Sustainable San Mateo County debuts 'Sustainability Hub'

Sustainable San Mateo recently launched their Sustainability Hub website. The site has it all...a one stop spot for sustainable everything in San Mateo County. You'll find everything from consumer resources, business ideas, government contacts, and yes...even indicators (which we here at Sustainable Seattle are partial too of course). Surf on by and check it out.

Organizations | US | Washington State | Washington Fair Trade Coalition

Who they are:
An alliance of organizations committed to educating the people of Washington State about issues related to justice in global trade. The primary concern of WFTC is to reach a consensus amongst the public on what “Fair Trade” should include. Along with over 40 local and national partner organizations, the WFTC is successfully increasing public participation in the trade policy making process.

Examples of fair trade practices:

• Focusing on exports from developing countries to developed countries
• Paying fair wages in a local context
• Providing clean, safe and healthy workplaces
• Respecting the environment
• Market access for marginalized producers
• Sustainable and Equitable trading relationships
• Consumer awareness raising and advocacy
  http://www.sweatfree.org/wa
  http://www.fairtradefederation.org/
  

WFTC’s pilot project:
http://www.tradestories.org/

The Trade Stories Project was started in order to collect and document stories of real people whose lives have been negatively affected by the current free trade system. The website displays several touching stories from people such as a displaced automotive worker, a young jobless immigrant woman and a struggling small business owner in Pennsylvania, to list a few. The website also invites the reader to share his/her own free trade related stories.

Organizations | International | Net Impact

Net Impact is an international organization with a mission to use business to improve the world. The organization invites people to look at sustainability in a holistic manner by hosting national/international conferences, sharing information on its website, and raising awareness through engagement with businesses. While it has its roots in business schools, Net Impact also has professional chapters in cities, such as Seattle and Geneva, involving people who are inspired to make a difference through CSR, social justice, non-profit development, environmental sustainability, etc.

Seattle chapter has more than 100 members who gather regularly to discuss what’s happening in the world of sustainability around the globe and in their own neighborhoods. Through their commitments, they aim to inspire people around them to act on the causes that they are passionate for.

Activities they have done in the past include, Green Drinks, Green Festival, and cause-based dinners and more. Professional chapter also interacts closely with the academic chapter in the University of Washington through networking events.

Organizations | US | Seattle | Seattle Tilth

A Brief Introduction:

Seattle Tilth

Q: Who are they?

A: Seattle Tilth, a community-based organization of farmers, gardeners and consumers dedicated to organic gardening, conserving natural resources and supporting local food systems.

Q: Where are they?

A: The Pacific Northwest, USA.

Q: What's their mission?

A: “The mission of Seattle Tilth is to inspire and educate people to garden organically, conserve

natural resources and support local food systems in order to cultivate a healthy urban

environment and community.”

Q: What have they already done?

A: Built Demonstration and Children's Gardens in Seattle, WA. Created books and articles on organic gardening, resource conservation and even raising chickens. Organized Seattle Tilth's Edible Plant Fair and Harvest Festivals Created a nationally-recognized Master Composter Program

Q: What are they doing now?

A: Educating public about organic gardening, sustainable agriculture and resource conservation

through classes and workshops, Public demonstrations including annual festivals and fairs
Advising Northwest Gardeners on best practice through Garden Hotline.

Q: How do they define Sustainability?

A: Minimizing natural resource use is paramount, but support of the idea that “food is a cultural,

not a technological product”, as suggested by farmer and poet Wendell Berry, is vital to sustaining healthy urban and rural communities.

Q: How do I learn more?

A: Visit: http://www.seattletilth.org/

A tale of two Sustainable Wallingfords

A recent article in the Ballard Journal by Katherine Luck titled "Sustainable Wallingford's British connection: Grassroots Seattle group partners with U.K. counterparts in climate change survey" shows how is really is possible to think globally but act locally. The two Sustainable Wallingfords (Sustainable Wallingford - UK and Sustainable Wallingford - USA) found each other online and it's been a successful match ever since. Both organizations have missions around community level sustainability and both view climate change as one of their key issues. Here at Sustainable Seattle we've seen a lot of sustainability efforts move from high level connections to more local level initiatives so maybe its time for the idea of 'sustainable Sister Cities' to move over and make way for 'innovative namesake neighborhoods'. Photo via Ballard Journal