Mississippi 2020 Network, Inc.
620 North St. Jackson, Mississippi 39202 601-969-2902 email us History of Mississippi 2020 Network Inc. We are a 12 year old 501-c-3 non-profit organization, which has promoted quality of life issues and presently sustainability on a full-time basis without paid staff. During the 80’s we sponsored three Quality of Life conferences, bringing Amory Lovins, Robert Theobald, Arun Gandhi, Bob Swan (land trusts), Charlene Spretnak, Michael Linton (LETS), David Haenke (bioregionalism), Miriam MacGillis, and George McRobie (E. F.Schumacher’s partner) to speak.
Since 1992 we have focused on introducing “sustainability” to Mississippi. The first project in 1992, the Our World Discovery Plan, merged elementary school curriculum with hands-on environmental actions, creating a new learning process. Proof that the program can transform students into guardians of the earth and servant leaders in the community is Orange Grove Elementary in Gulfport MS. As a bonus the campus becomes a model of Earth sustainability and human relations.
Our World has raised the scores, reduced discipline problems, advanced skills in critical thinking, teamwork, and ecological awareness. Students have taken ownership of the learning process with zeal. The program, coordinated by 2020’s Katharine Waggoner, has been nominated for the President’s Environmental Youth Award.
Most of our time now goes to organizing citizen groups across Mississippi into a Sustainable Future Network. The first such group is the Sustainable Future Roundtable in Starkville, the home of Miss. State University. Our role is to resource the Roundtable group in the long-term process of making Starkville the first sustainable community in our state.
Other projects include:
1) working with Habitat for Humanity to construct a green low-income home;If we are successful with two grant proposals we will hire a staff of three to expand our programs over the state.
2) building an ECOHOUSE which demonstrates the production of water from the sky and energy from the sun; natural on-site waste treatment; chemical-free food production; the lowest level of maintenance; from the most environmentally benign materials;
3) organizing EcoTeam groups (GAP) and discussion courses NW Earth Institute)
4) maintaining one of the finest Book Services on ecology, education, community, voluntary simplicity and sustainability.