Action Groups

As we go through the process of creating a more resilient and vibrant community together, we’re constantly becoming more aware of new opportunities available to us. Many people form or join Action Groups to stimulate the growth of community self-reliance, to create connection, and to cooperatively prepare for a resource constrained future. Lots of action initiatives have come out of the Community Open Space sessions at TW’s Potlucks With a Purpose events.Many inspired people in our community have empowered themselves to start action groups and are actively cultivating the change they want to see. Please have a look below at the current action groups, contact the coordinators to get involved, or send a general email to: transition@whidbey.net to learn more about starting a group.

ACTION GROUPS

Local Economy Action Group Alternative Building Renewable Energy

Local Food Action Group Support Group

Whidbey Island Community Foundation Community Health & Sustainability

Community Energy Cooperative  PATH A (Post-Apocalyptic Team Home Arts)

Transport Whidbey: A Clean Energies Cooperative Whidbey Citizens Climate Lobby

Anyone can start or join an existing action group.

Local Economy Action Group

LEAG began under the leadership of Ron Ward in the Spring of 2008 as a community think tank for creating a sustainable local economy on Whidbey Island. Whidbey Community eXchange grew out of LEAG and now operates as our island’s budding local currency exchange system. WCx will soon become a community-owned cooperative, dedicated to supporting and fostering the circulation of our local currency, the Terra. You can join too! Transition to Terras now: www.whidbeycx.com

To learn more about LEAG, click here or email Ron at: ronward36@gmail.com

Local Food Action Group

There are handfuls of ways we can support local food on Whidbey. One of these ways is by mapping our island’s food resources to learn who our producers are, what they are growing, where and how much they grow, where some of the gaps are that keep us from being more food self-sufficient, and learning more in general about our island’s capacity to grow more food for local people. If you’re more interested on getting your hands in the soil (or at least on some fruit trees), there is also a Fruit Tree Corps that is pruning trees now for better fruit yields in the summer and fall. You can also check out the Good Cheer Gleaning Project (contact info below). All of this fruit will go to families who need it through the Food Bank.

To learn more about the Food System Asset Mapping Project, email Karyn Lazarus at: Klazarus3@comcast.net To learn more about how you can support local food and farmers on Whidbey, click here.

To learn more about Fruit Tree Corps, email Tim Morley at:

Renewable Energy

The 2009 February Potluck inspired many people to envision a local, community Renewable Energy Generation Site. Climate Stewards John Hastings, Lori Christian, Bob Gentz, and Enid Braun have been diligently working on a plan for months now. They will keep us updated us on their progress.

If you want to help now, you can contact Lori to learn more about the legislative shifts that will need to happen asap: lori@whidbeysunwind.com

Alternative Building

Larry Dobson and Eli Adadow have have innitiated a bi-weekly discussion group on alternative building techniques, materials, architecture and design concepts ~ whatever will bring us closer to locally sustainable, affordable housing and connection with each other and nature. The group is meets at Larry Dobson’s home.

Contact Larry at: 579-1763 or email at: dancer@stiltman.com

Support Group

Laurel Vogel has offered to start a support group for people who want to discuss how the economic crisis is impacting them. This would be a group to facilitate the emotions, feelings of despair, etc., that we are having about the world right now, based loosely on Joanna Macy’s work, and Ecopsychology (Despair to Empowerment Work).

For more information, contact Laurel at: 321-2709, vogel.laurel@gmail.com

Whidbey Island Community Foundation

Imagine one public Whidbey Island philanthropic organization created by our community for the benefit of our community. Sandra Stipe says, “Whidbey has more non-profits per square foot than anywhere else!” Each of one those organizations adds to our quality of life on Whidbey, and they all have had to spend a lot of time fundraising on and off island. This group is exploring the possibility of creating a Whidbey Community Foundation for local people to support the work of our local organizations.

Contact Beverly Rose at bubbybev@whidbey.com or Carol Flax at transition@whidbey.net to learn more.

Community Energy Cooperative

How can we purchase renewable energy assets as a cooperative financial working group to be utilized for local, clean energy production?  We CAN do something about it!

Contact Corey Graves: withinwires@yahoo.com

PATH A (Post-Apocalyptic Team Home Arts)

An action/discussion group with a creative do-it-yourself approach. Neighbors teaming with neighbors to educate themselves and others on peak oil and energy descent; yard sharing and lawn reduction; self-made water collection methods; the power of the clothesline; worm bin building workshops; resource education gathering and sharing; voting with your dollar and the 85:15 spending plan; seed saving and trading; green washing exposure; work party organization; food saving techniques; canning parties; re-use of materials for functional purposes; group bike rides; exploration of divergent and alternative thinking all with opportunities for creative expression. Casual, open, hands-on meetings. Keeping things light but edgy while spreading a positive attitude about self reliance as we head toward what could be a complete upheaval of life as we know it.

Contact Rhiannon Fisher at: lilystarproductions@yahoo.com

Transport Whidbey: A Clean Energies Cooperative

“Advancing the future of Transportation on Whidbey Island (and beyond).”  This mission of this group is to promote the transition from traditional fuel dependence to alternative fueled transportation by supporting small individual to large-scale projects and initiatives primarily on Whidbey Island, but also in collaboration with and assistance from other similarly minded organizations and businesses in the Puget Sound area.

Contact Joel Kennedy, Coordinator at alt-fuel@sound.whidbey.com or join the Alt-Fuel Subgroup at: http://twhidbey.groupsite.com/altfuels

Whidbey Citizens Climate Lobby

The WCCL group came out of the successful 350.org event organized by Nick Tillotson, Jim Hyde and others at Bayview Corner on Oct. 24, 2009.  350.org is an international campaign dedicated to building a movement that unites the world around solutions to the climate crisis.   The WCCL, one could say, is the next step.  It is a continued effort to empower individuals to have breakthroughs in exercising their personal and political power to create the political will for a sustainable climate.  To learn more about Citizens Climate Lobby, click here.

Contact Jim Hyde, Coordinator at

Start an Action Group

Come to Community Open Space at Potlucks With a Purpose and propose your action group idea! Open Space happens during the last half hour of each Potluck and the Potlucks bring us together every month (1st Wednesday of each month). Contact Carol and she’ll help you get started now! transition@whidbey.net