Thoughtful Definitions

In my application to the Bush Foundation, I was challenged to put my vision and ideas of certain concepts down on paper.  Here’s my thoughts on some key terms.

Community: I believe communities come in all shapes and sizes.  We live in communities of place and of practice.  Our neighborhoods, our towns and cities, our country.  Our associations and clubs, memberships and beliefs.  Community is where we come together over our commonalities, and I believe that that is where change can be “sparked” into effective action and results.

Energy Efficiency (and Conservation): I see energy efficiency as achieving the same outcome with the least amount of energy needed.  Conservation can be achieved through energy efficiency or cutting back on the outcome.  [With the help of the Citizens League]

Example: Energy efficiency is getting the same light with a 13W bulb as you do from a 60W bulb.  That conserves 47W.  You can also turn that bulb off when you’re not in the room, and that’s conservation too.

Community-Based Social Marketing: Community-based social marketing is based upon research in the social sciences that demonstrates that behaviour change is most effectively achieved through initiatives delivered at the community level which focus on removing barriers to an activity while simultaneously enhancing the activities’ benefits. To be effective, programs must be carried out at the community level and involve direct contact with people. [Dr. Doug McKenzie-Mohr]

Solutions-based work: This is a concept I learned and work with at CERTs, and it’s a concept that I find incredibly necessary in any collaborative work we do.  CERTs’ approach prefers projects that give communities something work for rather than against.  We live in a culture where we can easily define ourselves as what we’re against, which can easily distract and detract from what we have in common.  People come to the table for so many (often conflicting) reasons, and it’s important to remember what’s at the table and move forward.  [MN Clean Energy Resource Teams]

Allies: An individual or collection of individuals who agree that a tough problem/issue exists and [agree to] support and cooperate with the work of finding solutions to it.  [Bush Foundation]

Leadership: A behavior that anyone at any time is capable of demonstrating. An individual does not need a position or a title of authority in order to demonstrate leadership. People demonstrating leadership are constantly observing, interpreting and intervening. In the course of doing that, they are able to embrace conflict and harness the energy released from it to mobilize communities to clarify what matters most, in what balance and with which trade-offs. Demonstrating leadership requires disappointing people’s expectations at a rate they can handle. Additionally, people who demonstrate leadership face their fears rather than projecting them onto others. Leadership is necessary to solve tough problems/issues.  [Bush Foundation]