Bridges to Cross in Our City's Pursuit of ARC Green Community Certification

This bridge is just beyond the pavilion area to the right of the Dunwoody Community Garden at Brook Run. A month ago, you couldn't even see the pavilion, never mind the bridge. A massive clean-up effort has made that area not only usable but downright pleasant, and the beautification is ongoing.

I took this photo two Sunday mornings ago, in the still of dawn, when the striations of light tippled through the trees just so, and the quiet beauty of the moment and the possibility of the day ahead took my breath away.

I've been thinking a great deal about this bridge since then. About the bridges we have yet to cross as a community and the pace at which we want to cross them (and even if we want to cross them at all). I am thinking, in particular, about next year for the Sustainability Commission, and I have to admit, I get a knot in my stomach each time these thoughts cross my mind. That's because next year is when we move beyond the government measures to the community measures on the ARC Green Community Certification checklist. The government measures are relatively easy (in the way that any hard work is easy if you are completely behind it) because, let's face it, we have a brand new government here and we don't have to undo years of old policies that contradict environmentally-sound ways of doing things. Also, these policies don't affect citizens (except, of course, with cleaner air, water, and world, plus lower taxpayer costs).

The community measures, however, ask for more involvement and support from citizens. And, I guess this is where you need to know something about me. I live on the bottom of a huge hill. Every day when I walk or bike, I trudge up that hill. That is the only uphill I do. I don't do acrimonious public or private exchanges. I don't do rigmarole or runaway trains. I don't stand up and issue strident warnings about the dire condition of the universe the way some eco-people do. And I don't believe that the pursuit of Green Community certification requires any of this from any of us. The green stuff should be the fun stuff. It should be the stuff about which we, collectively, feel good. At least that's the role it plays in my life, and I am passionate about sharing that potential for positive change with you. But I'm not intending to try to talk anyone into anything because those who know me personally know that is simply not what I do.

There are a lot of items on that ARC Green Community list. I'm thinking we try to identify the community measures we can rally around, and we go for those first. I'm thinking once we hit a wall of non-support, we stop. I'm thinking we get the points needed for certification or we end up being one of those cities that just doesn't. But I'm not thinking we fight about it. And, I also believe, especially after seeing the level of cooperation that made that impossible community garden happen in record time, that a happy journey for our city in pursuit of Green Community certification is the only way it will make a measurable difference long-term.

City Council wants the first level of certification by the end of next year. It is completely achievable, in theory. But, to be totally honest with you, it is completely unachievable if every single community measure is going to involve three months of farmers-market-like fighting. Because I'm not going to do that.

Perhaps I'm the wrong person for the next stage of this endeavor. Perhaps a fighter is needed. I'm completely happy to step aside and let those with other ideas and leadership techniques take the helm, if that is what is determined is needed. I have 14 hours dedicated to volunteer work per week. I am committed to spending them advancing the issues relating to sustainability in the most effective ways possible, whether that is close to home or around the world.

Can we be effective in reaching ARC Green Community certification by the end of 2010? I don't know. That depends on all of us. By the way, here is the list of the measures (click on "checklist" on the right after you open the document). We don't need to do all of them.

So, what do you think? Should I list the community measures on a survey and you weigh in on them? Then perhaps the ones that look like they have broad community support can go to the top of our 2010 list. I'll run this by the rest of the members of the Sustainability Commission as well and see what they think.

And speaking of the really terrific members with whom I am proud to serve on the Sustainability Commission, we have our next meeting this Thursday at 7:45 AM at City Hall. It's a tight one-hour meeting of updates on the government measures on which we are working. Here is the agenda. Feel free to swing by (although the format doesn't involve open input). Take one of our brochures (or a handful to hand out to your friends, neighbors and colleages). And grab a piece of homemade banana bread. Organic, of course. :)