Sustainability Forums Lead to Clearinghouse and Buy Local InitiativeGrassroots Efforts Lead to Hope for South Puget Sound: Sustainable Community Roundtable Forums on Collaboration By Karin Kraft The Sustainable Community Roundtable of South Puget Sound is taking action on sustainability, not only for the environment but also for our community’s economic and social well-being. With a $4,000 grant from the City of Olympia and support from the Northwest Olympia Neighborhood Association, the Roundtable hosted a series of four forums designed to encourage businesses, non-profits and individuals to collaborate to create sustainable community. Two themes emerged from these forums: the need for better communication related to sustainability and strong support for a buy-local initiative in Olympia. First and foremost, it was unanimous that a clearinghouse for sustainability information would be the best way to coordinate sustainability efforts. It was determined that the immediate and easiest way would be to have the Roundtable create an on-line calendar and host it on its web site since the Roundtable is the local non-profit with the broadest view of sustainability. Because of this, the Roundtable has initiated a clearinghouse calendar on our web site www.sustainsouthsound.org. Sherri Goulet volunteered to manage this, so please send event notices and flyers to her at shardon@comcast.net. In addition to the website clearinghouse, a long-term vision for improved communications includes creation of an actual clearinghouse, a sustainability institute, to provide for more concrete learning experiences for all ages and to increase revenue to Olympia as an eco-tourism destination. Suggestions included that the facility be a new or remodeled green building designed with multiple rooms for: town hall meetings, classes for all ages, hands-on learning center for green products and building materials, local sustainability non-profits, and retail shops for locally made products. The physical building would be a great way to meet many of the needs expressed at the forums. Other communication ideas that resonated were to turn the sustainability indicators published by the Roundtable into action, support local radio and print media for fair and honest reporting, and outreach to neighborhood associations and faith, homeless, and transient communities. The second idea that emerged with widespread support was for the buy-local campaign. Participants suggested that making thoughtful purchases from local businesses is the best way for individuals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and toxics in products while supporting local farmers and retailers and keeping money in the local economy. There are many additional benefits to buying locally. Money spent at local retailers and farms stays in the communities longer because local businesses tend to support other local businesses. Local business owners also contribute much more to local non-profits than do large corporations or businesses owned by people living outside of the community. Local businesses keep the community unique, provide more good jobs, provide better service, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by setting up in downtown areas rather than contributing to sprawl at the fringes of town. They also put taxes to good use by using much less tax-payer-funded infrastructure support than is required by big box stores. To promote this effort, suggestions from forum participants included a kick-off event, eco-fairs to promote local products and services, farm tours, skill sharing, and further coordination among neighborhood associations. Michelle Long of Sustainable Connections in Bellingham and Jon Ramer of the Interra Project gave energetic and fascinating presentations at the fourth forum detailing what buy-local efforts have done and can do for communities. Sustainable Connections’ definition of local is that at least 50 percent of a business’s owners must live in the local community and they must have complete decision-making abilities for their business. After five years Sustainable Connections has 600 business members, their local businesses are flourishing, and their entire downtown area has been rejuvenated. The buy-local campaign in Bellingham includes a number of marketing pieces for local businesses. Members receive a business marketing kit that includes space in the Where Locals Go coupon book, an entry in the Local, Independently Owned Businesses directory, listing on Sustainable Connections’ website, a window poster and decal. Sustainable Connections also hosts events each year to bring attention to these local businesses and farms. Jon Ramer of the Interra Project has helped create a card that is swiped whenever a purchase is made at a participating local business. The card is programmed to give a percentage of the sale back to the customer and to a non-profit of the customer’s choice. This tool was implemented successfully last year in Boston and is now moving to the entire Puget Sound Region. It helps to fund non-profits and support the local business community. The Interra Project will likely become a tool that is used in South Puget Sound to promote local purchasing. Since the forums, the Sustainable Community Roundtable of South Puget Sound has adopted a new name to appease the syllabically challenged. The board decided to rename the organization Sustainable South Sound — saving ten syllables! The Roundtable wishes to thank the City of Olympia, the Northwest Olympia Neighborhood Association, and everyone who attended our forums. Expect to see the buy-local initiative unfold in Olympia over the next two years and then be replicated in all South Sound communities. Your support will help make this happen. Please send your tax-deductible donations to either the Sustainable Community Roundtable or Sustainable South Sound, c/o Larry Hall at 2730 Gull Harbor Road NE, Olympia, WA 98506. Karin Kraft is the Director Sustainable South Sound, and can be reached at kraftkf@comcast.net or 360-754-5352.
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