EDA News November 2022

EDA 6th Annual Conference

On October 22, EDA held its annual conference and it took us to a whole new level. The conference host, Janice Bobbie, was engaging and informative as always. EDA’s Team Chairs, Grant Grover, Jacelyn Eckman, David Cunningham with James Kolb, and Chloe Brown, delivered insightful overviews of their activities from the past year. It was refreshing to review EDA’s significant progress together as a group.

EDA’s roster of featured speakers, Filipa Costa, Sarah Houston, William Rees and David Bollier, gave outstanding presentations on their path-breaking work in the commons. All of them demonstrated why they are pioneers in their different areas: Filipa in block-level planning, Sarah in groundwater activism, William in ecological footprint analysis and David in cataloging the varieties of commons and their governance.

Two attendees won the door prize: autographed copies of David Bollier's latest book: The Commoners Catalog for Changemaking.

Online evaluations of the EDA conference were extremely positive, reflecting the excellence of all of our speakers. We couldn’t be more pleased with the event and look forward to maintaining this standard of quality in the future.

Thank you to everyone who attended this memorable event!

Report for Protect Our Aquifer

Today, EDA is delivering the report from our Research Team, Carrying Capacity of the Memphis Sand and Fort Pillow Aquifers to the Memphis group, Protect Our Aquifer.

One of the key findings in the study is that 12.81 trillion gallons of groundwater are accessible in the aquifer below Shelby County, Tennessee, which is less than 1/4 of earlier assessments. Nonetheless, this is still a huge number.

It means that Shelby County is at 34.49% of its carrying capacity to provide water for the physiological needs of its people. It also means that Shelby County, which now has less than a million people, could grow to a population of 2,339,840 people before exceeding the safe limits for pumping potable water from its aquifer. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the carrying capacity of an aquifer has ever been calculated and interpreted.

We commend EDA’s Research Team for this far-reaching study!

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Home is where most of us spend the majority of our time. Heating, cooling, cleaning, cooking, personal maintenance as well as business and entertainment require massive amounts of energy. There are many small ways we can reduce our energy usage without feeling Spartan. Here are some of my ideas.

Heating and Cooling
My training in passive solar has proven itself to be very valuable in my own home.
I live in the Rocky Mountains at 8,000 feet above sea level (2438 meters). We are quite cold in the winter months but didn’t require cooling until 2005 when temperatures began to soar here. My favorite tool for both heating and cooling is inside-mounted insulative cellular shades.

For heating, I open south and west-facing shades during the day when the sun can add warmth, but close them as soon as the light and heat are gone. For cooling, I open all windows at night when our temperatures drop, then close them during the day when the outside temperature is higher than our inside temp. I also close the shades when sun is streaming through our more west-facing windows to stop the heating. Of course, adding insulation to the attic helps with both heating and cooling.

Another way of reducing heating/cooling loads is to adjust our personal needs. You can lower the heat 2-3 degrees in the winter and wear a sweater. Provide cuddly throws for TV watching. Raise the thermostat in the summer and add a portable fan that can be solar charged to cool you. Many of these personal coolers are available online (search for Personal Air Conditioner). Keeping your personal space comfortable is much more energy efficient than trying to keep the entire house heated or cooled.

Lighting
Just as heating and cooling can be augmented naturally, so can our day lighting. Adjusting window shades can assist in room darkening, but in most cases, we need more light. Instead of turning on the lights during the day, consider skylights and tubular skylights for all except bedrooms for lighting that doesn’t require plugging into the energy grid. Natural light is also easier on our eyes and can elevate our moods. Operable skylights can exhaust excess heat and odors. There are skylights that operate on a solar cell, sensing wind and/or moisture so they close automatically. Many skylights also come with a shade that can be used to control heat loss or room darkening.

Appliances
When replacing old appliances, check their yearly energy usage and look for Energy Star ratings. No matter the rating, all appliances require less energy if they are used less often, such as washers, dryers, and dishwashers. For water conservation, use only full loads in washers and dishwashers. Another energy saver that also extends the life of clothing is to hang-dry as much as possible. I don’t have an outdoor clothesline, but I have a sunny room where I can hang shirts from door frames and utilize a drying rack for other items. Jeans can be line-dried, then tumbled at the end of the cycle with a load of towels for softening.

Screens

Again, check the energy rating on TV’s, computers and monitors. Whatever their rating, these items use the least energy when they are turned off. Anything with a light on is using power, so turn off as much as you can when you go to bed and anytime you aren’t using these items. The cable box and sound system may use a lot of energy even when the TV is off. Check your home at night in low light to discover those lights that remain on even when the screens are turned off. Consider a power strip that can be turned off instead of having to unplug its various items. Our technology is fairly necessary to our daily lives, and it can be used wisely.

Solar
There is much more awareness and demand for solar panels now as energy prices escalate. Whole home photovoltaic systems vary in price, depending on whether you are using a battery backup or not. There is a long payback period (cost of purchasing and installing vs. savings on electric bill), but with rolling brownouts and many power outages due to overwhelming demand, having solar energy available may prove invaluable. Think of losing internet, lights, heating, cooling, and refrigeration on a regular basis for longer and longer periods of time, then the initial outlay for a photovoltaic system may seem more attractive.

Solar panels come in little portable sizes as well. I have a tablet-sized solar cell that can charge my phone or tablet during power outages and when I am traveling. There are also larger portable panels that can be used to charge laptops and camping amenities. Check your local big-box store and online for these systems that can be an asset during unexpected power-outages and while traveling.

Last Thoughts
Saving water and energy isn’t a one-and-done kind of thing, it's a way of life. Once you get into the habit, it comes naturally. The immediate gratification can be lower monthly bills and a healthier lifestyle. The longer payback is that you are reducing your impact on our planet and future generations. This is something you can absolutely do to make a difference in your tiny piece of the world.

First Annual Business Meeting

EDA’s strategic planning group, IMPACT, began meeting in June 2020 to develop our new website. Since that time, the team has worked on a number of projects involving marketing, communication and business development strategies. This month, for the first time, IMPACT will begin to working on an annual plan for the organization.

During November and December, IMPACT will create a strategic plan for 2023. This plan will be discussed, ratified and launched at EDA’s First Annual Business Meeting on January 5, 2023. All EDA members are encouraged to attend.

Diane: Good, and you've asked some good questions so far. The “P” stands for participation. It's probably the most critical part of this equation.

Michael: Why would you say that? I thought that Creativity and Organization were pretty important topics.

Diane: Of course, creativity and organization are fundamental, but without participation, nothing gets done. Let’s look at it this way. Let’s look at the best, most creative idea in history, even one where the designer has developed the most elegant organization. It has no chance of success unless people are attracted to the work and contribute their time, and expertise to make sure that the works gets done.

Michael: So, like Galileo, he was trying to explain his theory about how the earth is round and revolves around the sun and the sun does not revolve around the earth. What kind of participation did he need?

Diane: Galileo needed someone to manufacture his telescope. Without the telescope he couldn’t convince anyone of his theories. He also needed assistants, to keep him healthy so that he could focus on proving his theories. He needed other scientists to critique his theories and verify his observations. In short, he needed participation.

Michael: Why does EDA need participation?

Diane: EDA, and the people who created EDA, are like the designers. They absolutely need participation from the members of EDA to do the work. They have to conduct part of the research, review and advocate for legislation that could impact the future sustainability of our lives. They need participation to learn about the issues around where their food, water and energy come from, whether it's sustainable, and to engage communities in their governance.

Michael: I see. So, if we were building a barn, someone has to have said we need a barn. Others agree and say, well, it needs to have a hay loft, and very large doors, and be sturdy. So, they gather the lumber, nails, hinges, pullies and everything they need. But if people do not come to help raise the barn, everything just sits there, because a few people cannot raise the beams by themselves. We need a whole crew to do that work.

Diane: Absolutely! When people participate in doing anything, they contribute their skills and talents, their knowledge and understanding to the goal. And when that happens, the goal gets a lot closer, and the product and service gets a whole lot better. Remember that no one does anything all on their own. Even the artist or the writer uses tools made by others, gets inspiration from the outside world, and creates what they do for others.

So, next month we can talk about “D.”

Last month we looked at how basic research on the issues you’re concerned about is the first step to preparing for talking with your elected officials. Today we’ll explore the importance of learning about your state’s legislative system.

Each state is a little different in how it’s organized and functions. Your legislators will greatly appreciate you having taken the time to understand the system they work within, to know what they can and cannot do. This will enable you to plan the best time of the legislative year to bring your “ask” to them, and will make your communications with them more productive.

To help with this, EDA's Advocacy team has begun developing a State Government Profile that will eventually be available for all fifty states. In the meantime, we encourage you to go online and research your own state. All state governments have an enormous amount of information on their websites about when they meet, what their process is for introducing and passing legislation, who the legislators are, and so on.

Let’s say the legislative season in your state begins the first week of January each year, and runs through the end of May. If you’ve done your research and have a good grasp of the issue you want to speak with your Legislator about, and have worked with your local group to implement the various steps we’ll be talking about in future newsletters, you will be ready at the beginning of the year to contact your elected representatives’ office to set up an appointment with them or one of their staffers to present your “ask.” They may not be able to meet with you (whether in person or online) at the very beginning of the legislative year, but you’ll get on their radar and be ready when they are.  This is just one example.

Some state legislatures meet through the entire year, some have a long session in even-numbered years and a short session in odd-numbered years, and so on. Larger, wealthier states pay their elected officials a living wage, others pay only per diem when they are in session, which means some have significant paid staff while others are lucky to have a single part-time staffer. All of this will impact the legislator’s work and their ability to respond to your group.

But no matter the circumstances, all of them are dependent on their constituents to remain in office. And we hope all of them are concerned with the well-being of those who put them into office and will make themselves available to hear your concerns.

Successful advocacy depends on your commitment to building a relationship with your elected officials. And good relationships require a willingness of both parties to work toward building communication and trust. While that may seem like too much to ask of politicians, many of whom have limited support, you can do your part by being informed and prepared when you meet them.

We invite you to contact our Advocacy team to help get you started. (See contact information below.) Taking the time to educate yourselves on the legislative system will pay off in getting your concerns heard and acted upon. Let us help you.

Next month we’ll look at how you can help jump start the process of developing an advocacy game plan specific to your community's needs. EDA's action teams are here to partner with, and support you in your efforts to make sure local resources are well-managed and protected for the long term.