One of the people we'll be speaking with is Leslie Taylor. She has helped coordinate sustainability workshops in the Fox Valley, and arraigned for the authors of the book The Natural Step for Communities: How Cities and Towns Can Change to Sustainable Practices at the FOTH conference this past June.
The following is an announcement Ms. Taylor sent regarding the formation of community book study circles:
"The Natural Step for Communities" Study Circles Forming
Are you interested in helping to build community understanding and knowledge about sustainability?
Individuals and groups in communities all over Wisconsin are reading The Natural Step for Communities: How Cities and Towns can Change to Sustainable Practices. This book is commonly used for group study circles to deepen people's understanding about sustainable communities and the decision-making process that leads to them.
Torbjorn Lahti (co-author of the book and founder of the eco-municipality movement) has been quoted saying, "Perhaps the most important factor to why we were successful in becoming an eco-municipality were study circles…It's a question of people taking control over their own situation and their own future."
Many people who have participated in a study circle have felt more informed, empowered, and encouraged to create positive change in their own community.If you are interested in being part of a study circle, please contact:
Ø Leslie Taylor at ltaylor@sustainfv.org (920-739-7307), or
Ø Catherine Neiswender at catherine.neiswender@ces.uwex.edu (920-232-1972).
We will do our best to coordinate groups at times and places that work for the greatest possible participation. If you are part of an existing group that's interested in learning about The Natural Step for Communities, let us know.
The Appleton Public Library has several copies of the book in circulation, or you can purchase your own copy. Conkey's bookstore in Appleton and Amazon.com have been good sources.
Study circles work best when done over an 8-week period, but we can condense them into 4-week timeframes if that's all you have time for!
We have planned 3 one-hour orientation sessions to get people the information they need to get started. You only need to attend one of these sessions - after the orientation we will connect you with a group and a leader, meeting at a yet-to-be-determined time and place.
Here are the orientation sessions:
September 10, 7 – 8 p.m., Appleton Public Library lower level meeting room
September 17, 7 – 8 p.m., Menasha Public Library lower level meeting room
November 12, 7 – 8 p.m., Appleton Public Library lower level meeting room
Please respond to this message with a note indicating which days of the week, time of day, and location will be best for you to participate in a circle.
We will organize the circles to begin shortly after the orientation sessions.
If you are interested, but unable to attend any of the above orientation sessions, let us know that, too. We'll do our best to plan something that will work for you!
Also, please forward this message to any friends, neighbors, co-workers, or business associates who may be interested in learning about building a sustainable future for the Fox Valley area.
