5/6/10 - Self-sustainability and how it can benefit the homeless

Session led by Allie Callow

How can we apply self sustainability and self-reliance to benefit the homeless? What lessons can we learn from the homeless, who live fugal, minimalist, survival-based lives, to apply minimalism to our own lives? Then teach it back to them, if necessary?

Many topics we associate with sustainability are tools the homeless already use The homeless live with a small footprint. The rest of society aims to improve the homeless population's condition, which ultimately increases their footprint.
 * Public transportation
 * Biking
 * Reuse
 * Local food
 * Co-housing

What sustainability principles can improve quality of life without increasing the footprint? Some potential solutions to assist the homeless while minimizing their footprint: Addressing basic needs: Lessons from the homeless we can apply in our own lives
 * Water collection for washing
 * Community gardens where people share excess food from gardens and fruit producing trees
 * Preventive medicine controlled through diet and fitness
 * Building community - social media for communication, wikis as a possible best practice for the homeless
 * Insulation and heat sources - recycled cardboard, candles, solar
 * Change mindset from 24-hour/day-to-day continuum to long-term planning to increase freedom
 * Free bus pass to homeless individuals with repeat attendance to social services like Sisters of the Road
 * Create a community garden dedicated to and maintained by the homeless
 * Use existing abandoned buildings for temporary shelter
 * Provide computer access for job searches, social networking
 * Enable a location address for use as a mailing address
 * Community camping drives donating sleeping bags, propane tanks, tents
 * Public restrooms with lights inside, like in Sweden, that prevents them from being used for drug use
 * Laundry - touring trucks with mobile laundry services
 * Living within our means so we don't end up in tent cities
 * Learn how to trade skills vs money to achieve end results
 * Determine the difference between wants and necessities
 * Go camping - identify with minimalism and compare to our current lives