HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-02-29-CAPAH-minLexington Climate Action Plan Ad Hoc Committee
Approved Meeting Minutes
Values discussion
February 29, 2008
Police Station Guard Room
Present:
Marilyn Campbell
Dan Jones
JJ Krawczyk
Jeanne Krieger
Andy McClaine
Katherine Moore
Adam Sacks
Toby Sackton
The purpose of this meeting was to develop a short statement that describes the work of
our committee using our consensus on values. Everyone talked about "why I am here" in
order for us to learn the underlying values of our commitment to this work (notes written
on easel sheets are below). We then used that discussion to come up with the following
DRAFT statement:
"The CA-PC engages our community to take responsibility to be stewards of our
landscape, heritage, and community connections by addressing today's crisis arising from
our fossil fuel based lives. As in the past, Lexington must take action to become the
change we seek so that we and our children may enjoy the safety and serenity to which
we all aspire."
This statement reflects key values of responsibility, stewardship, community, and safety.
It also reflects the community's ongoing commitment to take action in the face of a crisis.
We expect further refinements / edits, but believe it reflects the consensus of the room.
For those who weren't there, a bit of explanation about the values statement. It is not a
substitute for any policies or detailed recommendations we may put forward, but instead
indicates the values that we feel must underlie all our work -- both in communicating and
proposing actions. If the committee recommends something that doesn't seem in line
with our values statement, then either that action is wrong or the values statement needs
revision.
An example, using part of a tangential conversation from the meeting: Suppose we decide
that promoting vegetable gardens in town is a good idea, especially if it is replacing space
currently used for lawns. Is it proper to recommend ripping up your neighbor's lawn and
planting a garden there? Ignoring the obvious legal ramifications, this action would run
afoul of the "community connections" piece of the values statement. We wish to promote
actions that encourage positive relationships between neighbors. So instead we might
encourage neighborhoods to come together and identify plots that everyone (especially
the affected landowners) agrees would be good locations for gardens.
What follows are the notes that were jotted down on the easel paper during the meeting:
desire to make life better for current and future generations
want to improve world
anti -waste
current society depends on waste
intrinsic value of trees (and other natural resources)
loss of unique environments
preservation
species
natural order
going back to a previous state
has happened in a few cases (e.g., rivers)
respect, doing no harm / undoing harm
open spaces, more density where the population lives
fairness, equal access to resources
contraction and convergence
population?
not interested in solution that "gets rid of half the people"
education, poverty eradication
density: advantages and disadvantages
nice to have space, but how do we feel about this privilege?
guilt?
responsibility
offset by side - effects, e.g. health, asthma rates
worth of human beings, natural world
responsibility to children, grandchildren
survival of human race
our legacy
sense of place
what is behind sense of responsibility?
e.g. you wouldn't trash your neighbor's yard
re -think "home is your castle"
community vs. isolation
subordination of individual to community
being part of the solution
live your values
need to act out the change you want
Farmers Market - great example of living your values
humans indeed have this power over the climate
accept that responsibility
why NOT Lexington?
show that it can be done
these are extraordinary times