Change: On a Local Level

By Christopher Forestieri

A couple of weeks ago, I briefly discussed a reusable bag drive held by the Shorewood Conservation Committee in Shorewood, Wisconsin. The drive was interesting to me for several reasons.

First, it offered a community a sustainable alternative to the very wasteful one-use grocery store bags with which we have become so accustomed over the years. But what I thought to be most interesting (as well as most efficient) was that instead of proposing some sort of legislation or political action, this group focused on a simple solution and concentrated solely on their community; they subverted the political process by acting themselves.

By reaching out to local businesses, they were able to develop an advertising deal which allowed them to provide re-usable bags to their community at no cost to its citizens.

In a year when many are looking to the government, namely the next president, for solutions to a wide range of environmental problems, it is refreshing to see a group take a different path toward action.

We can only hope for help from Washington, and even our state and local government for that matter, but we can act on our own to create change today. By being creative with funding and keeping their scope limited, they were able to encourage a substantial margin of people to make a lifestyle choice which, however simple, is the first step towards changing everyday habits into sustainable choices.

But the other part of the story I found most compelling, or more accurately encouraging, was the enthusiasm and dedication of Shorewood’s volunteer force. After my post mentioning the bag-drive, a Shorewood Conservation Committee member, who identified herself as Jenny A., was kind enough to leave me the following comment:

“Those of us who had worked for months to make this happen looked at the weather forecast for the day we planned to distribute the bags and were dismayed to see heavy rain predicted for the entire day. As you can imagine, the logistics of recruiting volunteers to fan out over almost 7000 households were formidable. We worried that the rain (and I mean DRIVING rain) would cause volunteers to stay home and really... who could blame them? Actually, the thing that impressed me the most was just how many people DID show up despite the less than ideal weather. We actually ended up having to turn people away toward late afternoon since so many people wanted to be a part of it.”

“It was an exciting and exhausting day, but as drenched volunteers streamed back into "Bag HQ" and we crossed off sections of the village one by one, it was apparent how much people were enjoying coming together as a community. I saw many satisfied smiles and heard lots about what fun folks were having together.... even BECAUSE OF the rain. Some even came back and asked for another section of the village map to do!”

“As I made re-supply runs in my car to volunteers who had run low on bags, I had the chance to see all kinds of folks helping.... families with kids pulling wagons, an older couple with a pirated grocery cart full of bags, boy scout troops, soccer teams, lone rangers.... you name it. What struck me was what a blast folks seemed to be having. Don't you remember how much fun you had as a kid running outside to play in the rain? One woman told me, as she wrung out her dress and rain poured into my open car window, that she hadn't had that much fun with her family in a long time!”

“I'm certainly proud of how my community pulled together to make this a success, but what really strikes me is that when you give people a chance to make a difference, to be a part of something meaningful and to come together as a community, it's no wonder people showed up in droves. We simply don't have enough opportunities to participate in things like this, I think. Give them something tangible they can do to make a difference, and they'll line up around the block like it was front row concert tickets.”

There is always a certain amount of “hot air” contained in lofty goals of “saving the planet,” however noble the intention may be. But when people make a basic decision to change their community, get everyone involved and carryout a plan of action, the effect can be instant.

Please keep the Shorewood project in mind over the next few months. Many promises will be made in Washington, but few will ever see the light of day or make any difference. If we want change now, we must cut out the Bureaucratic entanglement which has left too many large-scope, government sponsored environmental plans to die on the cutting room floor.

Change starts on the streets of small towns, just like in Shorewood, Wisconsin.

For more information on the Shorewood bag drive, visit their website at www.sustainableshorewood.org