Dear Kathy (who is forwarding this) and NLC Sust Committee Members,
Here are the notes from our most recent Amazon Sustainability meeting; you might find them interesting, as common ideas and motives overlap much of this budding movement.
Erik

Amazon Neighbors Sustainability Subcommittee Meeting Notes
June 12, 2008-06-13
Attending: Rebecca Matsumoto, Connie Johnston, Ann Kneeland, Mary Tegel, Jon Belcher, Erik Muller

Resource Inventory:

Jon developed a good draft of a survey form that we all commented on, suggesting changes and refinements.
We discussed how we wanted to use this inventory:

to determine assets & needs,
to reach initially neighbors we knew,
to try surveying a whole block,
to carry it in person to each neighbor surveyed,
to place the survey results on line,
to see how we might use the current Amazon website,
to consider having a site moderator,
to use the survey to help form neighbor interest groups,
to share at the next meeting survey efforts and results.
Jon will send us the form by e-mail; we will print and interview as time allows.

Liability:
Ann’s preliminary look into liability for some of our proposed programs reveals that the owner has the duty to warn of existing hazards (old well site on property, etc.) and that existing home owners insurance policies should cover injuries. Ann is looking into the value of waiver forms.
The supplying of free provisions, as for a food shelf, likely entails no liability.

Composting:

Mary contacted the Master Composter Program, seeking to identify a local master composter to lead a local workshop. She thought that as we find out more about this program (ID leader & site) we should announce and make use of upcoming composting workshops, which Mary will ask Martha Osgood to post on our neighborhood website. June 21, 10-12, St. Thomas Church/Grass Roots Garden; Master Composters at work every Monday, 12-2, 301 North Adams.
Composting news led to a discussion of how we might have a “Sustainability News” section on the website; Mary volunteered to help edit and bundle such news item.

Neighborhood Presence:
Mary thinks Amazon should have an identifiable, physical presence, in the tradition of City Repair and the Garfield corner in Eugene, whether it be a kiosk, decorated crossing, etc. She urges us to see the websites of City Repair and INeighbor. Some think the cemetery is the neighborhood center.

Connie Johnston will not continue on the subcommittee, but will continue her interest in gardening well. She will stay on our e-mail list and be open to teaching kids, discussing soil making and composting methods and her trying the 100 mile diet. Thank you for your ideas, and we will not let go of you!

Amazon Garden/Yard Tour: The tour could be scheduled soon after the Amazon Potluck Picnic, August 13. Erik will identify sites; Rebecca will help set dates and make final contacts and advertise the event.

Subcommittee Name: Mary thinks “sustainability” has lost its meaning and wants to consider alternate names. Erik says the NLC’s new committee is called the Sustainability Committee, and so might be those of other neighborhoods.