Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2004 1:13 am
Posts: 200
Location: Brinnon, Kona
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This old email was an invitation from the former mayor of Port Townsend and his wife who wanted people to join together an implement their vision for the Olympic Peninsula of the future. This meeting was held in 2001. (yes, it’s true) - these are the kind of people in Port Townsend that oppress Rural Jefferson County, violating a Human's Right to sustain their family with decent employment, to work their land as they see fit, and free their children of environmental religious DOGMA!!!  INDUSTRY/WORK/ECONOMY
Following the principle of voluntary simplicity, we find that people, in general, could work less since they have fewer needs. Focusing more on inner satisfaction, social relationships, and healing the earth has reduced the need for personal income and we have more time with family and friends. The extinction of the 40 hour work week...
Subject Sustainable lunch 12/10 + vision statements
Date: Fri 7 Dec 01 12:37:30-0800
From: Kees and Helen Kolff <chko1ff@o1ympus.net>
Reminder:
See you on Monday, Dec. 10th at noon at the RoseWind Common House (Haines and Umatilla) for a potluck lunch and discussion with Steve Nicholas from the Seattle Office of Sustainability.
The following information was compiled by Amy Elizabeth Williams
from our 11-16-01 meeting on sustainability.
Vision Statements: Port Townsend/Jefferson County in 2020.
TRANSPORTATION
By a resounding popular outcry, transportation in Port Townsend has transitioned to a heavy reliance on non-motorized means, primarily through safe bike paths and tree-shaded walkways, our downtown closed to automobiles and the RV check-point outside city limits at a park and ride together promote P.T. as a walking community, similar to many European tourist spots.
Alternative powered vehicles, ranging from hybrid autos to fully electric cars and buses with solar power as backup, dominate the scene. Free public transit, car co-ops, sharing vehicles, sharing bicycles (including electric bikes), and car pools provide transportation, means to everyone in the community. Many feel it is unnecessary to own a car for they have adapted their way of life to eliminate this previous reliance and feel rewarded by a cleaner environment and less noise and stress. A rental car agency is available for longer trips, and you are able to get to the car rental agency without a car.
Again, downtown is indeed car-free; shop owners have grown to appreciate the benefits of this as they may still receive deliveries and business in thriving. Pedestrian-only spaces have subsequently sprouted up throughout town; including Uptown and the Co-op area: Garden carts and tricycle carriers move goods around the community.
We find there are more bikes than cars on the roads. In fact, in many places there is a separate bike lane complete with signals, which is tree-lined and well maintained. Other streets in town have been turned into ‘slow streets’ with bike/pedestrian orientation. Wherever you go you can get there by bike or foot. There is a trail system connecting Kah Tai, Larry Scott, happy Valley, North Beach, Olympic Discovery Trail, as well as other Olympic Peninsula communities, crosswalks are painted with a 4-way crossing. Unopened right of ways in hilly areas are now stair streets. One of them is a kinetic-powered stairway connecting downtown with uptown.
The closure of the Hood Canal Bridge has had little impact on our local economy, as means have been in place to safely transport visitors and locals without the addiction to burning fossil fuels. An Olympic Peninsula Euro Pass includes ferry and bus fares, as well as a train to Port Angeles, and the Visitor Center is a transfer point. There is a portage trail link. Hydrogen-converter powered trucks transport goods along with the sailing-trade fleet.
Puget Sound driving has increased, offering alternative routes to frequented destinations. Ferries burning clean electricity offer regular routes to Victoria, Friday Harbor, Keystone, and Seattle,
FOOD
Port Townsend is a flourishing community of growers with a strong reliance on local food production. Each neighborhood has a community organic garden. There are backyard orchards and pea patches. Hydroponics tomatoes come from many sources, including high school and nursing home farms. There is tremendous support of food co-ops that provide bulk foods and ample local, organic food. Collinwood Farm has extended through much of the valley behind the San Juan Commons. The growers Intermarried into the community, until all the communities were proud to be known as Growers, People have adjusted their eating pattern to seasonal foods. A person can live entirely on organic food grown within 100 miles of PT.; thereby eliminating the difficult choice of local vs. California produced organics, as prices are comparable.
Local agriculture, including a dairy cooperative in the valley, provides milk, butter and cheese (including goat cheese) that have never traveled more than 20 miles. Locally adapted, non-hybridized seeds have come to fruition representing the longing for a self-sufficient community. Excess food is first distributed to the poor and the elderly, and any further excess is sailed down to larger population centers. Several farmers markets thrive in town, and operate year round.
All food products in grocery stores are labeled as to their origin, genetic alteration, and organic status so residents may choose accordingly. By local ordinance, you can only order coffee to go if you provide your own reusable container. The Co-op has cut way back on packaged convenience foods, and the local supermarkets carry more organic produce. Forks has a farmer’s market. Food buying groups buy products in bulk, which is delivered to a central neighborhood place and is distributed to members.
McDonalds has GONE OUT OF BUSINESS.
INDUSTRY/WORK/ ECONOMY
Following the principle of volunteer simplicity, we find that people, in general, could work less since we had fewer needs. Focusing more on inner satisfaction, social relationships and healing the earth has reduced the need for personal income and we have more time with family and friends, There is a respect for quiet.
The extinction of the 40 hour workweek led people to find diverse means of work, including utilizing personal talents and participating in job sharing. Some individuals find that working more on the computer is satisfying, and they pay their bills on line and do not receive paper bills in the mail. We find there is stimulating and meaningful work for everyone and that life is not about our jobs, yet it is merely one aspect of our existence.
The Port Townsend Community Bank invests its deposits in three activities local public infrastructure, small, locally owned businesses, and affordable housing. Lead by the Abundant Life Seed Foundation, the production, saving and distribution of seeds becomes a widespread activity and part of the local economy. Local governments give a 5 percent allowance to bids from local companies. Corporate chain stores and restaurants have successfully been kept out of our community.
Heritage based walking tourism thrives, marine trades thrive, there are no emissions from the mill and farms provide work for young people. There are post high school service opportunities and plenty of local jobs. McDonalds has GONE OUT OF SUSINESS.
Commercial density exists in appropriate areas. The use of town dollars is popular. E-commerce allows for shopping for local products on line. The barter program and exchange system are in place, as well as triple accountability for businesses. Cottage-based industries and local businesses continue to provide for our needs, with clothing businesses a welcome addition. (For example, used milk cartons are turned into fleece.)
The community direction statement serves to outline how we identify appropriate commercial and industrial uses. In sum, the industry is locally owned and controlled, sustainable, diversified and environmentally friendly.
GOODS
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle is the mainstream belief. Composting is big, including vermiculture. People buy much of what is needed (not what we once though we wanted) locally. Prices are reasonable and the dollar spent in Jefferson County gets recirculated to sustain local economy.
Shop at the local dump. There is a scrap exchange, similar to Waste Not Want Not, but far expanded. There you could take leftover latex paint, building supplies, furniture, moving boxes, art supplies, and all those objects you hate to throw out because you know somebody could use. Mini-storage facilities are phased out with incentives for redevelopment with uses that generate jobs and taxes. There are no drive-thru services although some businesses have bike-thru services.
ENVIRONMENT
Many residents find that focusing on healing the earth is time well spent. The love of place, the love of quiet is reflected in the atmosphere of our town. Lighting is respectful of the night sky and the streetlights are off during the new moon. Leaf blowers and manicured lawns are things of the past. There are shade trees and tree-lined paths everywhere, as well as ample parks and open spaces. The watersheds have been intimately known and studied. Jefferson Land Trust continues to be an integral part of appropriate land use and preservation,
Kah Tai lagoon has a trail around it and the entire area has been restored with no businesses nearby. Kala Point is a public park. We enjoy complete beach access and appreciate the restoration of salmon runs. Our local creeks thrive and herbicides and pesticides are banned. The solid waste site is now a recycling center; gray water systems are accepted and there is no more sludge in compost.
We are respectful to our neighbors and are aware of the affect that our actions may have on others. Dogs are not unnecessarily barking, machinery is muffled, yard maintenance and construction activity happen at respectful times, and auto noise is minimized because other transportation options beckon.
There is a monthly column in the Leader on environmental and sustainability topics. An annual award is given to a business or program that exemplifies environmental protection and sustainable practices.
ENERGY
Energy sources include tidal power generated in the passage between Indian Island and the Quimper Peninsula. Wind turbines, aesthetic and quiet, feed the city-owned utility company. Discounts for using less energy and the ability for citizens to sell energy back are two incentives for conservation, which we are passionate about.
Increased fuel prices led to big changes in the automobile industry and we responded with electric cars and other alternative sources, thereby breaking the addiction to the burning of petroleum. Bio fuels and bio diesel engines enable farm work,
Our housing choices also reflect our beliefs in energy conservation. Solar panels are on every house and the fact of shared walls in the cluster housing equals less energy loss,
EDUCATION
All Jefferson County children begin school ready to lean. Children are well known by the public school system years before they enter Kindergarten, and when they arrive their first day they’re greeted as familiar community members. Classes are small. Field trips are frequent. Every classroom has adopted its own local ecosystem, curriculum focuses on discovering how systems work, and trips are taken there frequently. The classroom is a place to prepare for an exploratory trip and a place to process and record what was learned on the outing.
No child is left behind, and no child is a failure. After school programs provide developmentally appropriate activities that increase a child’s breadth and depth of knowledge. Adult volunteers and older youth fulfilling internships, fill the school building with role models, tutors and mentors. Physical activity, social skills and academic skills are all valued, and competency tests measure all three. Classrooms succeed together, children learn teamwork and cooperation, older youth and adults act as coaches, and success is publicly praised. Community service is built into every aspect of the curriculum.
All grades have capstone experiences that they prepare for and look forward to all gear long. Capstones include: expeditions on the water, public art projects, maritime industry apprenticeships, projects addressing environmental degradation, community service projects which take students abroad, public works projects, government internship, farm projects, extended experiences in the Olympic Range, service project in the urban environments, tour guide internships.
At the end of their school experience, students are kind, altruistic, protective of the natural environment, have a strong sense of place, see themselves as having important roles to play in society’s future. They are powerfully connected to adults in the community, and valuable role models for the young people they have touched. Graduation is a community event and every senior has the means to pursue their ambition. In exchange for community-generated scholarships, students commit to local community service, either immediately after high school or after their post high school experience.
Many year round learning exchange centers offer opportunities to the public, such as environmental courses throughout town and agriculture programs at the Fairgrounds, Critical underpinnings of these programs are wise stewardship and ethical land use. Free higher education is available at Old Fort Townsend College or Destination University. The spread of NWEI courses continues to embrace the curricula focus on ecosystems. An Alternative Home Building School exists in Port Townsend.
Trade apprenticeships, including electrician and carpenter positions, are plentiful. Vocational education classes are held at PC, WSU, and in public school facilities. Mentor programs work with many volunteers from the community, providing a forum for intergenerational interaction.
HOUSING/NEIGHBORHOODS
We have a continuing heritage of mixed housing ages and styles throughout town. We have rediscovered our roots of mixed use zones where commercial areas are surrounded by and easily and safely accessed on foot to the nearby mixed density housing,
Our town offers affordable, clustered housing around small neighborhood commercial zones. Community gathering areas of intergenerational neighbors provide connection, childcare, play areas for kids, potlucks, creative exchanges, tool exchanges, and clothes swap. There is senior housing downtown, and shared community housing with density throughout town. Some choose to live in yurts, and some prefer dog-friendly neighborhoods.
Homes are ecological and of appropriate she, The Alternative Building School in town promotes straw bale and other types of buildings. Composting toilets are popular, as well as cisterns. Homes are close to the street fronts, providing more direct human contact, no longer prioritizing cars and parking. Vermiculture is an honored activity many residents partake in.
GOVERNMENT/COMMUNITY PROCESS
Citywide training on sustainability has allowed the Olympic Peninsula Sustainability Benchmarks team to speak freely about our goals and our progress. The consensus model of decision-making has progressed in our town, covering such issues as tax laws and property rights. We now enjoy public access to all beaches and there is no military. The 7th Generation Council put local agriculture into the comp plan and invests in long-term infrastructures.
Citizens meet in small groups and local town meetings and there is an air of respectful listening and the seeking of opinions. We continue to build community consensus. There are more government jobs since salaries are a bit reduced. NWEI brings in new people. Smaller precincts interact with city government; Neighborhood development associations are strong. We have an ongoing community visioning process and it is documented on video.
HEALTH
We enjoy universal health care from birth to death, with quality local providers offering holistic, alternative care in addition to more traditional methods.
Birth moms have all their medical needs and social support needs met. A neighborhood party welcomes every newborn into the world, and extended family, friends and neighbors ensure the family has all the necessities it needs for their new child. All moms or dads may request the assistance of grandmother/mentors to assist them. Mentors are well acquainted with community resources should the family need special interventions.
Childcare is readily available and of good quality. Caregiver-child ratios are low, staff is well trained in child development, meals are excellent, and transportation is readily available. Daycare centers provide parent support groups, parenting classes, and organized activities for small children and their families on weekends. High school students have rotations through day care centers, which provide them with practical experience to augment their health curriculum. Young men participate equally with young women in day care internships.
CULTURE
Core values of our community include: empathy and compassion for self, family, community members, place, society, beings, earth; critical thinking skills to challenge conventional societal norms; kindness; clear understanding of the impact of our choices on others and on the environment; the cultivation of each individual’s unique spirit.
Culture and entertainment are primarily home and neighborhood based. Community centers encourage playing music and dancing. At home we play board games, read together, and learn local history. Classes for arts and crafts for all ages and a multitude of play areas exist for children. The integration of children into the community and our exceptional treatment of elders have come to fruition as evidenced by our mixed generational gatherings. Ample social contact occurs between neighbors.
We serve as an example of a safe, quiet, accessible by foot, thriving community, with a peaceful reputation. Collectively, our relationship with time has transformed, Timesaving devices are obsolete and we value time for what it is. The people of Jefferson County are adamantly committed to their quality of life over greed, over selfishness, over what elsewhere was still a shortsighted treatment of humans as the dominant species.
We have grappled with the concept of what is a sustainable human population for our county and we treat our watershed as a limited bioregion that can healthily support only so much life. Once we correctly diagnosed the situation we were truly in and clearly understood the trouble we were in, we find ourselves empowered to change what we could. We appreciate the advantages of local self-sufficiency imperatives.
A community radio station, KPT, broadcasts with an antenna inside the fire tower. Fort Worden State Park attracts more educational and cultural uses to enhance its vitality. The learning exchange located downtown has become a social Mecca, serving as a marketplace of ideas, skills, and knowledge. Alternatives to jail are implemented for drug addicts. Counseling resources are available to everyone. We enjoy tremendous social capital people working together to problem solve. We hike and camp in our own area.
SUWARY
A cooperative, diverse, child and earth friendly community based on voluntary simplicity, sustainability and active participation. Physically arranged as a group of closely connected neighborhoods, each area including gardens, clustered homes, wildlife/nature areas and commercial/business zones.
We live in a community where the pace of life is well suited to our peaceful reputation. People choose to live here not because of its potential, but because it fulfills their needs and manifests their philosophy.   
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