Have a BALLE July 17
-from Terry Link

Some of you were invited and able to attend an informal pow-wow a couple weeks back on developing a locally based (tri-county, regional,???) business alliance that would raise consciousness about supporting locally owned businesses that are committed to developing the community.

Many of you know there is a growing network BALLE (Business Alliance for Local Living Economies) founded by Judy Wicks in Philadelphia that now has efforts going in 30 communities.  Patti Wood tried a few years ago to get one off the ground and she organized a great get together at Trippers that got some coverage and the room was packed. But it never really got legs (no fault of Patti's or anyone else). I guess the time wasn't quite ripe. And maybe it isn't now either. But having returned in Mid June from the National BALLE Conference, I am inspired to perhaps try again.

The Bellingham Washington BALLE effort www.sustainableconnections.org is an inspiring effort with more than 500 local businesses involved and is thriving and making Bellingham a better place to live and work. We can grow our own unique alliance here!!!

At the informal pow-wow a couple weeks back I distributed a useful FAQ on starting a local BALLE type effort http://www.livingeconomies.org/joinus/organizingfaq/ . If you are interested in potentially helping to develop such an effort look this over. Out of our pow-wow came a few ideas for next steps.

  1) Think about local businesses that might be interested in being part of a network.
  2) Think about the specific minimal commitments required for membership.

At our next pow-wow we'll discuss those two issues and see if we have enough interest to start building an alliance that would support local ownership, sound environmental practices, and commitment to the community. Let's meet at Harper's in East Lansing at 5:00pm on Monday, July 17.  Feel free to bring an interested friend.

Let's grow something positive and energizing.

 

 

What is a local business?   Tips from BALLE: Is the business privately-held (not publicly traded)? Does the business owner (or majority of owners) live in your local region? Is the business registered in (your state), with no corporate or national headquarters outside (your region)? Can the business make independent decisions regarding the name and look of the business, as well as all business purchasing, practices, and distribution? Does the business pay all its own marketing, rent, and other business expenses (without assistance from a corporate headquarters)?

 

"I keep the subject of my inquiry constantly before me,
and wait till the first dawning opens gradually,
by little and little, into a full and clear light."

- Isaac Newton

 

 

 

Put your $$$$$ where your mouth is... Invest in Magdalena's Tea House.  More here.

Truckers Dine at Magdalena's Tea House see for yourself   (2MB movie file)

 

"We weren't raised to protest. We weren't raised to question.  We were raised to wave the flag. To pledge allegiance. 'My country, right or wrong.'   It's a terrible, terrible trap."
  --Phil Donahue

 

	A Patriot for Peace Excerpt from an e-mail by Rocky Beckett, offering advice on how to respond to our current national challenges... "I do not know the whole answer, but have faith in these spiritual and basic principles: Love, hope and faith are stronger than fear.  During WWII we were told, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”  Now we have a President who spreads fear to anyone who will buy it and is afraid himself to have an honest open debate without calling people unpatriotic, just ask John Murtha. America will weaken terrorism by building friendships not by killing enemies.  The poorly timed invasion of Iraq is a tragic example of putting friendship on the back burner to enemy hunting. People who trade their liberty for security deserve neither.  Our fore fathers and mothers are rolling over in their graves as the checks and balances in the US Constitution are taking a back set to Republican Party politics and thirst for power.  Why doesn’t President Bush just talk to the legislative and judicial branches like the Constitution demands?  Instead we citizens have to wait for a leak from some brave insider to spill the beans to the newspaper.  Does he think that Congress and the Judiciary is filled with terrorist too?  Thou doest protest too much.  If he would just brief Congress and get warrants like the laws call for he would be more likely to keep these secret operations secret.  I don’t need to know about them, but the legislative and judicial branches do that is Democracy in action Mr. President. Have faith in Democracy and the American people.  Bush is trying to save us and the world from terrorist.  If he would quit over functioning, take a deep breath or get out of the way; the American people will rise to the occasion and rebuild this great nation."
	Bumper Stickers -from Nancy Kelly
	Toyota's Big Plans for Greener Cars from David Sunfellow http://www.whatcar.com/news-article.aspx?NA=220339 Toyota has unveiled a broad-ranging set of plans to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.  It wants to cut atmospheric pollution and reduce the use of fossil fuels, particularly petrol. To achieve this, it is revamping its engine and transmission range, a process which has already started, with a V6 engine it introduced in 2003. Other engines in the pipeline include a new 1.8-litre engine, and there will also be a new continuously variable transmission for small and mid-sized cars.  The new 1.8-litre engine will feature ultra-light, friction-reducing components, which give a 5% improvement in fuel economy. It also uses VVT-i technology (variable valve timing - intelligent), which improves low-down pull and reduces carbon dioxide emissions. Alongside these developments, Toyota aims to double the number of hybrid models available by the early 2010s. It's also investing in research into plug-in hybrid cars (cars you charge from an external source), and is developing an all-electric car.  Finally, bioethanol will play a part in Toyota's green plans. Soon, all its petrol engines will be able to run with 10% bioethanol content. Next spring, it will introduce cars that can run on 100% bioethanol for the Brazilian market, and is considering them for the US market, too.

 

Bob's Parting Advice...
"For those times when the business of creating sustainable alternatives becomes just too much there's . . . http://www.nudisttrampolining.com/  "

- Bob Schense

 

 

 

Thanks,

LeRoy

 

previous issues here

leroy@leroyharvey.net
www.leroyharvey.net