Posts Tagged ‘green movement’

Climate change: Every situation creates an opportunity

October 20th, 2009

In honor of my good friend Joe Bartmann of the Sioux Falls Green Project visiting me in Howard (SD) yesterday, I wanted to share a post related to the green movement in rural places.  Amazingly, an article titled “Climate Change and Rural Communities in the US: a Draft Briefing Paper” fell into my lap thanks to a tweet from the Rural Assistance Center.  The subject and the fact that it was produced by one of my favorite rural organizations, the Rural Policy Research Institute (RUPRI), make commenting on it almost mandatory.      

Admittedly, I haven’t studied the nuances of climate change legislation before Congress as much as I should.  In reading the document, I was alarmed to learn that the Secretary of Transportation had proposed a “vehicle miles traveled” (as opposed to a fuel tax) as a way to reduce pollution and increase revenue for our highways.  Residents of rural states undoubtedly cringe at the negative impact such legislation would have on their pocketbooks.  Luckily, the measure was quickly abandoned by the Obama administration, but it shows that we should be paying closer attention.

 As I read through the descriptions of potential measures intended to help our environment, I can say that I support some of them, and oppose others.  What was most interesting to me, however, was the last section titled “Opportunities for rural communities.”

It offered four potential areas of opportunity for rural communities to consider.  An overview of these opportunities include:

In Miner County, SD, we were early adopters of three of the measures:  renewable energy production, green jobs, and rural-urban collaboration.  The forth(carbon sequestration) is one that I still don’t know much about, let alone understand how rural communities can take advantage of. 

I’m not sure if the cap and trade legislation before Congress will pass or not.  But this article has made me more aware of why I need to pay attention to the issue.  Thanks RURPI. 

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Posted in Economic Development, In the News, Rural | Comments (1)

Energize Clinton County props the RLC

August 7th, 2009

I’ve been overcommitted lately and just haven’t had much time to write.  Near the top of my writing “to do” list has been to pass along what I learned from a conversation I had last week with Mark Rembert of Energize Clinton County.  So when Energize CC propped the Rural Learning Center yesterday on their blog and Facebook page, I felt the need to make time for a post.

As readers may know, Energize Clinton County is a grassroots movement focused on reinventing the economy of Clinton County, Ohio aroundsustainable principles.  The effort is being led by two young guys, Mark Rembert and Taylor Stuckert. 

What impressed me most during my phone conversation with Mark last week was his belief that they are making an impact on how young people view their community.  Mark, who is in his mid-twenties, explained people of his generation (Gen Y) are entrepreneurial and want to be a part of something special.  Research backs that up. 

Mark went on to say that they are beginning to see the benefits of this attitudinal change — young people are coming back.  He didn’t offer any statistics to support this claim, and he really tried not to over-hype it.  But I sensed that Mark sincerely felt they have established a beachhead in the on-going battle against young people moving away from rural communities.

So what’s leading young people to change their attitudes about Clinton County if the county isn’t flush with jobs? 

I think there are two reasons:

First, guys like Mark and Taylor are out there talking to their friends about opportunities.  Opportunities to be involved in Energize CC, and opportunities to create their own businesses.  This is significant because Gen Y listens more to buzz generated by their friends than they do promotional websites. 

Second, they are communicating using tools and language that young people connect with. Yes, Mark and Taylor have a knack for being cool, and they are using social media to spread their message to people who live outside of Clinton County.  If rural communities want to keep their young people, they need learn this language and use these tools. 

This is where I think rural communities and organizations in our part of the Midwest need to stand up and pay attention to Energize Clinton County.  It’s also why I feel “the props” should really be going to them.

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Posted in Community Development, Community Engagement, Economic Development, Gen Y, Leadership, Rural, Youth | Comments (0)

Generation E and Rural Communities

October 31st, 2008

Back in July, New York Times columnist Andrew Revkin advocated that we name the next generation of young people “the E Generation”.  As he writes:

I can’t keep track of what young people are being called these days after a string of “Generation [ ]” labels. But my vote would be Generation E, for energy and the environment, if initiatives at a host of schools around the United States are any indication.

I’m not sure how active young people in South Dakota are in the green movement, but I think it provides a point for rural communities to ponder.  If our rural communities want to be places where young people aspire to live, then we should consider whether or not we offer opportunities to experience the greener lifestyle they apparently are looking for. 

And while I hope young people are concerned about the environment, if they are not, we still need to figure out what other things are important to them.  It’s a first step in eliminating the “brain drain” problem that is devastating our communities.

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Posted in Quality of Life, Rural, Youth | Comments (0)