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For our green map, link directory, banner exchange and other free marketing projects, the website committee needs a set of guidelines on what our local environmental community considers "green" and "not green". This would be used to determine which businesses qualify for listings in our green map and other marketing opportunities for businesses.
There are a few broad guidelines out there on 'green marketing terms' and 'greenwashing' but most are too broad for our purposes. Also, because our group takes a more holistic approach (peak oil, economy) we may have a slightly different definition of 'green' than conventional environmental movements do.
Here is a revised draft that makes use of some of the comments recieved below:
Green Business:
- Renewable Energy (Solar, Wind, Micro-Hydro or Biomass)
- Sustainable Building (Energy Auditing, Design Services or Sustainable Building Supplies)
Green Food:
- Farm Store (On farm store or direct to consumer sales)
- Community Supported Agriculture (CSA Shares)
- Food Market - Atleast 50% of food products sold is either organic or comes from local farms
- Restaurant - Atleast 25% of food sold must be organic or come from local farms
Post-Carbon Skills:
- Farming/Gardening
- Food Processing/Storage
- Health & Wellness Skills
- Survival Skills/Foraging
- Energy Conservation
- Post-Carbon Living (Making Soap, Clothing, Bicycle Repair, etc.)
If anyone has any comments, click the comments link below to share them. We hope to revise this list periodically to reflect current perceptions of our local environmental community.
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Comments
I think that the GMO portion may be difficult to tackle, as many people consume or grow GMO without even knowing.
But it doesn't hurt to include it?
So it can be done.
Anyways, I was wondering about that too. I'm thinking that GMO might actually be a good technology if it were researched by credible people and placed in the right hands. We could engineer crops that don't require pesticides or that grow outside of their normal climate zones.
-Great idea to iron it all out first
-Wonder where the handicrafters come in since many at-home parents and those in (early
-Also think GMO free would be difficult - there is no requirement for a company to reveal to a Canadian business or consumer whether they are using GMOs or not, so some companies are 'all clear' for the European/Asian market and change their suppliers for the NA market. 'Known' is the key.
-What about the local crafters (fibre/art/wood/soaps etc.) where could they fit in?
-Agree GMO determinants would be difficult (restaurants, for instance, cannot get that info from their direct suppliers. In particular soy, corn, and rice, so how would TT have confidence that they know). Anyone can buy GM seed. Many of the meat producers are feeding GM to their meat-on -the-hoof-or-trotter. It is easy. I could buy GM seed and sell the product at the Farmers' Market. Perhaps GM is a particapatory task for an activist wing of the TT?
-Would like some way of differentiating organic from local - the eaters who choose either are sometimes the same, but often different, and large businesses would probably have to go with Certified Organic products for traceability, and there are no certified organic producers in about a 150km radius, as far as I know. Perhaps a simple symbol Like an O or L or B (biodynamic is also a buzzword for foodies), or other, listed next to their product/service list, then let the consumer decide - that may exclude fewer services and uncomplicate things.
-Perhaps a suggested statement like some kind of a transition commitment from the business would be helpful, this could be optional and as a button like a second layer to the balloon and could state the business' ethic (Like "Promoting a northern palate by serving only foods sweetened with maple syrup" for some kind of future icecream shop. This would allow businesses to highlight some of their eco-features not described by the map's constraints (perhaps 'baked only using local biofuels' or 'woven locally using my own alpaca' or a historic business could describe their history).
-Perhaps a portion for wellness? I don't know much about it, but there are an awful lot of local meditative or massage/reishi businesses and perhaps that helps people to deal with the stress of an economy in oil-slide?
Here are Albert K. Bates 'Steps' from his book, The Post Petroleum Survival Guide and Cookbook.
Step 1. Rebuild Civilization
Step 2. Save you Water
Step 3. Manage Your Wastes
Step 4. Create Energy
Step 5. Grow Your Food
Step 6. Store Your Food
Step 7. Be Prepared
Step 8. Change Your Ride
Step 9. Change Your Need
Step 10. Imagine Sustainability
Step 11. Quit Your Job
Step 12. Utopia By Morning
Afterword: The Great Change
Thanks. Added it to the bookstore