Dear Sacramento Community Leader,

By Muriel Strand, P.E.

I am running for Mayor to put the issue of sustainability at the top of the public agenda.

Yet even though many people would like to slash their contribution to the problem, our addiction to fossil fuels is harder to quit than even cigarettes. Almost everyone is locked in to existing technologies and infrastructure, and there's not much room to make major changes in the short term. So efforts to date focus on "Phase 1 sustainability," relatively superficial changes such as hydrogen cars and other high-tech opportunities for consultants to make money. But while small, short-term changes are good steps, they're just the first step.

And the danger is that the money, energy, and other resources already in the pipeline for relatively cosmetic changes won't be available later on when more people realize that truly fundamental changes will be necessary, such as we ought to basically stop driving. Why are we building more roads instead of converting existing ones to gardens?
But enough bad news. The good news is that, if we do it right, "Phase 2 sustainability" offers us healthier and happier lives than many now experience. And to do it right, we need a much bigger concept of physical efficiency, where the goal is clean air and water, healthy food, and warmth, not just a trivial or intermediate one like better mileage. And it's not like everyone needs to jump to Phase 2 right away, but those who do want to should have our support, encouragement, and investment.

Consider the advantages and benefits of Eco-Villages. With small farms close to small towns and a revival of traditional crafts and trades, we can deflate fossil fuel consumption enough to just drown it in the bathtub. (And we won't need nuclear either.) By living in harmony with nature--including human nature--we can enjoy life with a balance of physical and mental activity, plenty of fresh nutritious food, and a friendly community that is economically secure because it is relocalized and self-sufficient.

The myth of technology says that without modern gadgets we will face discomfort, deprivation, and disease. But modern technology is never going to change biology or human selfishness. There is also the myth of the boring mean small town, where kids drink and fight because there's nothing else to do. But modern technology can't solve a cultural problem. Only people can.

I hope you will join me, before and after the election, in advocating and building a truly sustainable Sacramento, designed and constructed by empowered Sacramentans. I would be happy to meet with you and discuss these concerns and ideas in more depth and detail.