Community Initiatives/Willits

Willits Economic LocalLization (WELL)
Adapted from WELL Website

Beginning in October of 2004, Dr. Jason Bradford began showing the film 'The End of Surburbia' to those interested in the Willits Community. Interest grew and after several showings, the seeds of WELL began to develop, drawing a diverse cross section of the community into its folds.

Willits has now become a major catalyst for many neighboring towns in Northern California and an inspiration to many others across the US and Canada. In April 2006, WELL sponsored a convergence conference for sharing best practices and developing relationships. Co-founders Jason Bradford and Brian Weller have been conducting workshops for other communities interested in relocalization.

The mission of Willits Economic LocaLization (WELL) is to foster the creation of a sustainable, local economy based on the principles of sufficiency, responsibility, and life promoting actions. WELL is made up of a network of citizens and community organizations that meet regularly to create a common vision, foster education, plan work, and carry out projects.

The goal is to find creative methods to sustain and empower the local community while moving away from global (imported) resources -- in essence, to 'localize' our community.

WELL-Involved Projects
WELL has helped spawn projects that form the bridge between our current reality and our desired future. WELL does not officially own, operate or control any project, but simply creates the place where ideas, plans, and group feedback are available to initiate and keep projects on track. More simply put, these projects are part of the community-wide economic localization effort going on here in Willits.

Sustainable Film Series
Weekly showing of films related to sustainable practices and the localization of economies. Films shown included "The Greening of Cuba" and "Ecological Design".

Green Hospital Project
Many of WELL participated (and continue to participate) in providing input on how the new Willits community hospital should be designed, built and maintained. As of this writing, the new hospital will be one of the first 'green' hospitals built in California with several innovations we hope will influence the design of other hospitals in the future. This project also included the establishment of an organic 'farm' to provide fresh, local food to the hospital kitchen. Read the latest (regarding the garden) from the Willits News:
Willits News, Green Hospital Garden

Community Gardens Project
WELL members created a community garden at the Willits Integrated Services Center. Read about it in the Willits News story:
Willits News, Community Garden

Gleaning Club aka 'Grateful Gleaners'
The gleaning club 'gleans' excess or unwanted fruit and nuts from local trees. Training is provided. The gleaned fruit and nuts are then distributed to local foodbanks, with a small portion going to the gleaners.

Community Barter Market
Similar to a Farmer's or Flea market except that goods and services are for trade.

County General Plan Update
Several WELL members are active in the monitoring and in providing input to the 10-year Mendocino General Plan update. Of special concern was the adaption of co-housing, the reduction of the minimum size acreage for agricultural zoning and the evaluation of existing resources (especially water) before bay-area growth is all but encouraged.

Willits WELLness Network
A project of the Health/Medicine group to establish a network of conventional and alternative medicinal resources here in Little Lake Valley.

Artisans Group
A project to bring together craftspeople into a cooperative where skills and economic opportunities could be shared.

Energy Ad-Hoc Group
Research and advisement of the City of Willits on the potential sources of energy, their costs and the implementation of such. Currently the group is advancing a proposal, with potential funding sources identified, for the building of a solar (photovoltaic) array to offset the City of Willit's electricity usage.

Willits Fest
A community celebration of life and ideas. The first day-long festival was held in September 2005 and is hoped to be an annual event.

Are We Prepared? WELL-sponsored Town Hall Meeting/Panel Discussion
County-wide panel in town hall meeting to discuss what provisions are in place should a disaster strike, with follow-on involvement.

Vehicle Share Demonstration Project
The proposed goal is to provide a model for a citizen-based transportation unit in which a variety of vehicles, each serving a different need, would be purchased, maintained, and shared by a number of residents here in Willits.

Weekly Energy Tips Column
A weekly energy tips column was initiated by the Energy Group to provide helpful hints on conserving energy (the 1st and most important step towards energy independence!). The tips are published weekly in The Willits News and a sampling can be found under the Presentations and Articles.

Barn Raising Project
Conceived in the framework of old-fashioned barn raising, this project gets together people from the community once a month to help out on a project previously submitted (by anyone in the community). Such projects could include the weatherization of an incapacitated person's home to the assistance of someone building a homestead.

School Gardens Project
The siting and creation of teaching gardens at various schools within the area. Read about it from the Willits News:
Willits News, School Garden Project

Co-Housing Project
Developing visions and potential implementation of co-housing. Visions include live/work complexes as well as rail villages along the unused rail lines (with light or human-powered rail transport).