Solutionaries

Cross posted from: It’s Getting Hot in Here.

How do we take our calls for clean energy, climate justice, and a sustainable economy from being seen as neat ideas to being seen as the game plan?

Getting the institutions we are working with to see a green economy as their game plan is key to the big picture changes we are working for. When we demonstrate a solution as a route to success on existing goals, rather than just a cool side-project, we open up whole new reserves of commitment, ingenuity, and resources to make it possible. It also becomes much more important: conceding to obstacles is no longer acceptable.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about Macalester College’s sustainability plan and the how that it provides to make big ambitious goals both meaningful and realistic. In this post, I’ll explore the importance of moving from neat ideas to game plans in creating the commitment to that process in the context of Macalester’s journey. I recognize that this is just one tiny microcosm of the bigger picture, but I hope that it will serve as an example about how we move much larger institutions towards viewing the green economy as a game plan for success, and thus working with us as collaborators. They might even go outside the traditional sustainability boxes to think about broad institutional strategy.

So let’s get started:

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I am so excited to get this years effort off and running! I have had an amazing time with the NICE for the past 2 summers and there are a variety of possibilities on the horizon for the NICE this year. The partnership with Grand Aspirations to host Summer of Solutions programs was a great learning experience and continues to grow. Grand Aspirations is working to develop a series of local hubs across the country and is working to create a mutually beneficial partnership with the NICE.

Our local programs experienced a variety of struggles and successes. The major success of the NICE-Summer of Solutions ‘09 for me was in developing a better understanding of the real value of engaging in these types processes as an active participant in an ongoing and self-determining learning experience. I often find myself gauging success in terms of self imposed deadlines met and tangible improvements in peoples’ lives created. While these types of successes are truly valuable, they are not the limit to the value of our efforts. Sitting here and looking at where we are now compared to where we were in the spring of 2008, or even 2009, I am seriously blown away by our bold tenacity and ability to make progress toward materializing a somewhat hazy and beautiful vision.

I feel like some possibilities are beginning to clarify within this vision. Local programs are ongoing and thus there is a need for year round involvement in these efforts. Summer of Solution (SoS) programs are a powerful tactic when utilized as the continuation or catalyst of student involvement in local solutionary efforts. I would like to see the NICE develop into a hub for learning, innovation, entrepreneurship, community building, and solutionary action throughout the year through coordinating programs such as SoS. In order to accomplish this, the regional team is tackling the process of identifying organizational, business, and legal models that fit our aspirations (no pun intended).

Today, I am feeling the extreme urgency and excitement that comes from chasing these types of dreams. As I snoop around the internet community and sift through my various list serves, to avoid the homework pile of my third week of the term, I am reminded of a thought I had over the summer. It seems that the argument for renewable energy vs. fossil fuels is often set in a difficult framework for the proponents of renewable energy.

If I strip all value from the arguments, I find the fossilites’ side saying, “Hey we have been serving the population for 200 years! Yeah, we might have a few problems, but we can fix them. We can be cleaner.” The renewable energy side gets stuck trying to prove that the current system is so broken that we need to develop something completely new and relatively untested (compared to the amount of time we have invested into fossil fuel combustion as an energy source). This is a hard argument to make. But it is one that must be won!

I feel we need a surge of community based solutions to socio-eco-economic challenges which support the argument that something completely new is possible and preferred. These community solutions will also reduce the demand for fossil fuels by beginning to tangibly transition neighborhoods and cities onto more sustainable, prosperous, and just alternatives. A solutionary effort improving living situations and creating jobs in the district of every elected official would be a huge step in creating a more favorable political landscape. The NICE is capable of playing an important role in the creation of these community solutions in the northwest. Its time to roll up our sleeves and get solutionary!

I look forward to all of the learning and innovation that this community will share as Grand Aspirations, the NICE, community solutions, Summer of Solutions, and our partnerships strengthen and grow. This is going to be a year to remember!!!

~nathan jones

NICE Regional Organizer

Today is the last day for the Twin Cities Summer of Solutions program.

I began this program feeling like it was an exercise in “seeing what is to come.” Back in January, I decided that I wanted to work more intensely on issues of environmental justice than what I was working on at the time, as it felt more sustainable and more exciting. Since then, it’s been a practice in working Zen: be here, now.

That is all I can do. While the planet weeps, and the coal industry battles with clean industries, and people everywhere cry out against injustice, I am here. In the presence of such sweeping injustice, I am here.

Change that signifier, this ain’t no “I,” it’s a we! We are here, in this moment. We take it in, see what needs to be done, and do it. Our actions may not be quiet, but they are powerful. (more…)

Eugene NICE Update #3

Welcome back to the Eugene NICE update! After doing out reach and having a wonderful time at the Oregon Country Fair, it’s been a fun week for everyone at the NICE and many wonderful volunteers. The pieces of the Energy Equity Project are coming together as we began crafting the energy audit together in the Think Tank and we reached out to the Whiteaker community during our successful Do Tank. It has been wonderful meeting members of the Whiteaker community and also having more participants at our Think and Do Tanks. Through our eclectic backgrounds and knowledge base, we can work together to advance sustainability in Eugene

This week’s Think Tank was centered around our NICE Energy Check-Up and what it will entail for the homes we will visit. We were fortunate to have EWEB staff Ann Porterfield attend the Think Tank and she helped us understand what EWEB puts into their energy audits. Focusing mostly on infrastructural improvements, we will incorporate some of the EWEB audit into our Check-Up. We also had input on the audit from Climate Master’s Lorraine Boose, and her audit focused more on habitual energy practices. Both of these aspects of energy conservation are very important, and we will have both in the NICE Energy Check-Up.

A treat for the NICE crew this week was having Monica Dutcher at our Think Tank because Monica has volunteered to translate our materials into Spanish for the only-Spanish speaking residents of the Whiteaker. The NICE passionately seeks to serve diverse communities and this translation support will help us reach out to communities we may otherwise miss. If you would like to receive any of our materials in Spanish, please contact jesse@thenice.org

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