Washblog

This coming Monday, May 22, at 7PM there will be something a little different on Washblog.    We'll be posting an essay by Steven Garrett, entitled Tomatoes in December, on sustainable farming, peak oil, and the need to develop local food and energy markets in Washington State and nationally.   We've lined up some voices from the community to weigh in with comments and opinions.  The public is invited to join in, as well -- just as always.  This is the first of a series.  And we'll be conducting in-person forums, beginning with a Hightower kickoff in September and continuing with Washington speakers on sustainable development and community.

Back to the Roots is a new program of Institute for Washington's Future in collaboration with Washblog, Evergreen Politics, and Pacific Views.  The program focuses on the centrality of land and resource use issues and the need to establish a better balance between local and global markets.  Think peace.  Think healthy food and family farms.  Think good energy policy.   Think family wage jobs.  Think labor-environmental coalitions.  Think Democratic Energy.

The emerging  alternative energy and sustainable agriculture industries in Washington offer us many opportunities to advance this decentralization through sustainable community development.  Will we rise to this challenge?  It's an opportunity that we can easily miss while looking right at it.  Jesse Nelson's recent Washblog story on the Gray's Harbor Biodiesel plant -- along with the comments that Washblog readers contributed to the post, show how the speedy passage of the recent minimum alternative fuels standard law in Washington may have contributed to a less than desireable outcome.  This new plant will be using crushed palm from Malaysia and soy from the US Midwest -- bypassing local agriculture almost entirely, at least for the near future.   Anyway, do tune in on Monday for some collaborative discovery.