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GREEN
JOBS and
POWERBALL
Yes, the
lottery is a tax on desperation. But when
Powerball hit $193 million, I made a list of how I'd spend them. Then I
compared my list with how most winners spend-- for megamansions,
olympic
pools, week-long beer blasts, investments in destructive
multinationals. So I bought one ticket, because I'd invest in
Philadelphia to seed the following enterprises, to create thousands of
green jobs:
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PHILADELPHIA INSULATION FACTORY (PIF) Superinsulation made of local
newsprint would cut our heating/cooling bills by over 80%, giving us
discretionary income to support local businesses & farms, thus
creating new jobs & strengthening local culture. The foundation
of economic development. $10 milllion.
* PHILADELPHIA
ELECTRIC SUN CO-OP (PESCO) to
generate rooftop electricity, while retaining wealth locally. $12
million.
* PHILAHEALTHIA
HEALTH CO-OP to allow thousands of members to self-insure, keeping
billions/year insurance payments in this county instead of wasting it
on HMOs. $18 million.
* DENTAL
CLINICS member-owned by low-income residents, to provide free
care. $14 million.
* MASSAGE
ARMY to provide free chair massages citywide every day for 10
years. $5 million.
* ECOLONIES and EARTHSHIPS
create mixed-use, low-income, multifamily dwellings which need no
fossil fuel for heating and cooling. $35 million.
* HOMEOWNER
REVOLVING LOAN FUND interest-free, to transfer rental homes
to co-op owners. Removes housing from the speculative market by
attaching limited equity riders. These co-ops would provide child/elder
care & other neighborhood services. $15 million.
* LAND
TRUSTS purchase vacant lots for ecolonies, removing them from
speculative market. $15 million.
* PHILADELPHIA
ORCHARD PROJECT (POP)
to plant 40,000 vacant lots for fruit and nut harvest. $10 million.
* FOOD
PROCESSING & STORAGE CENTERS to convert neighborhood
organic harvests into pasta, canned goods & dehydrated stock.
Expands local agriculture by enabling farmers to grow for more than the
seasonal market. $8 million.
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* FARMERS
MARKETS to store and sell the above below commercial rates.
$4 million.
* PROUD
OF ORGANIC PHILADELPHIA (POOP) replaces toxic sewage sludge
w/clean, sweet smelling fertilizer via aerated waterless toilets. No more pooping
into clean water. $10 million.
* BIKEPATHS allow us to move safely
without traffic jams & pollution. They permit emergency
vehicles to move freely. $5 million.
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PHILADELPHIA
REGIONAL & INDEPENDENT STOCK EXCHANGE (PRAISE) to connect regional skills
& tools to create flexible manufacturing networks that capture
contracts. $2 million.
* PHILADELPHIA
FUND FOR ECOLOGICAL LIVING (PhilaFEL) makes tax-deductible
donations to install green tools in our lowest-income neighborhoods.
$10 million.
* PHILADELPHIA
HOURS LOCAL CURRENCY could donate community currency
at-cost to local government & nonprofits, enabling millions of
dollars of services to be provided without raising taxes &
without paying interest on bonds. HOURS
would be welcome everywhere when government agrees to accept them for
tax payment. $2 million.
*DREAM-COME-TRUE
GREEN JOB CENTERS to connect residents to the
regional resources that make our wildest hopes real. $2 million.
* MOSAIC
SIDEWALKS would spread wonder & color underfoot (local
plants, animals, fantasies) employing dozens of local artists. $2
million.
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MUSICIANS EVERYWHERE would
provide acoustic accompaniment in hospitals, parks, aboard trollies, at
bus stops. $3 million.
* JUGGLERS,
CLOWNS, PUPPETEERS? how could I leave them out? $2 million.
* NEIGHBORHOOD
ENTERPRISE SCHOOLTEACHERS (NESTS) to reward and
credential neighbor adults for teaching neighbor children. $5 million.
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Together, these will allow us to relax in a
beautiful, exciting
community, raising the standard of living while lowering the cost of
living & setting examples for the nation.
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How would you spend lottery winnings? If you win,
call me-- let's have
some real fun.
Next edition: accomplishing this list without the lottery. [email protected]
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