Subject: [Dialogue] “How do we assist in accelerating sustainability in every community around where we live?”
What
if the question of our time is “How do we
assist in accelerating sustainability in every community around where we live?” Here is a summary of the journey of
working with colleagues in Chicago to answer this question – colleagues new and
old, colleagues in non-profit organizations, public agenices and for-profit
companies, colleagues young and old.
Participating in the journey to date, the following comes to mind.
In
this century at the ICA office in Chicago, sustainability has surfaced as
important for the future direction of ICA services. Intriguing stories surfaced about global movements where
people have been engaged for five to forty years in rethinking community to include the earth and all its
resources, plants, animals and mineral life (e.g., Transition Movement, Global
Village Movement, Natural Step). As
we considered creating yet another demonstration of community in Uptown, simultaneously
we asked ourselves what would it take to create demonstrations in every
community of Chicago, applying to Transition US to be recognized as Transition Chicago
(listed as #83 of 119 official Transition US initiatives – see
http://transitionus.org).
The
story evolved as we began talking with people across the city, asking them to
identify sustainable initiatives that they are a part of or know about. It quickly became clear that a
remarkable revolution of change and empowerment is happening, often unrecognized
within the community or even the people actually engaged in the initiative and
below the media radar. We found
that instead of doing another demonstration, what was needed was to ‘listen and
learn’ what is going on, assist in highlighting success that is already
present, and then discern roles needed to help in acceleration. It could be said that all Chicago communities are already in transition towards a new future.
The
year-long Identifying Phase of ‘listening and learning’ began last summer as
student interns from Oklahoma City University documented two communities. In the fall a professor at DePaul
University involved his two classes (55 students) in researching sustainable
initiatives in fifteen communities.
By January five other Chicago universities had 150 students researching 38
communities. This summer forty
students from six Chicago universities, three community colleges, and eight
national universities have spent the last seven weeks collecting information
from the remaining 22 Chicago communities.
Tomorrow
is the launch of the Connection Phase, an exciting time of inviting community people
engaged in sustainable initiatives to participate in acceleration
through highlighting their achievements, sharing, networking and participating
in the September 15th Sharing Approaches that Work event in Chicago. After the Share Fair, the Engaging Phase will focus on the question of acceleration.
What
have we learned? 500 sustainable
initiatives were identified by June 1st with yet another
500 since identified or yet undiscovered. Community gardens are cropping up
everywhere. New LEED certified
buildings (police, fire stations, schools, homes) have been built – or
retrofitted. Businesses are
changing their practices to be more energy efficient, more resourceful. Restaurants are being recognized for
being ‘green’ as they provide healthier food choices. Schools are creating curriculums that
teach children – who teach their parents – about sustainability. Youth grow and
sell food they raise, create and lead workshops in eating healthy. Incredible blessings for the
future are hidden like gems for those who have the eyes to see, the ears to
hear, the questions to ask, and the answers remembered!
The
youth through elders engaged in identifying and connecting initiatives work out of the ICA building
where people are dreaming about what it will look for the building to be off the grid by
2020. In the past colleagues added
energy efficient windows, a ‘green’ bricked parking lot, and transformed the
Lumumba Room into a green space.
In 2012 six wind turbines are being added to the roof, sensor lighting
has been added throughout the building, the second story roof has been
resurfaced to be ‘green’, a new kitchen creates community spirit, and food is being grown in the kitchen
greenhouse and conference room window.
The building serves as one of the Uptown community's sustainable initiatives.
Personally
I am joy-filled as I participate in this work. While on a learning curve, I am in the midst of unlearning
much of the past.
As a facilitator, I am learning to use less paper and fewer procedures while being challenged to use more visuals and tell motivating stories. I am impatient with my personal slow
change in habits to make a smaller earth footprint (e.g., when asked at the
grocery store, “Do you want paper or plastic?” I again agonize knowing I want
neither – but the bags I brought for bagging are in the car!) The student interns visiting communities when it is 100 degrees are an
inspiration in their intelligence and commitment to this work. There is a sense of being surrounded by
Those Who Care.
This
is all to say that I perceive that just as important as raising the ‘right’ question(s)
for our time is to reveal where the question is already abundantly being
answered - as well as tell how we are participating in creative and significant
responses to it. Some researchers say
that the best way to change hearts and change behavior is to point to what is
possible!
Peace,
Karen