Imagine a place where community is the central theme. A town where people may not all have advanced degrees, but collectively work toward sustainable living. I'm not talking about the stereotyped hippiedom of the 70's, but action through practical informed decisions. Streets where bikes seem to outnumber cars, community gardens are lush and shared, and citizens figure out ways to limit wasting power and resources.
I arrived in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts (JP) on my favorite day of the month here: First Thursday. It's part of Boston, though not your typical 'yuppie' branded college neighborhood. (That crowd generally opts to choose areas without the crime rate JP is also known for). When you walk down Centre Street, you notice everyone seems to know one other. They actively support local businesses and there is collective pressure to work to achieve a sustainable lifestyle. Sweatshop free t-shirts reflect themes of conservation and equality. Mind you, this is part of the same city that boasts Newbury St. And here's the thing.. in this neighborhood folks clearly care about the environment. While the average citizen probably doesn't understand all the science and statistics involved in global temperature rise, JP is an extremely progressive place because people live a lifestyle that matters. And definitely not out of privilege or affordability, but rather because it's ingrained into social norms and expectations. Maybe much of the answer to climate problems can be mitigated by fostering community - shifting perspective from an 'I' to a 'We' mentality. This of course, is not a new idea. Political scientists like Elinor Ostrom and social anthropologists like James Acheson have written about it for decades. Generally small homogeneous groups with a strong sense of community have the highest likelihood of cooperating to achieve collective action. What's striking about JP is it's a place that's really part of a much bigger city. And while people sure aren't homogeneous, they are getting it right. Community is a central theme and collective action has resulted in a shared recognition of and shift toward conservation in practice. Which begs the question, how do we move past JP? A few great local links here, here, and here. And with that, I'm off to Maine..
