From: Denyse Walbeehm <denyse@interaccess.net>
Feedback to Denyse and/or to ncndiscuss-l@newciv.org
hi there..I'm new to this so please excuse me if I make any mistakes. I was
sort of coached by Leon to send out what I am working on.
I live in Tampa, Florida so I live near to the Venus Project..and when I
joined NCN..I had a very specific vision. That vision was more about the
end result rather than how I was going to get there. So now that I've had
some time and motivation, I have begun to formulate a community model. I am
in the early stages of two things here..first I am planning the formation
of a group in my area..to share spiritual beliefs and practical
applications. We are in the process of buying a home at the end of this
month and so once we move I will have more time to begin to concretely
assemble the group. I have identified a possible meeting place and have
also found a place to advertise. And I will be basing the group on this
concept: A spiritual group that is inclusive of all faiths, free from
judgement of others and a sincere desire to share and demonstrate Who we
are as individuals. The platform on which we share will come from thoughts
and reactions to readings. I have already got together a list of books that
can be used to pluck thoughts from..A Course in Miracles, Conversations
with God, Celestine Prophecy, etc. If anyone is out there who is from the
Tampa area and would like to join up and help start a group..I would be
overjoyed.
With regard to my New Civilization Florida model, I have a rough draft of
both the goals and features. There seem to be an endless number of
considerations that need to be thought of..so if anyone identifies
something that I am not foreseeing, again, I would appreciate feedback. So
here goes:
Goals-
To create a complex blend of small town/commune/village lifestyle within
modern day living. Most housing in Florida is done in
developments..builders go in and buy up chunks of land and build poor
quality homes in record time all for the sake of profit. My model begins
indeed with a development but with emphasis on environmentally responsible
homes. Proft could still be made but at no ones expense. It requires each
resident to have the same resonsibility about their development that is
found amoung residents of a commune while maintaining individuality. Each
development would be commited to it's residents and emphasis would be on
"family activities", whether that be community or individual. The ability
to accept and embrace the differences of individual beleifs and lifestyles
would be key as well as desires for a family environment, concern for the
community, a commitment to creative problem solving, a concious effort to
combat discrimination, and a real sense of giving and working together.
Each development would abide and reside under the same government we now
have in this country, but on a community level..mediation would be the
desired resolution for any conflicts within the development (those problems
like your dog barks too much etc)
There would be a procedure for considering incoming families..it would be a
two sided process..the family would interview the community and vice versa.
Each development would of course represent it's residents so each
development would have a different identity..this would make it neccesary
for people to want to be informed of what the community represented..what
level of responsibility it took and so on. In turn, the community would
want to know that it was welcoming a family that supported the lifestyle.
The development would operate on a cashless system of exchange and
bartering with credits of NCN dollars as a tracking system. Families would
be encouraged to not only exchange goods but also yard sales etc..for the
reduction of unneccesary waste. And on a larger level, the community could
barter with other developements.
Features-
Homes made from recycled and energy efficient materials such as :
freeon free A/C and heating units, salvaged and/or reconditioned wood,
environmentally friendly paints with low VCO's, recycled tiles (made from
salvaged and recycled ceramic and glass), salvaged glass (when possible..I
am told this is the hardest aspect of an environmentally friendly home),
non toxic insulation from recycled materials, state of the art lighting
(the current market is flourescent bulbs for lamps and such that use 1/3rd
of the electricity and generate minimal heat thereby reducing cooling
costs), and any other materials you can think of.
Developments will be individual semi-self sufficient communities with a
recreation center that can double as a town meeting hall and school (should
parents wish to school their children locally and have direct influence
over their childs education), a book exchange/library equiped with
reference materials (this could reduce paper waste on some level..magazines
and newpapers could be kept and later put on microphish until another use
was found for them..and in addition..the facility would double as a used
book store type scenario..so if I were to have some old encyclopedias I
could donate them to the center and exchange them for other reading
materials), a technology center with computers, faxes, and copy machine, a
local store and pharmacy, a community barn for the storage of foods, hay
for animals, and the place where grounds maintenance equipment would be
kept. Outside the barn could be a pen for animals. The community could
elect to purchase several cows, pigs, chickens or whatever and raise them
for slaughter or milk and egg production. This is a sort of control
situation..you would know exactly what you were eating rather than guessing
how much hormone was fed to or coated over your meal in order for it to be
tender or stay fresh longer. Next to the animal pen would be a large
community garden for organically grown fruits and vegetables. All families
could choose to participate..and whatever product they harvest would be
tradeable for surplus with other families. So I could raise green beans and
my neighbor carrots and we could trade our surplus. Or the entire crop
could be traded to the store in return for other goods and each family
could have their own garden in their yard. Behind the recreation facility
would be a playground and a park. The park would perhaps have a pond and
intricate landscaping with hammocks and/or bench swings. This would be the
area that all local families could gather on holidays for community
functions such as an easter egg hunt, or an Octoberfest.
The community will be maintained by either residents who wish to be
caretakers, or a hired staff which the community will pay for in monthly
maintenance fees. There is a possibility of a front gate station with
security guard. The community would have tree lined streets and common
areas that would need to be maintained. So my proposition is to have the
community pay with NCN dollars those people from the development that wish
to undertake these responsibilities. They would then be able to earn extra
income. A stay at home mother could volunteer to teach the home schooled
children or to be a day care provider for their neighbors and receive a
community salary.
All landscaping would have organic emphasis. No pesticides, and I'm not
sure what they call this..but it's when you plant one thing next to another
because it's a symbiotic relationship. One of the plants is toxic to the
pests of the other and/or vice versa.
In matters of relocation, a resident family can trade a home with another
family in a different development (and even within the same development).
The value of each home would be established and the difference of the sums
be credited with NCN dollars.
Well, this is as far as I've gotten so far. I realise a lot of what I said
is not clearly defined so if anybody has any tips or suggestions please
email me at denyse@interaccess.net
Thanks,
Denyse M. Walbeehm
P.S. A visual illustration will follow within days (if I can drag my butt
to the pc and spend the time)
Thanks again and Happy Trails everybody!
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Thu Dec 07 2000 - 23:22:12 PST