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The Time Has Come for Something New

by Randy Crutcher

All across the globe, groups of citizens are gathering together to be
part of creating a world that can more than just survive the
catastrophe of global heating and unstable weather, the closely related
rapid depletion of oil upon which all modern civilization depends, the
accelerated impact of a burgeoning human population demanding more of
every ecosystem on the planet. Nearly every week a new group comes on
line in response to both the ER needed for our soil, water, forests and
atmosphere and the dream of meeting real human needs without destroying
the opportunities for future generations. California’s own Republican
governor recognizes part of the challenge and speaks the truth that
there is no inherent conflict between economic growth and preserving
the environment from which all economic activity derives. He is clear,
as we all should be that jobs vs. environment not only does not play
any more, it simply isn’t true. There are unlimited jobs and
opportunities now before us if we hitch our own car to the train that
takes us to a place beyond old reactions that lead to increased
conflict and competition between one group and another, war, resource
depletion, the destruction of our children’s inheritance leaving behind
the legacy of a toxic environment where no amount of money alone will
improve the quality of life. The new light rail is leaving the station,
one of many literal and symbolic metaphors for the times that have
arrived.

Here in the Central Sierra a new and creative response to the
challenges facing our communities now and in the next twenty years is
growing. One of them is the newly minted non-profit corporation known
as The Foothill Collaborative for Sustainability ((FoCuS), an effort
launched by people already involved in growing and teaching how to grow
local food that need not be shipped over long distances, already
involved in producing and distributing local biofuel for vehicles,
already involved in producing enough energy for their homes or a
surplus for the state’s power grid using the sun, already involved in
alternatives to the high cost of often ineffective health care, already
involved in using building materials that are locally available or are
produced in such a way that the environment is not harmed but enhanced
in the process, already involved in getting the most of everything we
use to carry on our daily lives and leaving and a different legacy of a
vital, rich, abundant, prosperous, safe and loving environment for
children and their children. The FoCuS effort is to bring all the
people together that are creating this new wealth, share it and offer
it to those not yet in contact with it.

In order to do that the leaders within FoCuS have reached out to the
larger multi-county region of the Central Sierra to begin ongoing
conversation that leads to focused and sustainable effort by those
already in businesses and organizations working toward more food, fuel
and energy self-sufficiency and those who want to become involved in a
collaborative effort to which they bring their own passions, dreams,
goals and commitments.
In addition to four seasonal gatherings and celebrations open to the
general public, there are classes, workshops, home tours, film and book
discussions utilizing personal and new up to date county library
collections. The seasonal celebrations are places people can meet,
share and organize amongst themselves around particular projects of
interest that have to do with sustainable living. Via its website,
FoCuS maintains a regularly updated schedule of its own sponsored
events and events that are in alignment with the overall goals of local
self-reliance, education about the global, national, state and local
situation, and the mutual well-being of the Central Sierra, its land
and its occupants. The website provides a growing list of resources
available locally and outside the region. You can become a member of
FoCuS, help water and feed what can become a luxurious growth of
sustainable culture and community in your own backyard by visiting the
site.


HOW DID FOCUS GET STARTED?
by  Christine and Eric Taylor, FoCuS co-founders

FoCuS was born at a time when communities around the world began
simultaneously having similar conversations around unequal energy and
economic equations and their consequences for humanity and our
environment. It became clear that the costs of not becoming more
sustainable were unacceptably high.

Living in a solar economy is something we have educated ourselves about
for as many years as we have lived off the grid on solar power. For the
same amount of years, we have farmed using the sun’s energy to
cultivate plants and food for hundreds of families in the local area.
For many years we found ourselves operating our business like a
non-profit, writing and talking about the need for more awareness of
the interconnections between the soil, health and what we eat.

Exploring sustainable agriculture systems through the growing of food
birthed a philosophy and the creation of a market garden that is a
model of how agriculture begins the conversation toward the economic
and social structures of sustainability.

We began to have conversations with our customers, friends and
neighbors about the importance of eating clean local food and the
relationship to health. It wasn’t until a conversation with Dr Jakob
Jaggy M.D., who practices both conventional and alternative medicine,
that the idea for creating a non-profit that addresses health and well
being not just for the individual, but for our environment and
communities evolved. We had a common understanding that said we cannot
come to full health either by ourselves or on a community level by
working alone. It takes a system, motivation and human resources,
knowledge and experience combined to gain a foothold in creating
sustainable systems for our local communities.