Cob: Sustainability - Hmmmm

[TII-KOKO]

Howard Switzer writes:

<We should NOT miss any opportunity to organize in support of any movement
toward positive change. Especially any which would esconce the primacy of
sustainability and individual freedom prominantly in its platform, er uh
...principles, er uh ...foundations.>

The following is part of a dialogue taking place on the FixGov List of the
Turtle Island Institute.  FYI this group is writing the first chapter of an
as yet untitled book addressing the issues of sustainability from the local
to the international level. Fixing Government is the first chapter and
addresses issues related to government.  I feel this portion may interest
those on the strawbale and cob lists.  It demonstrate why we need some of
you from each list to join in our exchange and help us write the book.

<Richard Stimson, author of the book: 'Playing With the Numbers, How
So-called Experts Mislead Us about the Economy' and who is facilitating the
FixGov list writes: As we address the local government aspect of reforming
government, you may wish to consider a North Carolina situation that is
described in the following portions of a published letter to the editor. It
is probably not too different from situations encountered in other places.>

The situation briefly:  <.Although I picked High Point [North Carolina] as
my home, the time seems to be approaching to rethink that decision. My
reasons are the worsening traffic, devastation of the environment, and
pollution.   I am sure that most people who serve on the City Council aim to
serve their community rather than private interests. Therefore it puzzles me
why so little attention is paid to citizens who complain about zoning
changes. . . .What are city officials thinking of when they allow
development without providing sidewalks and without any restrictions on
uprooting trees? It's more convenient--and somewhat less expensive--for
builders to clear-cut a site than to leave trees that are not in the way of
buildings or other facilities. Planting a few little evergreens does not
make up for the loss of mature hardwood trees that provide shade, absorb
carbon dioxide, and exhale oxygen that people can breathe.>


Marguerite Hampton replies:

Jim Bell's book, 'Achieving Eco-nomic Security on Spaceship Earth' addresses
this issue.  And, in the last chapter 'Part Five - Continued' Chapter XII
contains A Case Study, 'Achieving Eco-nomic Security - The San Diego/Tijuana
Region.  While designed for the San Diego/Tijuana Region this study may be
applied to any region to achieve eco-nomic security.  Jim can write more on
this.

What I feel is the greatest problem is commercial interests (and the public
as well) whose vision is based on a mechanistic point of view which
maintains that you cannot make money and be concerned with environmental
issues at the same time.  Government, elected today for the most part by
commercial interests, operates from the same viewpoint.   And this is one of
the myths that we must address.

Which is why the Turtle Island Institute is promoting the idea of a
sustainable community learning center in each and every community around the
world.  City planners and developers for the most part, just don't get it
and somehow we must involved them in the process of change.  Forming a
sustainably-oriented community group and building a community learning
center using appropriate technology brings government into the process of
learning.  In order to build the center, the group must obtain a permit from
the Planning Commission.  And the Planning Commission says: "We can't let
you do that.  We don't have codes for that."  But Jim Bell and David
Eisenberg and a lot of people involved with the straw bale, cob, solar
energy and alternative construction networks have developed the codes and
plans and have applied them in other areas.  So you bring the experts in and
build the center.  And pretty soon the Planning Commission is getting
involved and beginning to look at things in a whole new way.  As does the
community itself because there is now something they can look at, touch, and
smell.  They begin to understand why the mall shouldn't be built in certain
areas and why you can't uproot trees and pave over paradise.

You build the community center of straw bale or cob (which is a novelty that
attracts people) and members of the community participate in building the
center themselves - its a fun thing - people have a good time doing it. You
install solar energy systems for lighting, heating and cooling needs.  Then
you add a community garden and people get involved in raising their own food
and gardening organically.  This leads to recycling grey water and
installing a system to do that.  It brings people back to nature - they
begin to understand about wetlands and why certain regions should be left as
open space.  One thing leads to another and pretty soon you have the whole
community *INVOLVED* in family-oriented events and change takes place.  More
people join and the group decides it needs its own media center and from
that a radio station and a TV station evolve.  People are now concerned
about who they put into office.  They become concerned about what they do as
consumers - buying less. Education changes. The quality of life goes up and
crime goes down.  And because people begin taking responsibility for their
own actions, the need for government regulations decreases.  Its a win-win
situation for everyone.  And, it can be done simultaneously in thousands and
thousands of communities around the world.  We just have to take the first
steps here to accomplish it.

marguerite

Marguerite Hampton
Turtle Island Institute - Executive Director
Kokopelli Spirit - Editor
http://tii-kokopellispirit.org