The vision of PSM is one of a healthy and fulfilled Methow Valley community that:

• utilizes the energy income from the sun available in the local ecosystem as its primary energy source;
• re-uses and recycles all physical resources, thus creating no waste or toxicity;
• obtains most of its resources, goods and services from the local community and the surrounding bio-region;
• grows most of its food locally;
• Maintains a stable human population that lives within the long-term carrying capacity of the watershed;
• is a steward of local flora, fauna, water, and other elements of the natural world; and
• nurtures its children, cares for its elders, and encourages healthy and forthright community-building interpersonal communication.

A Sustainable Community

A sustainable community is one with a sense of place.  Grounded in a local ecosystem, a sustainable community provides health and happiness to its members while honoring, nurturing, and protecting its environment.

Ecological principles are equally relevant to human and non-human populations, thus the size of a sustainable community is commensurate with the local resource base.  Food, fuel, and fiber are produced locally from locally available renewable resources.  Transportation and infrastructure do not rely on a distant non-renewable supply of energy.  Faced with a shrinking global energy supply it is imperative that communities adopt principles of sustainability.

Energy
No sustainable community can derive its energy from distant or non-renewable sources. Energy needs must be met locally and energy expenditure must be at a rate which will not deplete the regions capacity for future production.

Ecology
No community exists independent of its environment.  Healthy land, clean water, and clear air are all vital to a vibrant human community.  Humans exist in ecosystems as partners with all other life; we will share the same fate.

Agriculture
Food is necessary for life.  Most of the food Americans eat comes from land they never see.  Local agriculture which meets the needs of a community without degrading the local environment is a hallmark of a sustainable community.

Social
Sustainable community weaves a strong social fabric.  Diversity is honored, health is valued, and education is a lifelong pursuit.  Joy and belonging are fostered through artistic and cultural activities, and the value of leisure time is recognized.

The Partnership for a Sustainable Methow is working to incorporate these principles into Methow Valley life.