Transition Asheville Local Economic Action Group (LEAG)
First Meeting - March 4, 2011
The Group had an authentic experience of the vibrant "deep economy" of West Asheville at the funky, noisy Westville Pub. Present: Roger Bass, Art Freeman, Morgan Markowitz, Jonathan Robert, Cathy Scott, David Wheeler: Facilitator
Meeting opened with a long, drawn-out discussion of whether we wished to be known as the LEAG of Extraordinary Activists, Major LEAGers, or the Economic Justice LEAG of America - results were inconclusive.
Welcome and introductions.
David passed out maps of an estimated Asheville Market Area: "Sustainability in Asheville does not stop at the city limits. There is a large area around the city that is economically symbiotic with Asheville. As the local economy develops, this interdependence will become crucial ... Wendell Berry spoke of the natural ecosystem around us as 'The Great Economy,' upon which we depend entirely for life support and the conditions and resources that determine our smaller human economy ... One of the hallmarks of the dominant economy is its short-sightedness. It hardly thinks past the next quarter, much less about the effect of our actions on the seventh generation to come. Just shifting this time frame would bring about dramatic changes in the shape of our economy."
Jonathan: The Seven Pillars of Sustainability: Sustainable Agriculture; Waste Management; Renewable Energy; Green Building; Community Capital; Independent Retailers; and Non-Profit Organizations. "Let's use the tool of the L3C, the low-profit limited liability corporation, which straddles the current 501(c)3 and LLC taxDesignations … A profit-making corporation with a socially responsible mission statement that it must follow. During introductions, it appeared that there was a common interest and concern about a shortage of local investment to finance the transition to a more localized economy. If capital were available, this would be a very good time to start new businesses, as job creation is on everybody's agenda right now."
Art: "A squirrel does not know that there is a recession, because it is living off the local resources. We should be talking about thrival, not just survival."
Morgan has interests and skills to offer ...
Cathy would like to see a socially just economy that providesculturally-appropriate products, and work and business opportunities for minority populations.
ACTION IDEA
Roger: Start a Slow Money-type movement to tie investment to the community and the land.
ACTION IDEA
Jonathan: A Local Economic Summit to bring together all the stakeholders in the local economy to report, cross-fertilize, and learn from each other to coordinate our actions. The group discussed a list of important individuals and organizations in the local economic scene.
ASSIGNMENT: Pick one or more people from the list and interview them about their thoughts and perspectives on the local economy. Explain to them briefly about Transition and its mission, and then LISTEN. Draw them out with questions from the list and improvise more personal, more specific questions on the spot. Goals: introduction to Transition, fact-finding, opening a relationship.
ACTION IDEA
David: MakeItHere.net, a proposed website and game to solicit ideas for import substitutions to build a local economy. "Open-sourcing as an economic development plan." Take around an on-the-wall, paper version of the game to begin the process, build relationships, and also to seek a sponsoring organization to produce the computer version.
A Brief Identification of Transition (THE ELEVATOR SPEECH):
The Transition movement is concerned with the issues driven by peak oil, climate change, and the resulting economic disruptions. The primary strategy to meet these new conditions is economic localization and community-building. We strive for the goals of community resilience and sustainability, so that in these changing times our communities can thrive and not just survive.
MEETING: contact David Wheeler for date, time and location
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
ACTION GROUPS -- CONTACTS
Find a place where your desire for change overcomes your resistence to engaging in anything new because you are too busy. What is more important than the life of our communities and the restoration of our Earth/home? Here are others who are working in areas they feel passionate about, seeking to make a difference locally by building resilience to cushion us from the coming economic and climate shocks. Which areas are you passionate about?
Food and Water
Kevin Bose
kevin_bose@hotmail.com
815-277-7240
Health
Rudi Simko
r.simko@morrisbb.net
702-0343
Housing
Linda Burke
lburke@abtech.edu
776-1303
Energy
Richard Fireman
firepeople@main.nc.us
Reskilling
Stan Corwin
colnstash@att.net
254-3515
Transportation
Jim Barton
jzbarton@gmail.com
318-7418
Heart and Soul
Maureen Linneman
http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/tools/refer.php?s=2725780901&u=22936119&v=3&key=1a2f&skey=0116ceb446&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mynewsletterbuilder.com%2Ftools%2Frefer.php%3Fs%3D2686453919%26u%3D22875375%26v%3D3%26key%3D1c20%26skey%3D46502e5e54%26%20
254-9115
Education
Merima Friedman
merimasfriedman@hotmail.com
450-3076
Local Economics
David Wheeler
davidjudith7@bellsouth.net
254-6795
Neighborhood/Community Building
Chas Jansen
cjansen@mtsu.edu
768-1449
Find a place where your desire for change overcomes your resistence to engaging in anything new because you are too busy. What is more important than the life of our communities and the restoration of our Earth/home? Here are others who are working in areas they feel passionate about, seeking to make a difference locally by building resilience to cushion us from the coming economic and climate shocks. Which areas are you passionate about?
Food and Water
Kevin Bose
kevin_bose@hotmail.com
815-277-7240
Health
Rudi Simko
r.simko@morrisbb.net
702-0343
Housing
Linda Burke
lburke@abtech.edu
776-1303
Energy
Richard Fireman
firepeople@main.nc.us
Reskilling
Stan Corwin
colnstash@att.net
254-3515
Transportation
Jim Barton
jzbarton@gmail.com
318-7418
Heart and Soul
Maureen Linneman
http://www.mynewsletterbuilder.com/tools/refer.php?s=2725780901&u=22936119&v=3&key=1a2f&skey=0116ceb446&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mynewsletterbuilder.com%2Ftools%2Frefer.php%3Fs%3D2686453919%26u%3D22875375%26v%3D3%26key%3D1c20%26skey%3D46502e5e54%26%20
254-9115
Education
Merima Friedman
merimasfriedman@hotmail.com
450-3076
Local Economics
David Wheeler
davidjudith7@bellsouth.net
254-6795
Neighborhood/Community Building
Chas Jansen
cjansen@mtsu.edu
768-1449
Drop Out of Business-as-Usual/Time to Engage
Partners in Transition,
Current events turn my attention to the timeliness of Transition Asheville’s efforts. Once again we learn of trouble in the Middle East and see oil prices rise suddenly as uncertainty invades the markets. I see this as (yet) another wake up call to the desirability of local resilience, of a Plan B in WNC. With uprisings in Islamic capitals, and in US capitals where long-established worker rights are under attack, I see people self-organizing around mutual interests and self-preservation. I also see people with the power to suddenly shift attention to new collective and inclusive solutions.
So much is now being written and debated nationally and internationally about these current events, it makes my head spin. Even as I follow this historic unfolding, I always turn to consider ways I and my neighbors, friends and family might prepare for any of the most likely ways current events could impact how we’d like to live our lives. And this was the very spirit of the 4 sets of questions pondered in the afternoon session of the World Café at the end of January:
Most critical to the kind of sustained change we all envision are the tasks of continuing these conversations with a widening circle of others and keeping existing action groups viable and growing in number over the long haul. I encourage you to network with some friends, colleagues, and/or associates and challenge yourselves to imagine and initiate some change that turns toward greater resilience through local alternatives and sourcing. Ultimately, there will be as many action groups in every interest area -- energy, healthcare, transportation, education housing, etc. -- as there are different situations where change can be manifested. Some groups will be large and create coordinated efforts with a focus on the long-term; other groups will be smaller and more short-term, focusing on one or two very specific projects or campaigns within a neighborhood, business setting, faith community, or civic group. Much can be done when many hands take a part. The time for the Great Work as we move to the Great Turning is here, now. How will you get and stay involved?
Elsewhere in this blogspot, you can see where the World Café questions led and to leave your comments or ideas. You can also find contact people for the various Action Groups that have begun our community's process of Transition. And however you are involved, remember to share whatever you and others are together doing with the Transition Asheville newsletter (debibrewer@aol.com) so we all can see the uprising we are making for a more balanced life and a more resilient community.
Finally, the actions across the Middle East remind us that all people desire dignity, peace, and a safer world for the next generation - and that change can happen on a scale and at a speed that was not even possible just a few years ago. I hope to see the day (soon!) when populations EVERYWHERE will flood the streets demanding an end to corporate globalism and the attack on our Earth/home it increasingly represents as we move past peak oil. Today would be a good day for all of us to rise up, to demonstrate responsive and responsible actions EVERYWHERE in the hopes that our children and grandchildren will not grow up on an Earth dangerously unlike the one that gave us birth and in communities we no longer recognize.
In Transition, In Solidarity,Chas
Current events turn my attention to the timeliness of Transition Asheville’s efforts. Once again we learn of trouble in the Middle East and see oil prices rise suddenly as uncertainty invades the markets. I see this as (yet) another wake up call to the desirability of local resilience, of a Plan B in WNC. With uprisings in Islamic capitals, and in US capitals where long-established worker rights are under attack, I see people self-organizing around mutual interests and self-preservation. I also see people with the power to suddenly shift attention to new collective and inclusive solutions.
So much is now being written and debated nationally and internationally about these current events, it makes my head spin. Even as I follow this historic unfolding, I always turn to consider ways I and my neighbors, friends and family might prepare for any of the most likely ways current events could impact how we’d like to live our lives. And this was the very spirit of the 4 sets of questions pondered in the afternoon session of the World Café at the end of January:
- What might be the consequences in our lives here in WNC if gas prices suddenly spiked (even to $8/gal.) and supplies here began to dwindle? What beneficial consequences or opportunities this crisis might bring for our community?
- To be proactive instead of reactive, what ideas and/or projects might soften or eliminate the negative consequences in this scenario? Which ideas &/or project might best take priority to move the community beyond oil dependence?
- What would we need to learn &/or acquire to support this preparedness (or resilience) planning? Who would be our local allies and partners in the work to build community resilience?
- What results/changes would indicate that we are moving in the right direction for powerdown planning by next year and 5 years from now? What are some “next steps” your group (or individuals in your group) will pursue to move this community energy descent planning into action?
Most critical to the kind of sustained change we all envision are the tasks of continuing these conversations with a widening circle of others and keeping existing action groups viable and growing in number over the long haul. I encourage you to network with some friends, colleagues, and/or associates and challenge yourselves to imagine and initiate some change that turns toward greater resilience through local alternatives and sourcing. Ultimately, there will be as many action groups in every interest area -- energy, healthcare, transportation, education housing, etc. -- as there are different situations where change can be manifested. Some groups will be large and create coordinated efforts with a focus on the long-term; other groups will be smaller and more short-term, focusing on one or two very specific projects or campaigns within a neighborhood, business setting, faith community, or civic group. Much can be done when many hands take a part. The time for the Great Work as we move to the Great Turning is here, now. How will you get and stay involved?
Elsewhere in this blogspot, you can see where the World Café questions led and to leave your comments or ideas. You can also find contact people for the various Action Groups that have begun our community's process of Transition. And however you are involved, remember to share whatever you and others are together doing with the Transition Asheville newsletter (debibrewer@aol.com) so we all can see the uprising we are making for a more balanced life and a more resilient community.
Finally, the actions across the Middle East remind us that all people desire dignity, peace, and a safer world for the next generation - and that change can happen on a scale and at a speed that was not even possible just a few years ago. I hope to see the day (soon!) when populations EVERYWHERE will flood the streets demanding an end to corporate globalism and the attack on our Earth/home it increasingly represents as we move past peak oil. Today would be a good day for all of us to rise up, to demonstrate responsive and responsible actions EVERYWHERE in the hopes that our children and grandchildren will not grow up on an Earth dangerously unlike the one that gave us birth and in communities we no longer recognize.
In Transition, In Solidarity,Chas
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