Mitchell Park – The Bowl
Sunday, September 20

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Plan to join us between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM on September 20.

Here are the confirmed teachers/skill-sharers:

• Peter Ruddock – Transition Palo Alto is preparing a Resource Map, a map of local businesses, facilities and organizations that will help make the transition to a new, localized, fossil fuel-light economy.  We’ll introduce the map and take your great suggestions to put on it.
• Trina Lynn Wilson – is organizing a craft table that will appeal to kids of all ages.  Come build things and get ideas for what to do with materials which you might otherwise throw out or recycle.
• Kathy Bibby – If you haven’t experienced essential oils as a natural way to relax and take the edge off being stressed, dragging or sleep-deprived, I’ll be sharing a unique and wonderful hand rub with Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade essential oils.” Kathy Bibby, Certified Aroma Touch Technique practitioner.
• Tom Kabat will be on hand to help you with bicycle repair and offer tips so that you can do many things at home on your own.
• Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) will be providing some give-a-ways and sharing information about their programs that benefit the community. NHN has a Backyard Bounty Program for Gardeners-Beekeepers-Coopsters. Come see their backyard garden program display, receive seeds and more. NHN will have local honey on hand to share.
• MOAH’s (Museum of American Heritage) Science Fun host, Bob Boschert, aka Mr. Science, will present a mini version of Science Fun at the Share Faire, featuring an array of awesome hands-on activities on static electricity, electromagnetism, and Theremins...

We’re all affected profoundly by the money and banking system, but few of us have any clue what it’s about, why it seems to be so messed up, and what we can do.

But that’s changing!

Those fortunate to attend the first Essential Knowledge for Transition talk with Marco Vangelisti Sunday 9/13 got to get up close and personal with our money and banking system. Marco is a former investment manager and scholar with a dedication to Transition principles and constructive change – and a fabulous communicator. We learned about how money is created, why debt is inescapable in our system, how private institutions are doing work that should be public – and how the system can be reformed to to retain the positive elements of the current structure while fixing the dysfunctional and destructive aspects.

We’ll post a video of Marco’s talk when it’s available. Meanwhile, don’t miss the second and third talks in this outstanding series:

Sunday Oct 18 noon-2pm: Part 2: Our economic system
Why are most people working harder, but fewer are benefiting? How can we move beyond growth-at-all costs to a more compassionate and just society?

Sunday Oct 25: noon-2pm Part 3: Our financial system
Why is financial capital divorced from productive activity, and how can we fix it? Learn how communities are transforming investment to be local, democratic, and productive.

REGISTER in advance here (it will help us know who’s coming and how much to provide for refreshments): http://bit.ly/EK4Transition

Each session is separate and can stand alone, but come to all three for the full story. Child care provided. Donation: $10 per session (no one turned away for lack of funds).

Newsletter 2015 July

This Organic Life is a yearlong chronicle of life on the farm. The film shows who grows your food, and how it is grown. We’ve all seen the end product at farmer’s markets, grocery stores, and restaurants; however, rarely do we think about what actually transpires in the 200-some days it takes your local farmer to produce that heirloom tomato. The film focuses on one young farmer, filmmaker Casey Beck’s boyfriend, Austin Blair, and tells their story, thus allowing the viewer to delve into this issue and experience over the course of one hour the low points and ultimately the joys that surface over a year of farming.

September 28, 6-pm
Sunnyvale Public Library, 665 W. Olive, Sunnyvale
More on the film: http://www.theorganiclifemovie.com/

Why are we working harder but feel less secure? Why are the benefits going to a small percentage of the population? Can we make the economy more compassionate and just?

Enjoy a fascinating and eye-opening look at our current economic and monetary system, how it affects us, and what we can do. The three part series will give you answers, get you thinking, and inspire you.

Each session is separate and can stand alone, but come to all for the full story. If you missed a session, we’ll have a video available soon.

Sunday Sept 13 noon-2pm: Part 1: Money and banking
What’s behind the money and banking system, and why does it wield so much power? Learn the surprising story about how money is created – and the results.

Sunday Oct 18 noon-2pm: Part 2: Our economic system
Why are most people working harder, but fewer are benefiting? How can we move beyond growth-at-all costs to a more compassionate and just society?

Sunday Oct 25: noon-2pm Part 3: Our financial system
Why is financial capital divorced from productive activity, and how can we fix it? Learn how communities are transforming investment to be local, democratic, and productive.

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Redwood City, 2124 Brewster, Redwood City
12-2pm, Main sanctuary, refreshments served, child care provided

Donation: $10 per session (no one turned away for lack of funds). Go here to register in advance: http://bit.ly/EK4Transition (register for each session separately). If you can’t register in advance, just show up on the day.

Marco Vangelisti was a Fulbright scholar in mathematics and economics at UC Berkeley. He managed investment equity portfolios for large foundations and endowments before leaving the finance industry in 2009 to focus on positive change. He helped form the Slow Money Northern California chapter and now shares his knowledge, experience, and vision with communities around the country. More info at http://ek4t.com/

Sponsored by the Social Action and Adult Education committees of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Redwood City, Transition Palo Alto, and Human Agenda

Click for the flyer: Marco flyer 2015

How can we balance the need for healthy rivers and the ecosystems they nourish with our thirst for water and low-carbon energy? With majestic cinematography and unexpected discoveries, this powerful film odyssey across America explores the sea change in our national attitude from pride in big dams as engineering wonders to the growing awareness that our own future is bound to the life and health of our rivers. 

Dam removal has moved beyond the fictional Monkey Wrench Gang to go mainstream. Where obsolete dams come down, rivers bound back to life, giving salmon and other wild fish the right of return to primeval spawning grounds, after decades without access. DamNation’s majestic cinematography and unexpected discoveries move through rivers and landscapes altered by dams, but also through a metamorphosis in values, from conquest of the natural world to knowing ourselves as part of nature.

Enjoy this excellent film and bring your ideas to the discussion.

Friday September 25
7:15-9:30 pm (7:15 meet and greet, film starts promptly at 7:30), discussion follows the film
Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto Fireside Room
505 E Charleston Rd, Palo Alto, CA 

A perfect evening for the Fourth Friday summer picnic at Mitchell park. Hanging out with excellent food and company. Just a bit hard to keep track of where to throw the bean bags!

Potluck Picnic Time!

Mitchell Park Arbor area, 600 E Meadow, Palo Alto
6:00-8:30 pm July 24 Note the updated time

It’s time for the Transition Palo Alto Summer Picnic! Bring food to share, wallow in the summer evening, and enjoy some fun games.
All ages are welcome.

If you’ve been involved with TPA activities, this is a great time to connect with friends. And if you’re new to TPA, come meet people and learn more about our community.

Want to help out? Click to sign up for a volunteer slot. It’s great fun! Setup starts at 5:30pm.
And click here to say what you’re bringing.
And we want to extend a special invitation to all the volunteers who have made TPA events a great success this past year.

Don’t miss the fun!

Have you ever wondered how recycling gets sorted after it leaves your bins? What happens to the clothes you give to Goodwill? How recycled goods become new products? What’s compostable?

June Fourth Friday attendees got to learn how, with Racing to Zero, a fascinating nuts-and-bolts view of how San Francisco is working to achieve zero waste. Viewers got to see the people, machinery, and amazing processes that all go into reducing the waste that goes into Bay Area landfills. And there’s plenty of education involved, too, with inspectors who go around checking people’s waste bins and leaving friendly little notes about how to do a better job sorting.

What do shoe making, aroma therapy, bike repair, tool sharpening, drought landscaping, and massage to name a few) have in common? Answer, they were all on display at the June Share Faire. It was a glorious day at Lucie Stern Community Center – and so many things to see and learn. Attendees learned how to wield a knife in the kitchen and tasted delicious solar-cooked pancakes and banana bread.  Plus musical instruments, conversation, and even a bit of Tai Chi for a fine way to welcome in summer!