Belfast Area Transition
Times VOL. 11, NO. 1239
JANUARY 6, 2021
PRICE: 2 CENTS
So much of the debate about the future of our planet is grim with dire predictions. The Belfast Area Transition Initiative wanted to get people thinking about positive changes we, here in Waldo County, can make to alter the future. We wanted to look ahead with clear-eyed optimism about what could be done, and we believed that the best way to do that was to look back. And so, we have looked back in this publication, at the years from 2010 through 2020 and all that has been done in the Belfast area to address the end of peak oil, economic instability, and the climate crisis during that time. We do not claim this to be a thorough treatment of the topic. Rather, we invite you to join our vision quest by writing your dreams of a sustainable future and submitting them to our website, belfasttransition.org.
Our Farm Renaissance By John Piotti
Eleanor Dodson rode to the farmers’ market in her electric car designed by Bill Drinkwater. Dodson is a new member of the Mobile Monroe Car Collective.
Passy Transition Bank looks back on its history By Paul Eagle
The Passy T-Bank began simply by brokering and recording work exchanges. Soon, many people were suggesting great ideas for small and co-op enterprises that would directly benefit our region.
The first of many no-interest loans was issued in 2012 to the Mobile Monroe car collective. From the outset, T-Bank has maintained regional skillshare, toolshare, foodshare and rideshare boards online and at the Belfast Co-op community room. A big boost in popularity came in 2013 when almost all T-Banks net-
My family just gathered for Christmas and New Years at our home on Cedar Street, just as we have for a generation. And once again the centerpiece of our holiday meals was meat my family raised, cheese we made, and summer produce we put up from our gardens, intermixed with a wide variety of delicious products from local farms. By making a conscious decision to eat more seasonally and locally, the people of Waldo County have collectively made a huge impact. We have spurred the creation of dozens of new farms in once distressed rural areas. And that, in turn, has supported the larger local economy in so many other ways (because those farmers rely on so many other local services, be it bankers or equipment dealers or hardware stores). Of course, we’ve also seen the change to our tourist industry. Way back
when, Belfast was happy to capture auto-tourists for a few hours on their way between Camden and Bar Harbor. But now “agritourists” come to stay for a week or more at Waldo County farms. Meanwhile, Belfast has become a destination for culinary tourists who want to experience what some of America’s most innovative chefs can do with the products from our fields and waters. But none of it would have lasted were it not for our local farmers, who consistently gave consumers what they wanted. In Waldo County, we’ve been fortunate to have had many existing famers expand or change their operations to better serve local markets, as well as many entering farmers begin exciting new operations. In hindsight it all seems simple; but the truth is that despite great farmers and great promise, we faced a huge challenge in 2010. At • FARM Page 8
worked together so people could keep their account balance when they moved and exchange with anyone, anywhere it was practical to do so. Today, seven years later, T-Banks are a normal part of our vibrant local economy and tomorrow’s outlook is even brighter, as we build the future together through new collaborations and alliances.
We may be slow, but we’re the way to go 120-foot schooner, the Toni Mailloux, launches this week in the Belfast Harbor By Judith Holland
French & Webb announced this week the completion of the Toni Mallioux, a 120-foot schooner named for longtime Waldo Independent journalist. Commissioned by the sailing cooperative Sail Transport, whose motto is, “We may be slow, but we’re the way to go,” the organization has taken a multilayered approach to the recent changes
in the shipping industry, including training and environmental studies as part of their mission. “Worldwide, over 50% of local goods imported and exported today come and go under sail,” said Sail Transport Co-op Manager Catnip Henrion from her office on the Belfast waterfront. “With careful planning, items arrive in good condition; that is what our customers care about and that’s what we aim to provide.”
belfasttransition.org
The design for the Toni Mailloux incorporates floating classrooms for local environmental apprenticeship programs and for training crews as future shipmates on sailing vessels. Classes will be starting in the fall, led by Belfast’s Sail Transport program professionals. The organization has ties with the International Green-Packaging Alliance, known for emphasizing employment opportunities for women.