Rural Island Challenges

Life in rural island settings presents challenging questions. How can  Northwest Island communities foster a sustainable lifestyle system with a supportive green economy? One that provides healthy local food resources, retains our youth and families,  and provides improved energy efficient housing resources – while also preserving the islands’ special rural character? How can we help foster new green business opportunities that create new jobs and enhance sustainable community-wide economic development?

These challenges can be met by fostering green business development, by expanding local higher education and vocational training services that create a new local workforce, and by improving affordable housing options. Building a strong, local Green Economy is one possible solution to these inter-related challenges.

Findings Solutions

As part of an innovative Northwest Island rural economic development effort – and youth retention strategy – the non-profit Heritage Ranch, Inc. organization is developing a Green Living Institute that will provide training and resources for local non-profits, schools, government agencies, businesses, and community members.

The One Island programs will collaborate with sister organizations and will focus on cross-connection strategies for developing and delivering resource-saving green technology and green lifestyle products and services that benefit local ecologically-aware communities.

Our NW project partners are involved in implementing important innovations and, from a bird’s eye view, these island communities are pioneering some great sustainability practices, solutions, and services. But the chance to get together, compare strategies, help one another avoid pitfalls, and to promote proven practices is greatly needed.

This interconnection is what One Island is focused on fostering.

 The goals of the Green Living Institute are to:

1)     foster rural economic development by increasing the capacity of local organizations and businesses to identify and implement responsible, sustainable green services and products that meet rural food security, housing, energy, health, and transportation goals

2)     coordinate job training, service learning, and work force mentoring opportunities for youth in conjunction with Green Living experts and operations, including energy audits and greening business practices

3)     help create new jobs that retain local youth in their rural home community

4)     contribute towards building a vibrant green economic base that protects and preserves the local rural quality of life for the benefit of future generations.