Dear Friends,

Spectrum, a community issues group working to connect the government to the
governed, is proud to announce that there will be a forum on "Redefining
Progress", or "The Invisible System That Competes With Progress."

Economic growth competes with the human habitat just as it competes with
the natural habitat. American families receive the same economic treatment
as the natural environment: They are accorded no monetary value and their
loss is not counted as a cost. Despite all the pro-family talk, the family
is treated exactly the same as the ancient forest in the Pacific
Northwest. When the family is damaged or destroyed, we do not consider
that the nation is economically any poorer. Thus families, like forests,
fall victim to one-sided thinking about economic growth. Economic growth
is an inadequate measure of social well-being and for that we need a
"quality of life report." Since World War II, the United States has used
the gross domestic product (GDP) as the barometer of our nation's economic
health. The GDP is simply a gross tally of money spent--goods and services
purchased by households or government and business investments, regardless
of whether they enhance our well-being or not. With this forum, we will
attempt to begin a series of forums in the coming months to redefine
progress using a "human development index" instead of GDP.

Where: The Brigid Collins House, corner of E Holly and N Garden Sts; in the
upper conference room.

When: Tuesday, December 11, 2001 from 7 - 9 PM

Who: Guest speakers are Dan Warner, Professor of Business Legal Studies at
WWU, who will speak on the "Necessity to Move to Sustainable Development"
and Rick Dubrow, owner of A-1 Builders and Adaptations, will give a
presentation on our "Ecological Footprint using The Natural Step's Four
System Condition."

How: Panel presentation, followed by a moderated Q&A period.

Spectrum believes that public participation is the foundation of
democracy. Our goal is to engage people in self-government and community
action. We work to create opportunities where people can freely and openly
debate issues, discuss events and obtain information connecting the
governed to government.
-- 30 --