About Us
Sustainable Bainbridge is a vision for a sustainable future, and a call for collaboration by a diverse group of island residents and organizations in order to meet our shared sustainability goals. Link to mission to read more about our direction and goals.
Action Committees
The main initiatives of Sustainable Bainbridge come through the formation of Action Committees. If you are interested in starting and Chairing a new Action Committee, please contact us.
- Saving Energy Together/Sustainable Stories : Van Calvez, Chair and Board liaison
- Green Building: Ryan Vancil, Chair; Barry Peters, Board liaison
- Earth Day 2008: Kat Gjovik Board liaison
- Community Asset Mapping: Neva Welton, Chair and Board liaison
- Sound Food : Sallie Maron, Chair and Board liaison
- Sustainable First Mondays Public Forum
- Reusable Bag Campaign: Els Heynes, Board liaison
Standing Committees
Sustainable Bainbridge also organizes itself throughthe formation of Standing Committees made up of Board members and others.
- Fundraisng
- Communications
- Outreach
- Education/Events
Our History
Like many great ideas, Sustainable Bainbridge is a natural outcome of the efforts of many people. It grew organically after a 2006 Earth Day presentation by author David Korten ("The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community"), which was sponsored by more than a dozen island groups including the City Of Bainbridge Island. Following that sold-out event, Mayor Darlene Kordonowy hosted three brown bag lunches at city hall in order to tap the sustainability needs and concerns of the community.
From there, several people and organizations began to collaborate to bring other foundational events to our community: a presentation and seminar by Brian Weller, Willits Economic Localization; a Solar Outreach Forum; Alan Durning from Sightline Institute (a nationally recognized northwest writer on the meaning and measurement of sustainability); Larry Owens, an expert on home energy conservation; a July 4th sustainability information booth; and workshops on conserving water in your home garden and alternatives to gas guzzler cars. Most of these events were jointly sponsored with the City and many were co-sponsored by a dozen or more organizations. Based on the success of these events, and a determination of need, Sustainable Bainbridge was formed.