October 10 – Time for an Oil Change – Green Activities for Parents and Kids

Posted on by promiserani
1

Time for an Oil Change flyer

 

Download the Time for an Oil Change Flyer for 10/10/10 (PDF)
Post it! – Give it to your friends!

See the Facebook Page for the event!

 

Time for an Oil Change:
Green Activities for Parents and Kids
October 10

Sunday, 10/10/10 (October 10, 2010) 1-4pm

Where: El Carmelo School, 3024 Bryant St at Loma Verde Ave, Palo Alto

Come out for an afternoon of fun, carbon-cutting activities for kids young and old. We’ll have lots of fun things to do, plus games, arts and crafts, and prizes and more.

Come learn:

1pm – Knitting, make Felt bags, Family yoga, Worm composting, games, Plant veggies, Art and drawing
2pm – Gather around the Oil Memorial to attach things we’ll have to give up when the oil is gone!
2:30 – A slide show presentation on Climate Change
3pm – A reading of the Lorax, Learn massage

We’ll also have a bike you can ride to light a bulb, and games to play. Pledge to walk or bike, cut your carbon footprint at the same time!

Plus, fill out your Green Passport to win prizes!

Walking or carpooling recommended.
Sponsored by Transition Palo Alto and the El Carmelo Green Team. Partners: Blossom Birth, Stanford Knit Wits
This event is a part of the 350.org Global Work Party to reduce carbon emissions.

“No on 23” grassroots group opens in Palo Alto

Posted on by bart
Reply

Logo for the new campaign in Palo Alto, No on Texas Oil

Logo for the new campaign in Palo Alto

Walking home on El Camino, I saw a storefront festooned with campaign signs saying “No on 23” and “Stop Texas Oil”. It was the newly opened headquarters for the Stop Texas Oil campaign. From their website:

“California already has on the books one of the toughest anti-global warming laws in the world (AB 32), and it goes into effect next year but not if a bunch of Texas oil companies get their way.”

Several people in local Transition meetings have brought up the “No on 23” campaign, since it ties in with the Transition concern about global warming. This particular group concentrates on the grassroots campaign, as opposed to the media campaign. This fits in well with Transition’s grassroots orientation.

The campaign workers John and Spencer are fresh-faced young men, not long out of college. They seemed to respond to Transition’s slogan of being “more like a party than a protest.”

If anyone is interested in volunteer work such as phone banking, house parties, or handing out flyers at farmers’ markets, you can contact the local office via the website at
http://act.credoaction.com/survey/prop23/index.html
or at their office at 3491 West El Camino Real, Palo Alto.

For a detailed, non-partisan report on Proposition 23, see the entry on BallotPedia:
http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/California_Proposition_23_%282010%29

Coming hot issue – anaerobic composting plant

Posted on by bart
Reply

A proposal that is sure to be hotly debated in Palo Alto is the anaerobic composting facility near the Baylands.

On the plus side, the plant would handle organic waste such as yard waste, sewage sludge and food scraps, turning them into compost suitable as a soil amendment. Electricity would also be generated. Proponents point to cost savings in waste disposal, as well as a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since waste would not have to be transported elsewhere.

Opponents object to the use of 8 acres of what was to have been parkland.

Visualization of the proposed anaerobic composting facility

Visualization of the proposed anaerobic composting facility

This proposal involves issues dear to the heart of the Transition Movement: recycling, green house gas emissions, energy self-reliance and composting. 

One positive role for Transition would be to encourage informed and respectful debate. Other communities are watching us, so we have an opportunity to set a good example

Explaining the technical aspects of the process is also important. For example, how many people know what anaerobic composting is? What are the impacts on greenhouse gas emissions of the proposal? Why might energy self-reliance be important in the coming years?

More information

UPDATE (Sept 27, 2010). Post Carbon Institute just posted a chapter on Waste from their Post Carbon Reader. The complete PDF and a short video are available online:
Climate Change, Peak Oil, and the End of Waste
by Bill Sheehan

UPDATE (Oct 5). Volunteers are now gathering signatures to put the proposal on the ballot.

Related news article from the BBC: Oxfordshire town sees human waste used to heat homes

Garden Swaps – Sept 25 and 11

Posted on by bart
1

Garden Swap
September 25 (Saturday) 11 am
Common Ground Garden Supply
559 College Avenue, Palo Alto, off of El Camino Real

[A Slow Food Event will be held at the same time – see below]

September 25 – Dig In! Breaking Ground, Breaking Bread

Join Slow Food South Bay and partners Acterra, Barron Park Green Team, Barron Park Garden Network, Barron Park Association and Transition Palo Alto in the parking lot of our host Common Ground for a Garden and Food Swap as part of Slow Food USA’s National Work Day – Dig In! Breaking Ground, Breaking Bread.

Backyard gardeners, home canners and other people who enjoy the Slowest of food, here is your opportunity to meet like-minded people in your community to exchange the excess produce of your garden, seeds, home-made products, recipes, ideas and more.

We intend this to be a regular event, to be scheduled according to the desires of the members and the produce of the season. As such, we are in the process of creating a database of people and their produce which will help us connect with each other on a regular basis.

Recognizing that a Garden and Food Swap is the most local of events – you neither should nor want to drive half way across the county to swap your excess apples for someone else’s excess tomatoes – we intend to replicate this event at a number of other locations throughout our region as we can.

Come help us kick-off what should be a great project. Bring your tomatoes. Bring your grandmother’s secret tomato sauce recipe. Bring your ideas. If you live in or near Palo Alto, you’ll want to check this out, so that you can help organize it and plan to attend regularly. If you live elsewhere in the area, you’ll want to check it out, so that you can help set up a swap in your neighborhood.

[Text from Slow Flood South Bay Newsletter]

Garden Swap
September 11 (Saturday) 11am to noon
Main Community Garden, located by the Palo Alto Main Library parking area
1213 Newell Road off of Embarcadero.
Continue reading →

Free Film Series – Energy and Transportation

Posted on by bart
Reply

Films of Vision and Hope – September 17 – October 22

World Centric 2121 Staunton Ct., Palo Alto (behind JJ&F Market)
Time: Fridays 7:30 – 9:30 P.M.

Concerned about the environment and climate change?
Looking for ways to make a positive, sustainable change for people and the planet?

Don’t miss our third Films of Vision and Hope film series,
focusing on hopeful and positive solutions to environmental problems affecting our world.

Provocative films, great discussion, and opportunities to connect with
others who want to make a difference.

September 17 – Energy Crossroads　This award winning film exposes the problems associated with our energy consumption and offers concrete solutions. The film features passionate individuals, entrepreneurs, experts and scientists at the forefront of a new energy future.

September 24 – Kilowatt Ours Another award winner that explores energy sources and problems, then highlights people making a difference in energy conservation, efficiency and renewable, green power, all while saving money and the environment. This often amusing and always inspiring story shows, “You can easily make a difference and here’s how!”

October 1 Fossil Fuel Free Film, and More　Meet filmmaker Matt Harnack, and follow his adventures as he tries to live life without fossil fuels. “I was determined to break my addiction to oil. I did the only thing I knew how to do. I made a movie.”

October 8 Bicycle Night　Enjoy some great short films about how cities from Bogota to Havana to Copenhagen are working to make their communities bike friendly. Residents are lowering carbon footprints, getting healthier, and enjoying life much more.

October 15 In Transition 　An inspirational film about how local communities, like ours, can respond to peak oil and global warming while building community and enjoying life. Do come again, even if you saw the film last time – we’ll have more great discussion.

October 22 Join us for our second 100 mile potluck. Connect with others and learn about opportunities to get involved.

FILM SERIES POSTER (pdf) – Print out and post!


Sponsored by Silicon Valley Action Network, Transition Silicon Valley, World Centric, Acterra, and Transition Palo Alto

Local Garden Swap: Neighbors sharing the fruits of their labors

Posted on by Paul Heft
Reply

What a great idea! Many of us have extra fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs in our gardens—so Jan Butts figured, why not swap them for produce that we could use?

Jan organized what might be this century’s first free exchange of Palo Alto’s garden bounty. Judging from the positive response, there just have to be future swaps.

This free backyard farmers’ market was held 11 AM ‘til noon on Saturday, August 21, in the parking lot at Common Ground Organic Garden Supply & Education Center.

We saw the “gift economy” at work! About 25 people brought items to share and sampled the wide variety of beautiful produce available. Folks were glad for the chance to chat with one another, marvel at interesting varieties, share gardening experiences, and offer ideas of how to use the food. There was even more conversation than we see at farmers’ markets.

The swap is supported by a coalition of community groups including: Acterra, Barron Park Green Team, Barron Park Garden Network, Barron Park Assn., Common Ground, Palo Alto Community Gardens, Slow Food South Bay, and Transition Palo Alto.

Drop by next time, even if you don’t have a harvest to share yet!

Next swap event: 
Saturday, September 11, 11 AM – Noon

at Palo Alto Main Community Garden
located behind the Palo Alto Main Library at 1213 Newell Rd.

(Check for announcements of more garden swap events on this website.)

10/10/10 Work Day: Sunday, October 10, 2010

Posted on by promiserani
1

It’s Time for an Oil Change:

Green Activities for Parents and Kids10/10/10 global work party

Get ready for 10/10/10! Transition Palo Alto has partnered with 350.org for this worldwide day of action to spread the word about peak oil and climate change, and all the ways you can cut your carbon emissions. We’re planning a big day of activities for kids, parents and all adults, including skills you may have forgotten or never learned, but which your grandparents likely knew.

Among the highlights:

  • We’ll be building an end-to-cheap-oil tower.
  • Activities include building a solar oven, knitting, creating arts and crafts, and many more (additional info here).
  • See a slide show on reducing your carbon footprint by one of Al Gore’s “Inconvenient Thirty”, Axel Clavier.
  • Pledge to reduce your carbon and get your passport to a greener Palo Alto!

To sign up or to help out, go to http://www.350.org/node/17534 and click on “RSVP”.

Follow-up activities for Film Series

Posted on by bart
Reply

Dear Film Series attendees,

Thanks for participating in our fabulous Films of Hope and Vision Film Series! At our potluck on June 18, we talked about ways to learn more and take action. Please read on for information and group contacts. If you’d like to be on the list for a group, just drop the group leader a email message.

We hope to see you at our next Film Series (tentatively scheduled for September). And we’ll let you know about any other activities of interest!

Gardening/Foot Production/Slow Food
The group shared interests, including lawn conversion, fruit trees, apartment gardening, agroecology, tinkering, and information sharing. We are considering an intergenerational gardening project in San Jose that would give us a chance to be involved with gardening and local community members. If you’re interested in keeping in touch on this project or other related activities that come up, please write to William Mutch at permifree AT yahoo DOT com.

Learning More About Transition
Motivated by the film series, about 10 of us will start reading the “The Transition Handbook” as a book group in July. An email message will soon go out to those who have signed up. The group will be co-chaired by Bart Anderson, Paul Heft and William Mutch of Transition Palo Alto. If you are interested (and haven’t signed up already), please write to Bart Anderson at bart AT cwo DOT com.

If your summer is already full, don’t worry. Another group will be starting later in the fall. Also, the “Transition Handbook” can be ordered through local book stores. We’ll probably put in a group order through one of them, to get a discount. Other ways to learn about Transition:

Transition Handbook: http://transitionculture.org/shop/the-transition-handbook
Transition Palo Alto: http://transitionpaloalto.org

Film Series and Community Building
We talked about starting a new film series on Energy/Transportation in September. To do so, we’ll need to identify and preview films. Our first group assignment is to work on ideas. Then we’ll get together starting in July to preview and select films. Also, group members expressed an interest in activities over the summer to continue community building. If you have ideas or would like to help with film series planning or other activities, please write to Barbara Weinstein ( barbara AT ontrk DOT com ).

All the best,
The Films of Hope and Vision Planning Team

movieattendees mailing list
To add/remove yourself from this list, follow this link:
http://www.svanetwork.org/mailman/sub/movieattendees

Friday Night Film Series: Food Issues

Posted on by Paul Heft
Reply

Free   Friday Night Film Series

at World Centric, 7:30 – 9:30 P.M.
2121 Staunton Ct., Palo Alto    (behind JJ&F Market)

  • May 14 – Power of Community –  When the Soviet Union collapsed, Cuba couldn’t export its sugar or import oil . This film shows how Cuba weathered the crisis.  Powerful, insightful, and uplifting.  Don’t miss this one!  (Check out the post-film discussion “map” from Feb. 19, PDF)
  • May 21 – King Corn  – A feature documentary about two friends, one acre of corn, and the subsidized crop that drives our fast-food nation. 
  • May 28 – Two Angry Moms – What’s wrong with school lunches? Strategies for overcoming roadblocks and getting healthy, good tasting, real food into school cafeterias.
  • June 4  – Establishing a Food Forest  – How to establish and maintain a food forest, one of the main sustainable systems that will allow us to inhabit this planet indefinitely.
  • June 11 – In Transition – How local communities, like ours, can respond to peak oil and global warming while building community and enjoying life.  (Check out the post-film discussion “map” from Mar. 12, PDF)
  • June 18 – Potluck (Let’s share food that’s been grown within 100 miles !)

Lively discussions will follow each film.

Sponsored by Acterra, Silicon Valley Action Network, Slow Food South Bay, Transition Palo Alto, Transition Silicon Valley, and World Centric