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What started
out as an informational forum on sustainability at Islands and Ocean Visitors
Center the fall of '07 has become a wave of energy focused on making Homer a
better place to live, work, and play.
Sustainability hits a chord with Alaskans who are both independent
by
nature and, like here in Homer, dependant on nature.
In these
changing times it is very apparent that we need to have a positive focus on what
we can do in our own community. Sustainable Homer is dedicated to being
the resource for information and available programs that can help people
make a difference.
Sustainable Homer has been adopted
by the Homer Chamber of Commerce as a subcommittee of the Chamber’s Economic
Development Committee and we continue to grow. All around town students,
businesses, and the city government have started moving towards the goal of increasing
our awareness of our
consumption and reducing our footprint. All this activity translates into
efficiencies that help achieve the triple bottom line for economic, ecological,
and societal
benefits
Everyone
can participate.
Sustainable Homer is what YOU make it. Give us a call or e-mail us with
how you would like to join in, with questions about how you can implement more
sustainable practices, or with ideas about how Homer can grow sustainably.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Our Mission...
To enhance the long-term quality
of life for citizens of the Homer area by promoting a healthy
natural environment, a prosperous economy, and an equitable
community.
Our Goal…
To increase public awareness of the effects of
the climate change and other issues affecting the development of
the Lower Kenai Peninsula while addressing what residents can do to be
proactive in working towards a sustainable green community.
Our Approach…
To
bring business, political and community input together to find
realistic solutions.
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Poster by local student artist Kristen Tonga for
the Sept. 2007 Sustainability Forum
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Sustainable Homer got its start in June of 2007 when Donna Maltz
organized the first meeting to share and exchange
information and ideas with a diverse group of individuals
selected from different sectors of the community. Donna, owner
of the Fresh Sourdough Express Bakery & Café, has been active in
sustainable business practices since the 70’s. When she began
pursuing certification to be the first Green Restaurant in
Alaska, she found there was a lot more support and new sources
of information available for living in a healthier, cleaner
community with viable income solutions. Sustainable Homer has
continued to grow in numbers and enthusiasm since that first
meeting .
Six months earlier, Mayor Hornaday had the foresight to pull a
team of educated Homer citizens together to form the Global
Warming Task Force. After months of research and weekly
meetings, these twelve dedicated individuals put together a
landmark document, The Climate Action Plan, which is
intended to outline different ways the City of Homer can reduce
their carbon footprint. The Climate Action Plan presents
calculated solutions to substantially reduce energy use,
increase efficiency, and save the City money.
http://www.ci.homer.ak.us/CLPL.pdf
The first Sustainability Forum was a cooperative event put
together by Sustainable Homer, Alaska Marine Conservation
Council, and the Global Warming Task Force in Sept of 2007. The
Forum brought out a packed house of community participants to
see Deborah Williams from Alaska Conservation Solutions, Bernie
Carl from China Hot Springs, and a panel of speakers covering
topics from sustainable food production to waste management.
The following day even more participants came to the first
public presentation of the Task Force’s draft Climate Action
Plan to listen and give input. With the astounding support
and donations from the community, a banquet of locally grown
food was prepared and served at the end of the day at the Fresh
Sourdough Express. The Climate Action Plan was
officially adopted by our City Council December 14th.
Since this event, Sustainable Homer has been adopted by the
Chamber of Commerce as a subcommittee of the Economic
Development Committee. Sustainable Homer will be working with
the Chamber towards introducing more sustainable solutions to
all business members. Sustainable Homer also collaborates with local environmental
organizations, youth/educational groups, and the arts community
to bring the conversation of sustainability to the forefront.
We look forward to working with you!
The supportive
crowd at Islands and Ocean Visitor Center |
.JPG)
Donna and Kevin
Maltz and the Fresh Sourdough Express Bakery
and Cafe, the first certified Green Restaurant in
Alaska
Alan Parks and the Global
Warming Task Force Presentation
Deborah Williams
presenting
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