An occasional report from from our Casco Bay headquarters
Although Maine has had a pretty vapid economy since the end of the
Civil War, it somehow keeps going. How? One reason is a factor that is
totally ignored in national economic calculations: cooperation. You
can't be a successful farmer, a lobsterman or own a small business
without helping others along the way. And having others help you.Here's
an example of how it works:
Rob Snyder, Working Waterfront - A
boat yard doesn't clean out its biggest shed for just anyone. Yet that
is exactly what the folks at Chebeague Island Boatyard agreed to do at
the request of a few Chebeague residents for what turned out to be an
incredible day at the Sustain ME conference this past month.
For a
number of island participants, the conference began a day early. They
left Isle au Haut, Monhegan and other remote locations so that they
could get to Chebeague early, to "allow their brains to breath" as the
crowds began to arrive. They came to be inspired, share their stories as
entrepreneurs, and discuss how they are overcoming the challenges of
doing business in remote locations.
As I listened to the
speakers, I began to understand what sets the island and remote coastal
entrepreneurs in attendance apart in the world. In their work to
diversify their local economies they share a set of commitments that may
hold promise as a foundation for the future of our coastal economy.
The
most basic commitment everyone shares is to meet basic needs. Seems
obvious, I know, but it's hard to think about working toward a greater
good until you have shelter, food, and water.
... At one point
early in the conference I asked all 150 attendees to raise their hands
if in addition to their businesses, they held a public office,
volunteered on a local nonprofit board, or volunteered within the last
six months to support a specific cause. The entire room had a least one
hand up. Every single person.Many attendees had two hands and a foot
raised.
....Meeting basic needs, meeting the needs of those who depend on us,
producing a social surplus, and investing in the stewardship of our
common resources—the Chebeague Island Boat Yard embodied these
commitments when it emptied a shed to do something for the community.
These are the commitments that I see all along the coast that
distinguish Maine's island and coastal entrepreneurs.
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