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Sustainable Bainbridge
Sustainable Bainbridge was formed to support cooperation and collaboration among a broad-based network of local organizations, businesses, government and individuals to protect and strengthen our community’s social, environmental, and economic sustainability for current and future generations.
Sustainable Bainbridge supports initiatives in a variety of areas as well as participating with a variety of partner organizations working to create a resilient and sustainable community on our island.
Our success depends on the active participation of caring people like you. Please contact us with your ideas and suggestions.
Vision
Sustainable Bainbridge envisions a future where Bainbridge Island, through purposeful choices, enables a positive, healthy, joyful, equitable and resilient community, thus enabling long-term community and environmental sustainability.
Mission
Sustainable Bainbridge works to build cooperation and collaboration among a broad-based network of local organizations, businesses, government and individuals to protect and strengthen our community’s environmental, social and economic sustainability for current and future generations.
We accomplish this by educating, inspiring and engaging the community in a wide range of projects and programs focused on increasing community resilience and by helping to incubate organizations and projects within our community intending to serve this same mission.
Our Goals
●To serve as an organization that incubates and supports projects and programs committed to a strong, healthy and resilient Island community.
●To increase awareness and understanding, and to inform the discussion among individuals, organizations, businesses and local government of opportunities to make our community sustainable.
●To support projects and programs that enable Bainbridge Island to understand and adapt to climate change and work to lead us toward becoming a climate-resilient community.
●To work to protect the finite and fragile environment of our island and its surrounding shoreline and waterways.
●To help community members achieve a smaller footprint.
●To foster a local living economy that works for the benefit of all Islanders.
●To develop leadership within our community with the passion and skills to guide Bainbridge Island toward a sustainable future.
●To grow and maintain communications and media that build community, reflect sustainability values, and promote events in support of our vision and mission.
History
In 2005, a diverse group of organizers sponsored a series of three brown bag lunches at Bainbridge Island’s City Hall in order to identify the sustainability needs, interests and concerns of the community. In July 2006, Sustainable Bainbridge was formed as a Washington nonprofit corporation.
In January 2007, the Sustainable Bainbridge Board met to make plans for the coming year. The first campaign, Saving Energy Together (SET), made a debut on Earth Day in April of that year. Other activities included a talk by Jason McLennan of the Green Building Council about sustainability in design and “living buildings” and the successful organization of a major recycling event for electronic equipment.
Throughout 2007, the number of subscribers to the Sustainable Bainbridge electronic email newsletter grew from a handful to many hundreds. The Sustainable First Monday (SFM) program was established to provide an opportunity each month for community learning and conversation around a sustainability topic. With no paid staff and minimal expenses, activities were organized and communicated by a hard-working, hands-on, all-volunteer board of directors. In November of 2007, Sustainable Bainbridge won IRS approval as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
A major breakthrough in 2008 was the launching of the “Sound Food” website, with its interactive map of sources of local food on and around Bainbridge Island. Since then, Sustainable Bainbridge has worked to incubate or incorporate a number of initiatives and projects including Matinees That Matter (MTM), Sustainable Business Network (SBN), Zero Waste, Green Drinks, Positive Energy, the Student Conservation Corps, Weed Warriors, the Watershed Council, Earth Month, the Trashion Show and Bainbridge Island Beach Clean-up. The SB tent continues to expand to include ideas and people committed to a strong, healthy and resilient community.