Caped Cascadia: Sustainability Superhero

Lover of the great outdoors, Caped Cascadia fights for environmental preservation and animal protection across the Pacific Northwest. She bravely forwards her cause through volunteering, voting, advocating, tithing to the cause, and walking her talk to lead humanity toward a humane, sustainable culture. Her superpower is her ability, through the powers of informed logic and articulate debate, to transform even the most self-indulgent, irresponsible consumers into mindful, conscientious citizens of the earth.

Note her sturdy runners and walking stick for long hikes, all purpose gloves for organic gardening, kayaking or snow shoeing, yoga tights and leotard, “whale pin” donation thank you gift from People for Puget Sound, short-cropped hair for easy care when swimming, camping, and participating in old growth forest sit-ins, the forest twigs that nonetheless got caught in her ‘do when she was sitting up in the ancient Douglas Fir, belt of quarters for riding the bus, and her “big dog” companion Gifford (all Cascadians love big dogs).


Thanks to Becky at “Girl in Short Shorts”, who clued me into the Superhero Creation Tool!

A "Co-operative" Culture

Cascadia abounds with joiners. There are so many organizations to be members of, and we do tend to jump on the bandwagon: charities, political organizations, and affinity groups (clubs) fill our lives. The Northwest also has a strong history of building and supporting a range of co-operatives. Some of the country’s oldest and largest co-operatives (“co-ops”) reside here in Cascadia.

What’s A Co-op?

Per the International Co-operative Alliance, a co-operative is: “"an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social, and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly-owned and democratically-controlled enterprise." They "are based on the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity. In the tradition of their founders, co-operative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others."

Very idealistic, non? Also, very practical. Co-operatives are created by their members to further mutual values and goals such as to create/ensure: access to organic food for consumers, access to commonly-owned processing equipment for farmers, affordable and healthcare. There are all kinds of co-ops. Here’s a sampling of a few you will find here:

Co-operative Banking (Credit Unions): Boeing Employees Credit Union

Started in 1935, BECU is ranked the fifth largest credit union (by asset size) in the United States and claims over 460,000 members. Their mission is to uphold our fundamental responsibility to actively serve people within their field of membership, and as appropriate, the communities they live in. They deliver a range of low-cost products and services to members. As stated on their website, “We will continually, in all facets of operations, demonstrate the value of membership in BECU while we look for better ways to reach out to the under-served.” Providing fair, affordable banking services and a commitment to improve quality of life in the community by reaching out to in-need communities in the area is the core of their purpose.

Consumer Co-operatives, Food: Puget Consumer Cooperative

PCC started as a food-buying club of 15 families in 1953. Today, it is the largest natural food co-operative in the nation. Their mission is to: 1) Provide the highest quality natural foods and products, 2) Create and cultivate the marketplace for locally grown and organic products and are a vital community resource on food, nutrition and environmental issues, and 3) Create and deliver the most satisfying natural foods shopping experience in the Northwest. PCC actively addresses issues such as farmland preservation, genetically engineered foods, organics and sustainable seafood through its buying policies and through advocacy activity.

Consumer Co-operatives, Outdoor Clothing and Equipment: Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI)

REI was founded in 1938 by a group of Seattle-area mountaineers who wanted access to quality outdoor recreational gear at reasonable prices. It has grown to be the country's largest consumer-owned co-operative far exceeding 2 million active members. They focus on serving the interests of our customers through providing high quality clothing and equipment at fair prices with a liberal return policy, promoting environmental stewardship, and giving back to the community. Per their website, REI: “…donates millions of dollars to support conservation efforts nationwide, and sends scores of volunteers to build trails, clean up beaches, and teach outdoor ethics to kids. Through responsible business practices, we strive to reduce our environmental footprint.”

Healthcare Co-operatives: Group Health Cooperative

Group Health Cooperative was opened in 1947 by a community coalition dedicated to making quality health care available and affordable. Group Health is a consumer-governed, nonprofit health care system that coordinates care and coverage. Based in Seattle, the Group Health network serves approximately 568,344 members in Washington and Idaho. Per its website: “Today it is one of the few health care organizations in the country governed by consumers rather than internal executives. Its 11-member board of trustees — all Cooperative members elected by other members — work closely with management and medical staff to ensure that the organization's policies and direction put the needs of patients first.” GHC’s stated purpose is to transform health care, working to improve the care and well-being of their members and communities.

Housing Co-operatives

There are a range of forms of co-operative residences. None are large organizations, but are based on a singe home or small group of homes in the same area. Seattle Wiki has a list.

Co-ops provide viable and competitive options for purchasing goods and services for both individuals and small businesses, like farmers. Since the “shareholders” are the consumers (members) themselves, benefits including profit, is returned. Also, a lack of profit-motive helps ensure that the values and goals the co-ops are founded on do not erode under the pressure to reduce costs and maximize revenue. They are organizations in balance, or least strive to be. Each co-operative is led by a board of directors that represent the membership, ensuring the organizations management and staff operate efficiently and effectively in the organization’s interest. The success of co-ops, despite their relatively minimal marketing and other promotion, in the Northwest proves their relevance and necessity here. For-profit organizations aren’t meeting all needs of a market place that demands values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others as well as quality products at competitive prices. Viva la co-op!

Wilderness Sprawl

Two days ago, while walking the shoreline of Seward Park (a city park) I watched a pair of bald eagles cooperatively hunt and catch a grebe in the bay. It was a page out of National Geographic coming alive before my eyes. After making the catch, they flew to a nearby tree to pluck the carcass and have lunch. This morning, I watched a pair commute past my bedroom window, trailed by a murder of livid, squawking crows.

It is common anywhere, when human communities sprawl into a wilderness environment, that wildlife will be spotted. What is amazing about Seattle is that wilderness persists on "sprawling" into long-established urban areas. Bears, coyotes, mountain lions, deer, and eagles are not uncommon in the city and nearby towns. Whales are spotted in Elliott Bay and sealions are a perennial "pest" at the Ballard Locks during the salmon runs.

Above: A blue heron on the peak of my roof.

I think it is a hopeful sign that we've managed to strike a balance, so far, between human and nature's needs... that we've not yet strained nature so much as to destroy the web of life here. Pollution control, daylighting of urban streams, protecting wetlands and watershed buffer zones, and creative land conservency projects all play a part. And these are born out of an appreciation by the folks who live here for the importance of this balance, not only for the sake of preserving the beauty of it all, but preserving our own, human community as well.

PS to Organics Post: Walmart's "Organics" may be a Lie

Yesterday as part of my post on the Organics movement in the Northwest, I noted that Walmart had apparently established an organics section of their grocery departments.

I just read in the news today that a lawsuit has been filed against Walmart by Cornucopia, an organics watchdog group, alleging that Walmart is actually selling non-organic food as organic.

Buyer beware....

It’s a Crunchy-Granola Organic World Out Here

I have spoken before about Cascadians’ passion for nature as well as their populist ethic of community activism and service. One facet of Northwest living where these all converge is in the organic farming phenomenon.

(Left: Farmland in the Skagit Valley cover cropped to attract migrating snow geese)

By 2004, Washington State alone had well over 40,000 acres of certified organic farmland, with thousands more in transition, producing over $200 million worth of organic food. Organic produce, dairy and meats are in high demand in the Pacific Northwest for many reasons:

• Desire to avoid non-natural additives (pesticides, hormones, chemical fertilizer, genetically engineered/modified ingredients)
• Higher nutritional value of organics
• Perception of better taste and longevity of the food
• Recognition that non-organic farming is damaging to the environment and not sustainable (air and water pollution, soil erosion, energy use, etc)
• Recognition of the importance of biodiversity, which large agribusiness threatens and organic farming promotes
• Farm worker safety
• Preservation of family farms

Much of the organic food raised in the Northwest is consumed here, not only because of the demand, but also in recognition of the benefits of eating locally raised foods. Reasons for this are similar:

• Fresher, and therefore more nutritional, food
• Less energy is used in transportation to market
• Desire to support local, family-owned business
• Desire to support the organic use of local farmland rather than non-organic to reduce local pollution.

Prior to the recent inclusion by large grocery chains, organic food producers already had established distribution channels in the Northwest through farmers markets, farm subscriptions and through Puget Consumer Co-op, the largest consumer-owned natural food co-operative in the United States, founded in 1953.

Now, due to 20% annual growth in demand for organics nationwide, large grocery chains and national food manufacturers are jumping on the band wagon and one can even find, so it's told, an organics produce section in Walmart. (They are doing this, however, while at the same time trying to quietly erode organic standards and the definition of sustainable agriculture to make more profit, but I digress...)

Since the costs of non-organic foods are often hidden, organics have a higher price tag than non-organics. This initially created a barrier to the market place. However, as peoples’ awareness and concern over agricultural chemicals and the other impacts of non-organic farming have grown, so has a willingness to pay a higher price to buy better food. The industry is still fighting this uphill battle, as well as the non-organic industry’s use and dominance of agricultural subsidies from the federal government, which creates a further price advantage.

As a result, community activism and volunteerism have been needed to help organic agriculture survive and grow. One way this happens is through land trusts. Land trusts are non-profit organizations that fundraise to buy and hold land for specific conservation purposes. Farmland trusts are one form of this type of organization. The PCC Farmland Trust specifically designates the use of its land for organic farming. It is a great benefit to the community as well as the farmers because when organic farmland is preserved, so is the beauty and environmental health of the environment. Additionally, safe and local food sources are assured.

Another way that organic farms are supported is through volunteer workers. Volunteers commit to living and working on a given farm for a period of time in exchange for housing, meals, the experience and a hands-on education on organic farming. World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms is the leading matchmaking organization for farmers and volunteers. Other opportunities (such as academic study programs) also exist.

It may seem hippy-dippy to some, but organics and community support of organic agriculture is mainstream here. It's a win-win all the way around, from the numerous fabulous farmers' markets in town, to the scenic farmlands close to town, to an industry that keeps its dollars in the local community, to a cleaner environment. Life is organic here, naturally!