National Strategy for Sustainability - Ideas for Change in America

Coming from the U.K., there is a worldwide movement which positively addresses all possible aspects of sustainability. It is called Transition Towns or more recently Transition Initiatives. Permaculture allows a very energy-efficient agriculture, food is provided from the nearest neighbourhood. Community building allows all ages to take part and to educate each other. The clear focus on oil and resources reduction (the motive behind TT is PeakOil) allows all kind of sustainable technologies to be implemented, and become developped. Many interesting side effects like creating your own currency can be considered. Sustainable building and renewable energy are other points of attention. An elaborative handbook and various supportive forums / publications are readily available. An Energy Descent Action Plan is a way to engage in a long process, in cooperation with local, regional and national governments, parties, groups, industries, individuals. See Wikipedia for further inspiration.

Suggested by freed schmitter on 07/17/2009 @ 07:45AM PT

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The Most Important piece of advice about this entire forum is to stay positive. I know, trust me, more than most, that it can be hard to stay positive with the things that we hear about. But negativity inevitably draws negativity.

After staying positive, the next thing that people need to do is educate themselves, and use teamwork. Have each member of the family take turns getting to know a subject, or each family of a neighborhood. And the first nugget of knowledge I can offer is EXTREMELY Important. Your buying choice is one major way you "Vote" metaphorically and literally to the people in Executive Office. Perhaps the most important.

On the tone of staying positive I also offer up this advice. The story being told about geothermal is that it's got a 5-7 or 6-9 or even 8-10 year payback depending on who you talk to. The truth behind it is if you're paying Utility bills anyway, and haven't seen them drop and stay down why not amortize the cost over a 30 year or 20 year loan where at current energy prices you net several hundred per month in your pocket the first month the system is turned on (Hudson Valley, NY).

I market Green products and services. And when I offer people the opportunity to save and/or make money while reducing their impact on the environment it's one more reason to smile in these times. These times may draw out the worst in some, but they will also draw out the best in many.

Finally I leave on this last opinion I have. If you do not know the difference between Hemp and Marijuana please educate yourself. To give an idea it would be like drinking Non-Alc. Beer to get drunk. Legislation surrounding Industrial hemp needs to change. We are the ONLY industrialized Nation whose farmers can't grow hemp. And the reason given: Because Hemp farmers could hide their weed plants... NOT TRUE!! if you grow the 2 near each other you end up with a crossbreed that is not good as either one, a Hermaphrodite of sorts. If you have not yet seen the History of Marijuana 101 yet on this site, Do yourself the favor.
also:
www.votehemp.com
www.norml.org
www.hempmuseum.org
and www.phoenixtearsmovie.com

Suggested by James O'Shea on 02/14/2009 @ 03:41PM PT

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We must make sure that NO money in the stimulus package goes for natural gas development.

The rush to become “energy independent “ seems to be embracing natural gas, yet the technology used to drill deep into areas like the Marcellus shale is ten times more toxic than oil drilling, uses more energy to develop than it will produce, and will deplete and contaminate our most precious resource: water.

Colorado and New Mexico are already reeling from the onslaught, and the Final Draft Scope for permitting in 1/3 of New York State just came out. If nothing is done to stop it, drilling will begin in June affecting the Delaware River Basin watershed, the Susquehanna River watershed, reservoirs for New York City and Philadelphia. Drilling has already started in some of the other states in the Marcellus shale formation: Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and Maryland.

The mainstream media appear to be avoiding this issue. We all must educate ourselves and bring light to this issue. The damaging horizontal hydraulic fracturing technology, developed by Halliburton endangers public health and safety by drilling into the radioactive Marcellus Shale, wasting 3-9 million gallons of water per well and producing as much toxic waste.

Please do not be programmed by Exxon and Chesapeake ads on television. Become informed ASAP. Then write your Senators, and Lisa P. Jackson, the new EPA Head. This is critical.

Sincerely,
Diane

Suggested by Diane MacInnes on 02/09/2009 @ 12:56PM PT

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To reduce pollution and start an ecologically safely sustainable industrial production, the United States of America (U.S.A.) should soon install hydrokinetic, pontoon and/or barge paddle wheel boat electricity generating systems, on many of the United States of America's rivers. Using Florida Bay seashell sand for agriculture fertilizer in U.S.A. river drainages, perhaps may help also. Humanity needs to outlaw fossil fuel combustion within an immediately forthcoming few years, so as to avoid producing greatly excessive global warming that is due to fossil fuel combustion-produced CO2 emissions.
Investing in fuel-efficient, low-carbon transportation alternatives, such as ocean heat heat-pump-powered ships, compressed-air-powered vehicles, electricity-powered vehicles, bicycle subways, bicycle and pedestrian trails, and nonfossil-fuel-powered rail and/or bus projects, will reduce our dependence on petroleum, and save consumers money on energy.

Suggested by Danny Hull on 02/08/2009 @ 02:01AM PT

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There are many levels of society that must change: individual, household, community, state, federal and global.
There are many aspects of society that must change, in each of those spheres, such as inefficiencies that cause waste (which may be as simple as "heat loss").
The scope of the exercise can be overwhelming.
So I suggest focus on what will give the "best bang for buck", and expand from there.

When considering a problem, there is a technique called the "5 Why's" to help identify the root cause.
Addressing the root cause, particularly those that affect multiple aspects, has a wonderfully compounding effect.

As an example, starting with the assumption that our present society is unsustainable:
Why? – Our demands for energy, land, water and food exceed what the planet can supply.
Why? – Our population has increased beyond sustainable limits, and with population increase comes increased demand.
Why? – Increased population is required for economic growth.
Why? – We have let the economy drive society, instead of the other way around.
Why? – The concept of "wealth", and the opportunities it provides, only considers the dollar.

Of course, this is only one example of what can be uncovered, and ideally with each question it should look at the next "level" of scope. I'm sure each individual will come up with a different set of answers.

Fundamentally, the sustainability equation is simple:
Resource Usage = Resource Replenishment.
Unfortunately, it gets messy once we get into the detail, but this equation can still be useful.

So here are three suggestions:
1. After estimating the cost/benefit of some of the actions that can be taken, focus on those that give the best "bang for buck".
2. The most effective actions address the root causes of multiple problems. So identify the root causes, and the problems that they affect.
3. The simplistic equation to be applied to determine whether a process is sustainable is: Resource Usage = Resource Replenishment.

I hope this helps.

Suggested by gaz elle on 02/06/2009 @ 10:44PM PT

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I'd love to see the folks who are leading this up connect with ecovillages around the country. These are social laboratories for really grassroots efforts at creating sustainable culture and practices. While not everyone is going to move to en ecovillage, a lot of what is being learned in these projects is really valuable and can be applied other places. Please connect!
http://www.dancingrabbit.org/
http://www.earthaven.org/
http://www.thefarm.org/etc/
http://www.laecovillage.org/
http://www.ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us/

Suggested by Maikwe Ludwig on 02/04/2009 @ 07:12PM PT

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TAKING CHARGE OF OUR DESTINY: ROAD TO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
In a recent air flight from Seattle, WA to Norfolk, VA (across our grand country) fraught with cancellations and delays, I had more than 14 hours to reflect on the media flurry over the last week regarding the proposed U.S. Bailout Package to stimulate our sagging economy. Primary areas of focus for bailout benefits are financial institutions, manufacturing, construction, infrastructure, health care and education, retail, government, tourism, and a few others that don’t come to mind. My first thought is that we are simply throwing good money after bad in even considering the scope of these proposals. The state of our economy and the systems behind it require radical change, not just quick-fixes that only add to the “house of cards” we presently see as our future.
First, all governmental subsidies need to be eliminated. This would include agriculture, fisheries, forestry, manufacturing, transportation, banking/investments, and energy (traditional, non-renewable forms) subsidies. These sectors must begin to operate within the traditional constraints of markets rather than artificially conceived goals and on a local basis instead of global demand and distribution. Within our own country there should be a level playing field where the production of goods and services is available to all and by demand/need of the people, not as influenced by the best lobbyists.
Second, consideration should only be given to fiscal stimulus in the infrastructure area and the health (and elder) care and education area. Infrastructure that includes natural capital (environmental quality and natural resources) and built capital (buildings, roads, bridges, rail, energy distribution, communications, etc.), is the foundation of American life. Our natural capital infrastructure needs to be protected for equitable access by all people and for meeting future needs (7th generation of Native Americans). Our built capital infrastructure needs to be maintained and/or renewed because of neglect over recent decades. Investment in health/elder care and education supports the only assets (human beings) that truly have longevity and inherent value to guarantee a sustainable future.
Third, everyone should be provided a home, food to maintain a healthy diet, necessary household goods, and needed utilities, at no cost to address staggering poverty in the U.S. For this governmental support one person in the household would be required to work in an activity that supports the community such as food production/distribution, public services, education, health care, local government, manufacturing, etc. If a second person in the household wished to work in a business activity, the earnings provided that person would further contribute to the basic wealth of that household.
As for the other bailout sectors identified above, they should be left to their own capacities, not propped up by governmental support (our tax dollars). The construction sector will benefit because of the many rebuilding needs in infrastructure improvement. The government sector will benefit from savings in military support adjustments and not wasting money on manufacturing and retail sectors that should instead evolve through attention to real demand and imaginative reinvention. For example, to encourage this reinvention, hefty taxes should immediately be levied on the sale of any automobile that does not get at least 30 miles per gallon of gas and taxes on the sale of gasoline should be significantly increased.
As for the military, all foreign bases should be closed and all troops brought home to defend the boarders of the U.S. In addition, 50% of the military capacity should be devoted to public works service for all communities in America as well as for such activities as enforcement of sustainable fishery and forest harvests, surveillance of drug trafficking, and community crime prevention. Direct and indirect savings from this re-structuring of the military would go a long way in supporting the priority fiscal stimulus needs highlighted above. And the huge sums of money funneled through the U.S. State Department to help needy communities abroad, should instead be used to support the ideas here that seek elimination of poverty in America for every member of every community.
Can this happen quickly – no! Will this be painful and require sacrifice – yes! In seeking system equilibrium – whether the system is economic, human, environmental, or technological – achieving a new equilibrium will always cause disturbance (chaos, stress, uncertainty, disorder, upheaval, struggle, angst), however eventually the system will find a new point of stability and balance. But do we have a choice, except to make sure major corrections in our economic systems are sustainable – not through short-sighted, quick fixes?
The new form of governance required for whole-scale change instead of quick-fix economics must be eco/geo-regional in context. In this way the federal government will assure equal consideration to all American citizens across a level playing field where local actions are designed around common issues and interests of the respective regions of the US.
Of course, the devil will always be in the details. But in order to make sure we are focusing on the correct details, we need to be asking the right questions. And these right questions must consider how to achieve a new national equilibrium with regards to equitable quality of life for every American without simply putting more resources into already failed economic strategies. Government should let the economic dust settle and allow the fall-out of doing business as usual to breed new forms of economic initiatives driven by needs, not wants. Simply enacting stop-gap measures without lasting success will only prolong the inevitable!
The above ideas are obviously emphasizing a focus on “sense of community,” calling for the American people to be concerned for one another and taking better care of the communities we call home. We don’t need our government to provide the fiscal stimulus in support of the latest technological gadgets or a fancy new car, and the temporary jobs they might promise, in order to accomplish this good old fashion call for healthy communities. You can bet eventually there will be innovative technology developed by some business to sell us a car or other kind of product that is actually worth our investment. We need to be in charge of this through our own demand power however, not through governmental economic stimulus (subsidies) packages from dwindling tax dollars that are simply trying to encourage us to spend, spend, spend. We need to take charge of our destiny!R. Warren Flint, Ph.D.
Seattle, WA 98108
(206) 749-9755
rwflint@eeeee.net

Suggested by Warren Flint on 02/04/2009 @ 02:00PM PT

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In order to promote CHANGE we must start with our top leaders and CHANGE career politicians into WORKING legislators and judges.
1]TERM LIMITS would be the first way to rid ourselves from the complacent greedy self-serving politician who doesn't listen and protect the people he/she represents.
2]SUPREME COURT JUDGES should be subject to term limits also since they do not always enjoy reasonable objectivity due to age or other factors.
3]TAX DELIQUINCY should be cause for automatic termination of any office holder in all levels of government.
4]SALARIES must be be held to minimum and maximum levels. Also salaries must be frozen during war time or economic hard times
5]PERKS for all government jobs should be UNIVERSAL and in line with those enjoyed by the average citizen
6]AGE LIMIT for any public office should be 70 years old. Anyone holding office may finish his obligation. Age does make a difference in perception and durability

These are basic CHANGES that would make a tremendous difference in how we do business in America

Suggested by C C on 02/04/2009 @ 12:48PM PT

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The elephant in the room is the world's large and growing population. (Suggestion by Judy Gibson also mentions it.) Control of population does not require being Draconian about it or favoring boys over girls. In fact, I believe, well-being is highly correlated with low birth rate. Nevertheless, our national and international policies and actions should include an evaluation of the effect on population birth rate. It is so much wiser to deal with control of population head on than to suffer the enormous pain, death, war, and struggle that does result from too much stress on people, food, resources, and space. We also kill the plants and animals around us when we don't control our own population.

Suggested by Richard Brownscombe on 02/04/2009 @ 12:32PM PT

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One obscene use of fossil fuels and time is the simple daily commute. I say obscene because millions of Americans spend, what, 30 minutes? an hour? two hours? leaving their homes to go to an office, only to return to their homes at the end of their work day. And they do this day-after-day, week-after-week. The first order effects are obvious: millions of commute miles and corresponding fuel usage, traffic, pollution, huge swaths of pavement in a futile attempt to handle the "worst case" volume of vehicles. Huge swaths of land swallowed for buildings and parking lots, and corresponding drainage and energy use problems. Second order effects are not as obvious: time spent in traffic could either be spent more economically productive, or more socially productive (want more time with your family, anyone?), homes which are empty and air-conditioned during the day and offices which are empty and air-conditioned during the night. (How efficient is that?)

In line with the move for pervasive connectivity infrastructure (broadband everywhere), I suggest a massive effort towards moving workers from offices back into their homes. Obviously, not all jobs are suitable for such an arrangement. The "culture of the office" would also necessarily be upset (no more water-cooler conversations). Home life would necessarily change as well (I know this from experience). However, the benefits are enormous: lower commute stress (would you like a 15 second commute from the kitchen to your workspace?), more time with family, less vehicles and less vehicle-miles, more efficient roads (read as "less traffic") and less load on other transportation infrastructure, less workspace-exclusive infrastructure (less day-use-only office space) and thus more efficient use of the land space we have, less pollution, better work-life balance (e.g. wait for the cable guy and be at work), more time flexibility, less overhead-per-employee for businesses (thus more likely to hold on to those employees), more geographic flexibility (my "job" won't move to Antarctica, forcing me to decide whether or not to follow it there, when I really want to keep living here), etc., etc.

Suggested by Paul Clarke on 02/04/2009 @ 11:45AM PT