Sustainable Food Systems

Session Topic:
Sustainable Food Systems
Name of convener:
Liz Aycock
Email/Phone:
liz@boonehouses.com
Participants:
Angie P., Tom P., Cindy B., Tracy M.,Karen B., David H., Deidre S., Lumini, Nancy S., Margie M.,

Main points from the conversation:
Gmo's are portrayed as safe. Nature is perfect already, GM is an uncontrolled experiment with
unknown effects. Can we ban gmo products/seeds or label them? Allergy concerns. Bee
populations are in decline. Gmo's are portrayed as safe - More education needed. GM's do not
reduce pesticide use. Farm Diversity= higher food yields. We need less monoculture and Big
agribusiness. Less than 1% of our nation are farmers. Balance energy needed to cultivate vs.
Pesticides. Tractors use biodiesel. Nutritional value of organically produced food is higher in
phytochemicals. GM foods have an effect on fertility in studies done on rats. Biodiversity is
declining. NC State does research in GMO's. NCSU also has Center for Environmental Farming
Systems in Goldsboro.

Action steps:
Attend the Farm to fork Summit in Raleigh March 2-3rd.
Attend High Country Local Food Summit March 26 @ Apple Barn In Valle Crucis.
Talk to Local School Board about implemeting policy to buy local and organic.
Talk to ASU about Buying local and organic.
Help Change policy in state institutions about food buying. (Still purchase the cheapest food but
only within a 100 mile radius)
Save or move the community Kitchen "Creative Food Ventures"
Develop a Local Food Council
Encourage our elders to teach us to grow food, can and preservation techniques.
Local Government to pass resolution banning GMO's from our community in order to protect organic farms and genetic integrity.
Ask State for a "Bottle Bill"
Create economy/tourism that is based around local food. Ex. Hardwick,VT and Woodbury, Iowa
Encourage the Chamber of Commerce to help with Food economy.
Create a local food only restaurant maybe in conjunction with Community kitchen.
Create a community Compost facility. Help Jay Carter with his compost battle.
Establish contracts with businesses to handle surplus foods.
Create Neighborhood gardens.
Share unused farm space with community.
Work with local restaurants and grocery stores to buy locally produced food.

Resilience is the Resource

Session Topic:
Resilience is the Resource (How do we access ourselves our skills "skills and stuff
Name of convener:
Nita O'Brien
Email/Phone:
nitaobrien@skybest.com
Participants:
Donna Lisenby, Debbie Golembieski, Kendal McDevitt

Main points from the conversation:
Create both on line and hard copy resource guides for the "area" (Watauga County)
Compile a list of resources which are already in use or developed or are being developed so we can support and utilize them more ie. "Craigs list", "Freecycle.org", "Community Exchange System", "SustainableBoone.org", "NC Wastetrader"
Have a local barter or system which we could exchange services and goods by lists and "green
dollar" value.
Share scrap resources which we would other wise put in the landfill, discard or burn such as
pallets. Also connect together people who could buy needed goods at more reasonable price by
buying in quantity or wholesale together.
Utilize the already existing book located in Green Mother Goods inside the door to the left where
you can put you business cards and share information about your skills.
Have a community Exchange day where you bring your "stuff" and take what you need. (Maybe
once every 2 months)
Do research and then compile a hard copy and on line resource list that can be updated as needed and ask Mountainkeepers to make this list available to it's "list" of interested folks on line.
Possibly create a recycle "job" to organize the Community Exchange day and update lists. Create
the one line and hard copy guide and keep it updated. Have it sortable for usability.

Action steps:
Research all above existing services and compile and give this to Mountainkeeper for initial
disbursement.
Utilize what services we have in community and educate about the resources.

Recycling

Session Topic:
Recycling
Name of convener:
Marsha Story
Email/Phone:
marsha.story@townofboone.net
Participants:
Marsha Story, Shannon Isaacs, Stephen Phillips, Loretta Clawson, Lisa Doty, Kendell McDevitt, Lexie Danner, Denise Grohs

Main points from the conversation:
Pasteboard containers @ green boxes in the county.
Pasteboard collection site inside the town limits or possible curbside pickup.
Pasteboard collection site at grocery store locations.
Grocery store deli containers be made of corn based materials or use #1 or #2 recyclables.
Reduction of plastic bag use
The possibility of banning plastic bags.

Action steps:
Reduce the use of plastic bags by:
Use reusable bags which can be purchased or hand made.
Approach legislation regarding plastic bag banning.
Train grocery store clerks to ask consumers if they've brought own bags or to use paper.
Ask grocery store chains to offer reusable bags as a reward incentive.
Involve elderly, churches, scouts troops, etc. in constructing usuable bags
Promote awareness by:
Puppet show to kids
Recycling literature be distributed through tax bills, ASU Meet & Greets, websites, water bills,
newspaper, MTN,and Community Bulletin Board
Clean Up competitions (sororities, fraternities, etc.)
Letter writing campaigns to local papers

Local Energy

Session Topic:
Local Energy
Name of convener:
Brent Summerville
Email/Phone:
summervilleb@appstate.edu/262-8331
Participants:
Sam Zimmerman, Tracy M, Liz Aycock, Marnie Werth, Jack Callahan, Eula Fox, Winston Kinsey, Karen Bowman, Scott Shards, David Holden, Angie Pate, Ged Moody

Main points from the conversation:
Interests: wind energy, public education on options; conservation is a big resource, lights on at
night, 2nd homes using energy with noone at home; residential scale, community-scale, larger
community scale (1000+ homes); how public officials can make it happen?; how to educate the
realtor community, ie. remove fears about wind energy ruining everything; work on the town of
Blowing Rock ban on windmills; FIX THE RIDGE LAW, yes windmills are exempt, but Roy
Cooper has caused confusion, we need a clarification of the exemption; make Town of Boone 1st
wind-powered town in WNC (a new windmill on Howard Knob; Hull, MA is an example);
develop landfills like the Energy Xchange; Eula has 15 acres of windy land, want a string of
windmills, what does she do (ASU can help with an assessment and next steps); interest in
developing a community energy system in Foscoe.
Barriers - costs, financing, incentives are built for business more than communities, lack of energy awareness (using electricity uses lots of coal which has widespread impacts);
Biofuels - local farmers grow feedstock, collect waste oil, community seed crusher, community
biodiesel processor, use in tractors and home heating (off-road use is cheaper)
Some communities require solar thermal (Israel, Botswana...)
What about Hydrogen and compressed air (need renewable infrastructure to create these storage media).
We need all of these things - better choices by individuals (energy conservation, home design,
install renewable energy, cars, appliances), community-scale solar, wind, hydro, biofuels; and larger community-scale systems like a string of utility-scale wind turbines for county/regional impacts.
Producing our own energy using the renewable resources that we have (wind, sunshine, existing
dams for hydro projects, feedstocks for biofuels)

Action steps:
Watch movie - Kilowatt Ours
Goto ilovemountains.org to see where your electricity comes from
Contact you representatives. Bev Purdue (consider Cliffside a MAJOR pollutor); Tarleton (no
Mountain Top Removal Coal).
Demand BREMCO install community PV and wind, not just give out CFLs; goto annual meeting
and voice your opinion
Distribute packets of info on options, costs, impacts, contractors for renewable energy (ASU
energy center can help develop, Town of Boone can help distribute)
Indentify any opportunities for pilot projects on the community scale (wind, solar) and submit a
proposal to state legislators with a petition saying "this community wants to be more resilient by

Housing, Neighborhoods, and Walkable Communities

Session Topic:
Housing, Neighborhoods, and Walkable Communities
Name of convener:
Kimberly Marland

Email/Phone:
marland2008@charter.net
Participants:
more than fits in this box... J. Phoenix, K. McFadden, A. Burgess, J. Bond, R. Brantz, L. Mason,

Main points from the conversation:

Private Development or public initiatives?
Affordable housing needs and definition?
Model needed for non-profit land development for mixed housing
Boone's town government is restricted by State laws in funding, incentives, etc. for affordable
housing initiatives.
Town & Gown Committee important to work through issues of student housing and faculty/staff
housing needs.
Neighbors are important to community success.

Action steps:
Provide education opportunities for the public to learn about housing possibilities, federal and
state tax incentives for improving and building new energy efficient housing.
Create a variety of zoning possibilities for residential construction.
Recognize the importance of the human environment and caring.
Have a "Get to Know Your Neighbor Day" where everyone meets their neighbors.
Encourage reduction and reuse of construction waste to reduce amount dumped in the landfill.
Create an example of desireable high density single family housing in Boone as a showcase.
Evaluate setbacks, height req's, parking, landuse buffers, etc. in development requirements to
encourage better land use.
Encourage public input and opinion about potential housing options.
Explore a Watauga based manufactured housing business to produce a variety of well-built, energy
efficient, good looking housing options for area residents.
Be involved in the process. It won't happen by itself!

Historic Preservation

Session Topic:
Historic Preservation
Name of convener:
Rennie Brantz
Participants:
Email/Phone:
brantzrw@appstate.edu

Nancy Spann, Angie Pate, Kathleen Janowiak, Mark Kirkpatrick, David Williams, Kate Colester, John Bond

Main points from the conversation:
Barn Again Project- use unemployed to help restore historic barns in the county. "Habitat for
History" WPA project? Hickory Ridge Homestead- use for a new cultural museum, open it
up for Appalachian crafts. Blair Farm off Bamboo use for cultural museum? Mary Henson home off Bamboo could that become a new visitor center? Walking tours throughout town, in ground
markers designating historic sites. DVD of walking tours set up on continious loop @ Jones
House, possibly a class project of ASU students to provide the map . Year around Farmers market on the old Shadowline property.

Action steps:
Need historical markers in town
Historical walking tours
Appalachian crafts site needed

Healthy Individuals, Healthy Interdependence, Healthy Communities.

Session Topic:
Healthy Individuals, Healthy Interdependence, Healthy Communities.
Name of convener:
Deborah Tallarico
Email/Phone:
datallarico@yahoo.com
Participants:
Jo Ann Orr, Crystal Simmons, Patrick Beville, Deborah Tallarico

Main points from the conversation:
*The concept of resiliency originates with people in their ability to overcome hardship. Studies
conducted on individuals in community going through difficult times recognized 40 "protective
factors" that contributed to their resiliency. Some of these factors include personal attributes, the
environment, spiritual attributes, and parental involvement. The number one contributing factor
to resiliency for an individual is to have at least one consistent caring adult in their life.
- more information on this research can be found by googling : resiliency and protective factors
*The individual being is a microcosm for the macrocosm of community. As we individually create
health/ sustainability within and around ourselves, we contribute to the health/sustainability and
well-being of our community.
*Integrative medicine (allopathic medicine in conjuntion with complimentary, alternative , and
world cultural health practices) is seen and experienced as a holistic factor contributing to
individual and community sustainability and resiliency.
*The benefits of individual Mind-Body-Spirit connecting practices were discussed and suggestions
were made that when one is connected deeply to one's own body, one is simultaneously connected
more deeply to the Earth and to the present moment (where action is possible).
*An analogy was made of an individual to be rooted in one's own body as a tree in the earth for
optimum health/ resiliency.
*A comprehensive list/ resource /coalition of integrative health practices/ practitioners is deemed
important for community well-being.
*A suggestion was made that perhaps Boone could create and sustain a Holistic Healing Center/
A Healing Resort.
*Resources suggested: the book - "Healthy Organizations"

Action steps:
Identify a network of Integrative Health Practitioners and create a comprehensive list for public
access.
Continue caring for ourselves and each other.
Practice sustainable and healthy living.
Support each other in our healthful living practices.
Be the change.