Joe Symons, owner/manager of Garden House on Orcas Island

Joe Symons Joe Symons photo has been living on Orcas since 1970. He designed, built and operates the Garden House, runs the Hot Ice Studio, and continues to rattle cages regarding critical unresolved issues regarding the future of San Juan County. He has retired from a 20 year commitment as a volunteer firefighter, and been a board member of Children's House (an early childhood education center) and Doe Bay Water Users Association, the water utility servicing the Doe Bay area of Orcas Island. He has produced behind-the-scenes auction software which has been assisting the fundraising efforts of several non-profits on Orcas since 1995.

He is currently supporting several organic farms with infrastructure and financial assistance and serves as board member and treasurer of the Orcas Island Farmers Market.

He has published a book entitled "Potholes in Paradise, An insider's view on people, money, technology, culture and community as played out in one of the most remote and beautiful islands in America"; you can learn more about it here.

Joe started JoeBay U in order to help islanders become more familiar and comfortable with digital tools. He also started OLPC Orcas, an educational program introducing the XO computer (from the One Laptop Per Child initiative created at MIT) to Orcas Elementary School, where he offers an XO programming class for 10 year olds every week.

Joe has embarked on a thousand mile adventure whose intention is to "move the middle" regarding an essential paradigm shift in the production and use of electrical energy in America, the first steps of which can be read here.

Return to Garden House on Orcas Island.