The Rural Blog: 8/15/10

The financial problems of Central Appalachia reflect the problems of other rural areas with economies based on extracting natural resources around the world. To address those issues, the region must undergo a simple change to focus on sustainable economy activities, writes one Appalachian researcher. Anthony Flaccavento, creator of Appalachian Sustainable Development, writes for the journal Solutions.

In his paper Flaccavento examines types of the change toward a lasting economy in Appalachia before offering suggestions for his economic model for the spot. The growing lasting overall economy businesses in the region “vary in scale and stage of development, but, in general, they may be more ecologically lasting because of just how they may be produced and the greatly reduced transportation distances to advertise,” Flaccavento creates.

• MNGT 5990 Corporate and business Responsibility and Society (3 hours)
• Principle of balance
• Jam and Jelly Making Plant
• Developing, promoting, and enforcing workers insurance policies
• User Presentation
• Increasing competition

He factors to three areas (food and farming, forestry and green building) as areas where sustainable economic endeavors are catching on in Appalachia. 6.5 million in annual sales. Flaccavento factors to the Forest Opportunities Initiative, launched in 2008 by the Mountain Association for Community Economic Development, for example of sustainable economic development in the forestry industry.

You can read prior Rural Blog coverage of this program here. As central Appalachian economies work through a time of changeover, Flaccavento offers six principles of sustainable economies they should follow. Sustainable economies are rooted locally, fit within the ecosystem, are more personal reliant and resilient, are more just, have infrastructure that increases the value and marketability of their products and are engaging and empowering, Flaccavento writes. He suggests economic strategies should be examined through the lens of two questions: From what degree does our strategy, policy, technology, or enterprise maintain or restore the ecosystem’s capacity to sequester carbon? How effectively do our strategies and guidelines to speed up the development of diverse, resilient, wealth-building local economies? Achieving these goals will “require better investment in the growing sustainable overall economy that supports this new thought process about success and economic health,” Flaccavento writes.

For instance, assume you could create an “Insomnia Day” because acupuncture can help visitors to sleep drug-free or you may take advantage of a preexisting day like “Arthritis Day?” You can post your entire day to Chase’s Calendar of Events to dedicate your day to a good cause! Call the local press and other associations and let them know about the proclamation.

14. Host a “Free Seminar” – Synergy with other local vendors or government companies to host free seminars on your neighborhood of expertise. In case your talent or knowledge help others, you could partner with the neighborhood police or open fire division to sponsor an educational or awareness workshop, which will increase your chances of getting a complete great deal of publicity. 15. Collect Business Cards from Local Businesses- Bypass to local businesses and provide to sponsor a revolving business card sketching to give away their service (meal, dry cleaners, therapeutic massage, acupuncture) once a month to one customer.

Tags: business