What is it about the town of Arcata, California that prompted Time Magazine to name it one of the top four American cities to retire in, and why has is been called the “Most Enlightened City in California?” With the additional label of “Green Capital of America” that Arcata was branded with by the international media, sustainable development practitioners may well be interested in learning some lessons from this place that has taken sustainable development seriously for over 30 years.
Featuring the first rural recycling center in America (over 30 years old), Arcata has not only one of the highest recycling rates in the country, but it has spun off a $2 million per year recycling business that took the local waste product of used glass and turned it into a local resource by making artisan plates, bowls and glass building blocks. This enterprise, Fire and Light, has also brought a significant number of jobs to the community.
Further innovative projects that will be featured on the study tour include an ecological co-housing project, a community “bike library”, a City owned educational organic farm that provides food security and revenue to Arcata residents, ecological features of a new Community Centre, and an “off the grid” model home of ecological sustainability. Also on the agenda is the cutting-edge Schatz Energy Research Center, where municipal energy projects and programmes will be explained, including participation in the international Cities for Climate Protection campaign co-ordinated by ICLEI.
Furthermore, many of Arcata’s projects end up saving the City money. For example, the former landfill has been turned into an ecological waste water treatment plant that doubles as a wildlife sanctuary and tourist attraction, bringing revenue from eco-tourists into the local coffers. Mayor Bob Ornelas stated about the study tour of Arcata, “Let me extend my personal invitation and guarantee you will not be disappointed.”
Details:
Arcata Study Tour, September 17-19, 2003
The early registration cost is $247, accommodation is pre-booked, travel advice and project internet references are available. For more information, e-mail jfkeuro@gmx.net, or phone 00 49 173 541 2675
This itinerary subject to
minor changes, prepared by former Arcata Vice-Mayor, Jason Kirkpatrick, for
inquiries:
jfkeuro@hotmail.com, phone: 011 49 173 541 2675 (Europe time is 9 hours ahead of California time)
Date
|
Theme |
Time |
Program |
Meeting
point
|
Presentation
or guiding by |
|
Wednesday,
September 17 |
Arrive in hotel, dinner with conference attendees |
7:30pm |
Informal
welcome Introductions
from participants General
Information on Arcata ·
How the City became “green” ·
Background of City Introduction to the program of the Study Tour. |
Hotel Restaurant: Café Tomo |
Mayor Bob Ornelas Jason Kirkpatrick, former
Vice-Mayor, distribution of Study Tour pack, information from City |
|
Thursday,
September 18 |
|
morning |
Breakfast |
on
your own in one of many recommended local cafes |
|
|
|
|
9:15am-10:30 |
Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center ·
Explain creation of
Marsh ·
Discuss Eco Tourism ·
Godwit Days |
Lobby
of Hotel Arcata, group walking together |
Denise
Homer, Interpretive Naturalist, AMIC |
|
10:45-12:30 |
Waste
Water Treatment Plant/tour of Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary |
|
Mike
Wilson, HWR or Bob Gearhart ·
Methane powering of
plant ·
Usage of municipal
compost ·
Discuss mixed uses of
resource ·
Explain new acquisition
and funding mix ·
Overview of wetlands management |
||
|
12:30-1:30 |
Lunch |
AMIC |
Local
Caterer, AMIC to help |
||
|
1:30-2:30 |
Marsh
Commons Co-Housing Project |
|
Joyce
Plath, Designer ·
Discuss origin and
vision ·
Funding and property acquisition ·
Public/private support for project ·
Ecological Elements |
||
|
2:30-3:30 |
Arcata
Bike Library |
Bike Library
Workshop Option to keep
cycle later, or return at the end of the day |
Bill
Burton, Co-ordinator ·
Fit cycles to group ·
Overview of cycle and pedestrian planning in City ·
Examine round-a-bouts |
||
|
3:45-4:45 |
Community
Subscription Agriculture Farm |
|
Susan
Ornelas ·
Explain partnership
with City ·
Finance overview ·
Discuss food security need ·
Local demand for organics |
||
|
5:00-6:00 |
Potowat
Health Village, |
|
Laura
Kadlecik, Mike Wilson, HWR ·
Sustainable Building
Materials ·
Mix of Native Traditions with sustainable
development principles ·
Look at water management aspect ·
Permaculture garden |
||
|
6:30-7:15 |
Dinner |
Marsh Commons |
|
||
|
7:30-8:45 |
Slide
show and lecture |
Marsh Commons
Co-Housing Project |
Jason
Kirkpatrick European
Models of Sustainable Communities ·
Transport models ·
Waste Minimisation ·
Energy policy and
design ·
Urban Planning |
||
|
Friday,
September 19 |
Resource
Management and Energy Issues |
9.00-10:15 |
Visit
to Arcata Community Forest |
Bus
from Hotel, meet in lobby |
Mark
Andre, City Forester ·
Walking tour of
sustainably managed forest ·
Explain resource management for mixed use ·
Explain revenue for City |
|
10:30-11:15 |
Campus
Center for Appropriate Technology |
|
CCAT
director ·
Explain creation of CCAT ·
Energy creation & conservation, "off the
grid" since 1994 ·
Grey water system, water catchment, marsh system ·
Non-toxic house, workshop ·
Garden and compost system |
||
|
11:30-12:15 |
Schatz Energy Research Center |
|
Richard Engel/Kathy Jack ·
Explain Fuel Cell technology ·
Hydrogen pilot project in Palm Desert ·
Discuss innovative City Energy policies, ICLEI CCP |
||
|
12:30-2:00 |
Lunch
at Arcata Co-operative |
|
Karen
Brooks, Marketing Manager ·
Lunch presentation on background of Co-op ·
Economic analysis of contribution to community ·
Brief tour of Co-op |
||
|
2:15-3:15 |
Fire
and Light |
|
John
McClurg, Manager ·
Reason for Fire and Light ·
Finding investors ·
Marketing ·
Examine finished products ·
Tour of facility |
||
|
3:45-4:45 |
Arcata
Community Recycling Center |
|
Mark
Loughmillar, ACRC ·
Describe collection system ·
Financing of ACRC ·
Community Education Prog. ·
Revenue of Reusable Center ·
Oil change facility ·
Zero Waste |
||
|
|
Study
Tour Concludes |
|
|
||
|
Saturday,
September 20 |
Optional |
From
9:00am |
North
Country Fair and Farmers Market |
Arcata
Plaza |
On
your own Recommendations
on further sights available upon request |
This itinerary draft: July 14,
2003
Registration Cost before
August 18: $247
Registration Cost between
August 18 and September 18: $287
Make checks payable to:
Humboldt Water Resources
P.O. Box 165
Arcata, CA 95521
Thanks to:
City of Arcata
Local Government Commission
International Council for
Local Environmental Initiatives – European Secretariat
International Council for
Local Environmental Initiatives – USA
Sustainable Northern Ireland