Livable Future Project

Sustainable Living Services Coop and Directory

Apr 26, 2006

Sustainable Living Services:

Purpose: To create a local model which can easily be duplicated where every neighborhood can be self-sufficient and sustainable. To support a critical mass of people to live sustainably, thus creating a sustainable world where every living creature can thrive. This relates to all aspects of our lives: Spiritual, mental, physical, emotional.

Goal: To find a core group of people who are passionate about creating a structure for and then carrying out the idea of the Sustainable Living Services

The structure:

1. We form a cooperative (I have a book that tells how to do that.) A core group is formed consisting of people who have time and energy to focus, who are team players. We are a worker-owned business.

2. We seek out people that we know, and accept applicantions from people we don't know (important to have trustworthy, competent people) who have skills that we want to offer to potential clients including:

Services we could offer

A. Building : insulation, sun shading, weather proofing, double paned glass etc., green building (for new construction or remodeling)

B. Land scaping: edible landscaping, reclaiming lawns, using less water, native plants, plants that purify, organiic, getting rid of invasive species no pesticides, etc.

C. Diet: help to find a diet that is healthy and sustainable, using organic produce, helping to find the cheap places; cleaning out cupboards, coaching on food prep.

D.Gardening: Organic gardening, gardening in pots, composting, worm propagating, mulching, saving water, nutrient intensive, permaculture, urban self sufficiencyl

E. green houses: for solar energy, food raising, beauty

F. Energy: Solar, bio-diesel, venting and insulation and fans, creative ways of saving energy both by how we use it and how the structure is. /All kinds of alternative energy including wind generators, ethanol, and more.

G. Emergency: help identify our resources in our neighborhoods to know what to do if no more oil, or food shortage etc.

H. Water: Solar distillers, rain water, drinking water, conserving water in shower heads,

I. Sewage prevention: Composting toilets, less water in toilet, alternate ways to urinate, grey water funneling, ponds to purify water.

J. Chemical sensitivities: Analyze the house; indoor plants, non-toxic paints, non-toxic cleaning

K. Cleaning: non-toxic products

Sustainable lifestyle coach: helps people get organized, clear clutter, make a healthy environment on all levels, find right livelihood. Could be a live in person, kind of like a nanny; or only on phone, or home visits.

Emotional Healing: counselors who use techniques that help stop addictions and get to root of problems, and empower people: not to adapt, but to change the system! We would offer training in peer counseling so that everyone could get free counseling.

Communication, mediation: teach people skills of NVC in all areas--with marriage, children, etc.

Sustainable Education: We have a school which is at a better site than the farm--so it can be accessible and more acceptable to a larger group of people. Also, I realize that having a school that charges at the farm is hard for the free-running kids- and parents who at this point are not willing to pay for school fees. -I am still open, though. We could also help people make a transition to homeschooling.

The following ideas are ones that would enhance what we are doing, but not be a part of the business aspect. People who are involved with the core group would help get these things started: both as a community service, as well as for an enhancement for our business.

The Church of the Sustainable Way: Just like a church, we have worship services, scripture studies, mediation and prayer, various services and out reach. Every thing we do would ask the question: Is this going to contribute to helping every living creature thrive? There is no dogma or doctrine in this church. The foundational belief is that we have an earth that was created by something or someone--and we want to nurture the earth and all creatures on it.

Neighborhood Facilitator Training Center: We would train indivduals who would, similar to peace corps volunteers or missionaries go two by two to neighborhoods, starting with Fayetteville, to help people create a sustainable neighborhood. They would have resources to rent or buy a house which would be made (somehow overcoming or working with zoning laws), a kind of Sustainable General Store and Learning Center. We would have a warehouse where they could buy items that people use every day, like toilet paper, rechargeable batteries, etc.,and eventually we would be able to weaken WalMart's influence.

They would do an inventory of the resources, help create an emergency plan in case of such things a power outages or natural disasters, build trust, create a sustainable living learning center, and help people cooperate as well as resolve past and present conflicts. They would also help the neighborhood create their own unique vision of what is a sustainable neighborhood, then help them work together to achieve that vision. Since all this is being done in other neighborhoods, we merely need to duplicate what has already been done-develop the training to do that.

They would help create the learning center which would support home schoolers, as well as offer classes in such things as organic gardening, simple living, non-violent communication, etc.

A community facilitator trains others to be community facilitators.

Community Gatherings: at the Park: A time to connect and interface with all kinds of people in the community. A different organization would volunteer each week to make a free vegan meal, with the option of having a non-vegan option if they want. We would use open space technology to give people opportunities to play, work on projects, deep relationships and make new friends. We would be building community.

Alternatives to money: Set up the LETS credit system so that we can barter these services mroe easily.(local economic trading system)

Child Care: our babysitters would be trained in NVC and How to talk so kids will listen andlisten so kids will talk, as well as other sustainable living skills they can teach to kids.

Wilderness living skills/awareness and edible plants: we would have a school (at Wellspring Community in Kingston) to teach these skills for those who want to be sure to be ready for emergencies. Also, to teach people to connect spiritually with the land

Mediators: We would offer mediation services and traing to help people mediate conflicts.

Creativity Facilitators: Song writing, poetry, singing, playing instruments, art, acting: all taught in such a way that it nurtures the human spirit, focussing not only on technical aspects, but also encouraging people to use their creativity for healing and for relaying a message of a better world.

Legal: If someone wants to, for example, build a straw bale house or have a compost toilet, or create a community land trust, a nature conservancy, or otherwise protect their land from being exploited. Our lawyers would also be well-versed in defending property rights--like if the city wants to cut down a tree without permission or violate their own tree code. Civil rights, and doing land trusts.

Inventions and Research: We would have a pool of inventors and researchers who support all our service providers with the best and cheapest products.

Holistic health: If someone has cancer, or life threatening disease, or just wants to be living a healthy lifestyle without drugs or doctors, we have a bunch of healers we refer them to, as well as in-home nursing. We could help start a holistic healing center, as well as a live in raw foods center such as hippocrates. Homeopathy, herbology, aromatherapy, chiropractic, massage, and much more would be part of the offering.


Ideas for expanding and promoting the business

I feel torn about how connected we all will be in terms of legality. I am leaning in the direction of a kind of cooperative network, where people voluntarily want to help all the people in the cooperative. There could be a kind of sustainable yellow pages--a directory of everyone in the network--as well as locally owned businesses. We would also include people who are in the barter network. A web site with all this info will be important. Eventually, a television program, inititially on CAT, would interview people who are involved. The bottom line is that people would want to help each other because of the cooperative promotion as well as the good will they have towards each other.

Everyone involved would have incentive to carry cards for e company, promote us, get email addresses for the newsletter--talk to everyone--because everyone gets a percentage of the over all profits--as a worker owned business as well as the fact that we are doing such good work. We would train our workers to be networkers and also be organized. Although the workers at first might not be employees, but subcontractors--we can still give bonusses according to overall profits.

Here is an example of someone who might give referrals, and we would somehow compensate him: Bob Jordan, home inspector, could get involved--when he inspects homes, not only would he say if the building is sound, but also offer recommendations for sustainable living, and refer people to us.

Franchises: We could duplicate this business, have franchises of sorts--have some control over quality--sell the name, train the core group, have hand book, and thus duplicate our efforts in every community in the world. We would probably establish regions where the business would operate. Anyone could set up a similar service, but Sustainable Living Services would be a trade marked name, and when people hear about it, they would say, "Wow, I know I can trust them if I hire people from SLS". By globalizing this business, we can help change the entire world.

There are probably lots more options--just about any independent contractor could probably be transformed into someone who contributes to sustainable living.

Here are other key words: urban permaculture; urban self sufficiency; direct democracy; safety net; food security; community supported agriculture; alternative currencies; helping youth get involved--after school jobs.

Way to get compensated:

The core group would work to help with all details of the business. They keep track of the hours they work and get paid an hourly wage as well as a percentage of overall profits.

Promotional Ideas

We do a mass advertising effort to let people know about the service we are offering. We use every bit of public relations knowledge we have in order to get know thorugh out NWarkansas as a viable, excellent business--which also then raises the awareness of sustainable living. We also continue to create a structure so we are each clear on our duties, and we find those people we want to work for us. We divide the duties. Decide if we need someone else on our team--perhaps Stephen Vallus, an accountant. Maybe a lawyer--such as Monica Boylans partner.

How it will work:

We offer people different options:

1. A sustainable living consultant can go to home and do a check list (which we research and create) to give advice on how to create more sustainable life style. This would be paid for. The client then decides what he or she wants, and can either hire from our company, or hire someone else.

2. We can send out a free questionaire, via email or mail, anad have person fill out. From this, we are able to give recommedations on how we can help, and give those recommndations--this might be free?

3. People can call for specific needs, ie: they want an organic garden, or weather proofing, or non-toxic painting--then we have our people call the customer.

4. Other ideas?

The core group makes money by:

1. Getting a percentage of the workers fees. We have to decide on how much etc.

2. Getting meaningful jobs--whatever we decide is our "niche" in the sustainable services.

3. workers could pay a membership fee--

4. We could publish a newsletter which is subscription or might be free for promotion.

5. We could publish a directory and website that tells people about local businesses, where to find various items without going to Walmart or other chain stores, green alternatives to things we use every day.

Future plans for expansion

Venture Capital: We would be making so much money that we have money to lend to help people start sustainable businesses, like doing the bio diesel thing, or starting neighborhood all-purpose stores/coffeeshop/ learning center/community center.--a new kind of "general store" like they had in the old days. A learning center could be more profitable if combined with a neighborhood store.

Franchises: We could duplicate this business, have franchises of sorts--have some control over quality--sell the name, train the core group, have hand book, and thus duplicate our efforts in every community in the world. We would probably establish regions where the business would operate. Anyone could set up a similar service, but Sustainable Living Services would be a trade marked name, and when people hear about it, they would say, "Wow, I know I can trust them if I hire people from SLS". By globalizing this business, we can help change the entire world.


Loans: Give low interest loans to people to help buy solar, diesel cars, etc.

Factories: Build a sustainable manufacturing/distribution plant, which would include such things as solar panels and other alterniatve energy and building stuff.

Greenhouses and farms: We help them get started or transform into sustainable farming so that we can have food security in every region.

Steps to get going

Step one: Re write this page so it is a bit more organized. (I did one editing of it--I think it helped a lot!)

Step two; send it to the people we want to be involved.(I will do that today)

Step three: Schedule a meeting with those people who are willing to participate and explore.

Step Four: Get all the agreements completed before we do anything--to prevent conflicts. We really will be like a community in many ways, with our commitment level. We will also figure out how to balance working, family life, etc--as we create something new (thus working even more than before). Get a lawyer to help finalize the agreements so that no one is liable, and also so that we can really expand into a global corporation.

Step Five: Do the publicity

Step Six. Open up for business

Step seven have regular meetinsg to keep learning from our mistakes and successes,to build a sense of community, to be a learning community, and to keep expanding and fine-tuning our structure. We also have company wide open space technology meetings to improve everything. Workers attend the weekly community gatherings to connect and build trust.get more . We offer free and paid classes to educate and get exposure.

The vision: It is January 1 2007

The Sustainable Living Services Corporation is now a household word in every country. The word sustainable is understood for what it is, and people are rising to the occasion and changing their lives in radical ways. 80% of the people have been able to transform their non-productive work which supports out of integrity governments and corporations--into right livehoods where they do what they love to do and contribute to a sustainable world.

Now, every neighborhood who wants one has two neighborhood facilitators who have set up sustainable cooperative learning centers and a critical mass of neighborhoods are now sustainable. Today is the day that it all happened: every person in the world is happy to live a sustainable lifestyle, and they have the training and knowledge to do it.

Every child and young person can now attend, free of charge, the Learning Center for Sustainable Living--and most public schools have either closed their doors, or have decided to opt for a new format. The need for robots who work in companies just because they need money is no longer present. the need is for creative individuals who passsionately want to restore and heal the world.

Wellspring Community is the dynamic center of all of this. It is fortunate that we have an airstrip next doorj--because we need it! We have bought all the remaining land in the community, and now the Well Spring Community is a very dynamic, happening center of sustainable living in the world. Bridges have been built with the people who proclaim Jesus as the only way to god, and they are happy to have all of us there.

We interface with other organizations, and help create regional organizations similar to the Coalition for a Livable Future in Portland. our web site is an awesome resource. We interface with towns and cities which are going towards sustainability.
conclusion: I am going to make a tape of all this and give it to key people to listen to. I will put in it in first person as a story to make it entertaining. Maybe make a movie out of it--like a fake documentary--everyone I can do to help people feel the possibilities.

It was easy with our network communications to contact billions of people to send healing energy to the earth on July 13, 2007 and now we really are seeing the effects of it. Scientists are reporting that global warming is cooling down to a normal temperature. Pollution is ceasing--almost magically, air and water has been purified. People are getting amazing healings--physical, mental, spiritual and emotional.

Christian Churches have been transformed---there has been such a demand for sermons about earth steward ship, social justice, and how to be the hands and feet of Jesus, focussing on his teachings of agape love and non-violence--that most churches are real centers of social change and spiritual transformation.

We have so much hope--as we go forward with our goals. We hope to do away with the need for money all together--that we will be so centered in living simply and sustainably and spiritually--that giving and receiving becomes a way of life, the garden of eden returns to our earth with so much abundance that we all have what we need.

Governments are filled with inspired, selfless souls who are truly looking out for the well being of all. We have direct democracy where everyone has a say, and systems of governmance which keep leaders accountable. People have time and energy to get to know their leaders, and the corrupt ones have seen that they can't get away with their lies any more.

In fact, most of the leaders in both corporations and governments have been so overwhelmed with seeing all the love in the world, that they wanted to have a piece of the action, and they gave up their evil ways. Power and money were not satisfying any needs.

The kingdom of God that Jesus and other great ones have predicted would come--is now here. I celebrate!

Please! Add your part of the vision to this.
The end (of the vision part.

I will request prayers for this: I kow I have gotten excited before, but this is feeling like the big picture and a real possibility.

Conclusion:

I see that one of the things that has happened since I started the Livable Future Project is that I have been in a research mode--finding people, discovering resources, getting to know and re-know people who could be involved. It feels pretty amazing--I think I was in a kind of dark night of the soul when I felt so discouraged--but at the same time, I didn't give up, just re visited it.

I still want the small group of people who continue to deepen their commitment--eventually I believe they will yearn to live at Wellspring because we can expand and build and experiment--with almost no building codes (one of the only places in the country that has so minimal controls!)

A prayer: Creator of all, I just ask you to bless this endeavor, give me guidance, enlarge our territory until we can effectively and lovingly offer possibilities for sustainable life to all. Help jpeopel be willing to accept the possibility that we can make a big, big difference. I pray that the members of the core group would come forth, people who have time, energy, even money to share. I pray that I have lots of energy this week to refine this, that others will be excited and available, and that we can work together harmoniously to co-create this with you. Give us wisdon and insight. May we truly make a difference.Amen