Difference between revisions of "Talk:Sustainability Subgroup"

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"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
 
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
  
When: March 29, 2007 – 7 pm to 9:30 pm (movie at 8:15 pm)
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WHO:
 +
Approximately 10 people met at Austin Java (Barton Springs).
  
Where: Austin Java – Barton Springs (back patio), 1608 Barton Springs Road
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WHAT:
 +
We discussed each person’s basic interests and why they were attending the group. A few attendees have companies that work at least partially in sustainable businesses or services (e.g. cabinetry, financing, low-impact housing, and energy efficient practices).
  
Sign up via the Evite:
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The purpose of the group was discussed. People wanted the group to serve three general functions:
http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?inviteId=GDGNJEARTGWJOZDPAMGT&li=iq&src=email&trk=aei2
 
  
  
What is Sustainability?
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• Soundboard and a community for discussion of ideas related to sustainability
  
Sustainability is how we derive our food, fiber, feed, fuel and fertilizer from the landbase.
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• Resource for businesses within the group to test ideas and gain experience in their field
By using renewable energy supplies, energy efficiency, and embedded energy reduction, as well as re-configuring supply chains to use less energy, we find ways to maintain and restore the Earth such that it can in turn maintain and restore us.
 
  
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o E.g. Allowing an energy efficiency business to volunteer within an event/business/building to gain knowledge, experience, and a portfolio to expand services
  
Who should come?
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• General networking
  
Individuals and companies involved or interested in permaculture, green building, renewable energy and fuels, energy efficiency, composting, organics, local food, transportation, triple bottom line, water conservation, etc.. They all drive towards the same goal. What can we learn from each other? How can we work better together to bring attention to the marketplace for sustainability products and services? Can businesses cooperate/partner to create new markets/services (if deemed needed) that value conserving resources instead of exploiting them? Can we organize?
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We watched “The Power of Community” (http://www.communitysolution.org/cuba.html) – See next page for my attempted synopsis of the movie.
  
 +
WHAT’S NEXT:
  
What do we want to do?
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• Begin discussion on the e-mail user group about business/project ideas that one or more members of the group can work on.
  
We want to explore how the disruption of price increases in energy and all its ramifications will make it possible for people to start or grow a business. How do people make cash flows to support a living/business while making our communities more sustainable? Ecosystem service markets are a start. Can we do that within Bootstrap? Can we create a Lloyd’s of London for sustainability?
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o We hope to pick 1-3 ideas to discuss in more detail in the next meeting
  
 +
• Begin a way to measure and reward businesses and/or Austin community members for sustainable practices.
  
How?
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o If people are enacting sustainable practices, we need to be able to measure what is more sustainable
  
It must be more than speakers or policy, if that. It has to be about exchanging ideas and growth, either personal, professional or business. If it doesn’t facilitate growth, it is more likely to be abandoned. Bootstrap boards of could be formed to operate in a more confidential manner, and for bouncing ideas around or for getting opinions on your business strategy(s). The group could bring more awareness to the challenges and resources of the community. Realistic short-term actions are the desired result derived from informed discussions.
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 Less energy (or non-renewable energy) usage
 +
 Less land usage
 +
 Renewable/recycled/recyclable raw materials
 +
 Etc.
  
 +
o Recognition in the community, based upon measurements, of sustainable practices
  
Movie Showing:
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 Perhaps gains business and spread of best practices
  
Also, we shall be showing the 56 minute movie of how Cuba dealt with an 'imposed' Peak Oil situation. See http://www.communitysolution.org/cuba.html
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• Pick a time for the next meeting
 +
 
 +
o Should have a regular monthly meeting time?
 +
 
 +
o Should we have a morning/breakfast meeting in addition to an evening meeting?
 +
 
 +
Thanks.
 +
 
 +
Carey King
 +
 +
Movie:
 +
We watched the movie: “The Power of Community” (http://www.communitysolution.org/cuba.html)
 +
 
 +
This discussed how Cuba reacted to a severe reduction in oil imports, and some other imports, after the break-down of the government of the U.S.S.R. in the early 1990’s. Cuba is thus viewed as an ‘experiment’ of what will happen and how people will react to future oil shortages.
 +
 
 +
A few points (that I hopefully remember correctly) are:
 +
 
 +
 
 +
• For the most part, there was a complete lack of reference to general human rights or whatever the political situation might be in Cuba
 +
• Farmers became one of the highest paid professions as food became much more of a priority
 +
 
 +
• Gardening and farming in general turned to ‘organic’ farming in the sense of using naturally fertilizing processes
 +
 
 +
o Most of previously unused land in the cities was converted to gardens
 +
 
 +
o This involved (in one manifestation) feeding wastes of farm animals as food to worms, living in fertilizer soil, that would impart nutrients back into the soils to be used as fertilizer
 +
 
 +
o It took about 3-5 years for farmed soils to become ‘back to normal’ after having been farmed using large amounts of fertilizers, largely based upon fossil fuels
 +
 
 +
o Produce from farming was more varied in the types of foods grown, and the diet of people adjusted to a more varied diet, arguably more healthy as it became more based upon a variety of vegetables instead of a preferred few
 +
 
 +
• Biking became much more prevalent as large numbers of bikes were purchased from China
 +
 
 +
• Approximately 40% (?) of the land previously controlled by the government was given to citizens for full control (except the govt. still hold the right to take the land back should future circumstances dictate)
 +
 
 +
o This was a recognition that centralized control of farming and caring for the land was infeasible and the citizens have plenty of incentive to keep the land prosperous
 +
 
 +
• The Cuban citizens portrayed in the film expressed a shared sense of community

Revision as of 09:51, 6 April 2007

Sustainability Bootstrap Subgroup Meeting


"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

WHO: Approximately 10 people met at Austin Java (Barton Springs).

WHAT: We discussed each person’s basic interests and why they were attending the group. A few attendees have companies that work at least partially in sustainable businesses or services (e.g. cabinetry, financing, low-impact housing, and energy efficient practices).

The purpose of the group was discussed. People wanted the group to serve three general functions:


• Soundboard and a community for discussion of ideas related to sustainability

• Resource for businesses within the group to test ideas and gain experience in their field

o E.g. Allowing an energy efficiency business to volunteer within an event/business/building to gain knowledge, experience, and a portfolio to expand services

• General networking

We watched “The Power of Community” (http://www.communitysolution.org/cuba.html) – See next page for my attempted synopsis of the movie.

WHAT’S NEXT:

• Begin discussion on the e-mail user group about business/project ideas that one or more members of the group can work on.

o We hope to pick 1-3 ideas to discuss in more detail in the next meeting

• Begin a way to measure and reward businesses and/or Austin community members for sustainable practices.

o If people are enacting sustainable practices, we need to be able to measure what is more sustainable

 Less energy (or non-renewable energy) usage  Less land usage  Renewable/recycled/recyclable raw materials  Etc.

o Recognition in the community, based upon measurements, of sustainable practices

 Perhaps gains business and spread of best practices

• Pick a time for the next meeting

o Should have a regular monthly meeting time?

o Should we have a morning/breakfast meeting in addition to an evening meeting?

Thanks.

Carey King

Movie: We watched the movie: “The Power of Community” (http://www.communitysolution.org/cuba.html)

This discussed how Cuba reacted to a severe reduction in oil imports, and some other imports, after the break-down of the government of the U.S.S.R. in the early 1990’s. Cuba is thus viewed as an ‘experiment’ of what will happen and how people will react to future oil shortages.

A few points (that I hopefully remember correctly) are:


• For the most part, there was a complete lack of reference to general human rights or whatever the political situation might be in Cuba • Farmers became one of the highest paid professions as food became much more of a priority

• Gardening and farming in general turned to ‘organic’ farming in the sense of using naturally fertilizing processes

o Most of previously unused land in the cities was converted to gardens

o This involved (in one manifestation) feeding wastes of farm animals as food to worms, living in fertilizer soil, that would impart nutrients back into the soils to be used as fertilizer

o It took about 3-5 years for farmed soils to become ‘back to normal’ after having been farmed using large amounts of fertilizers, largely based upon fossil fuels

o Produce from farming was more varied in the types of foods grown, and the diet of people adjusted to a more varied diet, arguably more healthy as it became more based upon a variety of vegetables instead of a preferred few

• Biking became much more prevalent as large numbers of bikes were purchased from China

• Approximately 40% (?) of the land previously controlled by the government was given to citizens for full control (except the govt. still hold the right to take the land back should future circumstances dictate)

o This was a recognition that centralized control of farming and caring for the land was infeasible and the citizens have plenty of incentive to keep the land prosperous

• The Cuban citizens portrayed in the film expressed a shared sense of community