"If you had to not only eat local, but rather, live for one year in a local & responsible way, could you?" that is the challenge we are going address.

On November 19th, we had a great first meeting to begin planning a 'Made in Cascadia' project. The project, which will have an independent leadership team, but likely be sponsored through the CascadiaNow! fiscal sponsorship program, will partner and support businesses around Cascadia that are sustainable, locally and ethically sourced, and have a bioregional footprint with the goal of a paradigm shift to regionalize our economy here in the Pacific Northwest.

To begin, the project will see the creation of a logo and brand to be featured on businesses and local organizations that match a set of criteria for varying levels of sustainability, local access, and ethical conditions, and be featured in an online directory. In addition, we will search for a way to fund the project in a way that is mutually beneficial for consumers, for businesses, and for our region as a whole.

In the future, the project has the possibility to shift into a project like Buy Local/Sustainable, be an online marketplace for hyperlocal goods, be a certifying body for certain standards, provide consulting and small business support, shift towards providing small grants/loans for new alternative business models and endeavors, or hook in with alternative and local time exchanges and currencies.

Our next meeting will be December 3rd. If you are a business that would like to partner with us in the early stages of this project, or you would like to be involved in a volunteer capacity to help us grow this idea, please contact cascadianow@gmail.com.