In my January column, I predicted that the next big idea would be the sustainability revolution — an idea larger than simply “going green.” In the future, the nations that are able to implement (and export) sustainable practices in the fields of research, technology, manufacturing, education, marketing and law will prove to be the most successful.

On paper, our chances to become the global leader in sustainability look good — we have the ability to redirect enormous amounts of knowledge, capital and labor toward this opportunity. But before we can truly become a leader, we must overcome one fundamental cultural shortfall.

We live in a society where the idea of “me” takes precedence over the idea of “we.” That is a major obstacle. Sustainability requires making decisions that might not benefit a person, company or community immediately, but prove correct in the long run.

A silly example: If your neighbor decides to use his gas-powered leaf blower at 8 a.m. on a Sunday morning, he is obviously not taking into consideration the noise and pollution he’ll create for his neighbors. If he chooses instead to rake by hand — which takes the same amount of time but is better for his health and has zero impact on the environment — it wouldn’t really matter to his neighbors that he decided to make Sunday a work day. It’s easy to see how multiplying the daily choices made by individuals, corporations and governments by the millions, putting the we before the me would make a huge difference.

Many of us fail to understand how much the idea of me is embedded in our culture, because we have nothing to compare it to. The last time our nation really excelled in putting the we before me was during World War II (many of our readers remember that era, and if you are lucky enough to know one of them, ask what you can learn from their experience). More contemporary examples can be found in countries like Sweden, where the common good is often placed before individual gain in order to achieve their society’s definition of balance. We have all heard of the term “me generation” — though sociologists never formally adopted it — used to describe people born in the ’70s, ’80s or ’90s, and it’s no coincidence that anything with the letter “i” in front of its name has been a commercial success lately. The point is that we no longer have a choice but to work toward a life of sustainability, which will have to start with an attitude change. Maybe this recession has humbled us enough to be ready to understand — and even find it desirable — to seek a better, more meaningful way to live.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how fortunate we are to live in a community where we’re surrounded by people who truly do work for the greater good, as evidenced by the hundreds of nonprofit organizations and thousands of volunteers who tirelessly donate their time, ideas and money for causes they believe in. There is hope after all; I refuse to give in to the “all is lost” mentality, but I also will not agree with people who refuse to look at their lives and decisions as a part of a greater whole.

Onwards!

Paradigm shifts such as the agricultural revolution, industrial revolution and communication revolution don’t happen often, so it’s remarkable that in the coming decades we’ll witness not one but two revolutions simultaneously.

The communication revolution, which has dramatically shifted the way we produce, store and share information, remains in full swing. It’s not clear when it will end, or what its final impact will be. But while it continues to unfold, a new revolution has already begun brewing: the “sustainability revolution.” (Not the “green” revolution, but more on that later.)

My biology professor was famous for saying, “I’m not worried about nature, I’m worried about us.” I had no concrete concept of what he meant when I was in his class, but three decades later it finally sunk in: If we do not fundamentally change our thinking and behavior we will simply not be able to survive as a species.

The term “green” has many connotations, from small things like plastic grocery bags and composting to larger topics like renewable energy and global warming, but it generally means good for the Earth. “Green” does play a substantial role in the sustainability revolution, but it would be naïve to think that simply driving electric cars, drinking organic wine and reusing cotton shopping bags will guarantee the survival of our species. Sustainability has a much larger meaning. Evolving into a sustainable lifestyle will demand philosophical, psychological, emotional and behavioral changes on a grander scale. Ultimately it will mean nothing less than a cultural quantum leap.

That’s a lot of take in, so let’s use a concrete example. The “Moment of Truth” Plan, the bipartisan initiative that would trim the US deficit by $4 trillion by 2020, includes this quote: “Our challenge is clear and inescapable: America cannot be great if we go broke.” The panel is saying that our current economic path is not sustainable, which means we need to ask ourselves a larger question: Is an economic system based solely on growth sustainable? The answer is no. There is scientific proof that a system — whether natural, man-made, physical or otherwise — cannot expand indefinitely, yet our current spending, savings and investment plans are all based on the belief that our economic output can and will grow forever. Government spending and the resulting budget deficits are being tolerated because of the theory that tax revenues will indefinitely increase and eventually afford us the ability to repay our debt.

You don’t have to look far to find out why that doesn’t make sense: The real estate crash was a real-life example of what happens if you allow a system to over-leverage itself in the belief that home values will continually increase. Of course that proved false; the market collapsed and nearly took down the whole financial system with it.

I’m using economic examples to show that sustainability goes beyond simply living in harmony with nature. It will have to be applied on all scales: in our homes, our businesses, our towns, our states and our global community. It will have to be applied to all disciplines: agriculture, energy, transportation, housing, material production, health care and more. It will require us to redefine such terms as happiness, success, productivity and social justice.

Obviously, these adjustments will not be easy. They will not happen gradually, but drastically, and at an ever-increasing pace. Things will not necessarily unfold in neat chapters; at times they will feel chaotic, confusing and overwhelming and will likely produce as much stress as relief. There will be winners and losers — as there are in any revolution. But ultimately — assuming we succeed — we can catapult our quality of life to a higher level. Besides, let’s face it: We don’t have much of a choice. If we want to survive, we need to find a way to live in harmony, not just with nature but also with ourselves.

P.S. This piece is dedicated to my son Marco, who inspired me to think beyond the obvious. Email me your thoughts at mfrey@freymedia.com.

The best Christmas present each of us could give this year is a dose of optimism. It’s a universal gift. It’s never the wrong size or color, never out of style and never unwelcome. Who couldn’t use a dose of optimism, especially now that the world has become increasingly uncertain, cynical, hurried and angry? We must keep in mind that there are more good things happening than bad things, and more good people than bad people. Without hope there is no reason to live, and Christmas is a time to remind ourselves that believing in good is not a thing of the past. If anything, it’s needed now more than ever.

We have all been tested by the worst recession since the Great Depression. It is understandable that the last two years have worn on us and made it difficult to keep a positive attitude. We may continue to face financial or emotional challenges, but the one thing we cannot give up is the belief that things will get better. In the midst of all of these uncertainties, it is more important than ever to find strength within ourselves and the energy to fight back by focusing on the things we can change, finding ways to adapt and working on solutions.

We all know somebody that could use a dose of optimism. Find a way to deliver them encouragement: a walk on the beach, a book, a personal flower delivery or an invitation to tea. Talk with them about ideas and focus on solutions. Share some positive energy and it will come back to you. To that end, there is plaque with a poem on one of the trails I frequent which I would like to share with all of you (though unfortunately, there is no indication of the author’s identity).

I’m thankful for the many positive comments I receive about my column. Please continue emailing me at mfrey@freymedia.com with comments, ideas, things you would like to share or one-liners of encouragement. Let’s put differences aside, stand together and continue to make a difference. Let’s continue to share the gift of optimism!

Happy holidays and onwards to a new year, where positive change will occur.

Marc Frey

The Christmas Present

There is a wood by the house where I live,
Where I walk each and every day,
It’s always a pleasure and never enough,
It’s hours I’ll spend if I may.

As I walk, I talk to the animals,
For I believe they talk back to me.
I watch them, as if time was not passing,
As though they were there just for me.

There are times, when I stop and marvel,
At the beauty of a single tree.
Sometimes, I find myself laughing
at the antiques of pied-billed grebe.

I don’t think that I’ll ever quite know,
Why I go there as much as I do.
It never fails to enchant me,
It’s something I just have to do.

It’s the chattering squirrel, the twittering bird,
It’s the sun filtering through autumn leaves.
It’s the pine laden path and the animal tracks,
It’s a gift that each day I receive.

Now in the midst of Christmas season,
If there were just one thing I could give,
It would be to wrap up in a present
Just an hour in the wood where I live.

I know this may seem rather silly,
For it’s not something that I can pack and post.
But I believe as do many others,
It’s the thought that matters most.

In a season gone to frills and to fancy,
Where money now buys most of our cheer,
Give a thought to the old ideas,
To the true meaning of this time of year.

Spend an hour with the earth and her nature,
And I promise that you’ll surely see,
The truest meaning of the season.
The one best present you could receive.

(author unknown)

Dear fellow citizens,
We have a choice to make. We can continuing hitting the brakes and become a second-rate resort town. Or we can unite our energies and become the most desirable small beach town on the East coast. On Nov. 2, we can take the first step and elect a progressive Town Council.

Having served for eight months on the Mayor’s Vision Task Force, I’ve seen the data that backs up my view: We are on the way down! The recession has only made more evident what’s been happening for over a decade.

Hilton Head Island is a special place, and there’s no reason that its old glory cannot be restored. But before we can do that, we need to open our eyes to some realities. The Heritage tournament is in question, Delta has suspended its flights to Atlanta, the empty mall speaks for itself, home foreclosures abound and unoccupied commercial buildings are everywhere. Retail stores, offices, medical facilities and the Technical College of the Lowcountry have all moved to Bluffton, reducing employment opportunities on the island and reducing the town’s tax revenue. The number of visitors coming to our shores has been in decline for 13 years. We have 500,000 fewer visitors a year than we did at our high point, which represents a loss of $500 million — and given that tourism represents 2/3 of our total economy, that is a big hole.

So what can we do to get back on the road of success?

• Take up the fight.
• Elect a capable leader and a pro-business town council.
• Follow the road map outlined in the Mayor’s Vision Task Force report.
• Unite the community so that citizens, the private sector and government can work together.
• Improve the economic situation first and follow up with a rejuvenation plan.

The new town council has a lot of things to do. Here is just a short list of items that need to be of a high priority:

• Take whatever measures necessary to strengthen the hospitality industry.
• Get the airport discussion behind us.
• Revise our land management ordinance and come up with an island-wide land-use plan.
• Make the Lowcountry a truly green region.
• Rejuvenate and enhance our infrastructure (both public and private).
• Diversify the island’s economic base.

While it’s true that the new mayor will only have one vote — the same as other members of Town Council — it’s also true that he has the ability to set the tone and find a way to unite our community. So when you go to vote, ask yourself: What kind of leader will have the best chance of making our community blossom again?

Personally, for me three names stand out (in order of when they entered the race): Tom Crews, Drew Laughlin and Jim Collett. I wish all three could serve on Town Council. But my vote will go to Crews, and here’s why:

About 18 months ago, Tom contacted me after reading a “Last Call” column in which I advocated a fresh start for Hilton Head. We met shortly after, and he walked me through the town’s comprehensive long-term plan, which he was chairing. We started to meet on a regular basis to discuss the state of affairs and what it would take to revitalize our community. At some point Tom decided to run for office, motivated by the simple belief that he could make our community a better place. He felt, as I do, that he is uniquely qualified to extend Charles Fraser’s vision and bring it to a new level.

I quizzed him for hours on various issues, trying to see if he would indeed be capable of devising a plan that would restore and revive Hilton Head. I concluded two things: It can be done, and Tom is the person to do it. Tom has deep roots in the community, his vision as an architect will help him develop a clear picture of what our island can become, his previous involvement with the town allows him to get through the bureaucratic maze, his personality is positive, he is willing to listen and he is steadfast once the right conclusion has been reached. That is the kind of fresh leadership we need.

Start putting a stake in the ground for the future and go out and vote!

E-mail your thoughts to Marc at mfrey@freymedia.com; or comment at www.hiltonheadmonthly.com/blogs

Eight months ago, 13 citizens took on the mission of defining key strategies for the future of our island. As a member of  this Mayor’s Vision Task Force, I’m not attempting here to be unbiased — nor to speak for the group as whole — but merely to give you my interpretation of the outcome:

First, I need to applaud Mayor Tom Peeples for making this happen. Second, I’d like to thank the 13 members of the Task Force for the enormous amount of work they put into this process. Special recognition needs to go to Terry Ennis, who volunteered his time and experience.

To the readers I’d like to say that this group represents a great cross-section of background and expertise. When we started this process, we had no preconceived notion what we would find or what the outcome might be. It initially seemed daunting to take on such a grand mission, but the disciplined approach led by David Ames allowed us to make important discoveries and formulate our conclusions.

Using an open-minded and holistic attitude allowed us to express our own thinking, back it up with data and go beyond the obvious. We looked forward using unconstrained long-term vision, defining how the world around is going to change. We looked into the past, specifically the development history of Hilton Head Island. We defined what makes us special, and what “quality of life” means in general and on our island. We compared how other communities have developed and implemented their own plans for the future. We defined our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and  threats. And we took all these aspects into consideration for our final outcomes.

What we didn’t do was believe that we as a group had all the answers. As a result, we put a lot of time into interacting with and surveying citizens, civic and business leaders and experts to gain a broader consensus of what could make sense — and what the community would be willing to support.

One thing we realized early is that we needed to define the core values for Hilton Head, a set of principles that would serve as a benchmark for measuring the ideas, initiatives and actions that the town and the community would take. We agreed that any future strategies needed to both strengthen what makes Hilton Head unique and make it more sustainable. Sustainability, in this instance, needed to include both the economics that afford us the lifestyle to which we have come accustomed as well as our interaction with the natural surroundings which we esteem to be our biggest asset. Another great source of strength is the intellectual base of the people that make Hilton Head special.

•••

One thing we did not expect to discover is the feeling that our community is at a real crossroads; recipes that have worked in the past no longer guarantee future success. It is time to rethink what has brought us to this point, and measures that need to be taken to keep and enhance it.

In more ways than one, our community is in decline and that is never a good thing. The fact that a single store is leaving The Mall At Shelter Cove doesn’t seem like much taken as a single event, but if you add up all the recent closures, suddenly you see something ailing our economy. Another loud signal is the rate of real estate foreclosures. It would be easy to simply blame the recession, and assume that once the economy recovers, everything will be fine once again. Doing that would oversimplify the matter and constitute a big mistake!

As a permanent resident, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that tourism accounts for 2/3 of our total economic output. But the number of annual visitors has been in decline for 13 years. There is a direct correlation between the number of visitors and our home values and quality of life. It became evident that almost all business, cultural and recreational activities offered on Hilton Head depend to some degree on visitor spending. Today’s guest is tomorrow’s neighbor.

Let me describe a picture: Assume that we lose the Heritage golf tournament, that we lose commercial flight service to the airport and that the Mall becomes empty. These are highly visible signals that would change the character of the island. Visitor decline would continue, and before long we would no longer be viewed as a premier place to visit, own a home, retire or start a business.

Owners of the aging infrastructure (hotels, villas, commercial buildings) would be faced with declining revenues, unable to save enough money to pay for renovations that would keep them competitive. The town would not be able to collect enough money to finance the next beach renourishment program. Selling a home — even at lower prices — would become increasingly difficult. Cultural institutions and not-for-profit entities would face increasing shortfalls. The list could go on and on, but the point is that decline affects all facets of our lives, and once it has reached a tipping point it is harder to gain back lost ground. This is obviously not a desirable scenario.

So what can be done to make Hilton Head Island a more sustainable, desirable community? In focusing on this question a few things became evident:

• We should not assume that we are on the right path, and that as soon as the economy turns around everything will be fine.
• Simply coming up with a few detached ideas isn’t enough. A comprehensive longterm plan needed to be established. We needed to be more proactive.
• The community needed to recognize that we have a problem, but also an opportunity to work together towards a bigger goal that would benefit everyone.
• We needed to establish a goal: Make Hilton Head the most desirable small town on the East Coast, relentlessly pursue this goal and settle for no compromises.
• We needed to do a better job using our existing assets, protecting them for generations and responsibly renovating and enhancing our infrastructure.
• We needed to leverage our core strengths and develop new ones.
• We needed to agree on the need for rejuvenation and reinvention, which would in turn increase quality of life.
• We needed to broaden the economic base by recognizing that our island is well-suited to support a quality-minded tourism industry, to serve as a very desirable destination for owning vacation property, to come as close as possible to a perfect retirement location and serve as a great place to headquarter a knowledge-based business.
• We needed to recognize the effects that growth in Bluffton will have on our town, and how we can differentiate ourselves and productively co-exist.
• We needed to realize that Hilton Head Island must be a unique place; we can’t be competitive on any level by simply being the same as other towns.

In short, these findings formed the  basis for our recommendations. A summary is provided in the following pages; the full report can be found on hiltonheadmonthly.com/vision-task-force.

In a perfect world we would see our island as we do today, but much, much better — more verdant, more accessible, more spiritual, more peaceful, more diverse, more interesting, more environmentally conscious, more in tune with its historic roots, more cultural, more united, more connected, more unique and more economically sustainable.

In short, it would clearly be the most desirable small beach community on the East Coast, and, for that matter, one of the best places to live, retire, work and visit in the world.

If these seem like empty words or lofty goals, let me assure you that in my opinion this is an obtainable goal, but it will take the considerable will of all the citizens. It will take vision and leadership on all levels: civic, business, cultural and political. We have a unique opportunity if we can muster the courage to unleash the potential that lies within the geographic boundaries of our island. We can make Hilton Head Island a better place, let’s start today by supporting the measures the Mayor’s Vision Task Force is recommending!

MAYOR’S TASK FORCE FOR THE ISLAND’S FUTURE (.pdf)

E-mail your thoughts to Marc at mfrey@freymedia.com; or comment at www.hiltonheadmonthly.com/blogs

In either case, it made me reflect on the things we learn at school and how they contrast with the essential skills we need for life.

The world is an ever-changing place, but school curriculums are adapting slowly to these changes. Teachers expect parents to teach kids morals and life skills, but parents often find it difficult to get their offspring to listen to and accept the lessons. In the end, it doesn’t matter how we learn these skills, but that we learn them. To that end, I made a list of classes I wish I could have taken in school:

Learning 101: Does anybody remember the saying “Because I know what I don’t know, I’m smarter than the ones who know?” In today’s world, it’s more important to learn how to learn rather than simply teach knowledge. Knowledge can become outdated rapidly as science, technology, social behaviors and culture change. The need to learn and re-learn — the ability to adapt to an ever-changing environment — is just as important as purely remembering facts.

Thinking 101: Simply put, the ability to properly think cannot be overstated. It includes the ability to disseminate the proper information and learn how to ask questions, because if we know how to ask the right questions, we have a better chance of arriving at the right conclusions. Unfortunately, not enough emphasis is put on teaching proper logic, sequences of events and the other skills that allow not just high-IQ individuals but “the rest of us” to think through a situation by applying a systematic approach.

Finding the Truth 101: In today’s world, where we are literally inundated with information and even more misinformation, would it not be useful to learn how to cut through the noise to get to the essence; to learn how to spot and check for misinformation; to learn how to research and test for the truth?

Right and Wrong 101: Even if we master all these skills, we need to know how to distinguish right from wrong. Obviously, this is the core skill, one that has to do with moral values and the ability to judge with certitude even when the evidence is conflicting. Is it the parents’ responsibility to teach this? Sure. Can religion help? Yes. But schools emphasize it more? Possibly. It’s true that teachers and principals do this a great deal, but I wonder if an actual class on the subject could be developed.

Creativity 101: Can creativity be learned? Absolutely. This is a much-overlooked skill that is becoming more and more valuable. Creativity is not just something that is expressed in words, paintings or music. Creative solutions are becoming the norm in other areas, such as business and science. In this context, creativity refers to the ability to create rather than repeat. Sometimes it is referred to the ability to “think outside the box” — in other words, don’t be afraid to find your own answer, to go where nobody has gone before, to be judged, to be wrong.

Life Skills 101: It amazes me how much today’s young people know, but how little they can do. Today’s children are not afraid to tackle complex academic subjects, excel in arts and athletics and organize events etc, but they often fail when it comes to practical matters in which simple common sense or basic life and survival skills would come in handy. I’m talking about money management, household organization, planning ahead, making checklists, fixing things, why checking your smartphone every five minutes doesn’t necessarily make you smart. You get the picture.

Connectivity 101: It has become fashionable to talk about the interconnected world, yet we often fail to teach the basic connectivity between fields of knowledge and life skills, such as how understanding science makes you a better writer, how learning good English enhances your chances of succeeding, how proper manners will pay dividends, why math is essential even if you are not planning to become an engineer, why learning to draw has nothing to do with becoming a painter and how the concept of chemistry will be useful when tackling a painting project.

I have to go. I need time to learn new things.

A smell of blood, diesel fumes and sea salt was in the air. After what seemed an eternity at sea in the eyes of a 10-year-old boy, we pulled back to the harbor with two dozen bonito on board our lightweight sport fishing vessel. Bonitos are in the same family as tuna, but smaller. It was the summer of 1966. We proudly showed off our catch in the small village on the Italian Riviera, and because it was more fish than one family could eat, we gave away the rest, which was no easy feat since tuna, in the Mediterranean, was not regarded as a desirable seafood staple in those days.

Today, this would be a different story. Parallel with the rise in popularity of tuna, men have managed to overfish the oceans. That, combined with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico (one of only two spawning grounds for blue fin tuna), spells disaster. One of the few remaining wild food sources is about to be depleted. The end of tuna is in sight.

The catastrophe in the Gulf prompts me to write about “sustainability” this month. What once seemed a trendy word used by environmentalists, scientists and economists is rapidly becoming the way we all have to think and live; it is no longer a choice but an absolute must. For many species it is already too late, and that might include our own. My biology professor summed it up best by saying: “I’m not worried about nature; I’m worried about us.”

The many facets to the theme of sustainability (the capacity to endure) could fill a whole library. But I want to clarify that “sustainability” touches every aspect of our lives—not merely our interaction with the environment—and has far larger philosophical connotations than merely “going green.”

“And they were sure and certain, forever wrong, but always confident. They had no hesitation, they confessed no ignorance or error, and they knew no doubts.”

This is a quote from the novel “You Can’t Go Home Again,” written in 1940 by Thomas Wolfe, but it seems a fit description of the men in suits at BP oil. In the same decade this novel was written, a typical farmer would produce five calories of food for every one calorie of fossil fuel used; today, the average farmer produces one calorie of food using ten calories of fossil fuel. Now that is simply not sustainable!

We keep ignoring that the easy-to-reach oil reserves have been tapped and that future oil production will significantly increase the cost and the risks we take.

If the economic recovery seems as sluggish as the summer seems hot, we have to realize that much of our past economic growth was built on unsustainable deficit spending by both governments and households. That poses real long-term challenges, because the way we used to create “the perception of wealth” is simply no longer sustainable. It has now become so evident that we need to bring the U.S. household deficit under control that even politicians talk about it; part of the solution will have to include curbing military cost, which represents 23 percent of the total U.S. federal spending ($689 billion in 2009). Having nearly 300,000 active servicemen and women deployed in 152 states and territories around the globe is not only unnecessary, but simply unsustainable. To put it into perspective, the U.S. is single-handedly responsible for 50 percent of the world’s total military spending. Extreme Islamic ideology and the terrorists it produces continues to be a real threat to us and our allies, but the traditional weapon systems (like the F35) will do comparably little to protect us from this danger.

It seems that we have forgotten that we are one of the few countries that could be completely self-sustainable: We have enough natural resources, talent and factories to ignore the rest of the world, if we really wanted to. Yes, it would mean finding alternative and renewable energy sources, but eventually we will have to do that anyway.

It is unfortunate that we have not adapted any of the philosophical attitudes the Native Americans had: Take from the Earth only what you need. The times where we forge along by taking as much as we can, believing that man is stronger than nature, are coming to an end.

Before you fall into a depressive mood and start declaring that all is lost, consider it an opportunity. Making the Earth sustainable could very well be the next economic engine that will drive our economy into positive territory. After all, we have no other choice; and the faster we adopt this new attitude, the greater the chances are to become, once more, the Earth’s leading country and advocate. It is no coincidence that forward-looking companies and municipalities have started to hire chief sustainability officers… Onward!

E-mail your thoughts to Marc at mfrey@freymedia.com; or comment on his blog at www.hiltonheadmonthly.com/blogs.

Let’s agree that we live in a wonderful community and that many good things have been achieved in the last 20 years. Would it then not be best to assume that everything is fine and that we can continue to go down the same path as we have been?

In my opinion the answer is clearly no. We have to come to accept that our local economy and our home values are not as strong as they should be.

We missed many opportunities in the past to take actions that could have positively impacted the community’s standing.

Here are a few examples:

• Why could we not have come to the same conclusions about how to get the airport extension done five or seven years ago? This would have made a big statement of who we are and where we intend to go, which in return would have prompted other investors to consider moving forward with their revitalization plans.
• Why did we let the Technical College of the Lowcountry move off-island? The town owns 17 acres right next to the ex-campus. This would have been an opportunity for a public-private partnership that would have given that part of town (the Park Plaza area) an anchor tenant and would have revitalized the whole area. Instead we are left with aging office building structures, struggling restaurants and a movie theater that is need of an upgrade. Along with keeping young people here and giving all of us easy access to learning experiences, we could also have given the American Culinary Institute a home. This would have sparked the need to upgrade the already existing affordable housing facilities and would have given our island a vibrant and economically-feasible core. How are we going to attract knowledge-based businesses to our island if all our learning institutes are off-island?
• On a much smaller scale, there have been efforts in place from engaged citizens to get the town to provide a public water access facility for fishing and crabbing that would also allow a youth-oriented rowing and sailing club to have a home. But for some reason or another after 10 years of discussions and promises, we have not achieved this simple goal despite the fact that the town already owns the land and all that”””””””””””””””’’s needed is a site cleanup, a dock and a permit.
• What happened to all the great thoughts that went into the “Bridge to the Beach” plans? Why did we miss the opportunity to become a model for an environmentally-sustainable town?

Hilton Head Island had the potential to become a city of the future, but while we were hesitating, our competitors made huge strives. Savannah, Charleston and Kiawah Island are all very different places; but the fact is that they have made more positive progress over the last 20 years than we have.

There is a popular saying here in town: “We do not want to be another Myrtle Beach.” To that I need to ask: When is the last time that you have been to Myrtle Beach? And if you have, did you notice that the old clichés attached to Myrtle Beach do not necessarily longer apply? While I agree that we want to be a very different resort destination, we need to take a look at some things they do better than we do: The citizens, business leaders, town and Chamber work much closer together and align their goals better. In return they have demonstrated that they can get things done. They understand that tourism is their main economic driver (just as it is for us) and invest accordingly. Their marketing budgets (measured on per bed basis) dwarf ours.

It is not too late to take the road that leads to a better future, but it is time that we get going.I’m not blaming town council; I’m blaming all of us. Unless we the citizens speak up and declare our will and understand that we are in need of change, nothing will happen. The solutions are not particularly complicated or costly, but they can only happen if we elect a town council that demonstrates that they understand what has been holding us back in the past.

Marc Frey
Pathfinder

E-mail your thoughts to Marc at mfrey@freymedia.com; or comment on his blog at www.hiltonheadmonthly.com/blogs.

It won’t surprise you that we concluded that the population shift to the Southeast will continue; life expectancy will increase significantly; geographic boundaries will blur; that everybody will be in the know; and that technological advances (such as bio-, nano-, genetics, robotics, Internet, renewable energy and sustainability) will be the big economic drivers of the future.

But what might be less obvious are some of the consequences and balancing points to the afore-mentioned trends. For example, our desire to constantly interact with the rest of the world will lead to a complete loss of privacy; the current retirement model will be replaced; local and regional economies might see a resurgence as a counterpoint to globalization; the desire for physical encounters and experiences will grow in order to balance the fact that people spend so much time in the digital world. We anticipate that conscious consumption will replace conspicuous consumption; that having time and having space are going to become scarce commodities; and that family and community values will become more important than they are today.

With this information as a backdrop, we created a wish list of attributes and qualities that we would like to see for the island.

From a business perspective, they included great educational choices; affordable housing; start-up business assistance; great transportation; and beneficial fees and tax structures, to name a few.

From a resident’s perspective the list contained great multi-use village centers; continuing educational opportunities; island-wide Internet access; great recreational facilities and programs; public transportation; cultural diversity; easy interaction with unspoiled natural habitat, and many more. From a visitor’s perspective, we wished for first-class resort experiences; interesting and unique things to do, see and learn that will allow multi-generational get- togethers; and several more detailed ideas.

Once we had a picture of the perfect place in our minds, we proceeded to talk about how to get there. Here’s where things became interesting:
Recognizing that HHI has a product crisis. Developers planned large communities like Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes, Port Royal, Hilton Head Plantation and Indigo Run, but never planned for what holds them together — a town corridor. That as never truly been part of a master plan. In order to keep and increase our competitiveness, we need to do that.

Recognizing that HHI has an identity crisis. The island can’t decide if it wants to grow into “the best it can be” or if it wants to continue to stagnate and therefore, over time, deteriorate.

Recognizing that we have a communications challenge. Community leaders and the community at large need to recognize that they need to communicate and get together and agree on the urgent need for solutions.

Forward-looking leadership. The developers used to play that role, but since they left HHI hasn’t had forward-planning and visionary leadership.
A policy that starts with: “We want to be…” And everything else follows that and makes that happen.

Changing the restrictive building code while maintaining the nature- based look. New LMO needs to allow for mixed use, density transfers, flexibility on how to achieve an overall balance, and not be as restrictive in the details, etc.

Revitalization. Including village centers, activity centers, public parks, historic sites, water access, etc.

Going green. HHI has a chance to match its image with “truth” and become a leading sustainable community. This will enhance its image and attract like-minded people on all levels (visitors, entrepreneurs, workforce, retirees).

An HHI Learning Institute. Many interpretations of these theme were discussed, but they all centered around creating an intellectual experience both for visitors and residents alike.

Make Hilton Head Island a healthcare destination.
Create an interpretative nature center.
Create public private partnerships.

Many more suggestions were put forward, such as the future of the airport; clean public transportation; 5-star hotels; tax incentives; regional development plan, an urban planning institute, urban agriculture, etc.

Now it’s your turn to put your thinking hat on and send me your solutions. Your input is important and will be read and discussed by members of the Mayor’s Vision Task Force and the Town Council.

Please take a moment to send me your thoughts, ideas or concerns.
Thank you.

Marc Frey
mfrey@freymedia.com
Solution-Finder at work

* Jack Alderman, David Ames, Mark Baker, Terry Brubaker, Kevin Cerevati, Jim Chafin, Jim Coleman, Lee Edwards, Marc Frey, Elizabeth Lamkin, Ed Pickney, John Reed, Don Ryan, Kim Statler

But enough of the philosophical observations. What in reality should we expect?

First, the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) appears to be growing at an annual rate of 3 percent. That”’’s means we are adding jobs rather than losing jobs, but not enough to bring the national unemployment rate below the 9 percent mark anytime soon. The Dow Index is bound to surpass the 11,000 mark; still a ways to go from its highpoint of 14,000 in late 2007, but a remarkable rebound from the 7,000 level recorded just about a year ago.

The dollar is slightly stronger against other currencies, in part due to the rebounding U.S. economy, and in part due to the U.S. doing better than other nations”” economies in relative terms.

The trade deficit was much lower in 2009 due to the recession, but is now back to its usual levels. This still poses a long-term risk, since we continue to import more goods than we export. It is not likely to reverse itself until we achieve both energy independence and China import independence.

The U.S. budget deficit is — as should be expected — on the rise again due to the ongoing cost of the two wars and the economic bailout. This remains a long-term problem that will need some correction over time.

With that said,  “panic makers” are publishing charts which are showing an enormously growing budget deficit. The proper way is to look at household deficit as a percentage of overall GDP. Put in historic perspective, we are currently at around 40 percent of annual GDP. The high was during WWII, when we hit over 100 percent of GDP; and the low was between 1830 and 1860, and then again between 1910 and 1920, when it was less than 10 percent. In more recent history, 1970 to 1980 showed levels below 25 percent. But I digress. My personal assessment is that we are at the end of a two-year shaky, bad stretch and that the economy has started to grow again, and that (unforeseeable events excluded) the remainder of 2010 is showing signs of recovery. That”’’s likely to last through 2011.

There is a lot of economic data which I have not included in this brief summary, and common-sense observations that make me believe that we are on the road to recovery. Keep in mind that economic prediction is an art and not a science, but my senses finally say again, “Onwards!” and “Full steam ahead!” There is new territory to be conquered and the timids will be left behind.