speach early bird meal

“Putting the Common back into Sense”

Hello Everyone!

WELCOME!!!!

Why am I talking?

To thank the fantastic people who made this possible

To introduce Common Sense Regeneration Project and our group

To facilitate a fun game!

(because I crave attention)

Who are we?

Board of TRUST ease:

Danny Brown

Nicholas Devore

Jacqui Edgerly

Patti Clapper

Joe Carlson

Eden Vardy

THANK YOU's

You

Volunteers!!!!

Aspen High School

Our generous funders

THANK YOU's (continued) Our local, fantastic farmers!

Brook and Rose Le Van at Sustainable Settings

Jack Deorio and Hillside Acres

Ken and Gail Kuhns at Peach Valley CSA

The friendly folks at Wildwood Ranch

Osage Greenhouse Gardens

Jerome Osentowski and CRMPI

Hazel Del Mushrooms

Katie McBride and Bovine Boarding

Jennifer and Aspen Homegrown CSA at Ute City Farms

More THANK YOU's

Local Restaurants Sabra Falafel

Tasters Pizza

French Pastry

What is Common Sense Regeneration Project?

A Colorado 'beyond green' not for profit organization

A pathway towards sustainability in our community

A group of locals committed to inspiring the evolution of a regenerative, truly 'green' Aspen!

Our Mission

To support and encourage creative, sustainable, and regenerative education and living practices in the Roaring Fork Valley and abroad through practical demonstration

We realize our Mission by:

Growing organic food for the valley and supporting local agriculture!

Assisting locals in growing there own food by setting up home garden systems

Hosting gardening and natural building workshops

Funding higher education in the Eco- social field

Fund raising for Eco- social projects in lower income areas (including majority (third) world countries)

Anticipated Workshops for 2009

Grafting crab apple treesPassive solar greenhouse and earthen plastering workshop Sheet mulch garden constructionMaking solar ovens Basic gardening Forest gardening Making Seed balls (for children and adults!) Building earthen ovensComposting 101! Weed and Feeds Farm to Table dinnersIntro to permaculture

Common Sense Regeneration Project aims to always work

cooperatively vs. competitively, to help and network with similar projects whenever possible, and to be transparent in everything

we do!

Some of our beliefs

To sustain our planet, our ecosystem, and our future, we must sustain ourselves.

We are part of this world, and thus directly affected by our every action.

We DO NOT advocate for going back to tribal ways, we simply aim to learn from where we have been, to move forward by using technology appropriately and focusing on our potential!

Common Sense Regeneration project is driven by the belief that it is possible to improve living conditions while solving ecological dilemmas...

...The key is working together!

So lets work (and play) together to develop a rich, sustainable, healthy, and beautiful community!

Aspen is the perfect place!

Focusing on local community and environmental values provides food security, healthy families, and may help stabilize our economy (after all, there is no “economy” without “eco”).

(the word eco- namy actually translates to “care of the home”)

The time of change is at hand...

Lets design a healthy future for us and the planet!

Lets make the Roaring Fork Valley a thriving community, a benchmark of sustainability, a steward of regeneration!

Time to play!

Welcome to the Community Cafe!

We are going to play a little visioning game, your table cloths are about to become pieces of art!

We are going to have several conversations. Imagine the people at your table are a micro community. Your

community is to discuss questions that I will present.

Listen for themes in your community's answers and note them on your table.

During this activity, feel free to sketch, write, draw, and doodle freely on your cloths!

It is most important that you have fun!

We are going to move around later in the game, so be conscientious and aware

First:

Identify the host

Community Cafe Etiquette:

1. Listen to Understand! Really Listen to each other! View different perspective and assumptions as gifts,

they are fertile ground for discovering new possibilities

Everyone's goal should be to learn from each person at the table

Give everyone at the table a chance to speak

1. LISTEN!

2. Contribute your own thinking and experience!

3. Focus on What Matters!

4. Listen together for patterns, connected ideas, and insights to deeper questions!

5. PLAY, DOODLE, DRAW.... Make sure you are having fun!

Lets begin...

Initial Discussion:

Why am I here? What opportunities can emerge from this game and this gathering?

Community Cafe Discussion Two:

What was a time when you experienced a strong sense of community here in the Roaring Fork Valley? What made it that way?

Community Cafe Discussion Three:

What is unique to you about your experience here? What do you most value about this place where we live?

Community Cafe Final Discussion:

Imagine you have left the Valley and returned in the year 2015 and found this place to be better than you possibly imagined. Aspen has an international reputation for being a leader in sustainable community. What does this look like given what you value?

What unique contribution can you make in securing the evolution of this valley?