VolumeVI No.8 JUNE1980 $1.50 NoAdvertising Town For Sale New Garbage Posters Trash Waste Community Copreneurship
Page 2 RAIN Dear RAIN, The letter by Murray Bookchin depresses me, as do a number of other treatises in RAIN of April 1980. "We have met the enemy and they are us," as Pogo philosophized, and we are using the tools of literacy as weapons for destroying our basic human traits of being "cooperative, responsible, and loving." I agree with Bookchin's thesis that we should not allow bureaucracy organization to allow technology to solve technological faulty thinking; we should indeed encourage what he calls "people's technology," which is "appropriate technology," but his uses of these words as well as "democracy," "community," "libertarian," "non-hierarchical society," and "education," etc. are very unclear as to "the relations between living" (human) organisms and their environments" from my ecology of the spirit point of view. What kind of "appropriate technology" can correct our bastardization of such key words? If the ecology movement, including the buzz words " appropriate technology" (appropriate to what? The human being? Who he?) are to get anywhere, the first priority is that of forming a community. In every animal society the edge of a community is defined by where effective communications fail; it follows then that if there are no effective communications about what the real human relations problems are today (which I claim is the case about which I will say more later), then there is no community. If there is no community, there is no use in talking about effective "democracy." Why does Bookchin alienate Brown and Hayden (and Barry Commoner) followers in order to make a point that is systemic in nature? Indeed, why does RAIN kid itself, about an impossibility, a "dialogue" about the misnamed "population problem?" (The real problem is unwanted children, and the solution is an existing "appropriate technology" which exists but cannot be distributed, an abortifacient that free-will women can take in secret and thus avoid the arbitrary power of religious and other ignoramuses. Only local discussion can work this problem-solving situation out by knowing the characters of those who are dictating a law.) "Love thy neighbor," the basic law of all religions, is a law because it is not natural for us to love one another. It is tough going. If it were natural and easy for us to love one another, there would be no need for a law. And, lastly, love is the effect of inviting the best out of self and others. tools, methods, books, people, designs, etc., to the underlying philosophy that you would have shape and guide the brains that operate the hands that use_ the tools that do the work involved. I welcome and applaud such analysis as greatly needed and long overdue. But remember, to be radical means to cut to the roots of a matter, to examine everything critically. And if the Bible is right, the true roots of society, of family, of individual people as well as the Love, Albert T. Hapke, Jr. Mendocino, CA Love is the effect of inviting the best out of self and others. Dear Carlotta: I read with interest your review of When God Was a Woman in the April RAIN. As I have not read the book yet, I do not know what is your thought and what is Ms. Stone's, so I will apologize in advance if my criticisms of you ought to be directed to her instead . . . . I wish I had the time and education to refute all your erroneous views concerning Biblical thought you have presented here, but I can only point out that Christianity is not dualistic. God is sovereign and evil exists temporally at the sufferance of good in order to demonstrate long suffering, patience and glory. Man and woman are not dichotomies but rather equal fellow crea- ·. tures in God's image under God's dominion. Happiness is not antithetical to suffering but suffering is either the result of man's rebellion to the law of God or it is the means to refine the character of the saints to their greater happiness. But what I do have the time to say is that I have watched as you move from the nuts and bolts of appropriate technology, the RAIN purpose of,the cosmos is to be found in God and Him as revealed in the Bible. If the Bible is to be trusted, then the only possible means to reconstruct society along human and ecological terms is to understand that Word. In particular, it is obvious that our society completely lacks any conception of proper stewardship of resources. Why? Because if man is the measure of all things, then whatever man is in control (that goes for any women in control as well) will see himself as the ultimate judge of correctness and just as obviously choose whatever benefits him. Simply put, self-centeredness breeds contempt; this contempt allows for despotic usage of power over both people and-nature, which leads to where we are now. The only way that an ethic can be developed that will have the characteristics we desire of concern for people, conservation of material creation, efficient usage of resources, economics as fulfilling human needs, not filling garbage dumps and men's pockets, is to develop a concept of man's responsibility before an almighty God who Journal of Appropriate Technology RAIN is a national information access journal making connections for people seeking more simple and satisfying lifestyles, working to make their communities and regions economically self-reliant, building a society that is durable, just and ecologically soun~. . RAIN STAFF: Carlotta Collette, Mark Roseland, Becky Banyas-Koach , Jill Stapleton, Dawn Brenholtz, John Ferrell, Laura Stuchinsky RAIN, Journal of Appropriate Technology, is published 10 times yearly by the Rain Umbrella, Inc., a non-profit corporation.located at 2270 N.W. Irving, Portland, Oregon 97210, telephone 503/227-.5110. Copyright© 1980 Rain Umbrella, Inc. No·part may be reprinted without written permission. Typesetting: Irish Setter Printing: Times Litho 'Cover Photo: "Rivertown Porch Fronts" by Karen Gottstein
LETTE. · will demand accounting for the u·sage of His creation. . . Please don't just discount my criticisms as the ravings of some Bible-quoting fundamentalist, but rather examint:; what surrounds you and what you are in the light of a Creator God who sustains the universe and who will demand an accoun~ing of services owed Him. Richard M. Williams La Jolla, ·CA ogy" efforts with the same neuroses that have createq the system that they imagine they are rebelling against. Indeed, part of what we are rebelling against is within us, and much.of it is.so much a part of µs that we don't notice that it is there. Even in your article I could hear, in addition to the rational arguments, the cry of a small boy who was nev~r adequately accepted (by his parents then and the ecology movement now) an.d who is terrified of power (of his Th , . . parents ·then and centralized systems and e growth and develop- large t,echnologies now). Such observations ment of a sustainable, do not invalidate the positions being supported but they do pe_rhaps suggest why nourishing and fulfilling many apparently rational positions do not generate a more active,response. I believe society is only Iikely to be. that a major limiting factor that obstructs h . d "f . d. "d / the power within us ,to implement the ac teve _I In IV/ Ua Sare changesthatbothyouandladvocateisthe engaged in a "program,, Of widespread lack of inner awareness. This is where I felt that your letter was deficient. • personal growth .and W~i~e Y?':1 clearly articulated the problem d I . ' as It 15 VlSlble on rhe surface, yo~ did-not eve Opment . delve down to its roots nor did you indicate approaches that might be taken to confront Dear Murray: I've just finished reading your "Open . letter to the Ecological Moveinerit" printed in the April 1980 issue of RAIN. It feels right and is part of what I call "The Watergate in your cells 'phenomenon'," i.e., • s~ial degene~ation or health are accompanied by similar situations from the cellular level to the earth as a whole and possibly to the cosmos. In particular, it is important for individuals to get their shit together, become aware of where they are coming from, of when they are dear and when they are acting in a:· "programmed" way in response to stresses of the past-otherwise their unawareness and lack of clarity will contaminate their "appropriate technol'- their causes. I believe that the human potential movement has much to offer the ·ecological movement (and vice-versa) and would suggest that the growth and d'evelopment of a sustainable, nourishing and fulfilling society is only likely to be achieved if individuals a~e engaged in a ."program" of personal growth and devel-, opment. . . . • Best wishes for a fulfilling, growing 1980. · •. Stuart B. Hill Associate Professor, Ento~ology .Ecological Agriculture Project McGill University • Quebec, Canada ear Rain People, , Whilst indexing recent RAIN issues for the Atindex, vol. 1, no. 2, using ·the exchange copies received at Whole Earth magazine, I noticed the favourable mention on_p. 13 of the November issue given to sea sponges as tampons. Simple Supplies wholefood shop (just below me as I write) used to sell these natu- ~al tampons, but stopped wh~n they realized the implications. Sponge colonies are evolving colonies~ a sponge starts off tiny, becomes small, . then gro~s, eventually reproducing little sponges to continue the cycle. If, however, someone takes the small sponges out of the colony to use as tampons, then the small sponges don't become big sponges . , . and the colonies fail to reproduce themselves ... and die. That's why Simple Supplies cooperative stopped selling sea sponges as tampons. Several customers asked why, and explanations were given, as above. They understood, as I think your readers will if you print this letter. Keep up the good work. One day I'll come and visit you. Now, back to the indexing! John Noyce, Publisher Brighton, United Kingdon RAIN, To perhaps throw another angle into the population dialogue I'd like to suggest th,,tt we consider a very special feature of the living of an unwanted life. People need to be valu~d by something in order to feel . alive. Children provide that and thus unwanted lives seem to directly encourage the multiplying breeding of unwanted lives. Isn't the only true and lasting path over our present population disaster to discover a special strength in our valuing of people so that they will have a choice of where td turn to feel valued and alive? Phil Henshaw Denver, CO
Page4 RAIN / "The'Corbett Compact: Bl~eprint for Community Renewal," is excerpted with permission from the Jan./Feb. 1980 issue of Small Town, subscriptions with membership $15/yr. for individuals, $25/ yr. for professionals and institutions, from Small Towns Institute, P.O. Box 517., Ellensberg, WA 98926; copyright 1980. . "Too much "realism would have led to the conc1usion that no project was po~sible." We've been plugging away ai realist,ic alternatives, measurable goals, an-d monitoring efficacy of projects for so long·that most of us·have forgotten how to simply do things, taking the inherent risks of appearing foolish. Can the money ventured on an "unsuccessful" experiment possibly compare with all the money spent on feasibility studies? Times are hard. Let's get on with it. -CC by Harold Williams and Natalie Hawley - ' ' . ONE SMALL TOWN FO~ SALE, FULLY OCCUPIED, proclaimed the headline in the Sunday New York Times one fall Sunday in 1976. This "town-for-sale" began life as a company_town, to house workers at an acid factory. When the factory'shut down in 1934, this Catskill Mou,ntain village lost its economic base. Most residents, however, continued to live there, paying rent to the defunct company which continued to be.its landlord. The sense of community declined, and the village gained a reputation as being "antisocial"-a place where indiviguals and families were constantly bickering and fighting·. In 1976, the Stuart family was forced to sell' Corbett. Several prospective purchasers suggested special purposes for the town, but , not one would accommodate Corbett's 170 residents, some of whom had lived in the community since birth, and whose only option was displacement. ' Renewal in Corbett \ At this point,.the Institute on Man and Science was invited to con- ·sider renewal opportunities in Delaware County by the executive director of the A. Lindsay and Olive B. O'Connor Foundation. The Institute was specifically interested·in finding a small village interested in a comprehensive renewal program to build a process , model f9r. small town revitalization. For four months, Institute staff met with Corbett residents to explore the idea of a renewal project. Excitement and commitment grew as the Institute's feasibility study, which incluqed an assessment of resident capacity and desire, suggested a reasonable prospect of success. • • The idea of shared "sweat equity" as the primary motor for progress was soon accepted since the outcome most desired by residents was the "at cost" purchase of the houses that they had always rented. As agendas of both parties became clea'r an_d compatible, a ' bargain was struck, objectives defined, some funding secured, and the project was officially launched on January 1, 1977; termination was envisioned at the close of 1979. . For both Corbett residents and the Institute, the project was seen as a high risk proposition. Many residents doubted whether.they could work successfully together. Pride in their capacity to disagree , and a penchant for solving disagreements physically was more char-· acteristic than self-esteem and a sense of efficacy. The key problem for the Institute was overcoming half a century of ownership and • control, in which virtually no community decisions had been made . by community members. We questioned the amount of actual change which could take place in three short years, no matter what the strength of our.intervention. • • f Building the Co~pact Given these anxieties, it was decided to develop a document which would.offer some guiding principles. It was established early that • • this document would not be a project design which began with ac- ·tivities and timelines, but would begin with a more general statement of purpose from which operational details would be derived. It was also determined that the document should be written iri words that all Corbett people could understand, and include ideas that • most could accept. Corbett residents were strong on the latter point. Many had never been involved in community affairs or had experience in working with an outside partner in other than "top down" terms where the ~ntervenors had all the power. It was important in this new experience to state as clearly as possible what would be expected ... and what would be sought. During the winter months of 1976-77, some eight persons came tqgether for hours at a time-often sitting near an old wood stove in Corbett's abandoned schoolhouse. Initially, the process went as. follows: ideas were brainstormed until an anticipated issue emerged--'-such as, Corbett people make comments that hurt others and th1s would lead to blowups which would stop the project. Then, the issue,was discussed until consensus was reached-e.g., • that it was really important that people reduce the level of verbal abuse. Then, a Corbett resident would summarize the agreement on a sheet of paper, often in the form of a fruism-e.g., "Think before.you speak." Finally, an Institute person would help the group to phrase the thought in conversational terms. As a resolution neared·on all spec_ific role questions, the talk turned to hopes, fears, and above all aspirations. It was from this discussion that the preamble emerged, transforming the working agreement into a compact with emotional as well.as cognitive di-' mensions. It"states : , • ... we give our pledge to rebuild Corbett as a small community in which people help each other . . . in which ioe_ can get a good night's sleep ... in which our children can range safely .. . in which we can feel good about our town, our f!eighbo·rs·, and ourselves ... in which we do not waste. At the same time, we seek a community'in which people live and let live, respecting the rights of others to be different. We want people to grow. Some will grow out and stay. Others will grow and leave. But fo'r all of us, Corbett.will always be home. As the draft of the agreement was completed, the Compact group decided that the document was sufficiently important that it should be presented to the community for reactions and comments. Each . Corbett household received a copy for ,careful review and suggestions for changes. While a few concerns led to minor rewording, no major.issues were raised in this process. The Compact, now ready for execution, was hand-lettered on five large sheets of paper and signed into being at a community supper on March 8, 1977.
The Compact Although the original Coml?act was presented to the residents with • the sections in alphabetical order, for the purposes of this article, and for a sense of the problems and concerns which were being faced and resolved dur~ng Compact formation, we here group the seventeen sections into physical, social and political areas. Each section is followed by a brief rationale or elucidation. Physical Provisions (Project Structures, Properties, Logistics) Ownership Transfe~. The Institute·agrees to turn over all property to Corbett reside~ts, both individually (i'n the case of homes and lots) ~nd collectively.(in the case of the school, vacant land and other builµings) . Residents agree to accept ownership of all properties .on at-cost terms, inclu~ing sponsorship of rental homes as heeded. ·No funds accruing from sales of community-owned property will be individually distributed. They will remain community assets. The concept of "community asset" w.as not easily grasped; Corbett was a village of autonomous households. - . Owning Houses. It is assumed that everyone will buy thei; house. Exceptions will be made whe_n absolutely necessary to en-, sure that the project doesn't force present resid~nts to leave. The residents pledge to buy their ½omes when possible and to agree to rent increases if they do not buy, up to the limits of what is "affordabl~," if necessary. The decision ori how to spread costs of purchase and fix-up houses will be made by the community. Before anyone is asked to make a decision on buying, they will have all cost information available. • The qu·estion of the fine line between p;rsuasion and coercion on the rnqtter of purchasing homes led to a careful scrutiny of the words in this section, • Including Present Owners. We agree that present owners in Cor- - bett participating in the project be fully included in the project and , have some benefits to go along with the low-cost purchase of houses available to renters. The group finally determined that owner-rent~r specification was premature. The nature and extent of parity was left as an article of faith more than agreement. . • Reqewal Schedule. Once it is agreed upon, everyone agrees to • follow the schedule and timetable closely. Our agreement is that we will do as much as we can together in 1977, 1978 and 1979. The Institute staff wanted a provision for a clear end point to ensure that disengagement began well in advance, while Corbett framers wanted assurance that the Institute did not pull up stakes prematurely 1 • Rents. Residents promise to pay rents on time and to ac..:ept in~ creases to keep ur with .expenses during the project, including taxes, maintenance and insurance. We agree that non-payment of rent for a period of sixty days will result in legal steps and eviction. The Institute promises to turn over for community use all rental income not needed for paying the landlord bills, such as insurance and taxes. If costs demand a rent increase, the cost will be divided equally amm:ig all renters and added to the base rent price currently p~d. - This section proved easy to draft even with its clear statement of eviction. , • . Finances. The Institute pledges to get all possible and appropriate grailts for the project. It pledges to try to find funds to·cover its own time and direct expen~es-and to gain resident approval before spending any funds on its own costs which must be recovered through sale of houses and transfer of other property but with no - interest or profit of any kind to the Institute. • The residents agree to this understanding-paying the ~um for their h?uses and community'property that represents their "fair share" of all funds invested in the proj~ct which must be recovered. ·We also agr_ee to be careful in calling upon the Institute to do things we can do ourselves, since this will drive up costs. - , All participants in the Compact felt that financial arrangements should be businesslike. It-was noted that Corbett residents would be extremely wary of any approach that connoted a "giveaway," which woulq in fact question the Institute' s credibility. Social Provisions (Living and Interacting Together) Communicating. Both the Institute and residents .agree to tell the truth as we know it when talking or writing about project events. In rarticular' we will check OU~ rumors with the source before repeat1~g them.. . We all agree to try not to exaggerate and not to say things that hurt people. , . We also agree not to say things which are misleading because they are truthful but incomplete. We all agree to keep everyone fully informed of all steps takenand to provide information in advance when a ~ecision must be made. We agree to read information sent to us. The responsibility to read .information,is just as important as the responsibility to provide it. , • If something does bother any of us, we agree to air it either directly to those we think are responsible or publicly at the next village meeting. , Residents were concerned that gossip could divert the project from its mission. Institute staff was concerned that people might not make an effort to try to unders'tand information. The two different concerns were.merged into one 'concept-communication. • cont.
Page6 RAIN , ' Tolerance. Both the Institute 'and the residents agree to be tolerant of errors, not criticizing others for trying hard and.failing. It is O.K. to be wrong. We also give each other the permission to say, "I don't know" -but the person who says that has a special responsibility to find the answer. _ . , Lastly, we agree to be patient when things don't go as fast as we think they should. We agree to try to keep our desires under con- ' trol. . ' • For residents, there was the concern that the Institute should not come down hard on them for learning by trial and error. From'the Institute' s viewpoint, rising expectations could quickly grow out of hand. Tolerance was thus worded as a two-way s_treet. Viewpoints Included. Everyone in Corbett will be included in the project. Clear attention will be paid to all interest groups, includ- - ing: • Younger, middle-aged and older 'residents; Those who own and those who rent; Households headed by males and by females; Those with high, mid-range and low incomes; Those who have lived in Corbett a long time and a short time; Thos~ who have many relatives in Corbett and thcis,e who,have -none; Those who tend to speak out and those who are shy; •Those who are positive toward the project and those who are negative. It took time to build an awareness th~t there were, infact, different interest groups in Corbett. Once done, a Corbett resident suggested that these groups actually be specified in the Compact to make the broader community 'aware of their presence and the need to incl~de them. ' • Advocacy. The I~stitute agrees to be an advocate for the commu- • nity and.for its needs. It also agrees to be an advocate for Corbett's people, assisting when possible and in their limits of time with personal and household problems. The Institute is not expected to provide money to people. The residents also pledge to help each other in tim~ of need, ongoing as well as crisis. The seeking of help from others is to be seen as a sign of strength, not weakness: But residents are not expected to give money to each other. . This section, coming late in Compc,ct development, grew out of two widely held concerns: 1) that in such a small place household needs and community problems are inseparable; and 2) that a clear 'statement about not providing money was needed to avoid such expectations inherent in a vague pledge of "help." Political Provisions (Leadership, Participation, Decisions) Leadership. !he Institute and residents agree to support the idea of resident leadership whether we like a pa_rti~ular individual who is a leader at a given moment or not. We encourage leaders, ,not knock them down. • • At preliminary mee-tings, Corbett residents who took initiative were often assailed as being "uppity." The Institute believed that this reflected a very loose social system in which the emergence of any leadership might well be resented. This short passage took time • to understand and appreciate from different perspectives. Decision Making. We all agree to make decisions which are fairin that·the costs and benefits are shared as justly as possible. We agree that the major job of our le~ders is to ensure that we share the making of decisions, recognizing these levels: • Steering Committee decides .(day-to-day matters) • Town Assembly decides (on,general decisions where the feeling of interests of residents is important) ' _ • • Town, Vote or Referendum decides (on decisions in whjch everyone should have an opportunity to play an equal role) Everyone, we agree, 10 years of age or older has a vote We agree that, whenever possible, there should be direct democracy during the project. No one should speak for others unless absolutely necessary. Residents·agree to re-examine any decision made which the Insti- ,tute feels is contrary to its beliefs. The Institute agrees to do the same. , The issue here was to balance the desire for direct democracy with the recognition that riot all people, could or perhaps should be involved in all decisions. Grouping decisions into the three areas , with different kinds of participation was prescribed. It was agree4 _that everyone should actually sign the document . . , Young people were included in the hope that sufficient interest to remain in the village would be maintained. Participation. The Institute will p~ovide·as much time and skill as needed.:._with starting commitment of at least two full days per week by its on-sit~ coordinator. The residents promise to provide work ai:i average of three hours per. week per household-to keep costs down. They also pledge to welcome and encourage help from everyone. No one who offers to help should be turned down. • While this clause has proven t~e most difficult and mo.st contentious 9f all sections, it was draftl!d and a4mitted to the Compact with little discussio~ and no controversy. , Feelings of Those Who Work Most. We agree that those who do more of the work than oth~rs should receive a small recognition for their work. The Institute's concern was that those who did most of the work would resent those who enjoyed the benefits but did not work as hard. It was one instance of a clause put into the Comppct to "flag" a potential problem. • Roles. The Institute's major role is to help residents'to identify and understand all options which are available to them, and to suggest ideas and alternatives .that mi_ght not have been.thought of locally. It agrees not to lobby "under the table" for ideas it favors. The defi-. nition of what is "progress" in Corbett is up to the resid~nts. , Residents agree to make decisions, even difficult and unpopul;u ones~They will not " pass the buck" to the Institute. These role definitions, developed with virtually no _dissent, were in fact already being played. That is, the Institute practiced a role of generating options and residents increasingly assumed re_sponsibility for the final copy of the agreement. Discl~sure. The Institute agrees that it will fully disclose all information on the project, including complete financial details.-All documentation will be kept as a·public record in the project office. • • This section was important to m#ents who felt that the Institute's latent or pote_ntial p,ower to act independently or introduce a "hidden agenda" was grea.t~and that existence of a public r~cord would be reassuring. • • • ' • ' 1 • • • ' ' . : ( Research. Residents agree to partiripate 0 in research a~tzvtties to document the project and to identify changes and impacts which occur at community, household,-and individual levels·. We-recog- . niz~ that the research is a key to making this project usefulto other communities. -., , , . •. The Insti~\lte agrees to violate no confi~ences 'and to_.sec.ure writ-
ten permission to use any information tied to an individual who gave it. The-Institute also agrees that no questions should be asked of residents which residents cannot ask of Institute_people. Just as t~e sectio,n on II ownership transfer" expressed the resi- • dents' primary objective, this section expressed that c!f the Institute. As Constitution The Compact, like the U.S. Constitution, is expressive·of a people who have consciously decided to break with the old systems of governance, as exampled by citizen input measured by hours of work rather than meetings attended, and a minimum voting age of ten years. It is broad in scope·, flexible, and capable of adaptation. It has been used to resolve broad policy questions such as whether owners could VQte on rent questions; the Compact states all persons vote on all issues. In contrast to most constitutions, there is a lack of any mechanism spedfied for adjudicating differences. The Compact is silent on ~hat to do when one party feels that another is violating the Con:ipact. We return to this P!oblem later.. As Covenant The American small town has its origins in New England, in_large _ measure due to the Puritan imprint of the church covenant. The covenant was-a solemn pledge of consent arid obligation and a specific agreement .in w~ich individuals stated their expectations and ·-signed thei~_names. If the Compact has a spiritual dimension, it is in the sense of establishing an_d acknowledging a bond between individuals. • • The distingui;hed historian, Page Smith, has stressed the importance of the covenant by noting: Without the matrix of the covenant'ed community, the colonists would simply form collectives;' that is, they would have divided up ' into units of individuals grouped within certain physical areas, directed by external powers and shape~ largely by circumstances. This prognosis is actually a good fit to Corbett at the start of the renewal program. It was a collectlon of individuals certainly depe:r:ident on an external power (the landlord and company} al)d shapecJ by circumstance (the need fonhe arbitrary sale of the village). The Compact was clearly and intentionally designed to move the village from this state to a place where shared ~onds would help preserve it from disintegration. , As the early covenants w~re an 'agreement between townspeople • and the qivine Bei~g, some Corbett residents have used the Compact as a handy agenda of Thou Shalt~ and Shalt Nots.,The Compact . in .this capacity b.ecomes a shield which protects people from the • freedom a~d responsibility qf individual judgment and action. In that sense, the Compact as covenant m_ay continue to function like the omnipresent company iri Corbett's earlier days, providing a set of rules wl1.ich at times replaces examination and,decis.ion making. As Social'Contract a;,_d Legal .Contract The concept of social contract posits an in,strument whereby people are expected to behave voluntarily "as if" there were a contract specifyin~r reciprocalobligations between them and the body politic. RAIN Page 7 The voluntary natur.e of'the implie~ contract does have presence -and meaning in Corbett. Indeed, its presence is sufficiently strong to help account for the lack of an enforcement mechanism. And since the Compact is neither enforceable nor ~inding, it may first seem to have no analogue as a legal c<mtract. But there are mitigating elements. First, what the contract lacks in legal sanction, it compensates for with clarity and visibility. Most contracts are so stuffed with qualifiers that it is very hard to know where liability and application begin and end. The Compact is relatively straight- . forward. • Several ~ttorneys have pointed out that a document becomes legally binding because of what it says, not on the basis of whether it was.intended as such. The fact that an informal document can be construed as legal raised fascinating and disturbing questions about how this analogue could become a stark and unwelcome reality. What do lawyers think of th~ Compact? Some see it as vague, 1.mpredse, and totally insufficient. Others take the position that the Compact may actually be in the forefront of legal writing since it is expressed in lay language. They also add that it recognizes that vqluntary complia!}ce is actually a major presumption of civil law. Omissions · There is a lack of consideration in the Compact of both sanctions and incentives for upholding its provisions. Before we go on to discuis the consequences of these omissions, we will pause to explain how they came to be left out. There was no "reality test" to even suggest that performance could be an issue. In the areas that proved to be most difficultsuch as the stipulation of three hours per week participation per family-wf did no( adequately consider what this would mean to Corbett families over an extended period of time, and just how.high the opportunity costs of participation would prove to be. Also, there was no baseline data available to indicate minimal- requirements, nor did we make distinctions between levels of motivation of the Compact framers and the reside~lts at large. If these reasons have a common-thread; it is that of an unwarranted optimism. In those early invigorating momen,ts, we believed that all things were possible-including sustained hard work to be volunteered by each and every person in Corbett. However, too much realism in the.presence of such pronounced decline w·ould have led to the conclusion that no pFoject was possible. Whether fools or not ... we did rush in. Unexpected Impacts . It is said that no technology or intervention is without its potential to do harm. This is true of the Compact. Corbett is now split over the issue of participation. We recognize that this is inevitable in a planned-change project in which some people do most of the work which creates benefits shared by all. This is especially a problem in a small community, in which behavior is so visible, and especially in Corbett where all available hands are needed. • To some d.egree, concern and frustration have turned to anger in Corbett because of the Compact, which offers such an unequivocal standar1 for participation whil~ offering no system of incentives or penalty. In.effect, Corbett residents are now divided into two groups-a thin majority of people who support arid live up to the explicit provision of three hours of work per week per family, a slightly smaller group comprising those who do not work much, and some who do no work a·t all. . Through the spring of 1978, strategies of pers~asion and encouragement were used, such as house-to-house visits 'on the morning of work parties, and symbolic recognition for those who work hard, such as water faucet "trophies" sprayed with gold paint. As the . height of the 1978 summer work season drew near, it became apparent that this approach would not raise the participation rate above 60-70 percent. It was tihen agreed th~t a penalty was to.be assessed against each house at the time of sale for. all hours hot worked: $10 per hour for those hours less tha,n 4.5 per household per week. cont.
Page8 RAIN THE NEWEST IN ~[L(OO[}={](Q)[L [F(UJ[~IL . ~- PuBLtCATIONS ~ _ by Scott Sklar Scott Sklar is· Washington director of the National Center for Appropriate Technology. Some of Scott's reviews have also appeared in Outlook, $6.00/yr. (12 issues), from: Qutlook Governor's State University Park Forest South, IL 60466 We are enteri~g the year with a number of new books introduced on alcohol fuels. This is not surprising due to the fact that int'erest a{Ilong the general public in producing th~ir own fuel is skyrocketing out of all proportion. I have picked the newest publications printed, keeping in mind which books are most accurate, easily found and of low cost. . , I have omitt.ed two publications which are not new but deserve mention. The first, written by John Ware Lincoln and published by Garden Way Publishers of Char.,. lotte, VT 05445, is entitled "Methanol and Other Ways Around the Gas Pump." Published in 1976 before the "gasohol • craze," Lincoln describes automobile conversion using methanol.. Many of the prin- • #1 ' r/{! . ciples in his book apply to ethanol fuel as well. The other'publication is distributed free by Robert S. Chambers of .the ACR Corporation, 808 S._Lincoln Avenue #14, Urbana, Illinois 61801. "The Small FuelAlcohol Distillery: General Description and Economic Feasibility Workbook" is an excellent resource for the amateur and i:irofessional alike. This 21-page workbook sys;- tematically walks you through the economics of the technology and marketing and is still the best resource for such a low price. I highly recommend it to you. Makin' It on the Farm, by Micki Nellis, 1979, 88 pp., $2.95 from: American Agriculture Movement P.O. Boxl00 Iredell, TX 7664? A really fine, concise, usable energy primer on alcohol production covering enzyme use, solar stills, methanol'and engine conversions. What makes this book different from all others is its low cost, documenting production success stories (Albert Turner, Gene Shrader, Archie Zeitheimer and Lance Crombie., etc.) and thorough coverage of the field. This book is a must for anyone who intends to produce ethanol, methanol or convert their car. -The book includes an excellent list of materials, resource_people and useful data. Lastly, it answers any 'questions you might want to know about the actual hands-on production. I recommend it. , With t~e addition of the penalty, Corbett fell short of ahy aspirations it held (or perhaps more accurately, its outside partner held) A few suggestions follow: l. Consider carefully how tbe Compact group is formed. In Corbett no concerted effort was made to include the indifferent with the initiators in writing the Compact, Had it been, its range of stakeholders might h~ve beerr much broader. to surmount the mainstream of American life. Together, we pressed the logic of a total voluntary commitment'within a fixed population and came up short. Corbett is indeed part of mass society. And they have learned its le.ssons well. . We can probably justify this impact on the basis bf its learning value, not only for Corbett residents, but for others who might. bene_fit from. this experience. And that is the point of the next section of this article. • Lessons Learned: Suggestions for Consideration There is no question that the Compact has prov~d a useful tool for community development. It has defined an early process of resident involvement in decision making, set forth principles, contractual agreements and role definitions, and added an emotional and,symbolic dimension. " While the Compact in Corbett has notably enhanced parti'cipati:on and leadership by a thin majority of residents, there are others that it has not really touched or involved. More must be done to include those who are less enfranchised, and in a·s-ocial sense more marginal, in shaping a document that will reflect their needs ~nd aspirations. 2. Consider a better strategy for gaining public reaction and feedback in Compact formation. Once the Compact group had shaped the document, few changes were suggested by residents. In largemeasure, we.think that the reason was inhibition-not wanting to ask "dumb" questions or surface feelings, and no amount of rhetoric about "no such thing as a dumb question" was adequate to overcome this inhibition. Different formats for feedback should have been attempted until more iµteraction was achieved, 3. Consider carefully the balance point between a voluntary document and one which contains penalties as well as incentive. Per~ haps an emphasis should have been placed on making voluntarism more operational by defining incentive?· 4. Consider all·possible ways to reality-test a Compact. We did not adequately consider the difference in disposition between those on the Compact group and the range'of people in the broader cdrnmunity, the high opportunity cost for the required participation, or adequate baseline data on the amount of work which would actually be required for such projects as water system renovation.
Fuel from Farms, A Guide to SmallScale Ethanol Production, preparfd by SERI and consultants, 1980, 150 pp., ~e in limited quantities from: Technical Information Center • U.S. Department of Energy P.O. Box62 Oakridge; TN 37830 • The publiq.tion could best be described as a textbook on alcohol fuels. The first section - states a premise for alcohol production; ·a. workbook (Chambers' is betterJ is also included. Section 2 deals with production and design considerations and indudes pictures and ljsts of equipment, which is the most , useful section in the entire manual. The last part-of the book includes financial, legal and political information including a who's who in alcohol, from consultants, engineers and educators to organizations and publicat~ons. This is a fine textbook for the beginner, a community college of training organization. • Brown's Alcohol Motor Fuel, by • Michael H. Brown, 1979, 140 pp., $6.95 from: Desert Publications ~omville, AZ 86325 Probably the most well photographed, easy-to-understand book on car conversion yet printed. I wish I had this book when I • converted my '63 Rambler. The author includes full-page pictures along with technical illustrati9ns and step-by-step instructions. The book covers carburetor modification, increasing the compression, ignition and ~old starting. In the coldstart chapter, the author skimps on the newest Volkswagen approach ~sing propane injection, but on the whole, this auto conversion book covers wh~t any average person needs to • know. • The second half of Brown's book covers alrnhol production in the most easy and • understandable way, beginning with moonshine production (5 gallons), batch production,(50 gallons) and then covering column design, stripper plates and sblar stills. This is followed by 11 pages of photographs and is intersp~rsed with technical . drawings. All in all, this is·a great publication and should be read by everyone interested in this field. • Forget the Gas Pumps-Mak'! Your Own Fuel, by Jim Wortham and Barbara Whitener, 1979, 84 pp., $3.95 from: Love Street Books • P.o: Box 58163 Louisville, KY 40258. This .book is geared toward the beginner with easy instructions and full-page illustrations. The authors cover using'your pressure cooker to heat the mash, making of a solar.still, automobile modification an~ applying for your ATF permit. The book is a_ccurate, fair in that it tells y9u the pros and cons of certain decisions, and easy to follow. Making Alcohol Fuel-Recipe and Procedure, "y Lance Crombie, 1979 rev., 40 pp., $4.50 from: .Rutan Publishing P.O. Box3585 Minneapolis, MN 55403 Crombie's book was the first on·the market with usable data for the modern alcohol producer. His revised version is better, particularly in the plant design section. The book has few pictures but some illustrations and is a useful handbook. The book underlines the cautions you should(heed1 useful lists of t~bles,and·resource people. . Crombie has built both a still and has modifi~d an auto to run on 100% pure ethanol. RAIN Page 9 Making Fuel in Your Backyard, by Jack Brc}dley, 1979, 63'pp., $10.95 from: Biomass Resources P.O. Box 2912 Wenatchee, WA 98801 A fine down-to-earth book ~ya man who built a still t}:tat he's writing about. It's in •narrative form with easy instructions and useful' drawings and pictures. Although it's not the highest class publication I've seen in terms of glossy-print, it sure would be one of the most useful small on-farm manuals 'to come along in awhile. I enjoyed the · book and suggest it for people who want to build a small still. I even plan to experiment with his model _design. Individual and Gr9up Gasohol-Alcohol Fuel Production and Usages (70 pp.), and Cut Your Gas Expense "In Half' (7 pp.), edited by B.W. Kirby, 197.9, $6.00 tog~ther, from: AFTEC6ooks 323 S. Ravenel Street Columbia, SC 29205' _Since botft books are sold together and edited by the same person, they will get a joint - review. In the "Cut Your Gas" primer, alcohol drawings, equipment lists and instructions are packed in most succinctly. A fine small-package for a sinall farm still. • The larg.er book, Production and Usages, is a conglomeration of information which includes a history., pr:oduction and political review section..The production section is the best of the three; and includes some interesting still drawings and interviews. The large manual has limited use for the builder but provides an interesting insight into the people and the movement. Implications ciencies of our current institutions and practices for change. The Corbett Compact'is an effort to break with the contemporary mode of intervention and return to an earlier ideal. That ideal is simply'that the will of the people should be directly expre~sed by the people. As such, there ate iinplications here for planning, dti- -zen action, ethical codes of "professionals·," political science and governance, and revitalization of our towns, urban neighborhoods, institutions, and organizations. Were the conventional tools we now use for renewal more adequate,.perhaps the Compact would riot be so important. But they are not. We define " citizen participation," for ·example, in the'superficial terms of a small and non-representative group coming to a few public meetings. And we define "profes!i_ional expertise" of intervenors.in such terms that local.residents and citizens are , stripped of their birthright for indepeIJ.dent action. Not only are traditional development pro_cesses hollow and distant from things that matter most ot us as human beings, they fail to harness the tremendous capacity for self.,help, self-esteem, and self-reliance which commitment and involvement can bring. We feel that the Compact has value for the questions it rai'ses, as well as those it attempts to answer. We hope that our discussion of the Compact, its development, effects, and ramifications.has value for the many people who feel as we do about some of the insuffiA last comment from Corbett resident Marcus Felter: The Compact, beginning cis a joint effort of a fer.o P,eople leading to1 ' a combined effort of all the people, is unique by itself. In the near . future, it will still be used as a guideline to settle discussions about the project. _In the far distan t future, our children's children will probably think it quaint. Since it was part of their past, hopefully • • they will be proud of it for at least these two fact.s : we wrote it, and it was the start of something they will. then have. Harold Williams is President of the Institute of Man and Science, an active member of the Board of the Small Towns Institute, and author of "Smallness and the Small Tow~" (Small To'wn, October, 1977). Natalie Hawley works on a variety of programs as a Project Associate at the IMS; she is currently Director of a project on Neighborhood Revitalization in New York State. ~ ' A list of publications is available from the Center for Community Renewal at the Institute on Man and Science, Rensselaerville, NY 12147. Other publications available on Corbett include The Corbett Project Approach (1978, 40 pages, $2.50), The Corbett Project: Village !fistory (1978, 8'1 pages, $5.00), and The Corbett Compact (1979, 87 , pages, $5.00)..The authors welcome comments and news o_f similar efforts in the area of small town renewal. '
Page 10 RAIN ENERGYEnergy Sttategies: Toward a Solar Future, edited by fl.W. Kendall and S.!. Nadis of the Union of Concerned Scientists, 1980, 320 pp., paperback $7.50 available from: Union of Concerned Scientists 1384 Mass. Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138. - Cloth cover $16.50 trom: Ballinger Publi~hing Co. 17.Dunster St. <Cambridge, MA 02138 This is a gr,eat book: big, meaty, cornpre- , hensive, clear. Exactly what is needed as our energy crisis·wors,ens and dozens of • well-meaning groups rush forward with dozens of proposed solutions·. The authors of this 320-page book-six of the top scientis(s and analysts of the Union of Cqncerned Scientists-survey, with easy conHdence and unsurpassed expertise, all of the major alternatives: nuclear, fusion,-. coal, s~lar, and many others. They explain the physical principles, the techni~al difficulties, and the ~nvironrnental hazards. Then they make tlie difficult comparisons. They point out_that, for the long term . (2000 to 2050 AD), only coal, breed~r reactors, fusion, and solar could play rna1or roles. But coal and breeders would create big environmental problems, and fusi~n is .still unproven'. Therefore the authors ur?e that the nation concentrate on con servation and solar; including photovoltaic, solar thermal, biomass, and wind. Using excellent charts and tables based 011 up-to-dat'e information, they ?Pell out in great detail the enormous potentialities of these .avenues. How does this book compare with the recent best-selfer "Energy Futures" by Stobaugh and Yergii:i (Random Hou~e, 1979, $12.95)? Both books a~e beautifully •organized and clearly written. '!30th are superb. Both come out strongly for conservation and for solar energy. But whereas Stobaugh and Yergin concentrate on commercial, economic and polit,ical aspects, the Union on Concerned Scientists team has concentrated on the technologies the~- selves-~hich, in this reviewer's opinion, are more fundamental than the consequent commercial and political considerations. -William A. Shurcliff William Shurcliff has written several solar heating and optics books, and_is an honorary research associate at Harvard University. "Democracy and the Energy Mobilization Board/' A_mory Lovins, Not Man Apart, February 1980, $15/year from: • Friends of the Earth 124 Spear St. . San Francisco, CA 94105 Amory Lovins comes through agai1' with a penetrating analysis of the dangers und~rlying one of our most idiotic energy follies. The Energy Mobilization Board, if implemented, is likely to set loose·s9rne bl~ody energy wars in th,e Western states arid other "National Sacrifice Areas," set into motion centrifugal poHtical forc~s that will firmly discredit our central go_vernrnent, and contribute to a complete breakdown of federal-state cooperation. Lovins pr~poses, in contrast that we build our nation'al en~ ergy polic; around what we have consensus on, such as solar and c;onservation; rather than upon areas when~there is maior and deep controversy, such ~s nuclear or syn- · fuels. An important paper exposing the issue of whether Washington'will join the re~t of the U.S. on the soft path we are already embarked upon, or whether it will be left in the deserved dust of history. -:-Torn Bender Compendium of Federal Programs,Related to Community Energy Conservation, Feb. 1979, from: • . U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development • • 451 Seventh St. ·S.W. Washington, DC 20410 Non-profit-corporations and neighborhpod groups will benefit more from this guide than will the individual homeowner or renter. The programs listed and briefly described are those basic ones like the Community Development Block Grant Pr?grarn (CDBG) and the various sections and titles of housirig loans and subsidies available .from government offices. The compendium is not intended to be all-inclusive, but more to poiht organizations in general di~e~tions in order to facilitate the process of cmzen . participation. The focus, as I said, is on . groups of people. Individuals'with no background in federal programs will find themselves with little useable information. 1:'he descriptions do not even clarify where to go for that information. Such suggestions as "more information is available from local • housing and community development agencies" is not likely to ~ncourage a~ isolated senio'r citizen looking for_fuel bill assistance. But then local programs have •local publicity ~s one of their tasks . ~he Compendium performs its task well rn providing information first to those tocal groups. -cc. TRAVEL Th.e Vegetarian Times Guide to Dining in the U.S.A., by the editors of Vegetarian Times, 1980, 314 pp., $8.95 from: Atheneum Publishers 597 Fifth Ave. New York, NY 10017 . If you're one of the 12 million Americans on some form of non-meat diet, or if you simply enjoy vegetarian fare ?n occasi~~, put this book in your travel kit._Over five hundred vegetarian restaurants recommended by the readers of Vegetarian Times have been compiled here, ranging from the simple to the gourmet, from the strictly vegetarian to more conventional _ea~ert~s with vegetarian offerings. Each_hstmg includes information on prices, specialties, • atmosphere, hours of operation, and availability of 'alcoholic beverages, as well as some first-person reports and specifics on _finding out-of-the-way places. -MR Roadfood ~ by Jane ~nd Michael Stern, 1978, 387 pp., $6.95 from: , Random House/Obst Books 201 East 50th St. New York, NY 10022 Ever have frustrated food yearnings on the road? Travelers interested in affordable alternatives to plastic food will find this guide a godsend; with tips on where to find superb sour cre,arn raisin pie.in Wisconsin, the best ribs in Wyoming, authentic Hopi cooking in Arizona; or stunning homemade ice cream in Maine. My·copy is marked through with notes on some of the finest meals I've ever had--;-in some of the last places I would·have ever imagined! AH of Roadfood' s 400 inexpensive r~gional restaurants are within 10 miles of a major highway, and clearly il)dicated on maps at the beginning of each section. • . Besides the selection of roadside eateries, what really distinguishes Roadfood is that it is a delight to read even if you're not going anywhere. Wit_h.pointed pen the authors characterize q1linary accomplishments and flaws, describing in delicious detail not only the food but the people who make .and serve it and t,he environments they live in. . While you may not agree with every one of the Sterns' descriptions, their recommendations are well worth a try. The few disappointrne11ts Roadfood led me to were due to a change of ownership/ management since the authors' visits. If you enuoy the offbeat in general, not just food,' check out the Sterns' companion volume, Amazing America (sa~e access as Roadfood) , a guide to 600 of the craziest, kookiest sights in the land. -MR
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