The main work of the Wigg Party is divided among four Working Groups, which meet periodically to plan out the organization’s efforts surrounding local foods, transforming the Wiggle, re-skilling the community, and promoting sustainable business practices. The Sustainable Business subcommittee met last week, and we have so much exciting stuff brewing, we thought it only made sense to give everyone a snapshot of what we’re working on, and hopefully you’ll take part in some of it as well:
Wigg Party at the Divisadero Art Walk: this Thursday, June 3rd, 6PM until late
As the area represents a key section of the Wigg Party’s turf, it’s important that we rally up as a group to show our presence in the community and support the businesses along Divisadero. And you know what that means: food, music, art, and wigs! Come out and join us at the Wigg Party station near the Harding Theatre this Thursday evening for the fourth Divisadero Art Walk. Check out the Art Walk’s blog for more info–see you there!
I Bike SF in June: Lower Divsadero/NOPA
The mayor’s office has instituted a new program to promote biking around the city. The simple design of I Bike SF is that bikers receive discounts for shopping at participating stores in a particular neighborhood each month. May’s neighborhood was Hayes Valley, and we’re psyched to report that the I Bike SF neighborhood for June is Lower Divisadero/NOPA! To get your discount, ride to a participating business (they will post the I Bike SF logo near their entrances, or check out program’s official site for a full list), and present your helmet or bike lock. Support these businesses–you’ll get a discount and prove how beneficial it can be for shops to show commitment to sustainable transport though biking.
A Carrotmob of Our Own – This Fall
One major initiative for the Sustainable Business Committee over the next few months is to organize a Carrotmob of our very own. The Wigg Party’s initial foray into Carrotmobbing at the Duboce Park Cafe in April showed us that the idea of rewarding businesses for pledging to become more socially responsible is a powerful thing, and we’re excited to leverage the social networks of the members of the Wigg Party to direct a ton of business to a local shop. We’re looking at dates in the early fall, and businesses in the Lower Haight/Divisadero/NOPA area. One question for our readers: we’re looking for model sustainable businesses (in particular, coffee shops) who are getting energy efficiency right. It would be ideal if we could point to existing businesses for ideas on practices our next Carrotmob host should put into place with the earnings from the event. If you can think of any examples or have a business in the wiggle area you’d like to be considered for the Wigg Party Carrotmob, let us know in the comments.
On Our Minds Going Forward
We find the local currency movement compelling as a way to encourage members of the community to spend their money…in the community. While local currency has been approached in many different ways, an intriguing effort going on in SF right now is Bernal Bucks, in which regular dollars are tagged “Bernal” and establishments within Bernal Heights give bonuses to customers using this currency as a way to keep business in the neighborhood. Could a similar program be viable for the community along the Wiggle as well? We think perhaps…
350.org has organized a global day of action on 10/10/10 to work towards reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, which scientists have identified as the safe limit for humanity (we’re currently around 390ppm…yeesh). There’s already a good number of work parties organized in SF–we’re working on how to make an excellent showing in the Wiggle area on this day.
Join Up!
Want to have a hand in the activities above and plan future initiatives to promote sustainable business practices in the community along the Wiggle? Get involved now!
Have any suggestions for ways we can augment the Wigg Party’s impact on businesses within the neighborhoods around the Wiggle? Comment!
