The first note, to friends and neighbors
May 12, 1997

this page is at http://site.www.umb.edu/faculty/salzman_g/Grass/Trust/FriendsAndNeighbors.htm

              home: George Salzman                                          office: Physics Dept
                          12-14 Laurel St                                                       University of Massachusetts
                          Cambridge, MA 02139                                            Boston, MA 02125
                              tel: 617/547-5033                                                        tel: 617/287-6067
                              george.salzman@umb.edu                                      FAX: 617/287-6053 (at univ)

                                                                        May 12, 1997

Friends and neighbors:

I'm writing this note to seek your advice.

For several years now I've been thinking about the disposition of the duplex house at 12-14 Laurel Street after I die. My primary interest is that it become a source of neighborhood community, because I believe that only through real community, beginning with local communities, will it ever be possible to have a better world -- for children, and for all of us. Those of you who know me more than casually know already that I believe the buying and selling of real estate, especially for speculative ends, ought not occur. I hope at least to be able to prevent this one parcel from being sold again.

My thought is to set up a neighborhood ecological resource, based on the house and lot, which will be administered by a trust established for that purpose. I see it as a ``hands-on'' educational project directed towards increasing, as much as possible, the self-sufficiency of the neighborhood in terms of energy, food, water, and the other basic requirements for human -- and humane -- existence.

Among the kinds of projects I would like to see pursued are development of solar heating, solar hot water, composting toilets, gray-water systems, photovoltaic electric energy, edible tree crops, berry bushes and grapes, organic gardening of vegetables, high-grade thermal insulation and efficient wood-burning stoves, bicycle-safe areas for children, instruction in bicycle repair and maintenance, neighborhood day-care facilities and meeting places. This is of course not meant to be an exhaustive list -- just indicative of the kinds of things that interest me.

In my view the trust ought to be administered by a group that includes a number of members who live in the immediate neighborhood and who share the values expressed above, and a number who are actively involved in grassroots groups working towards similar or closely related goals. I've mentioned some of these thoughts in casual conversations with a few of my immediate neighbors, and I've met with some friends from each of the two grassroots groups Bikes Not Bombs and EarthWorks for some preliminary discussions.

If these things are of interest to you and you have thoughts about them you would like to share with me, I would appreciate hearing from you. Probably within the next couple of months or so I'll arrange a meeting to pursue this further.

                                                                        Sincerely,

                                                                        /signed/George

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