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SASCO Policy Committee
3 March 2008
Durango Coffee Company
(notes by Dick White)
Attending: Bliss Bruen, Werner Heiber, Roy Horvath, Jim Judge, Rebecca Koeppen, Tom Riesing, Dick White
Sustainability Indicators
Dick observed that we have missed the opportunity for contributing to the Region 9 Healthy Community Indicator Study this year. In the long term, however, this is a very important issue and we should plan ahead and coordinate with Laura Lewis. Tom Riesing noted that the economic multiplier study can yield additional sustainability indicators. Jim commented that the state of Utah, among other jurisdictions, has conducted an ecological footprint analysis. We might consider lobbying the City and County to do this.
Board Organization
Werner suggested that SASCO might reorganize efforts around tasks or projects. We might provide a list of such projects and inquire of the mailing list to let us know what projects they would be interested in working on. Rebecca commented that we might want to schedule an extended board meeting to discuss this organizational issue.
Roy observed that SASCO is “in the middle of things” and has dual roles of communicating to policy makers and building broader community understanding and support. He suggested that we might choose individuals from different committees to constitute project-oriented teams. Tom suggested that we could put on a systems workshop for city and county staff and the public. Rebecca wondered whether we would be more effective working on our umbrella role than doing events ourselves. Dick raised the issue of achieving the greatest leverage with our efforts, which might come from exploiting our umbrella role.
Student Engagement
Dick noted that compiling a database on local organizations would be a task for which students could be particularly effective, particularly because the work could range from simply clerical to engaging in interviews and analysis, depending on the time commitments and academic needs of the students. Rebecca reported on her meeting with Tina Evans, who is now chair of the FLC Environmental Studies Program, and several students. There will be opportunities for students to work with SASCO in classes or as interns. We need to structure these opportunities to begin in the fall. Bliss mentioned that similar opportunities for student project-based learning will emerge with the opening of AnimasHigh School in 2009. A possible project might be to develop a “Craig’s List” of sustainability-related jobs and volunteer opportunities.
Public Meetings
Bliss reported that she and Charlie Kiene had attended the Parks and Recreation master-plan meeting. She will participate in the roughly 3-month process of updating the P&R master plan. We need to track upcoming public meetings and enlist people to attend, participate, and report.
Sustainability Decision-Making Parameters
Werner introduced the draft list of questions that we could pose to policy makers to guide their thinking toward sustainability. He stressed that the list needs to be short, no longer than 3 or 4 questions. One possibility would be to frame the questions around environment, society, economy, and systems. Tom suggested requesting that any project have a systems diagram illustrating its relationships, especially its indirect impacts. Rebecca noted that the right questions might enable us to avoid specifying the specific areas. Paul Hawken (Blessed Unrest) suggested just two principles: “Do no harm” and “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Rebecca suggested questions focusing on local business, quality of life, and indirect consequences.
Jim and Roy wondered about accountability. Bliss and Rebecca countered that these are questions to be addressed prior to decisions. Dick suggested that we formulate a tentative set of questions and seek feedback from Ron LeBlanc and others about what would actually be effective in practice. Jim suggested that we use specific issues, such as the reconstruction of Florida Road, as a lens for evaluating our parameters. No final judgment emerged.