Check out this idea to create jobs and create community stability:

[OneGrassRoot]

Everybody wants more money so they can enjoy life, send kids to college and retire well. To achieve these, over 40% of American households have invested in stocks and bonds.

But Wall Street is risky and even destructive. Bull markets lure the middle class to bet heavily then, often, their money dissolves. $1,000 worth of Nortel stock one year ago now yields $13.00. Enron's $1,000 is now $41; Worldcom lost $995 of the thousand. These tophat crooks can't be controlled: the watchdog workload of the Securities & Exchange Commission grew by 80% between 1991-2000 while staff grew just 20%.

Even when the market's rising, only 3% of trading is essentials like food and fuel. Warmaking, prisons, traffic accidents and environmental depletion are profitable, while neighborhoods and family farms fail.

Where's a safer place to invest? Many now realize that unless the global economy is based on a world of stable communities amid healthy environments, trading stable currencies, then bank accounts are just worthless big numbers. Getting reliably rich means investing in community.

He spells out an interesting approach, specifically for Philly. What do you think of his ideas?

http://www.greenjobsphilly.org/static_praise.php

[OneGrassRoot]

1. kick for non-Weiner thread. :) n/t

[malaise]

2. K & R

:hi:

[rosesaylavee]

3. Great ideas - hopefully this is how we turn this around

Great find OGR!

[OneGrassRoot]

5. It seems to me ONE action would be a great start:

It's a given we have many, many challenges in all of our communities, but starvation/malnutrition/disease is, I would think, the primary concern. We can't survive and be well without food -- healthy food (and water).

Next would be housing.

But with regard to food production for communities I would think this would be a GREAT project to be undertaken by all communities to not only address this need in a sustainable way but revitalize the community and create jobs in the process.

From the link:

FOOD

* Growing locally and converting harvests into pasta, canned goods and dehydrated stock.
* Food Processing Center: Expands local agriculture by enabling farmers to grow for more than the seasonal market.
* Bulk Food Center sells the above below commercial rates
* Edible parks and orchards invite free harvest

In addition, a few of my thoughts and ideas:

A nationwide initiative to convert existing abandoned strip malls and other buildings into food processing, indoor garden, hydroponic centers would be awesome, as well as affordable housing.

The wealthiest of citizens in the local community could be given the opportunity finance the basics to get it off the ground and to do it simply because it's the right thing to do, not because they get a write-off.

Many urban areas are converting public lots/spaces into edible gardens and/or community gardens. We need much more of this.

Create co-ops, not only traditional produce co-ops, but worker-owned and member-owned community grocery stores to provide alternatives to the large chains, especially in lower-income areas, providing healthy, locally-grown food selections which they often don't have.


:hi:

[mopinko]

4. philly has done some amazing things.

mayor nutter was on hardball last night and one thing that he didn't mention, but that is really important in philly is art. the city is full of murals. most of them are done by "delinquents" and graffiti kids that they hook up with mentors. they teach them to paint, then pay them to paint murals.
lots of other art going on there. and supported by the city in lots of ways.

[OneGrassRoot]

7. That's very cool....

I've always wanted to start a program that can be a model to be replicated in which at-risk youth are taught the ins and outs of eco-friendly screenprinting, making use of any graphic and traditional art talents as well.

:thumbsup:

[mopinko]

11. i think so many of the kids that drop out are

right brained, artistic kids. they loathe the order and institution of school. nothing there is interesting to them. few things there are anything they are good at. most of them have some sort of useable talent that we are just blowing off.
not that we put all that much emphasis on artistic pursuits, but....

[OneGrassRoot]

12. Our society boxes people in in so many ways...

The educational system is one of many. :(

[Le Taz Hot]

6. Kick for community activism.

. . . it's what I'm all about these days, or at least trying. Been tough getting people involved but in that I'm a tenacious little bugger I remain optimistic. Our first event is this weekend. Wish me luck.

[OneGrassRoot]

8. Luck!

:thumbsup:

(pssst....if I dropped the ball in some way regarding what we were discussing, please let me know. My daughter graduates from high school tomorrow, so I've been more than a little frazzled. :) )

:hi:

[Le Taz Hot]

9. You didn't, I did.

I've been dealing with some serious health issues the last 3-1/2 weeks plus our first event is this weekend and I wanted to see what kind of response I got before I went any further on our other project. :hi:

[OneGrassRoot]

10. ...

Feel better. :hug: