Our economy tanks on a periodic basis leaving economic destruction in its path. And each time we attempt to steel ourselves for the next time and really don’t do anything. It is like waking up from a bad hangover and telling yourself that you will never drink like that again. The City of Chico is more than broke and needs more than bandaids. We need a whole new paradigm for local economy, self reliance, and sustainability. We are told that the only way out of our economic hard times is to spend more and buy more, without regard for the environment and society. We don’t need more stuff to make our lives better, we need more quality lives.

Greenhouse gasses affect climate and the weather is reeking havoc on the environment.  Wild weather is just starting and no one knows where it will go. The loss of ice in glaciers, the Arctic, and Antarctic are clear indicators that things aren’t working. We’ve been having the warmest years on record and each year is warmer than the previous. Something must be done with both our economy and our environment if we and our children are going to survive. We need to start at home, become mindful of each or our decisions and their effect on the local environment and the global environment. At the same time we need work on our community to make it and us self reliant and to thrive.

The EEECo Chico blog is a project of Tom Barrett, aka “The Sustainable Guy”. It is designed to stimulate ideas, provide discussions, and identify solutions to make Chico and northern California a truly sustainable region. Submit your ideas and comments about how to make Chico, Butte County, and northern California more sustainable.

The ideas and postings in this blog come from everywhere. I’ve been working in the sustainability field since the mid 1970’s when we called it “Appropriate Technology” and I’ve found that there are very few, if any, original ideas. That doesn’t mean your idea shouldn’t be shared. Looking at old ideas in a new light is just as valuable as is sharing what other folks are doing in other communities or even in their own backyards and homes.

In my hosting of the radio show “The Sustainable Hour” on KZFR FM 90.1 (where I received the moniker “The Sustainable Guy” when people would call up and ask for me by that name) I interviewed many local community members who had wonderful ideas, projects, and organizations working on making Chico and Butte County a sustainable. This blog is to celebrate and share with the community.