RE: [pf] Co-Opportunities Conference (fwd)

by Steve Habib Rose

22 December 2000 19:46 UTC

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 22 Dec 2000 05:05:53 -0800
From: Ben Kaufman <benjzk@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: Co-Opportunities Conference

Hello and Seasons’s Greetings!

Our focus for the Co-Opportunities Conference is to create space for 
sustainable community in our lives and to bring together those who are 
working to make our world and community a better place.  We would like to 
share this moment with you and wish you a happy holiday and a wonderful New 
Year! :-)

Conference organization is moving right along.  A proposal submitted over a 
month ago was well received and has provided a course of action for 
organizers.  We are estimating for 300-500+ participants and have placed an 
initial reservation with the Seattle Center’s Northwest Rooms for Oct. 5-7, 
2001.  We are also beginning conversations with the City of Seattle, 
including the new Office of Sustainability & Environment,
to explore models of mutual support and collaboration.

Co-Opportunity partners in the Portland area are in the planning stages for 
a two-day symposium this spring to be held on April 28th.  Tentatively, day 
1 is a gathering to learn more about how to bring about the development of 
sustainable communities and day 2 would include a tour of local cohousing 
and sustainable community type developments.  For more on progress in the 
Portland area, please contact Angel Kelly at kelly@seul123.org.

A Design Charette for the Seattle Conference has been scheduled for Sunday, 
Jan. 28th from 10am until 5pm or later to brainstorm the conference program. 
  You’re invited!  We’ll also be looking at logistics including 
transportation, food, child care, etc., and creative uses of time such as 
group sustainable community design contests and other wonderful ideas that 
have been suggested to us.

Our steering team meetings for the month of January are as follows:

Jan. 4th 7-9pm  Antioch University Rm#209.
Jan. 10th 7-9pm  Location to be announced.
Jan. 18th and 25th 7-9pm  Location to be announced.
* Design Charette*  Jan. 28th , 10am-5pm or later.  Location to be 
announced.

Attached below is some additional beta on the Co-Opportunities Conference.

Please contact us to get involved.  And let us know if you’d like to add 
your organization’s name to the list of organizations who support the 
conference.

Happy Holidays!!!
The Co-Opportunities Northwest Team


Primary contacts:
Ben Kaufman  benjzk@hotmail.com  (206) 297-2656
Ami Peters  apeters@antiochsea.edu (206) 772-9547
Syd Fredrickson  reallifeeducation@consultant.com  (206) 523-7606



Co-Opportunities Northwest

Our mission is to bring together diverse stakeholders to confirm and advance 
new and exciting trends in sustainable communities.  We will discover 
resources, tools and emerging markets interwoven with a spirit of 
collaboration and mutual support.

Stakeholders include business leaders, environmental organizations, 
financiers, permaculturists, philanthropists, contractors, neighborhood 
groups, developers, planners, community builders, facilitators, visionaries, 
listeners...and the list goes on.


Genesis of the Conference:

The birth of the idea for this conference came as call from the Educational 
Outreach Committee of NICA to close the net around sustainable community 
developers to explore creative opportunities together.

The first planning meeting to organize this conference was held October 6th 
with approximately 30 people in attendance.  Representatives were present 
from the Northwest Intentional Communities Association, Northwest 
Eco-Building Guild, Cooperative Living of Seattle, Antioch University, 
Neighbornets Network, Fremont Time, Flexicar, Indy Media and many 
individuals from around the region.

As part of our discussion of the goals and objectives of this conference 
were the feelings and inspirations that people might want to take away from 
the conference...
Here are some highlights:

* That the conference itself demonstrated sharing and working cooperatively.
* Models, projects, and resources were made available, not just ideas.
* People attended with professional experience showcasing their work.
* That there was ceremony, with enhanced relationships and a deeper 
knowledge imparted.
* That mutually associative work had taken place.
* Relationships were established between sustainable community builders and 
the business community, lenders, philanthropists.
* Conversations crossed political boundaries.
* Excitement and hope, that new progress is being made, that there is a 
concrete set of actions to move us forward.
* That a clear vision for what we are moving towards was made available, 
that realistic examples were inspired.
* That there was a united sense and confirmation of the importance of 
sustainability encouraging further awareness and work.
* The food was good, healthy and set an example.




Co-Opportunities Northwest Conference Proposal  11/19/00

Alright, here we go!  Below is the initial proposal defining some essential 
details about the conference.  We've listened to what interested folks have 
had to say and we feel quite positive in moving forward.  We'd like to open 
this discussion at our next meeting.

History of the Conference:
Begun in early August over breakfast as an idea from the Educational 
Outreach Committee of the Northwest Intentional Communities Association, the 
conference was envisioned to bring together diverse stakeholders of 
sustainable community development in an environment of mutual support and 
collaboration.  Outreach included internet and email networking as well as 
meetings with interested stakeholders.  These meetings garnered additional 
community support and added steam to the creative process.  The present 
steering team was also brought together.

Closely following the second planning meeting this initial outline of the 
conference was prepared.  The goal of this proposal is to add fuel to the 
fire and spark discussion, then add direction to channel the various 
energies plugged into the organization.  The authors’ intent is to provide a 
building block for the conference.

Areas of Interest:
Location
Size
Date, Time
Scope
Tracks
Exhibitions
Website
Admission Fees/Booth Fees
Registration
Press Relations
Speakers
Ambiance
Main Stage Backdrop
Basic needs list

Proposal Body:
The conference would be held over three days, from Friday to Sunday, 
sometime in late August or early September.  The conference could not be 
held any earlier so as to give enough lead time for planning.  Also, 4-6 
possible weekend dates should be decided upon by January.  The conference 
could be held later on in the fall.

The conference would range in number from 250-500 participants.  Space 
options include UW, Seattle Center, Seattle Central Community College and 
several conference centers in the Seattle urban area.  Other options may 
come available through networking and contacts.

Space requirements include room for keynote speakers and enough smaller 
rooms to handle 20-30 person breakout sessions.  Room for permanent 
exhibitions and booths should be available.  Room for childcare and 
accessibility for the handicapped is considered very important.  The space 
should have many varieties of food options within a pedestrian range.

Scope
Themes for the conference could be Urban, Suburban and Rural/Regional.  
Tracks for the conference would be sub-categories of sustainable community 
including the environment, economics, spiritual values, regulatory issues, 
non-profit activities and community development.

Admission Costs
Exhibitors will be charged as individual, business, non-profit, or 
corporation.  A percentage of the sales proceeds at the conference should 
also be included as the entrance price.  Categories are subject to change, 
prices are yet to be determined.

Participants could be charged as $100 Business or Corporate, $65 Non-Profit, 
$40 Individual, or $15 Student/Low Income.  Volunteer programs for 
complimentary admission are to be made available.

Audio/Visual contracts should be agreed to and signed.

A website should be created to handle on-line registration, disperse 
information and handle email flows and other communications.

Side tours to local community sites should be planned in the days leading up 
to the conference to provide on-site sharing and learning opportunities.

Registration should have a dependable point person and can include an early 
registration period and a Participant questionnaire.

A press team should be created to manage media relations and advertising.  
Press relations include contact management, announcements in pertinent 
publications, creation of media packet, contractual articles, and 
cost-effective advertising outreach.

Ambiance can include ceremonial smudging beforehand, art space, nursery 
donations, live plants and a colorful mainstage backdrop and much more.

Speakers could include (initial list only, excuse spelling errors please):
David Korten
Amory Lovins
Paul Hawkins
Paul Lobe
Brian Derdowski
Nick Lucata
Richard Conlin
Peter Steinbreck
Ben Haggard
Scott Pittman
Bill Mollisen
Charles Bensinger
Paul Fishburg
Bill Browning
Max Lindegger
Richard Register
Gifford Pinchot
Dennis Hayes
Robert Gilman
Serious Israel
Chuck Durrett
Lois Arkin
Bill McKibbon
Janet Loves
Patch Adams
Jerry Brown
Julia Butterfly Hill

Needs List:
Office Space
Web design
Site search point person
Legal Advisory team
Registration Coordinator