Getting Grounded:   Five Thematic Areas

At the end of the first day of the Building Bridges workshop, participants gathered in groups according to their interest in one of five themes embedded in the vision of sustainability and justice in Tompkins County.

• Food Justice and Sustainable food systems

• Workforce Preparation, Training and Support   

• Green Energy Jobs

• Entrepreneurship and Incubating Small Businesses

• Building Demand for Just, Sustainable Products and Healthy Food and Renewable Energy

Groups addressed these questions:

• What other work is happening in this area that everyone should know about?

• What can we get from engaging in dialogue on this theme?

• What can I bring from my projects/roles/activities that can make this theme more socially just?  more sustainable?

• What strategies might we undertake?

As the groups began to talk, there was both energy and a sense of how huge the jobs would be.

As one of the facilitators commented:  “These breakouts were a great idea, but we just scratched the surface of the information and wisdom of the people who were there.”

On the 2nd day of the workshop, theme groups reconvened to consider new questions:

• What new habits are needed if we are to accomplish our goals?

• What old habits are in the way?

• What ways of communicating should we keep in mind in order to involve new people?

Please look for the brief summaries of each of these theme breakout groups.