I am always cranking on ways to promote Oklahoma. The ideas range in terms of size and saneness, but every now and then I have one that I think just might work. The other day I was considering how everything you hear today is sustainable this, or sustainable that, and you hear it most often when discussing design, development, and housing. In truth, the term is used so often and applied in so many different ways that it is quickly losing any real meaning. But no denying, right now sustainability is in and we need to take advantage by letting people know that Oklahoma has been employing sustainable practices for a long, long time.
Really, Oklahoma has a tradition of sustainability? When I look at the list of cities adopting LEED standards I don’t see anything about Oklahoma City or Tulsa?
Well, okay, we aren’t necessarily ahead of the sustainability curve now, but that doesn’t mean we weren’t living more sustainable lives in the past…
OKLAHOMA’S HISTORY OF SUSTAINABILITY
HOUSING
Oklahoma has a long history of sustainable housing types including:
The earth house (commonly referred to as a soddy or dugout) was a popular form of earlier Oklahoma settler housing and is considered to have a “small ecological footprint.”
The grass house (pre-fire alarm no less) also housed many early Okies.
And of course, we can’t forget the teepee which has been housing residents on Oklahoma soil since before the Land Run.
TRANSPORTATION
Speaking of the Land Run, we must remember that it was a Land RUN! If everyone had come in their SUVs then it would have probably been called the Land Race. But the soon to be residents of Oklahoma chose more sustainable transportation options, and traveled to stake their claim by train, on horseback, and even on foot!
ENERGY
Okay, so there have been periods where we may have contributed more than our fair share to America’s oil dependence problems, but we are also the place where “the wind comes sweeping down the plain” and we have been turning that wind into usable energy for a long, long time. In fact, now with the emphasis on clean natural gas and new wind farms we are beginning to embrace the sustainable energy tradition of our past.
THE IDEA: WE NEED A SWEET T-SHIRT!
So here is the idea. I want to make sure everyone knows that Oklahoma has been doing this sustainability thing for years and I have decided the best way to get the word out is with a sweet t-shirt. So to get things started, I am offering $100 for the best original t-shirt design that focuses on sustainable housing in Oklahoma. I would suggest you include one of the following slogans or something similar:
“Oklahoma has been doing sustainable housing for years!”
or
“We’ve been doing sustainable housing for years!”*
*include some reference to Oklahoma
Other Slogans
If you have more ideas on what would make a good slogan, please post them in the comments below.
CONTEST RULES
Obviously, I am no expert at holding t-shirt competitions, but here are the basics:
deadline: all submissions must be received by November 30, 2008.
specs: all designs must adhere to the requirements of the Cafe Press 10×10 template (found here).
submitting: please email design in .jpg or .png format to blair.d.humphreys@gmail.com.
prizes: winner: $100 / runner-up: $40 / note: depending on the number and quality of entrants I may raise the prize amounts and/or award more entrants
selection: winners will be selected at my discretion and please no family members or employees of imagiNATIVEamerica.com
ownership: all entrants must turnover ownership of submitted design(s) and all rights to their use. Granting me the sole right to reproduce, print, sell the design, or use it in any way I deem appropriate.
