This is a static copy of the main wikispot.org site, preserved for historical purposes only. Please see this page for more information.

sustainableliving

 InfoInfo
Search:    
Are you looking to edit [sustainableliving]sustainableliving? You're on the Wiki Spot "hub" right now. Also, somebody left a note about another wiki, [sustainability]sustainability, that you might want to consider contributing to instead. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them over on the FAQ or Community Discussion pages. Best, PhilipNeustrom
Name
Center for Sustainable Living
Type
Collaboration for living sustainably
Link
[sustainableliving]sustainableliving
Creators
Linda Guzynski
Contact
(some form of non-wiki based contact information)
Created
February 5th, 2008

Center for Sustainable Living-
Master Planning Documents

Vision Statement
The Center for Sustainable Living is a Community Center dedicated to the Transformation of Society toward Radical Sustainability & *Probiotic Values, & Human & Environmental Justice, through Education, Modeling, Cooperation, Service & Activism. We Embrace Spiritual & Personal Growth & Health and the Cultivation of Deep Community Connections. We are Guided by our Consensus Ideals & Common Agreements, yet Respect Individual Choices & Personal Paths.
(*Probiotic meaning beneficial to the circle of life)

The work of the Center for Sustainable Living will include: living, modeling, & teaching life styles that are free from dependence on fossil fuels, thereby decreasing global climate change & helping to preserve the community of life on planet earth. We will undertake permaculture & integrated small scale organic farming, bee keeping, alternative green building techniques (straw bale, cobb, geothermal, solar, etc.), alternative energy, the facilitation of community, & of spiritual & personal growth through study, mediation & fellowship, & the pursuit of peace through human & environmental justice work. We envision an afterschool & camp program, eldercare, classes, & hosting a conference center among other things.

Goals
Acquire a farm where we can
~create a spiritual community
~provide a community center for classes, conferences, retreats, day camps, summer camps, for dances, & for community gatherings/ special events
~farm & practice/ demonstrates/ & teach permaculture
~implements sustainable technologies that enable us to live gently on the planet using our fair share of resources in a non-polluting way (radically better versus just a bit greener than present forms) & that shares, models, & teaches re: these forms
~determine the best cohousing/ community plan for a particular parcel of land
~shift away from fossil fuel dependence but still meet our needs
~become a clearinghouse for sustainable lifestyles & information via website, classes, community center, etc. Link resources & network groups
~save the earth & all her creatures, create peace & justice, harmony
~Determine best way to hold land
~Determine best way to create the non-profit & obtain 501C-3
~Get the word out about our vision & goals & build our membership
~Continue with consciousness raising activities re: global climate change (continue to show the documentary & facilitate discussions re: culture change & shifting off fossil fuels & toward community, permaculture, & true sustainability

So How Could We Buy A Farm Near Town & Transition To the Center For Sustainable Living? Possible Scenarios:

Scenario 1)
A- A small critical number of folks pool their resources & household rentals/ capital or equity investments to acquire the Farm. They live together on the farm sharing the existing structures until additional structures can be built as needed & once clarity is gained re: the best technologies & designs to implement & the best ways to fund such…
B- As clarity is achieved re: the best designs, & funding is obtained, additional buildings are created
C- Meanwhile step by step as it grows organically, programming is added to the Center toward the vision & goals above under the non-profit which will be formed

Scenario 2)
A- Phase 1- A group of investors pool resources to acquire the farm together. Folks who need to/desire to share the existing structures for a hopefully brief time until phase 2 is completed
B- Phase 2- A cohousing community of a size determined to be best for the Lystra Farm & that works w/ zoning, etc., is quickly build. Presales & sales of units or of shares fund the building & the buyback of the farm from the phase 1 investors
C- Phase 3- The community center & programming are brought under the non-profit & are up & running…

To Do List- Feel Free to sign up for a task

Establish criteria for evaluating technologies- What will be embraced as a good thing to implement by our community?

Establish cost of implementing technologies embraced & find builders/ installers of these technologies or learn how to do it ourselves.

Determine best number of residents of farm & best living structures to make project sustainable & feasible & work with legal/ zoning issues…

Determine best non-profit structure to seek & seek it

Determine the legal options for organizing for land ownership & for our uses for a decision by group

Understand how our uses fit into the zoning of the Lystra farm & how to get our intended uses legally approved

Determine best Living Plan for cohousing/ alternative technology for the Center for Sustainable Living with relation to the Lystra Road Farm-
What technologies will be used, what buildings, what energy sources, & at what cost & how many people would need to be involved to make it work financially & how would that fit with the uses ???…

Flush out the funding details

Questions to Answer

Is the Farm at Lystra able to be subdivided to help with zoning & use issues?

What is the capacity of the well? Can it handle irrigation of a farm & supply water for how many people? What kind of shape is the well in?

Septic performance & Size? What can the current septics handle re: occupancy?

What is the lowest price we could purchase the farm for?

What grants could we get for the farm purchase?

What is the best Master Plan for the community in terms of alternative technologies, costs & uses/ zoning?

Are there green builders/ contractores who we could hire to go from Phase 1 to Phase 2 quickly & affordably?

Adopt a group decision making structure & how new members will be admitted for decision making, or for involvement in the group…

We need Folks who are interested in, have skills, or are a resource in: (please add yourself or recommend other to anything that applies)

Creating the “MasterPlan”

Initial Farm Investors or Renters in phase 1

Interested in Cohousing for Phase 2

Interested in our mission & in programming

Resources for bringing the dream into reality

Heidi Paulson, (degree in planning & environmental studies & on Carrboro’s planning board)

Others doing cool stuff we can learn from

Skills to Acquire/ things to learn about

Decision Making/ Consensus

How to incorporate as a church non-profit or under the care of a Friends Meeting/ organization

Criteria for Evaluating Property/ Land under consideration for the Center

Goals of the Center For Sustainble Living

Perform Outreach to Grow our associates/ membership/ friends through events, conversation, “marketing”, Website

Create Non-Profit Entity
Seek to be under care of Friends Meeting or under a Friends organization

Acquire Land near town where we can achieve other goals below

Create an intentional intergenerational spiritual & service oriented community in line with the goals & vision statement & ideals of Center that strives to live without fossil fuel dependence in balance with the Ecosystem. This Community could:
Serve as a Teaching Model of One Way that humans can live in America without carbon based or fossil fuel dependence
Explore issues such as buildings & alternative “green/clean” energy use for heating, cooling, bathing, cooking & laundry
Explore transport without carbon based fuel use

Develop a Living Permaculture Demonstration Farm that shares & spreads Permaculture & promotes a food supply free from fossil fuel embeddedness/ dependence to nourish the Center for Sustainable Living Community & the greater community & spread these practice permaculture

Create a community Center for the purposes of facilitating culture change toward a more probiotic lifestyle through modeling, education, demonstration, for the facilitation of social & environmental justice work, for the facilitation of spiritual growth & health & for the deepening of community connections.

Develop Programming toward our goals & ideals

Clearing house for information & “technology”

Host spiritual pursuits toward enlightenment & the
Experience of the Divine. Possibilities might include:

A Friends Meeting for worship (not competing w/
Sunday Chapel Hill Friends Meeting)
Meditation & healing prayer activities
Study Groups
Classes in Yoga, Martial arts, Meditation,

deepen our connections to one another

activism to help create social & environmental justice

This is a Wiki Spot wiki. Wiki Spot is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that helps communities collaborate via wikis.