Nearly a dozen members of Sustainable Ballard met by the sun-kissed palm trees on the outdoor patio of the Shilshole Beach Club during a recent happy hour. They came to enjoy a glass of wine, a bottle of beer, some freshly grilled salmon and share concerns about a new problem plaguing their organization, sustaining Sustainable Ballard.

Newly elected president Jenny Heins, and new vice president, Ann Scheerer, kept the discussion on target.

Heins coined the phrase "Sustainable Ballard's Goose Dialogues," which she felt related to the organization's dilemma. She displayed the slogan on a sign placed at the center of her table. It garnered double takes and inquiries from passersby.

Heins explained the fabled allegory, "I read a self-improvement book that said an organization can only be productive if the machinery behind it is kept oiled. I thought that was kind of like Sustainable Ballard. We are really effective at producing golden eggs, but our machinery is being neglected. We have to remember that our backbone needs to be sustained as well as our ideas and projects."

She said the backbone is Sustainable Ballard's large membership.

Heins pointed out that while Sustainable Ballard has more than a thousand members, only 60 are fairly active, and just 16 of those "hold the ball." Hundreds may attend a meeting, but many expect the most active tier to do the heavy lifting.

"Rather than the board trying to recreate a structure to serve members, we should invite members to be a bigger part of the dialogue," said Heins. "Otherwise we will burn out the core members, and our organization will not to be sustainable."

One solution is attracting new and enthusiastic members like Craig Benjamin, a student at University of Washington's Evans School of Public Affairs.

"I want to listen to what others have to say, to promote events and to raise money for the organization," he said.

Benjamin studied sustainability for 10 years in Jackson Hole, Wyo., and then moved here in June.

"I jumped right in," he said.

Conversation ranged from oiling the organization to exploring practical strategies to live a more sustainable life in Ballard.

Kathleen and Robert Ridihalgh purchased a home in Ballard three years ago and are putting in an "all-green" addition.

"We are installing a gray water system, a 50-year roof made of recycled materials, and are rewiring to eventually accept solar panels," said Kathleen, who works for the Sierra Club. She said their builder is not specifically green, "But he is learning a lot from this project."

Ellie Winninghoff shared her thoughts about her practice of eating locally grown organic foods.

"I shop all year round at the Ballard Market and try to buy food produced within a hundred miles," she said. "This can be a little rigid at times. I do drink tea and coffee, and add tamari to my meals."

Winninghoff brought up a health crisis she has fought to overcome, and said eating locally grown organic foods has helped her ailment.

"I take my food extremely seriously," she said. "It makes a huge difference, and I can feel it. If it's organic and local, it feels more alive."

Jody Grage quickly pointed out that her whole yard is a vegetable garden.

"That's very local, because I live right behind Archie McPhee," she chuckled.

Grage also talked about "repurposing" secondhand clothing suitable for women to wear on office jobs. When women overcome challenges and get back into the job market, "They need appropriate work force clothing," said Grage, who chairs the Green Party of Washington State.

"Go to the YWCA at 5th and Spring Street," she said. "There's a drop-off bin. Blue jeans can go to North End Emergency Fund here on 24th Avenue near 70th Street."

Grage said many people are not aware of organizations in desperate need of unused clothes, and therefore hold onto them too long.

"Too often deciding to get rid of something hinges on where to donate it, and if you don't know, you keep the damn thing even though you don't want it," she said. " Create a pile in your house to donate. Even if it sits a while, at least it's not in your life anymore."

The "Goose Dialogues" are scheduled to continue every Thursday night, locations to vary. Visit http://sustainableballard.org/.