On one wall of Scott Bernstein’s office at the Center for Neighborhood Technology is a yellowing, hand-drawn diagram–a maze of squares and circles with interconnecting lines, all of which are enclosed within several sets of multicolored borders. It looks like the design for some piece of computer technology, but it’s a map of Evanston–or, to be more exact, Evanston’s economy. On another wall of the office is a huge chart displaying the periodic table.
Bernstein’s passion for order can be overwhelming at times. Center for Neighborhood Technology board member Bliss Browne recently asked him what it takes to effect lasting change in a community. Without hesitation he ticked off a list of eight requirements:
Determine what the community believes it most needs.
Unlike many who appreciate complexity, Bernstein does not dwell exclusively on theory. He’s better known for practice, for his determination to change systems–to decentralize and reorganize civilization along more manageable, humanistic lines. He wants to solve big problems with many small solutions, not one big one. The nickname he’s acquired over the years–the Wizard–is based on this combination of technological acumen, passion, and vision.
The fliers on the bulletin boards in the reception area are not easily translated. One reads, “What does it take to catalyze an environmental venture?” Others refer to “negotiable local partner arrangements,” “community benefit optimization,” and the overriding goal, “sustainability.”
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Not long ago Bernstein was down with the flu and out of the office for several days. “He just kept calling in with new ideas,” said Perkins. “One day he called five times. He has a way of jumping from one enthusiasm to another.” By way of example, Perkins recalled Bernstein’s sudden obsession with energy-saving fluorescent light bulbs last summer. “He put aside everything else for two or three days and called all the experts,” he said. “He needed to know how they were made and whether a factory to produce them in Chicago was feasible.” Staff members are looking into it.
Veteran Chicago activist Jacky Grimshaw, who joined the CNT staff last year as coordinator for air and transportation quality, remarks on Bernstein’s delight in developing solutions to problems. “We drove up to Milwaukee recently,” she said, “and he never stopped talking all the way up–new coalitions, new products, new schemes. He sees these connections. It’s like he’s always pregnant with some new thing.”
