OVERVIEW:
Growing Wealth in Clifton: Producing and Adding value to natural and raw materials is the real source of wealth. Agriculture is a basic wealth producer. Canning would be adding value. Metal collection and resource recycling is the urban form of mining. Cleaning, repairing, and marketing would be the value adding. We send lots of valuable resources out of our neighborhood in the waste stream. Let's stop that and create jobs instead. As far as meeting to discuss these things, when is the next Garden meeting. We could piggy back on that.
Clifton Farm and Market - definitely a garden project. Focus on Marketing, Advertising, and Funding.
Clifton Kitchen: Commercial Kitchen for canning operation for Gardenand neighborhood produce. Can sponsor such events as the Clifton Cider Festival, which utilizes neighborhood fruit trees, and Coordinate canning and drying of Garden produce.
Clifton Currency: This idea has growing appeal for me. I envision a Clifton "Fort Knox" where we back up our currency with a stockpile of copper, aluminum, lead and other real resources that can be gleaned from the neighborhood. We can issue paper money - Clifnotes - or even mint our own coins. Storage of bales of metal can be incorporated into neighborhood structures like the community garden or even sculptures. THis could be fun and creative. Clifnotes could be exchanged for services in the neighborhood, neighborhood produce or services provided by other sustainability projects.
Clifton Home Services: A gutter cleaning, lawn care, and handyman service utilizing neighborhood youth in a job training scenario. Should be grant money available.
Clifton Car Coop: A local, membership based, vehicle rental for those that don't want to own a vehicle but need a car or truck occasionally. Need a location, maintenance/management staff and 4 vehicles. I envision one pick-up, one van, and two small efficient vehicles: This one will
take research on other systems, insurance, and work withan existing auto service company in neighborhood. A parallel issue would be making Clifton side streets legal for golf carts and "wheel chair" vehicles. We have an aging population that lacks mobility options.
Clifton Energy Production: There are a number of ways to go here: Rooftop photovoltaics and hot water, investing in renewable energy production somewhere in Kentucky, or even drilling to the large natural gas deposits that underly the region. (This last one would really piss off LG&E.) Getting LG&E support of improving HH efficiency is possible with new legislation, but would take negotiations and grant writing.
Clifton Farm: We can do alot with local land and greenhouses, but investing in agricultural property within an hour of Louisville should be considered. Someplace that could also serve as a vacation spot for investors is an added value. Swimming lake or river would be a great plus. THis could be created as a relationshiip with an existing CSA farmer.
Clifton Recycling and Repair: Mining the waste stream for metals and usable goods. Need a facility for storage, sorting and repair.
I am sure there are other ideas that deserve attention, but this will give us a place to start discussions.
David
893-5172
I have spent some time thinking about this and have come up with the above ideas. There might be lots of additional interest if they attached to, and developed around the Community Garden project. They work well with the garden and others can remain in the pipeline until we have someone show interest in them.
This, slightly edited, report from David Coyte, co-coordinator of the Economic Dimension Working Group of the Sustainable Clifton Ecological Design Education project. His email is dcoyte@juno.com. If you would like to comment or make suggestions on this report, please click the "comments" link below. If you would like to get regular updates or participate in this Working Group, please subscribe to sustainabilityeducation@googlegroups.com and contact David at the abbove address or phone number. Thanks!
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