Sustainable Tarpon Springs - Conscious, Economic Visions

Sustainable Tarpon Springs -  Conscious, Economic Visions

I am very thankful for the plethora of websites available today about sustainability.  The resources and knowledge are vast, and thanks to the internet - especially social networks - it is amazing how quickly we can instantaneous ‘share’ information.   Hopefully, through the ‘cross-pollination’ of our networks, we are not simply preaching to the choir!  

When we were in the recent throes of our economic meltdown - which affected every country worldwide because of how connected we are - I was both shocked and hopeful.  I was shocked that Wall Street shenanigans had jeopardized everyone’s livelihood, and more shocked that somehow CEOs were able to wrangle bonuses out of taxpayers in spite of the breakdown.  But I was also hopeful that when the economy was so severely broken, it would be the ripe opportunity for a ‘breakthrough’ to a new economic paradigm.

Has the breakthrough come?   If so, it has been so slow that it may be imperceptible.  I personally hoped this was perfect timing to implement new, green technologies, renewable energy sources, and jobs in sustainable industries.  But there was an equal amount of effort from various ‘dinosaur industries’ to keep plugging away and sending lobbyists to Washington DC to buy favors from our representatives. 

There is a whole lot of chaos and fear surrounding a ‘breakthrough’, and it seems the human tendency is to cling to the familiar rather than ‘break away’ and embrace a new way of doing things.  But we continue to have unprecedented opportunities to participate in ‘the change we want to see’ by creating thriving local economies - and consciously unplugging from the ‘matrix’ that has been presented as the norm.

Tarpon Springs truly has the potential to develop as a sustainable economy, creating an environment for healthy growth attractive to young couples and families to our city.  Without appealing to this sector of our population, we won’t have an economic future.  There are so many considerations and opportunities to process through a ‘sustainability filter’, if such a thing were part of our city policy.

As an example, a small ancient dying town in Italy made a radical decision to become a leader in renewable energy - and with a meager public purse and implementing the best of new wind technologies, Tocca Da Casauria, Italy, is not only producing all of their energy from wind and solar, they are selling it back to the power company.  Large electrical bills have been reduced to barely anything.  Read the story here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/29/science/earth/29fossil.html?_r=0

A sustainable economy can become reality when we evaluate all opportunities we have to move into a ‘greener’ direction with clean energy, zero waste, diversification, ecosystem services, local economic growth, support of local organic food growth, and so on.  Perhaps it is time for formal sustainable strategies to be put into place!

Until then, for those of us without inclination to be involved in the large scale public policy  process, we can put our own choices through a personal sustainability filter.  Friends of ours chose to do that by creating a network of sustainable local businesses we are encouraged to support:  http://ourconsciouscommunity.com     

If sustainable infrastructure changes aren’t happening fast enough for us, we should be willing to make our own changes until the system catches up with our awareness.  Perhaps it is time to organize for the purpose of moving our community a direction that will be sustainable for everyone for a very long time!  Any takers?  I hope so because NOW is the time.