunset.

Local musicians will fill the evening with music from all over the world as we enjoy the ambiance of Hidmo throughout the night. El Cajon Project and a local graduate student named Kedmo will take us on a musical trip as one enjoys the Eritrean, East African cuisine. There will be a Raffle for various prizes and a chance to get to meet the people behind Sustainable Seattle and Walking with Africans.

Hidmo means home and there is no other way to describe the feeling one gets at this local hub of excitement and community. Harambe is a Swahili word that means "pulling together" and that is exactly what Sustainable Seattle and Walking with Africans is doing in this collaboration of like minded not for profit organizations.

As per usual there is a suggested donation, but do not let price be a barrier. We encourage people to pay what they feel is appropriate as we would rather have people there with us, then stay at home on this exciting night of togetherness. The work that is being done from these two organizations is changing lives and growing power. We cannot continue our work without support so please consider sharing in whatever fashion you can.

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Sustainable Seattle

Founded in 1991, Sustainable Seattle (S2) is a non-profit organization that promotes sustainability in the Central Puget Sound, nationally and internationally. S2 creates cutting edge products, processes and leadership that propel people and communities forward in reaching sustainability. S2 strives to create healthy communities, economies, and ecosystems by serving as an incubator for emerging people, projects, and ideas, as a convener of diverse citizens and practitioners, and as a catalyst for turning indicators into action

Sustainable Seattle’s mission is to advance an integrated vision of urban sustainability by measuring progress, building driving coalitions and undertaking key initiatives. We accomplish this mission by working with diverse individuals, communities, businesses and government agencies to build awareness, assess progress, and take action on collective sustainability goals.

Walking with Africans

WAF strongly believes that the poor have the capacity and will to transform their own lives. Our mission is to empower the rural poor to tap into their entrepreneurship and establish small business enterprises in order to raise living standards and cultivate a culture of saving and financial independence.

We will offer support through focused mentoring, training and financial backing.

Our core objectives:

• Reduce rural poverty by providing seed loans, especially to women and the most vulnerable groups in the community.
• Create income-generating opportunities by establishing an initial pool of resources for a microcredit and savings program.
• Help to diversify income-generating activities.
• Build trust and integrity by reinforcing personal accountability, transparency and a shared sense of ownership.

Dream Launch Tonight! 4-29-2010

Party Tonight at Golden Garden's Bathhouse! 4-8 pm. Come enjoy local talent and local treats, a sweet silent auction and join a game of design charrette for Dream a Sound Future's Launch Event! Bring your friends and your imagination.RSVP optional. The sun sets at 8:19 tonight, and the view from the public beach is something else! www.sustainableseattle.org

The gathering is going to be loads of fun as we have entertainment, food, and local musicians getting ready to rock the night away. Wow, this sounds like a lot of fun and I just said "rock the night away." Okay let's try this again.

Head over to the Golden Gardens and bring your friends. There is no cover charge unless you feel the need to give and of course we would welcome that. The Golden Gardens are a gorgeous building held by the Parks and Recreation Department that overlook the water and give a sunset view that will remind why we like this planet so much.

City of Seattle and Moontown

The city of Seattle got a big federal grant just the other day. The funding was awarded to much fanfare and bombast as the mayor flew to D.C. in order to accept the reward from the Department of Energy. The city has decided to use the funds to weatherize the buildings of south Seattle including both public and private.

It is a good day for sustainability folks as the money is going directly to people who need it and it is a great first step towards making the city carbon neutral. What is important now is how the city contracts the actual work that will start to take place within the next few months and I offer up for your consideration: Moontown Foundation.

Moontown Foundation is the brain child of Stacey Nolan, a giant in the sustainability, environmental, and green jobs crowd here in Seattle. The foundation is based around green jobs in energy efficiency, weatherization, solar power, and raising awareness of the impact of global climate change.

If the city of Seattle has not considered organizations such as Moontown, perhaps they can take a second look. Using local organizations to do the work that was awarded to them would not only help the local economy, but show the city's dedication to real sustainability.

I'll let the foundation speak for itself here.

Moontown: Who we are

Moontown Foundation’s programs include outreach and advocacy, curriculum development and recruitment, career orientation workshops, and launching demonstration programs designed to:

• Raise awareness of the impact of global climate change on poor and historically disadvantaged communities in both the United States and the emerging world;
• Introduce underrepresented minority teens and young adults to green career opportunities in the clean and renewable energy industry sectors (i.e., wind, solar, and biofuels);
• Implement effective education and training programs that meet industry demand, recruitment and supports our the target demographic groups;
• Link basic and remedial education with occupational skills training that are in demand now;
• Involve employers and labor unions in the determination of core skills and competencies; and
• Ensure that supportive services, integrated with education and training are delivered by organizations with direct access to targeted demographic groups.

Earth Day 4/22/2010

On the fortieth anniversary of Earth Day it is important to take a step back and see from where we've come.

Earth Days is a documentary about the history and origin of Earth Day and the environmental movement in general. It was produced by PBS and shown on KCTS as part of their American Experience history program. It is a must watch if your own view of Earth Day is a little rusty, or worse naive.

The foundation of a holiday that many of us take for granted now was not an easy ride. The founders were rife with criticism, attacks and vilification that sounds strangely like some of the more outrageous rhetoric we hear today from climate change deniers and vested interests who still see adjusting to the reality of climate change as a detriment to their economic growth, which we know is not the case in the slightest.

The film talks about the steps they took in order to start a holiday that has seen replication across the planet and the film uses primary sources, interviews with participants and publicly released advertisements or deterrents to make a seamless film that informs and surprises.

Also check out The Story of Stuff below.

City Council Carbon Neutral Panel

April 13, 2010

SEATTLE-It was a packed house as the City Council opened up the panel to public presentation and comment. There were guest speakers invited by the council to give testimony and advice on the ways to the ends of Carbon Neutrality (a term one of the speakers derided as sounding too passive) that included a US representative, an executive director of a non profit, city employees and a leader in the sustainability field.

The crowd listened intently with applause and accolades coming at measured clap friendly quotes and themes for the mostly left leaning audience. One of the loudest applause lines was from Representative Jay Inslee when he touted the need for the US Senate to pass some form of energy bill like the House already has. This line was repeated at appropriate times throughout the meeting.

Representative Inslee also talked about bringing the conversation away from environmentalism and morality, but to economic stimulus and necessity. He gave examples of the green technological revolution China is undertaking as a matter of national directive. The biggest solar power plant is being built in China as we speak and the representative, channeling a diet version of the ghost of America being left behind, spoke of the amount of jobs, treasure and leadership the US was leaving unexplored because we do not have a governmental mandate for green technology.

Alex Steffen, executive director of Worldchanging.org, was a panelist whose views and ideas were all backed by science, data, and a heavy dose of cautious optimism. He spoke of the interconnection of social justice, women's rights, lowering consumption, and the emergence of a new city the size of Seattle being built every other day for the next forty years.

He spoke of the need for cities to be built smarter as nearly 70% of humanity will live in major metropolitan areas with the other 30% nearly all living in suburbs connected to major metropolitan areas by 2050. "We need a different plan; maybe they will be building their cities on the Seattle model," said Mr. Steffen. If we make Seattle carbon neutral though innovative technologies, and most important behavior change we could once again be a leader in the world in the face of an existential threat.

Mr. Steffen then dropped the most impactful line the entire night in response to a question about human population growth. The question was what are we going to do about a growing population that is expected to be 9 billion people by 2050. Mr. Steffen said, "Population doesn't matter. But if the rest of the world starts living the way the United States, and Europe does, that is a death sentence to this planet." No one clapped, no one even breathed. You could hear your neighbors breathing as the blame was shifted from those poor people having five or six children back to where the blame needs to be centered, our over consumption.

The council members had a chance to ask questions at the end of the presentations and Council member Licatta asked the question I've been hoping to hear from our political leaders for months now since the council published its 17 priorities. What about poverty and social justice? How can we ensure that the technology and planning does not leave behind the downtrodden and poverty stricken? The answers ranged from inclusion in the initial decision phases to diversifying the outreach for ideas.

The public questions were insightful for the most part with questions ranging from the viability of walking to schools, having a partnership with Metro and schools to eliminate school district run buses, to bringing bicycle sharing to the city as long as the city council doesn't get in the way. One speaker explained that bicycle sharing would create green, sustainable jobs and would not need any money from the city to get started. The audience applauded that.

April Events in Seattle

Sustainable Seattle uses this space on the blog for promoting events that align with our overall mission. If your organization has an event you would like to see us promote that is based around the core beliefs of Sustainable Seattle please contact us.

Please join The Compassionate Action Network, Seeds of Compassion and the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education on April 24th for: Compassionate Seattle: It’s Up to Us!

Date: April 24th 9am – 7:30pm.
Main Event: 9am – 5pm: Compassion Showcase and Exchange
Evening Celebration and Performance: 5- 7:30pm.
Location: Center for Spiritual Living, 5801 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, Washington 98105

Religious scholar and popular author Karen Armstrong will be the keynote speaker along with James O'Dea, and Courtney E. Martin.

Tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets and can be purchased: for the day/evening (9am – 8pm) or just for the evening celebration (5pm – 8pm). Lunch can also be purchased in advance (or bring your own).
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/104534

If you can spare a few hours to volunteer before or at the event, please join the Compassionate Seattle Campaign group.

Thank you & see you on the 24th!

Dream a Sound Future Launch Event

JOIN US on April 29th from 4-8 pm for
Dream a Sound Future Launch Event at Golden Gardens' Bathhouse!
Dr. Sharron Sutton is the guest speaker. Click here for a poster.

Launch Party!! Goodies & entertainment! You decide what the cover charge is. Click here to donate. Save the date April 29th from 4-8 pm!!! The Bathhouse at Golden Gardens! Map

Dream A Sound Future: A design and dream competition

Imagine Seattle and Central Puget Sound in the Year 2100.
-What does it look like?
-How do you get to work?
-Where do your children play?
-What do you love about your community?

A vision of the future can be a powerful means to intentional fulfillment of a future that meets the needs of future generations.
The purpose of Sustainable Seattle's Fast Future Seattle program area is to create the vision of a truly sustainable future for the Seattle and Puget Sound area and to bring about effective and lasting collaboration among non-profits, initiatives and individuals with the common goal of sustainability. Fast Future Seattle is a collaborative effort engaging cultural, economic, and environmental leaders of all ages and all walks of life in both the dream and design of a sustainable future for all. One key element of this program area is our annual Dream a Sound Future Competition. CHECK OUT our Dream a Sound Future Blog!

Far from a standard design competition, Dream a Sound Future will engage diverse individuals and teams each year in envisioning the Seattle and central Puget Sound area in the year 2100, as well as defining key transition steps in achieving their vision. The program encourages all to think light-years outside the box in terms of what and how they present their ideas, ranging from paintings and performance art to architectural models and artificial intelligence.

Sustainable Seattle's Dream a Sound Future Competition invites visionaries to lay the path to our future where Seattle and central Puget Sound communities, economies, and ecosystems. For K-12 contestants, please check out the K-12 Dream a Sound Future Challenge!
Questions and Comments please email us at dream@sustainableseattle.org

Dream a Sound Future - Competition Guidelines & Registration >> Click here

Urban Agriculture, lessons and hard work

On Saturday March 20th I showed up with a friend in tow to the Yeslar Terrace community center to help out with the p-patch restoration and expansion project. The day was shining, the neighborhood was still sleeping and the bus got us there right on time.

I saw a few colleagues of mine already there, Owen our videographer, and Corey the Community Development Co Lead. I greeted them and then ducked out of the way of the camera trying to hide my face and likeness. I don't want another screen cap of my grill being the face of our next video like the staff video up on our website...scary.

There were about thirty people in attendance with most of them youth from various community groups like Ground Up Yeslar, Seattle Tilth, a few local High Schools like Franklin and of course the agriculture professionals, one of them a fifteen year veteran at this particular growing site.

The students were dressed sensibly and were excited about the prospect with roughly half of them female and the other half...male. I spoke with Karen from Ground Up as we had previously met at the Journalism that Matters conference and it was great catching up. She then convened the volunteers and we had a brief, but effective safety meeting.

The students were fired up and the atmosphere was friendly, dedicated, with banter that was surprisingly appropriate. I'm always surprised how much people expect teens to be rude, obnoxious, cursing troublemakers, when the majority of them that I've interacted with over my many years has been exactly the opposite.

I decided to go do some composting and after an hour of wheel barrow shifting, shoveling, sorting, digging and listening to an adult give the teens a true history of African American heritage, I was tired and feeling great.

The p-patch itself is very large and spread out amongst the apartments in Yeslar Terrace. The patches are mostly overrun with native plant weed, but they are fertile and with the right stewardship would be a reliable source of food for the community.

Corey was chosen to be a lead in one of the projects and he cheerfully responded. He is doing so much work in this community and his heart is definitely feeling the unique, diverse vibe that Yeslar Terrace exudes. I look forward to coming back and seeing where this partnership leads.

Did I fail to mention the home cooked lunch provided to us after we were done? It was an exploration of East African cuisine provided by neighbors and participants. I loved the greens and actually ate more than my fair share. I kept sneaking more fork fulls onto my plate after distracting other hungry volunteers with questions and conversation. Best lesson learned is to always give participants a way to participate. The neighbors who cooked the food did what they do best and everyone benefited.