Editor’s Note

A thoughtful documentary essay on the spirit (of all types) that make this region special.  Stay tuned for more information via our Facebook page, linked in, and instagram–where I share and salute an incredibly active “sustainability” community of individuals and organizations. 

My first publication I edited was in 2014 in print–was “DriftlessNotes: The Ripple Effect” magazine.  Times have changed, and how we talk to one another has evolved, but the issues and the goals are the same—we each create a “ripple effect” in life–and we need to stay engaged with one another.

The “Next Chapter” –What is Sustainable?

My thoughts as I contemplate our fast changing world?  It is about community, and caring for one another and the primary basis of that– is our shared environment.  To live well in this place, we citizens are the decision makers that will determine abundance, or lack thereof.  I think it goes beyond just voting for representation, which too often is a popularity contest rather than a values, capacity, and experience contest.  And, of course we do also decide who to represent us at the school board, in various representative  positions–throughout civilized society.  Those leaders set the tone, and the rules.  However, whatever your political stripes, we all need to remember that we also have a lot of control by the individual, particularly when it comes to building sustainability in our lives, and in our communities.

Making a Good Life–A Comprehensive Viewpoint to Sustainability

Sorting out sustainability goes beyond sorting one’s recycling–it includes ensuring our communities are strong with anchoring services, our kids are capable, resilient, and well-educated, our water is clean,  soils are healthy, and the ecosystem of humanity, and of nature,  is thriving.  Sustainability includes what, where, and how we build to accommodate our families, schools, and communities.  Sustainability means a life of contentment.  To make that all happen, it starts with us, educating our kids, learning from the incredible Wisconsin Idea vision and support that comes from the talent of the UW Extension system, non profits, and advocates and volunteers of all kinds.

We will cover here in this digital Magazine, what makes life “sustainable”–I believe it starts with clean water, soil management, wild and cultivated lands, the thoughtful contributions to the  evolution of our natural and our built environments and communities. 

Interconnected and Independent–Public and Private Participation

We are dependent upon and must support those talented and determined farming families that contribute to our food system locally and our communities.  Each specialty in sustainability–biologists, engineers, farmers, extension, activists, not for profits, business,  political leadership, counties, school boards, educators, and volunteers of all ages– make it possible.  In this time of “privatization”, our efforts at preservation and protection are all more critical–privately–or via public/private/or NGO participation.

Our own health and that of the environment

We intend to highlight what we can through our various media projects, what is happening, who is working on it, what is it, where is it within the region, and why do the work. If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed of late, remember the earth and its waters are great stabilizers to the psyche.  Hopefully, we decide to be part of not just tolerating “change”, but instead to participate in the work of “Good Change”.  This is what will help keep us individually, and in society, the work of building  resilience—which is the keystone to survival and a sustainable world–in the process.

Best to you and yours– and savor this season of joy and change while you manage your own summer garden– along with a future of abundance!

 

-Julia Henley
Editorial Director, Sustainable Driftless Magazine