From an eagle’s eye view, One Island is expanding the Northwest island sustainability conversation to fellow organizations and businesses in the San Juans.

At the cusp of the New Year, December of 2009 and January of 2010, we have begun convening and attending conversations with the Lopez Community ought to market Land Trust, the Bullocks Permaculture Homestead on Orcas, Sustainable Orcas, the Whole Islands Catalog,  and the Orcas Green Business Project.

 What we are learning from this inter-island conversation is that many of the same issues and concerns are on the forefront of rural island community concerns:

• Affordable, green housing for local residents
• Strengthening the roots for a local food economy
• Creating a green economy that offers employment to retain local families
• Implementing renewable energy, including solar, hydro, and bio fuels.
• Providing a living laboratory for interns to learn and give back to the island communities during summer workshops
• Creating more open connections between the isolated islands
• Learning from one another’s inspiring successes – and the what-didn’t-work so as not to repeat
• Identifying a wholesome diet that could be grown on the islands independently, incl composting and home gardens
• Fostering collaboration and resource sharing between farmers to lower costs and improve range of products that can be brought to market locally
• Mapping food demands, assets, and determining potential for farm growth based on local needs.