For decades, coal has been king in central Appalachia. The people of this region have devoted their lives providing energy to the nation, fueling the first and second industrial revolution and providing nearly 40% of the energy used in this country. As a result of Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty and top-down strategies for poverty relief, our communities have struggled to transcend government based strategies. It is our hope through the campaign that we can redefine the term sustainability by demonstrating that any approach to sustainable development has to begin with the free-market - we call it applied sustainability.

Known as one of the unhealthiest communities in the nation, Williamson is working to encourage healthy living by diversifying its energy portfolio, providing new economic opportunities for businesses, creating a strong workforce with competitive skills sets, growing local food systems to encourage healthy living, and increasing the quality of life for our community.

Our goal is to create a replicable model of market-based sustainability for the economically distressed communities throughout Central Appalachia. We believe it is time to redefine the economic landscape of coal country, and together, our vision is to spark a Collaboration Across the Nation for sustainable development to create a better world.

For this purpose, we have launched a crowd funding campaign on IndieGoGo to raise funds to build upon our existing sustainable projects, positioning Williamson as a hub for sustainable development throughout the coalfields of central Appalachia. Though unconventional, our purpose through this campaign is to begin a conversation and collaboration around the nation for applied sustainability that specifically emphasizes a market-based approach to economic revitalization.

With the funds raised, we hope to construct the Smart-Office, build upon our existing sustainable projects, and help revitalize the central Appalachian coalfields through economic diversification.