FutureWise

Company Visited: FutureWise

Where: Seattle, Washington

Website: http://futurewise.org

Mission per company’s website: “Futurewise is a statewide public interest group working to promote healthy communities and cities while protecting farmland, forests and shorelines today and for future generations.”

Final Thoughts: We met with this person April Putney. This is what was said the company has been for about 20 years and it is a non-profit. The main concern was fast growing Washington and changing landscaping this scared people. The challenge was to protect natural legacy by the growth act. Some of the main objectives they focus are public education, technical assistance, policy appeals, and Advocacy.  They are not against growth they are against unnecessary growth without using other alternatives such as vacant rural land. The funding comes from foundation, donors, and memberships; the company consist of 11 employees (lawyers, planners, and public engagement) the main event the company host is the Feast with friends where local farmers and chefs prepare local food and share it.  She described in detailed what a sustainable lobbyist did and how she still cannot get this bad perspective of a lobbyist. She is a white hat lobbyist where she does not have any money to work with. When an anti sustainable bill is created or suggested we need to take action by opposing or just contacting people in charge and share our concerns. Lobbyist has a very high impact on the legislature part of the sustainable bills. I understood that growth is good, but when the growth is excessive then there is a problem. Funding for most of the companies is thru outside donors that have also a concern about the environment and sustainable development.  I like the comment that she stated, “A community should be built for the people not for the car” which really inspire me to think more of how materialistic society has become.