To the Field Guide Community,
To commemorate five years of Field Guide storytelling we asked our project and enterprise partners to reflect on their regenerative journeys, on their past accomplishments, and their hopes for the future. We are honored to share their response with you here.
— Susan Arterian Chang
FIVE YEARS OF FIELD GUIDE STORYTELLING
Carol Sanford, Author, Educator, Capital Institute Advisor, and "Year in the Life" Mentor
"So many organizations develop a theory base that doesn’t correlate very well with work in the field. They set standards and guidelines and then launch without ever observing real world practice. Capital Institute’s Field work is such a refreshing change. After five years they have a wealth of 'on the ground' observations against which to test their theory. Happy Anniversary Field Guide!"
"So many organizations develop a theory base that doesn’t correlate very well with work in the field. They set standards and guidelines and then launch without ever observing real world practice. Capital Institute’s Field work is such a refreshing change. After five years they have a wealth of 'on the ground' observations against which to test their theory. Happy Anniversary Field Guide!"
Ken LaRoe, CEO of First Green Bank and our "Year in the Life of a Regenerative Bank" partner
"'The Year in the Life' project has provoked massive introspection, and a questioning of directional trajectory for me and all my co-workers. And the book Essentialism made me realize I can’t do it all. When I dreamed up First Green Bank in 2007 after selling my previous bank, I had no idea that the journey would take us from being a champion of environmental sustainability to social justice full circle back to environmental regeneration."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Views Wealth Holistically/Right Relationship/ Empowered participation
"'The Year in the Life' project has provoked massive introspection, and a questioning of directional trajectory for me and all my co-workers. And the book Essentialism made me realize I can’t do it all. When I dreamed up First Green Bank in 2007 after selling my previous bank, I had no idea that the journey would take us from being a champion of environmental sustainability to social justice full circle back to environmental regeneration."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Views Wealth Holistically/Right Relationship/ Empowered participation
Vincent Stanley, Author, Director of Philosophy at Patagonia, and "Year in the Life" mentor
"Everything we want to see in a regenerative world is already here, in some form, somewhere. The simple but profound genius of the Field Guide is to put in line of sight our future heroes and mentors, so we can know them by name and place, then model the good they do wherever we happen to live and work. Happy fifth anniversary to the Field Guide!"
"Everything we want to see in a regenerative world is already here, in some form, somewhere. The simple but profound genius of the Field Guide is to put in line of sight our future heroes and mentors, so we can know them by name and place, then model the good they do wherever we happen to live and work. Happy fifth anniversary to the Field Guide!"
Jim Howell of Grasslands LLC (our first Field Guide story)
"If anything, I've been sobered and humbled over the past year. We've got good things going on with our Grasslands projects and are continuing to make solid progress on all fronts, but it's an erratic and painful process. We used to always talk about how we need to 'manage complexity,' rightly realizing that everything is connected and that our decision-making needed to take that into account. I think the biggest thing that I'm now internalizing, along with my colleagues in Grasslands, is that it's impossible to actually 'manage' complexity. The complex systems that we are trying to manage are, like all complex natural systems, self-organizing, with unpredictable emergent properties. But, we can nudge the evolution of a complex system, via our decision-making, in the direction that we desire. It's not going to evolve as we imagine and predict, but we can gradually move toward those things that we're shooting for—greater soil cover, happier, more fulfilled people, healthy, thriving livestock, and more economic prosperity.
But, because there are so many elements that we can't control—weather, the idiosyncrasies and subconscious primal drivers of our staff and crew (and investors!), the billions of microbes in every cubic centimeter of soil, the myriad interactions between the atmosphere and plants and soil fungi and wind and burrowing rodents, and on and on and on—because of all this complexity, and our inability to genuinely grasp it all, lots of unpredictable things are going to happen, and lots of times those things come as hard knocks and setbacks. The only thing we can do is honestly monitor—honor the feedback we receive, not bury our heads in the sand, and get back up and keep trying. So, I guess my insight for the year is that trying to figure all this stuff out is a genuine struggle, but in an exciting and fulfilling way, because with a clear vision of where we're headed, combined with an honest accounting of where we are now, we can indeed make meaningful progress, nudging the evolution of our 'wholes' in the right direction. We're realizing enough little victories that it's really not that hard to climb back in the ring and try again."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: In Right Relationship / Wealth Viewed Holistically / Seeks Balance
"If anything, I've been sobered and humbled over the past year. We've got good things going on with our Grasslands projects and are continuing to make solid progress on all fronts, but it's an erratic and painful process. We used to always talk about how we need to 'manage complexity,' rightly realizing that everything is connected and that our decision-making needed to take that into account. I think the biggest thing that I'm now internalizing, along with my colleagues in Grasslands, is that it's impossible to actually 'manage' complexity. The complex systems that we are trying to manage are, like all complex natural systems, self-organizing, with unpredictable emergent properties. But, we can nudge the evolution of a complex system, via our decision-making, in the direction that we desire. It's not going to evolve as we imagine and predict, but we can gradually move toward those things that we're shooting for—greater soil cover, happier, more fulfilled people, healthy, thriving livestock, and more economic prosperity.
But, because there are so many elements that we can't control—weather, the idiosyncrasies and subconscious primal drivers of our staff and crew (and investors!), the billions of microbes in every cubic centimeter of soil, the myriad interactions between the atmosphere and plants and soil fungi and wind and burrowing rodents, and on and on and on—because of all this complexity, and our inability to genuinely grasp it all, lots of unpredictable things are going to happen, and lots of times those things come as hard knocks and setbacks. The only thing we can do is honestly monitor—honor the feedback we receive, not bury our heads in the sand, and get back up and keep trying. So, I guess my insight for the year is that trying to figure all this stuff out is a genuine struggle, but in an exciting and fulfilling way, because with a clear vision of where we're headed, combined with an honest accounting of where we are now, we can indeed make meaningful progress, nudging the evolution of our 'wholes' in the right direction. We're realizing enough little victories that it's really not that hard to climb back in the ring and try again."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: In Right Relationship / Wealth Viewed Holistically / Seeks Balance
Sara Day Evans of Accelerating Appalachia
"We are incredibly excited to see our regenerative businesses expanding their pollination across Appalachia and beyond! Many have taken on impact investments that enable them to do more good for soil, seeds, grains, grasses, and good jobs tied to nature! Its Food farming, Forest farming, and Fiber farming done right to restore soils, water, air, and return and keep carbon in the ground. We were honored to be filmed by Storm Cloud Media in Fall 2015 as an example of a regenerative organization leading the New Economy."
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Honors Community& Place / In Right Relationship / Wealth Viewed Holistically
"We are incredibly excited to see our regenerative businesses expanding their pollination across Appalachia and beyond! Many have taken on impact investments that enable them to do more good for soil, seeds, grains, grasses, and good jobs tied to nature! Its Food farming, Forest farming, and Fiber farming done right to restore soils, water, air, and return and keep carbon in the ground. We were honored to be filmed by Storm Cloud Media in Fall 2015 as an example of a regenerative organization leading the New Economy."
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Honors Community& Place / In Right Relationship / Wealth Viewed Holistically
Margo Dalal of Co-Cycle
"Although Co-Cycle discontinued in the summer of 2014, I still carry the experiences and knowledge I gained with me every day. Not only have I helped others plan similar bike tours, I have advised others of the benefits of cooperative organization and how beneficial it can be for bike touring.
After graduating this spring with concentrations in social entrepreneurship and urban studies, I have moved back to Detroit, where I first came during Co-Cycle 2013 to visit several cooperatives and collectives. Now I work for a non-profit called Detroit Food Academy. We work every day to connect Detroit high school students with local food enterprises in our community, and guide them in culinary arts and food entrepreneurship. I also work to produce a monthly neighborhood dinner called Detroit SOUP, which funds community projects through citizen participation.
All of these experiences and projects help me gain a stronger understanding of what it means to create pipelines towards education and community agency, and how to effectively engage with different people from different backgrounds. As Detroit embarks on the current era of regeneration, my experiences traveling across the U.S. and learning about how communities interact with larger economic systems has proven to be so beneficial for realizing my own impact in Detroit."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Empowered Participation / Honors Community & Place / Views Wealth Holistically
"Although Co-Cycle discontinued in the summer of 2014, I still carry the experiences and knowledge I gained with me every day. Not only have I helped others plan similar bike tours, I have advised others of the benefits of cooperative organization and how beneficial it can be for bike touring.
After graduating this spring with concentrations in social entrepreneurship and urban studies, I have moved back to Detroit, where I first came during Co-Cycle 2013 to visit several cooperatives and collectives. Now I work for a non-profit called Detroit Food Academy. We work every day to connect Detroit high school students with local food enterprises in our community, and guide them in culinary arts and food entrepreneurship. I also work to produce a monthly neighborhood dinner called Detroit SOUP, which funds community projects through citizen participation.
All of these experiences and projects help me gain a stronger understanding of what it means to create pipelines towards education and community agency, and how to effectively engage with different people from different backgrounds. As Detroit embarks on the current era of regeneration, my experiences traveling across the U.S. and learning about how communities interact with larger economic systems has proven to be so beneficial for realizing my own impact in Detroit."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Empowered Participation / Honors Community & Place / Views Wealth Holistically
David Korslund, Senior Advisor to the GABV and "Year in the Life" Mentor
"Having worked with the Global Alliance since 2009 and with the Capital Institute for the last few years, it is gratifying to see that the world of finance is moving towards supporting a real economy that delivers social empowerment, environmental regeneration, and economic resiliency. The change has been slow and not always moving forward but I am increasingly convinced that the future of finance will support the long term future of the world."
Adam Saynor of GroCycle
"It's been a big year for a small non-profit like ours. In the spring we crowdfunded $24,000 to move our Urban Mushroom Farm to a new premises. We took it all apart and rebuilt an improved design, so we can now test and improve the process for growing mushrooms on coffee grounds in a controlled environment. The most meaningful element of our work this year though has been the number of people learning about this sustainable growing process via our online course. We now have more than 200 members in 36 countries around the world learning how to grow mushrooms on coffee grounds, and some of these people are now going on to set up projects of their own. We look forward to helping to grow this movement even further in the year ahead."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: In Right Relationship / Innovative & Adaptable / Robust Circulatory Flow
"It's been a big year for a small non-profit like ours. In the spring we crowdfunded $24,000 to move our Urban Mushroom Farm to a new premises. We took it all apart and rebuilt an improved design, so we can now test and improve the process for growing mushrooms on coffee grounds in a controlled environment. The most meaningful element of our work this year though has been the number of people learning about this sustainable growing process via our online course. We now have more than 200 members in 36 countries around the world learning how to grow mushrooms on coffee grounds, and some of these people are now going on to set up projects of their own. We look forward to helping to grow this movement even further in the year ahead."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: In Right Relationship / Innovative & Adaptable / Robust Circulatory Flow
Elise Fog of savebees.org
"The most meaningful part about my project continues to be connecting people with the way I see bees, by sharing photos of all the many different bees of which they knew nothing before, and capturing beehavior that helps people see bees as thinking, feeling creatures playing vital roles in our ecosystems, and in urgent need of our help."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: In Right Relationship/Views Wealth Holistically
"The most meaningful part about my project continues to be connecting people with the way I see bees, by sharing photos of all the many different bees of which they knew nothing before, and capturing beehavior that helps people see bees as thinking, feeling creatures playing vital roles in our ecosystems, and in urgent need of our help."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: In Right Relationship/Views Wealth Holistically
Rachel Maxwell of Community Sourced Capital
"Love in action can be a part of the financial world when we are deeply connected to what our money is doing! Community Sourced Capital just launched it's 100th community finance campaign and now nearly 6000 people have shared their money with businesses in their own communities, collectively funding the world they want to live in!"
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Robust Circulatory Flow / Views Wealth Holistically / Honors Community & Place
"Love in action can be a part of the financial world when we are deeply connected to what our money is doing! Community Sourced Capital just launched it's 100th community finance campaign and now nearly 6000 people have shared their money with businesses in their own communities, collectively funding the world they want to live in!"
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Robust Circulatory Flow / Views Wealth Holistically / Honors Community & Place
Jenny Kassan
"I have been so excited to see the number of social enterprises using the Direct Public Offering tool reach their capital-raising goals. Now that the SEC has adopted final rules for the crowdfunding exemption, we have yet another tool in the toolbox, which has already grown so much in the last few years.
I am now focusing my efforts on helping woman-owned social enterprises raise capital because I have found that their challenges tend to be even greater than those of social enterprises led by men. My goal for 2016 is to continue to build a tribe of mission-driven women entrepreneurs that are growing their businesses on their own terms and supporting each other in the process."
[Jenny recently helped the Go Girls! summer camp (see photo, right) raise funding. The Camp girls are rising first to sixth grade girls who engage in the arts to “change the world.” She is also the former CEO of Cutting Edge Capital. See our Field Guide story about Cutting Edge here and look for a Field Guide story on Jenny's new venture in 2016.]
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Robust Circulatory Flow/Empowered Participation
"I have been so excited to see the number of social enterprises using the Direct Public Offering tool reach their capital-raising goals. Now that the SEC has adopted final rules for the crowdfunding exemption, we have yet another tool in the toolbox, which has already grown so much in the last few years.
I am now focusing my efforts on helping woman-owned social enterprises raise capital because I have found that their challenges tend to be even greater than those of social enterprises led by men. My goal for 2016 is to continue to build a tribe of mission-driven women entrepreneurs that are growing their businesses on their own terms and supporting each other in the process."
[Jenny recently helped the Go Girls! summer camp (see photo, right) raise funding. The Camp girls are rising first to sixth grade girls who engage in the arts to “change the world.” She is also the former CEO of Cutting Edge Capital. See our Field Guide story about Cutting Edge here and look for a Field Guide story on Jenny's new venture in 2016.]
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Robust Circulatory Flow/Empowered Participation
Scott Budde of The Maine Harvest Credit Project
"We've rebranded ourselves under the name Maine Harvest Credit Project. The Maine Harvest Credit Project—under the auspices of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and the Maine Farmland Trust—is actively working to create the first credit union geared toward the new food economy. With a focus on Maine’s small farms and related food businesses, the proposed credit union will seek to meet key financing needs not well-met by other sources, particularly around land and business financing. The project has completed significant primary research on this market and is now actively fund raising for grants to begin the credit union chartering process.”
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Robust Circulatory Flow / Honors Community & Place / Empowered Participation
"We've rebranded ourselves under the name Maine Harvest Credit Project. The Maine Harvest Credit Project—under the auspices of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) and the Maine Farmland Trust—is actively working to create the first credit union geared toward the new food economy. With a focus on Maine’s small farms and related food businesses, the proposed credit union will seek to meet key financing needs not well-met by other sources, particularly around land and business financing. The project has completed significant primary research on this market and is now actively fund raising for grants to begin the credit union chartering process.”
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Robust Circulatory Flow / Honors Community & Place / Empowered Participation
Rhea Miller of the Lopez Community Land Trust
"In addition to building three more homes of affordable housing, LCLT is celebrating the installation of a certified food safety lab, a community food analysis lab. This lab provides biological testing of food for bacteria such as E coli, listeria, and salmonella, all of which is critical to the new food standards coming into effect in 2016, the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FMSA). The Grand Opening of the lab is mid-January, and already 5 farmers have been trained in lab testing, as have a School Board member and 2 staff of the local school’s LIFE Garden Program. Affordable housing has never been in greater demand here, nor has the ability to fund it been more of a challenge."
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Honors Community & Place / Empowered Participation / In Right Relationship
"In addition to building three more homes of affordable housing, LCLT is celebrating the installation of a certified food safety lab, a community food analysis lab. This lab provides biological testing of food for bacteria such as E coli, listeria, and salmonella, all of which is critical to the new food standards coming into effect in 2016, the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FMSA). The Grand Opening of the lab is mid-January, and already 5 farmers have been trained in lab testing, as have a School Board member and 2 staff of the local school’s LIFE Garden Program. Affordable housing has never been in greater demand here, nor has the ability to fund it been more of a challenge."
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Honors Community & Place / Empowered Participation / In Right Relationship
Stuart Cowan of Autopoiesis, Capital Institute Advisor, and "Year in the Life" Mentor (Stuart also introduced us to The Lopez Community Land Trust)
“The Capital Institute is engaged in the most fundamental work I can imagine – using storytelling to reweave economic relationships to nurture both human communities and wild ecosystems – and thereby regenerating hope. All this with a combination of rigorous science and genuine passion for globally significant breakthroughs in finance and economics.”
“The Capital Institute is engaged in the most fundamental work I can imagine – using storytelling to reweave economic relationships to nurture both human communities and wild ecosystems – and thereby regenerating hope. All this with a combination of rigorous science and genuine passion for globally significant breakthroughs in finance and economics.”
Jane Hatley, Self-Help Credit Union's Go-Local CD
"The Go Local CD is going strong. It brought in $584,645 in deposits this year, helping to make possible more than $9 million in local loans. It has been a really wonderful help to our local work. Since its inception, it has brought in about $2.5 million in total deposits. And the best part is, each time someone buys a Go Local CD, it not only helps us have funds for local lending, but Self-Help also purchases a Go Local discount card for the depositor, and that is the card published by Asheville Grown, our wonderful localist organization. Asheville Grown contributes a part of the sales from the card to the Asheville City Schools, so our program also contributes indirectly to our local schools!"
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Innovative & Adaptable / Wealth Viewed Holistically / Honors Community & Place
"The Go Local CD is going strong. It brought in $584,645 in deposits this year, helping to make possible more than $9 million in local loans. It has been a really wonderful help to our local work. Since its inception, it has brought in about $2.5 million in total deposits. And the best part is, each time someone buys a Go Local CD, it not only helps us have funds for local lending, but Self-Help also purchases a Go Local discount card for the depositor, and that is the card published by Asheville Grown, our wonderful localist organization. Asheville Grown contributes a part of the sales from the card to the Asheville City Schools, so our program also contributes indirectly to our local schools!"
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Innovative & Adaptable / Wealth Viewed Holistically / Honors Community & Place
Sam Moore of the Bendigo Community Banks
"Historically we’ve probably shied away from the CSR movement largely because of its compliance and reporting focus. Instead we've concentrated solely on our deeds, letting them speak for what we’re about. This year we’ve taken a more active role in the global discussion about the role of business in society, and what it should be, including our engagement with Capital Institute's Field Guide and with Shared Value. This has also lead us from Europe to India to SE Asia and to the US, to talk about the way we approach business and what it means for us and our stakeholders, hoping that through sharing our experiences others can learn from us, as much as we can learn from them.
The story of our little bank in Australia has been well received, and has been recognised as a leader in the shared value movement, including by Mark Kramer who said, 'Michael Porter and I like to think that we come up with new ideas and Bendigo Bank is one of those troublesome companies that seem to be doing shared value long before we wrote about it, because their way of engaging with the community very much recognises that what creates value for the bank creates value for the community and vice versa.'"
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Empowered Participation / Robust Circulatory Flow / Honors Community & Place / Seeks Balance
"Historically we’ve probably shied away from the CSR movement largely because of its compliance and reporting focus. Instead we've concentrated solely on our deeds, letting them speak for what we’re about. This year we’ve taken a more active role in the global discussion about the role of business in society, and what it should be, including our engagement with Capital Institute's Field Guide and with Shared Value. This has also lead us from Europe to India to SE Asia and to the US, to talk about the way we approach business and what it means for us and our stakeholders, hoping that through sharing our experiences others can learn from us, as much as we can learn from them.
The story of our little bank in Australia has been well received, and has been recognised as a leader in the shared value movement, including by Mark Kramer who said, 'Michael Porter and I like to think that we come up with new ideas and Bendigo Bank is one of those troublesome companies that seem to be doing shared value long before we wrote about it, because their way of engaging with the community very much recognises that what creates value for the bank creates value for the community and vice versa.'"
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Empowered Participation / Robust Circulatory Flow / Honors Community & Place / Seeks Balance
Dan Swinney of the Manufacturing Renaissance
"In the last year, the biggest shift we’ve seen towards the vision of a manufacturing renaissance and a 2nd Industrial Revolution has been in community-based organizations. There’s growing recognition that strategies focused only on re-distribution of wealth — while required — are insufficient. We need to master the many dynamics of wealth creation and infuse it with public values. The stark reality of our inner cities and the growing polarization around income inequality, race, and politics has intensified the search for systemic solutions including a manufacturing renaissance by community leaders more so than any other sector. We see this in the emergence of the New Chicago School for Community Economic Development, a refreshing interest in complex ideas, and impatience."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Edge Effect Abundance / Innovative & Adaptable / Empowered Participation
"In the last year, the biggest shift we’ve seen towards the vision of a manufacturing renaissance and a 2nd Industrial Revolution has been in community-based organizations. There’s growing recognition that strategies focused only on re-distribution of wealth — while required — are insufficient. We need to master the many dynamics of wealth creation and infuse it with public values. The stark reality of our inner cities and the growing polarization around income inequality, race, and politics has intensified the search for systemic solutions including a manufacturing renaissance by community leaders more so than any other sector. We see this in the emergence of the New Chicago School for Community Economic Development, a refreshing interest in complex ideas, and impatience."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Edge Effect Abundance / Innovative & Adaptable / Empowered Participation
Ruby Levine of the P6 Cooperative Trade Movement
"We look forward to continuing to build a cooperative supply chain, connecting customers at cooperative grocery stores with cooperative farmers and food producers. P6 welcomed four new members into our movement this year, adding two grocery co-ops and two farmer co-ops. These new members are Menomonie Market Food Co-op, Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, Organic Valley, and Farmer Direct Co-op. We estimate that in 2015, our membership sold more than $25 million dollars of small, local, and cooperative products."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Empowered Participation / Robust Circulation / Honors Community & Place
"We look forward to continuing to build a cooperative supply chain, connecting customers at cooperative grocery stores with cooperative farmers and food producers. P6 welcomed four new members into our movement this year, adding two grocery co-ops and two farmer co-ops. These new members are Menomonie Market Food Co-op, Roanoke Natural Foods Co-op, Organic Valley, and Farmer Direct Co-op. We estimate that in 2015, our membership sold more than $25 million dollars of small, local, and cooperative products."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Empowered Participation / Robust Circulation / Honors Community & Place
Tom Eggert of Wisconsin Microfinance
"Wisconsin Microfinance has continued to grow, adding a community in the Philippines to our program. The first microloans were made in Bohol, the Philippines, this past summer. We continue to experiment with principles of microfinance and I recently presented a Tedx talk on the Power of Microfinance."
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Empowered Participation / Robust Circulatory Flow / Honors Community & Place
"Wisconsin Microfinance has continued to grow, adding a community in the Philippines to our program. The first microloans were made in Bohol, the Philippines, this past summer. We continue to experiment with principles of microfinance and I recently presented a Tedx talk on the Power of Microfinance."
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Empowered Participation / Robust Circulatory Flow / Honors Community & Place
Ted Howard of the Democracy Collaborative, Co-creator of Evergreen Cooperatives, and Godfather of the Field Guide
"Cleveland’s Evergreen Cooperatives were proud to be the subject of the second Capital Institute Field Guide in 2011. Three years later, Evergreen was profiled again in an update and progress report. As we enter 2016, Evergreen is standing strong: about 120 men and women are employees and owners; two of its three companies (Evergreen Cooperative Laundry and Evergreen Energy Solutions) are profitable and a third, Green City Growers, is nearly so. A “holding company” structure has been put in place to guide the continued evolution of this community wealth building model, and more businesses are in the pipeline. Now the model has inspired numerous other cities to design their own economic inclusion strategies: the City of Richmond VA has created the nation’s first municipal Office of Community Wealth Building; Mayor Lovely Warren of Rochester, NY has launched a Market-Driven Cooperative Corporation initiative; a worker-owned green infrastructure company will soon launch in Prince George’s County, MD. Thank you, Capital Institute, for helping to spread the word of this important work."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Empowered Participation / Edge Effect Abundance / Wealth Viewed Holistically
"Cleveland’s Evergreen Cooperatives were proud to be the subject of the second Capital Institute Field Guide in 2011. Three years later, Evergreen was profiled again in an update and progress report. As we enter 2016, Evergreen is standing strong: about 120 men and women are employees and owners; two of its three companies (Evergreen Cooperative Laundry and Evergreen Energy Solutions) are profitable and a third, Green City Growers, is nearly so. A “holding company” structure has been put in place to guide the continued evolution of this community wealth building model, and more businesses are in the pipeline. Now the model has inspired numerous other cities to design their own economic inclusion strategies: the City of Richmond VA has created the nation’s first municipal Office of Community Wealth Building; Mayor Lovely Warren of Rochester, NY has launched a Market-Driven Cooperative Corporation initiative; a worker-owned green infrastructure company will soon launch in Prince George’s County, MD. Thank you, Capital Institute, for helping to spread the word of this important work."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Empowered Participation / Edge Effect Abundance / Wealth Viewed Holistically
Martha “Pati” Ruiz Corzo of Grupo Ecologico Sierra Gorda
“Thank you to the Field Guide project for telling people about the Sierra Gorda. This article has had a profound impact on many levels.
‘With profound respect for life, to regenerate our soil heritage, to mend the tapestry of nature, and to generate a wave of love for the planet.’
‘Con un profudo respeto por la vida, regenrando el patrimonio suelo, surciendo el tapiz de la naturaleza, una ola de amor por el planeta.’”
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
In Right Relationship / Honors Community & Place / Innovative & Adaptable
“Thank you to the Field Guide project for telling people about the Sierra Gorda. This article has had a profound impact on many levels.
‘With profound respect for life, to regenerate our soil heritage, to mend the tapestry of nature, and to generate a wave of love for the planet.’
‘Con un profudo respeto por la vida, regenrando el patrimonio suelo, surciendo el tapiz de la naturaleza, una ola de amor por el planeta.’”
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
In Right Relationship / Honors Community & Place / Innovative & Adaptable
Leslie Christian of Integrated Capital, and "Year in the Life" Mentor
"In these times, it’s so easy to be paralyzed by fear or blinded by hope. Somewhere between hope and despair is the good work of building relationships, seeking fairness, and practicing compassion. That’s where I want to live."
"In these times, it’s so easy to be paralyzed by fear or blinded by hope. Somewhere between hope and despair is the good work of building relationships, seeking fairness, and practicing compassion. That’s where I want to live."
Toril Fisher, artist contributor to our Driftless story and co-owner of Second Cloud on the Left Organic Farm
“As I reflect on the state my life, my farm, our human community and our planet as we close out a calendar year and move toward another rotation of our planet around the sun, I cannot see the future without viewing landscapes. After donating my kidney to my mother and witnessing her enjoy a full year of health, my inner soils are rich with ideas, hope, and renewed life. The geography of my canvases—impregnated with opaque color hues and light values—are a celebration of the physical world that we are so blessed to have in the Driftless. On a global level, I feel that humanity has lost its ability to tend to its inner soil. Our culture and lack of soil/soul cultivation has allowed weeds to overtake our landscapes and the seeds of fear and frenzy to take root. We continue to apply endocrine-disrupting chemicals to our landscapes, both inner and outer, and isolate ourselves in our cell phones and daily dramas.
“As I reflect on the state my life, my farm, our human community and our planet as we close out a calendar year and move toward another rotation of our planet around the sun, I cannot see the future without viewing landscapes. After donating my kidney to my mother and witnessing her enjoy a full year of health, my inner soils are rich with ideas, hope, and renewed life. The geography of my canvases—impregnated with opaque color hues and light values—are a celebration of the physical world that we are so blessed to have in the Driftless. On a global level, I feel that humanity has lost its ability to tend to its inner soil. Our culture and lack of soil/soul cultivation has allowed weeds to overtake our landscapes and the seeds of fear and frenzy to take root. We continue to apply endocrine-disrupting chemicals to our landscapes, both inner and outer, and isolate ourselves in our cell phones and daily dramas.
Each time I work the land I enter into an unspoken contract with nature – to return a little more than I have taken. Extractive economies and global trade have hijacked our ability to witness and honor this unspoken contract. Our water, land, and air systems are screaming at us, yet we are deaf.
More so now than ever, my roles as an organic farmer and an artist are more inextricably linked. Among the bustle of a farm in the middle of the growing season, quiet reflection of color and light are no longer indulgent, but rather required. Finding time to be grateful, silent, and purposeful so when the soils are regenerating in the winter, I can tend to the canvas and recreate, with gratitude, the smells, colors, and experiences of the season tucked away. When we rebuild our soils, we encourage diversity, we honor our inheritance of the land, and help fulfill an obligation to the future and most assuredly increase the bounty of the harvest within our community, our world and ourselves. The land is forgiving. The canvas is forgiving and so it is that I must become forgiving and loving at every moment regardless of the outcomes."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Honors Community & Place/Innovative, Adaptive, Responsive / Empowered Participation /Robust Circulation
More so now than ever, my roles as an organic farmer and an artist are more inextricably linked. Among the bustle of a farm in the middle of the growing season, quiet reflection of color and light are no longer indulgent, but rather required. Finding time to be grateful, silent, and purposeful so when the soils are regenerating in the winter, I can tend to the canvas and recreate, with gratitude, the smells, colors, and experiences of the season tucked away. When we rebuild our soils, we encourage diversity, we honor our inheritance of the land, and help fulfill an obligation to the future and most assuredly increase the bounty of the harvest within our community, our world and ourselves. The land is forgiving. The canvas is forgiving and so it is that I must become forgiving and loving at every moment regardless of the outcomes."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Honors Community & Place/Innovative, Adaptive, Responsive / Empowered Participation /Robust Circulation
Devita Davison of FoodLab Detroit
"All around us, we see FoodLab members creating a new economic landscape – demonstrating that it IS possible to build a business based on collaboration, human well-being, and respect for the planet. From FoodLab’s very humble beginnings we have always envisioned a future where businesses, people, and communities thrive. We’ve shared this vision with policy makers, community organizers, faith communities, business leaders, friends, family members, and others. But perhaps more importantly we have listened to our members tell us how they picture themselves working collaboratively in the local food economy and how together, they’re working to create a city in which one’s ethnicity, income, or zip codes does not hamper the ability to eat fresh food, live on safe streets, or find quality jobs.
As we look to the future, FoodLab will certainly grow and change, but our community is fundamental to everything we do. The choice is deceptively simple — go it alone or do something together. At FoodLab Detroit, we’re building something together. We are a mighty village! We Are FoodLab!"
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Empowered Participation / Edge Effect Abundance / Honors Community & Place
"All around us, we see FoodLab members creating a new economic landscape – demonstrating that it IS possible to build a business based on collaboration, human well-being, and respect for the planet. From FoodLab’s very humble beginnings we have always envisioned a future where businesses, people, and communities thrive. We’ve shared this vision with policy makers, community organizers, faith communities, business leaders, friends, family members, and others. But perhaps more importantly we have listened to our members tell us how they picture themselves working collaboratively in the local food economy and how together, they’re working to create a city in which one’s ethnicity, income, or zip codes does not hamper the ability to eat fresh food, live on safe streets, or find quality jobs.
As we look to the future, FoodLab will certainly grow and change, but our community is fundamental to everything we do. The choice is deceptively simple — go it alone or do something together. At FoodLab Detroit, we’re building something together. We are a mighty village! We Are FoodLab!"
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Empowered Participation / Edge Effect Abundance / Honors Community & Place
Tim MacDonald, Evergreen Direct Investments and Capital Institute Fellow
“Being part of the Field Guide has been for me a journey of discovering the power of stories to change the conversation, and the power of conversation to shape our future. Whether we are talking about something as practical as Evergreen Cooperatives or as abstract as evergreen superfiduciaries, it is important to tell good stories, because stories get us talking, and talking is the first step in the journey towards doing.”
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Views Wealth Holistically/Empowered Participation/Edge Effect Abundance/Innovative, Adaptive, Responsive
“Being part of the Field Guide has been for me a journey of discovering the power of stories to change the conversation, and the power of conversation to shape our future. Whether we are talking about something as practical as Evergreen Cooperatives or as abstract as evergreen superfiduciaries, it is important to tell good stories, because stories get us talking, and talking is the first step in the journey towards doing.”
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Views Wealth Holistically/Empowered Participation/Edge Effect Abundance/Innovative, Adaptive, Responsive
Ken McCarty, McCarty Family Farms
"The family and team at McCarty Family Farms have made many efforts over the past year to move our business and organization forward. We realize that our organization and our efforts are not perfect, and also that the attempts at perfection are likely unrealistic, yet we believe that any step forward, however small, is a step in the right direction. We look forward to the work in 2016 of elevating our farms, our family of employees, our communities and our mission to the next level. We believe that for our world to be healthy for the next generation we must set our sights on achieving lofty, what some may see as impossible, goals. We truly believe that together we can."
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Innovative & Adaptable / Seeks Balance / Honors Community & Place / Edge Effect Abundance
"The family and team at McCarty Family Farms have made many efforts over the past year to move our business and organization forward. We realize that our organization and our efforts are not perfect, and also that the attempts at perfection are likely unrealistic, yet we believe that any step forward, however small, is a step in the right direction. We look forward to the work in 2016 of elevating our farms, our family of employees, our communities and our mission to the next level. We believe that for our world to be healthy for the next generation we must set our sights on achieving lofty, what some may see as impossible, goals. We truly believe that together we can."
Standout Regenerative Qualities:
Innovative & Adaptable / Seeks Balance / Honors Community & Place / Edge Effect Abundance
Mark Phillips, who shared his Cooperative Vacation with us
"The Field Guide helped me realize that our work with the local economy here in Philadelphia is actually part of a much larger story of economic transformation occurring all around the world today. Seeing that others are diligently working towards a common economic vision has truly allowed me to experience 'empowered participation' – the knowledge that activity here is unique, important, and contributes to the health of an emerging regenerative economy."
"The Field Guide helped me realize that our work with the local economy here in Philadelphia is actually part of a much larger story of economic transformation occurring all around the world today. Seeing that others are diligently working towards a common economic vision has truly allowed me to experience 'empowered participation' – the knowledge that activity here is unique, important, and contributes to the health of an emerging regenerative economy."
Charlotte Cadieux of Co-Cycle
"I learned two valuable lessons from my experience with Co-Cycle: How to cooperate and how to truly love my bicycle. I apply these in practice with a deep commitment to regeneration, meaning generations of people as well. Through a connection I made on Co-Cycle I currently work with a network of student-directed schools called Agile Learning Centers. In Charlotte at ALC Mosaic and a local Recyclery I am building and holding opportunities for children to learn about, and use bicycles as tools for confidence, trust and change. I realized on Co-Cycle that I wanted to keep riding and co-creating with others. So I'm doing what I can to continue doing that."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Empowered Participation / Honors Community & Place / Views Wealth Holistically
"I learned two valuable lessons from my experience with Co-Cycle: How to cooperate and how to truly love my bicycle. I apply these in practice with a deep commitment to regeneration, meaning generations of people as well. Through a connection I made on Co-Cycle I currently work with a network of student-directed schools called Agile Learning Centers. In Charlotte at ALC Mosaic and a local Recyclery I am building and holding opportunities for children to learn about, and use bicycles as tools for confidence, trust and change. I realized on Co-Cycle that I wanted to keep riding and co-creating with others. So I'm doing what I can to continue doing that."
Standout Regenerative Qualities: Empowered Participation / Honors Community & Place / Views Wealth Holistically
Please share your comments on REFLECTIONS here: |