If you were to design a series of small group conversations as a learning journey guiding participants toward a co-created vision of a thrivable economic system, what questions... (see below for more) - Occupy Cafe2024-03-29T14:31:30Zhttp://www.occupycafe.org/forum/topics/if-you-were-to-design-a-series-of-small-group-conversations-as-a?groupUrl=occupy-your-neighborhood&groupId=6451976%3AGroup%3A4908&id=6451976%3ATopic%3A5249&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI love Lucy and celebrate the…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2011-11-15:6451976:Comment:91792011-11-15T19:25:26.920ZLindsay Newland Bowkerhttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/LindsayNewlandBowker
<p>I love Lucy and celebrate the N Streeters..a living expression of what community can be, what neighborhood can be. .</p>
<p>I love Lucy and celebrate the N Streeters..a living expression of what community can be, what neighborhood can be. .</p> Wow! Seriously: Wow! Thank…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2011-11-15:6451976:Comment:94662011-11-15T19:12:40.404ZMichelle Hollidayhttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/MichelleHolliday
<p>Wow! Seriously: Wow! Thank you, Ron. </p>
<p>Wow! Seriously: Wow! Thank you, Ron. </p> Here is another great example…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2011-11-15:6451976:Comment:93672011-11-15T19:02:10.616ZRon Czecholinskihttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/RonCzecholinski
<p>Here is another great example of possibilities. This group in Cincinnati has identified an urban 90 home neighborhood as their ecovillage. Last time I checked, about 10% of the houses are owned by members. They haven't torn down the fences but they are on their way. Check out what they have done - what if every neighborhood organized 10% of their neighbors?</p>
<p><a href="http://enrightecovillage.org/" target="_blank">Enright Ridge Urban Ecovillage</a></p>
<p>Here is another great example of possibilities. This group in Cincinnati has identified an urban 90 home neighborhood as their ecovillage. Last time I checked, about 10% of the houses are owned by members. They haven't torn down the fences but they are on their way. Check out what they have done - what if every neighborhood organized 10% of their neighbors?</p>
<p><a href="http://enrightecovillage.org/" target="_blank">Enright Ridge Urban Ecovillage</a></p> N Street Cohousing in Davis C…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2011-11-15:6451976:Comment:92592011-11-15T18:46:12.232ZRon Czecholinskihttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/RonCzecholinski
<p>N Street Cohousing in Davis California is a great model for tearing down fences and building community. Here is some information with a photo of their yard and a very inspiring article:</p>
<p><a href="http://daviswiki.org/N_Street_Cohousing" target="_blank">N Street Cohousing</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.ongo.com/v/96570/-1/4ECD61AC4D50C307/a-village-that-loves-lucy" target="_blank">A Village that Loves Lucy</a></p>
<p>N Street Cohousing in Davis California is a great model for tearing down fences and building community. Here is some information with a photo of their yard and a very inspiring article:</p>
<p><a href="http://daviswiki.org/N_Street_Cohousing" target="_blank">N Street Cohousing</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.ongo.com/v/96570/-1/4ECD61AC4D50C307/a-village-that-loves-lucy" target="_blank">A Village that Loves Lucy</a></p> I love this, Terrence. I liv…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2011-11-15:6451976:Comment:91332011-11-15T14:06:33.952ZMichelle Hollidayhttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/MichelleHolliday
<p>I love this, Terrence. I live in a row house, and our backyards are all connected, but divided by fences. You've painted an inspiring image. </p>
<p>As I originally posed this question, I had in mind designing a website that would support people anywhere in gathering for a series of conversations. But lately it seems to make sense to prototype the concept in my own neighborhood.</p>
<p>So this past weekend, I suggested to my husband that we invite a few neighboring families over for a…</p>
<p>I love this, Terrence. I live in a row house, and our backyards are all connected, but divided by fences. You've painted an inspiring image. </p>
<p>As I originally posed this question, I had in mind designing a website that would support people anywhere in gathering for a series of conversations. But lately it seems to make sense to prototype the concept in my own neighborhood.</p>
<p>So this past weekend, I suggested to my husband that we invite a few neighboring families over for a meaningful conversation that might turn into a series of them. He was reluctant to commit to a series and suggested that we start with just a basic friendly conversation with one family. So that's what we did, and it felt like an appropriate small first step. This might be something good to keep in mind as we begin to suggest things for other people: start by getting to know your neighbors' names! </p>
<p>As I think about the image you've painted of neighbors without fences, it also makes me think that I'd love to have stories and photos of other people doing something like that - especially if it's people I can relate to. This would be inspiring and encouraging. Another thing to keep in mind.</p> I would love to see suburban…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2011-11-15:6451976:Comment:92192011-11-15T07:51:06.374ZTerrence Bishophttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/TerrenceBishop
<p>I would love to see suburban neighbours contact the 10 or 12 adjacent or near adjacent households, come together firstly just to get to know each other (with guidelines conducive to growing respect and trust) and to then talk about how they could share resources with the intent to explore pulling all the fences down to create shared open space that could contain such things as a shared veggie patch, shared tool shed, shared playground, even shared garage down the track.</p>
<p>It could be…</p>
<p>I would love to see suburban neighbours contact the 10 or 12 adjacent or near adjacent households, come together firstly just to get to know each other (with guidelines conducive to growing respect and trust) and to then talk about how they could share resources with the intent to explore pulling all the fences down to create shared open space that could contain such things as a shared veggie patch, shared tool shed, shared playground, even shared garage down the track.</p>
<p>It could be done without expense or risk, until such time as the decision is made to tear down the fences. The "How To" guide could be a viral freebie. An interim step could be an agreement to put gates in the fences, and to have some back yards shared (e.g. veggie patch) even within the old fences.</p> I only "harvested" what you h…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2011-11-14:6451976:Comment:79752011-11-14T13:57:52.691ZLindsay Newland Bowkerhttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/LindsayNewlandBowker
<p>I only "harvested" what you had already planted and nurtured. and brought to ripeness.</p>
<p>I only "harvested" what you had already planted and nurtured. and brought to ripeness.</p> Thank you for that, Lindsay.…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2011-11-14:6451976:Comment:85332011-11-14T13:48:18.702ZDavid Eggletonhttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/DavidEggleton
<p>Thank you for that, Lindsay. More will <em>get</em> my brief contributions because you filled them out.</p>
<p>Thank you for that, Lindsay. More will <em>get</em> my brief contributions because you filled them out.</p> Just coming back to this post…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2011-11-14:6451976:Comment:84302011-11-14T13:37:48.322ZLindsay Newland Bowkerhttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/LindsayNewlandBowker
<p>Just coming back to this post David and the exchange with Michelle from which it arises.</p>
<p>An important core idea ..we don't have to wait for a "national Energy Policy" to create habits in our lives that recognize the value of these free and abundant energy resources in our own lives..learn how to harvest and employ them in the context of where we are living now.</p>
<p>Each of us can have an intentional "Personal Energy Policy" that looks for and employs what is around us that we…</p>
<p>Just coming back to this post David and the exchange with Michelle from which it arises.</p>
<p>An important core idea ..we don't have to wait for a "national Energy Policy" to create habits in our lives that recognize the value of these free and abundant energy resources in our own lives..learn how to harvest and employ them in the context of where we are living now.</p>
<p>Each of us can have an intentional "Personal Energy Policy" that looks for and employs what is around us that we might otherwise waste.</p>
<p>Even in lower density urban neighborhoods it is possible to harvest and use rainwater..to compost kitchen waste and anywhere it is possible to take account of the suns heat and learn to use that to reduce reliance on oil. The charcoal from our wood burning stoves, fireplaces and brush pile burns can ammend our soil in an endlessly regenerative way increasing drought tolerance, increasing yield, producing healthier plants that are naturally more resistent to disease and insects.( again pointing to Aerin's call that we look back to the ancients to look forward to our new tomorrow..terra preta is the one of oldest known forms of agriculture.) </p>
<p>Islands like Bermuda, for example, are places we can look to to see these practices at work, especially in water harvesting. The island has only the water that falls in the form of rain for everything..including agriculture.</p>
<p>So in the spirit of Michelle's call for us to ask key questions, could we turn your observation into a question:</p>
<p>"What free energy and resources do we allow to slip through our fingers every day?"</p>
<p>"What practices and habits can we adopt that captures, stores, uitlizes these free resources? (i.e. what are the core elements of my personal energy plan?"</p> Yes,excellent point Michelle.…tag:www.occupycafe.org,2011-11-14:6451976:Comment:79742011-11-14T11:40:27.126ZLindsay Newland Bowkerhttp://www.occupycafe.org/profile/LindsayNewlandBowker
<p>Yes,excellent point Michelle. Debt is not only monetary.</p>
<p>When we abrogate stewardsip for the Earth ( I like that you capitalize"Earth"..I will heneceforth do the same) or for one another, we incurr a moral debt. A debt we can't just walk away from. One we have to start paying down.</p>
<p>Also your point is important in recognizing that we don't have a clean slate ..that there is much that has to get undone, much that has to get repaired as we envision a thriveable…</p>
<p>Yes,excellent point Michelle. Debt is not only monetary.</p>
<p>When we abrogate stewardsip for the Earth ( I like that you capitalize"Earth"..I will heneceforth do the same) or for one another, we incurr a moral debt. A debt we can't just walk away from. One we have to start paying down.</p>
<p>Also your point is important in recognizing that we don't have a clean slate ..that there is much that has to get undone, much that has to get repaired as we envision a thriveable economy. </p>
<p>Thanks Michelle.</p>