Greenmarkets And Community Boards
I left my first Community Board 8 meeting tonight with mixed feelings. On the one hand, my faith in democracy is only strengthened. People who disagreed with the proposal to bring greenmarkets to the Upper East Side were heard, and I have no doubt that their views will be strongly considered, while at the same time the greenmarkets themselves have made it this far to be up for a vote at the full board.
On the other hand, the anti-greenmarket voice that was democratically heard was A) mostly full of ridiculous arguments, and B) not balanced out by supporters of greenmarkets.
Now, it’s not required that there be balance. It’s democracy, not Fox News for chrissakes. But I know for a fact that there a many people to whom I’ve spoken or flyered or emailed who want to see greenmarkets come to the UES. And they knew about this meeting and the ones before. And they didn’t come. Why not?!
I guess they felt as I did, that obviously greenmarkets are a good thing and everyone would want them, so it’s good that “it’s getting done.” But the whole “it’s getting done” thing requires people to do the “doing” and so far that’s just this one guy, Glenn, aka peakguy at The Oil Drum, whose amazing enthusiasm and energy has been driving this. He’s been at every meeting, he’s been sending out emails, and nobody shows up.
I have to wonder, how the heck do other activists do what they do? How do you motivate people who support your ideas to friggin’ come out and show their support?
Because that’s what matters. About 10 people spoke out against greenmarkets, and 3 spoke for. And they didn’t even have to speak; for everyone speaking against, there was much clapping after each speaker. But for the 3 in support, there were about 5 clappers. The difference is audible at a small community board meeting.
What I’m saying is that something this positive, this supported, the NIMBYs should be easily outnumbered. It’s made me think about all the sorts of things I’ve heard about over the years and supported only in my mind. What good is agreeing with an idea if I don’t show up at a meeting or sign a petition?
Anyway, we got lucky. Despite the rich Park Avenue east siders who have paid good money to live in an unchanging museum community, the Community Board apparently felt that a living, breathing community is better than a stagnant historically accurate representation of one. So we get our two greenmarkets on the east side, despite complaints about rats from people who weren’t aware that that problem had already been solved, and despite complaints about old people not needing greenmarkets from people who can afford delivery anyway.
Hallelujah.
Now let’s just make sure they get patronized so they’re hugely successful. Again, how the heck do you motivate people to physically support what they mentally claim to support?