In another life, I had the luck to meet a group of social psychologists who were doing a study of long-term civic commitment. They were two couples, and were interviewing 200 committed citizens working in social movements from literacy to human rights. They joked that the project would make or break both marriages, and both came through fine. They uncovered some beautiful stories and some guiding principles about adult development and social movement participation.

 The Kingston Green Trail initiative is starting to see action. 

 Today, at the Tour de Kingston bike rally, we gathered over a dozen energized volunteers to advance the vision of a more bike-friendly Kingston. We filled a page with signatures on a letter to Mayor Sottile, thanking him for green initiatives already taken and urging him to work closely with Ulster County’s non-motorized transportation plan to connect trails through the City, and to work with us in establishing bike racks, lanes and other amenities as more and more cities are doing.

May 31, 2008

Everyone is worried about the cost of commuting, powering our homes, even producing our food, as fuel prices skyrocket.   A tempting path is to trim gas taxes for short-term relief, cut strategic reserves, or find other ways to cut prices without addressing the true costs of fossil fuels.

Folks, we are trying a newer, easy-to-maintain format to get you news from SHV and the world of sustainability, with reports in this blog and emails to supporters when new news is posted.

Seventy hardy souls gathered April 8 - 9 at the Garrison Institute for a different kind of conversation about climate change, the launch event for the "Rising Waters" project, an in-depth scenario planning effort convened by The Nature Conservancy to help build a regional consensus for action.  And while the desired action, of course, includes doing everything in our power to prevent catastrophe, it also includes adapting to changes that are already underway.  

Intriguing resources have been moving through my in-box.  There is a "climate communications training" coming up that emphasizes crafting the message, understanding the demographics of your audience, and anticipating resistance.  The invitation begins, "If you're not Al Gore..."  

 Well, I'm not Al Gore, but I'm kind of fed up with the idea that any meaningful leadership can arise from trying to outsmart people rather than connect with them.

"Build community. It will help you out a whole lot more than money when things fall apart."  -- Fran Peavey, San Francisco educator and activist.

Folks,

The SHV community is filled with really bright, creative, engaged people and more of them should be communicating with each other now that we have an easily maintained, interactive space.  Please consider what additional blogs, and bloggers, could add value to this site and make your suggestions here. 

When Pearl Harbor was attacked in World War II, drawing the U.S. suddenly into the conflict, anthropologist Margaret Mead had a manuscript almost done.  She threw it away, saying, "Everything has changed."  I feel that degree of fluidity in the situation around us on many days, working to connect up the many local efforts to green our communities, and help them establish strategies that will work in a shifting context of regional economics, state policy and national politics that will only get quirkier as the electoral season gains momentum.