As a community, Cochrane is far advanced on Pathway 8 to sustainability: “We are a caring community that lives and celebrates together.”
Last week’s Eagle was chocked full of stories about the events of the weekend, including the great penny round-up, the outhouse races, the local art show, music events, sporting events, and much more. I challenge you readers to highlight the stories that described the activities you attended and celebrated as a Cochrane citizen last weekend.
Why did you attend? What drew you there? What was your favourite part of the event? Were you an organizer or volunteer? Would you help organize this event again, and would you attend this celebration again?
By thinking about, and answering these simple questions, you are thinking community development and sustainability and your part in it.
Since I started writing these articles describing the contents of the Cochrane Sustainability Plan, I have been taking time to read about Cochrane’s celebrations each week, and not a week goes by where we fail to walk on Pathway 8 to sustainability-we are a community that celebrates together with passion, no doubt about it!
But, I wonder if you were to read the Eagle from cover to cover, whether you would find evidence that Cochrane’s citizens are on all the eight pathways I have described so far. So this week, I have a challenge for you. Read through the Eagle this week, and see if you can find a story or photograph that demonstrates how we are doing on each of the first 8 Pathways of the Plan.
To recap, these are:
1. We are a socially responsible and empowered community.
2. We treat water as a precious resource.
3. We use energy responsibly and innovatively.
4. We contribute to the solution on climate change.
5. We consume the bounty of our local economy.
6. Our local economy is healthy and diverse.
7. Everyone has an opportunity to pursue their potential in Cochrane.
8. We are a caring community that lives and celebrates together.
If you are able to complete the challenge by October 17th, then send me an email at [email protected] and list each Pathway and the page number and caption or headline for the activity you found that demonstrates being on that pathway.
Make sure you let me know that it is ok for me to use your name in the next article I write for the Eagle. The first person who sends me this information will be the winner of the challenge.
I will have your email address, and I will contact you about the “prize”.
If you are under 18, I will need your parent’s consent to email you and provide you with a prize, so please provide that, too. Remember that this challenge ends October 17th.
Being a caring community that lives and celebrates together is truly a cornerstone of sustainability. I believe that it is our social networks that make us a strong, viable and dynamic place to live and work.
But, we must continue to share information and create knowledge together that reflects our vision for the future, the best scientific research to address population and economic growth issues, and our preferred outcomes for this place we call home, as is provided in the plan.
We must remain committed to conserving and wisely managing the life support systems provided by the land, air, water and the sun-the great energy provider, because air, land, water and energy sustain our social networks and the local economy.
This weekend, I had a chance to give thanks. I am thankful to everyone who shares this place called Cochrane, and this time, with me on my short journey on planet Earth.
We have much to learn and talk about together as we embrace the future in such a wonderful place, and at such an important time when we recognize that the Earth has limits and the resources we take for granted are not in infinite supply.
Looking forward to your emails. To read the Plan go to cochranesustainability.ca.
