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ALL HAIL THE CHARLESTON GREEN COMMITTEE!

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.  Indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” The Charleston Green Committee and all citizens involved embody and rightfully claim this prolific quote cited on the CGC web site. The Charleston Green Committee is a group of people, more than 800 strong, who have come together to create a historic plan for “Regional Climate Protection and Sustainability.” The plan, called The Charleston Green Plan, fiercely aims to reduce green house gas emissions by 83% by the year 2050, commit to a goal of zero waste, and create communities that function in a sustainable manner.  The committee was the brain child of Charleston’s Mayor Riley who has already hired full time staff member, Brian Sheehan, to implement this massive undertaking.  The plan, completed just last week, will be presented to City Council in December.

Over the last two years, over 800 volunteers have come together publicly, bringing their own knowledge, research, and expertise to the round table to find, and agree on, solutions.  They have politely and lovingly debated the isssues; genuinely listening to one another’s opinions.  No one has been paid.  Not a tax dollar has been spent.  This has been the public working for the public.  No one waited for the EPA or for federal initiatives.  Charlestonians are in charge here, and in accordance with our independent nature, we don’t have to wait for the feds or for anything else.  The public has been encouraged to attend all CGC meetings, join a subcommittee of their choice, and do the work.  The work has included endless meetings, debates, late night research, writing, giving up ego issues, listening and more listening.  Upon completion of the plan’s rough draft, one committee member half jokingly stated, “It was more difficult than I imagine having a baby to be.  In fact, I’ll be afraid to give birth after this.”  This has truly been a magnificent example of “The Power of the People” on a local level.  The Charleston Green Plan itself is monumental and deserves a larger amount of media recognition than is possible to receive.

The plan itself is 181 pages long and can be downloaded right now, for your convenience, at www.charlestongreencommittee.com.  Though this may seem a lengthy read for the average 40 hour work week citizen, I encourage readers to at least take a peep.  It is in very large print and is full of fascinating and easy to read charts, graphs, and statistics that are designed for the commoner to understand.  You don’t have to have a PHD in Sustainable Technologies to comprehend the document.  Your fifth grader can grasp it; it was written with this intention.   So take a look, you’ll be surprised and entertained.  The document is the future of Charleston.  It is the future of legislation, the future of sea levels, the future of air quality, the future of education, the future of the fish in the sea.  And above all, it represents the future of communities realizing just how powerful they are; and how a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.

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