Catalyzing personal empowerment, societal transformation, and environmental sustainability

Our Three Branches:
  Counseling, Coaching, Consulting
   EcoIntegrity Center/
Natural Systems Living
   Holistic Living Institute

A Grim Fairy Tale

Choose your fairy tale ending to decide your future reality.

To choose Ending #1:

   Do nothing, maintain the status quo. This is the equivalent of taking the blue pill in The Matrix.

To choose Ending #2:

   In order to achieve Ending #2, we need two things: 1) An inventory of regional assets in the economic, environmental, and social realms, and 2) collaboration among new and existing groups and organizations that are on a path to a healthy, just, sustainable future.

1) Support the Community Assessment and Sustainability Inventory.

   How can we as a community succeed on the path to sustainability if we don't know what assets we have in the region and what is missing that we need to provide? THE INVENTORY IS VITAL to our common goal of a healthy, mutually supportive, self-reliant community--a truly sustainable future.

   A team of researchers is poised to get to work to find and pull together the information we need. Once gathered, they will provide it to our local decision makers as well as the community at large. All that is needed to proceed with this vital, 6-month step is to raise an additional $25,000.

   Do any or all of the following:

• Write a check for an amount that feels good, fair, and right to you, that you can afford, and that you can give joyfully. Make it out to Attraction Retreat, put "CASI Inventory" in the memo field, and mail to Attraction Retreat, 1811 Eldridge Avenue, Bellingham, WA 98225. Because Attraction Retreat is a 501c3 organization, your contribution is fully tax deductible;
• Volunteer to become part of a fundraising team led by a professional fundraiser. Contact CASI Project Director Dave Ewoldt at 360-756-7998 or dave@reststop.net to volunteer;
• Provide the names of individuals, organizations, and businesses that you feel will be willing to support the INVENTORY. To do so, send an e-mail to dave@reststop.net;
• Provide an idea or two you may have for fundraising. Send to dave@reststop.net;
• Write a letter to the editor to help raise awareness that our community has a viable alternative for our future known as relocalization that we all can--and must--participate in, and a project to get us started on that path. Talking points are available on the CASI project's website.

2) Get involved with Sustainable Bellingham

   Sustainable Bellingham's byline is "Facilitating Community Connections." This non-profit organization functions as "a catalyst and nexus for the co-creation of sustainable community in Bellingham and the surrounding bioregion."

   Go to the website and…

• Check out the Community Resource Inventory and add your organization if it is not there;
• Add pertinent articles to the Sustainability Documentation Project;
• Add your organization's events to the website's Community Sustainability Calendar or ask to link to your organization's calendar;
• Let SB know of social, environmental, and spiritual community groups not currently linked to the website.

Or…

   Write to info@sustainablebellingham.org to

• Become a member of Sustainable Bellingham;
• Volunteer! Many levels of involvement are possible;
• Get on the Sustainable Bellingham events announcement e-list;
• Create an "affinity group" and get support from Sustainable Bellingham.

   This is it, folks. The clock is ticking, and "the ending" is unfolding. Is it one we can live with? Let's work together to ensure that the vital regional asset inventory and community collaboration become a reality, so all can live happily ever after…for generations to come.

   If you would like to schedule an introductory consultation session or arrange a presentation or workshop for your group, please contact nature@attractionretreat.org or give Dave or Allison, co-founders of Attraction Retreat, a call at (360) 756-7998.