Environment

Group Notices

Our next meeting will be Thursday, March 18.  Please come and join us for 2 stimulating talks.  

Flavia Franco will talk about a support group she is forming to 'curb our energy appetite'.   This talk presents a strategy and support for making personal changes in three areas: electricity usage, transportation, and consumption.   The strategy utilizes the methods that a group of local university researchers found to be the most effective ways to help people change habits.

Dr Alex Cannara will give a talk on Energy Basics.  What we should know to help ourselves, our towns & our families.  What we must know to choose products, companies and jobs that last.

Flavia and Alex are both passionate activists who want to show us how to make a dent in reversing the global warming trend.  One by one, step by step, we'll get there.  We hope you can come and take these steps with us.

Meeting Location: First Presbyterian Church, Classroom 1, 1140 Cowper, Palo Alto, CA.

Date and Time: March 18, 2010 at 7:30pm.

And don't miss the Winter film series on Friday! Read below for details.

Barbara and Cynthia

Courses on Nature Connection and Permaculture Design!

 Nature Connection and Permaculture Design!

Are you looking for an empowering and sustainable way to create change in yourself, the land you live on, and your community? Designing a regenerative culture depends on a harmonious relationship between nature and people, in which observation and thoughtful interaction provide the knowledge and inspiration necessary to being a resilient community.  Join Garden Teacher Lydia Neilsen and other local teachers for these very special collaborative weekend courses here at our very own  Waldorf School.  Getting Nature Connected  and the 4 Seasons Permaculture Course, can be taken separately or together and are intended to provide participants with tools and experience to begin living in a mutually enhancing relationship with the Earth. Children's programs are available throughout the weekend as well. 

Permaculture is a design science rooted in the observation of natural systems, and informed by a set of ethics and principles. The principles of permaculture teach us how to design ways of living that have the stability and resiliency of natural ecosystems — they show us positive solutions for creating and managing systems for food, medicine, and building materials, as well as relationships with ourselves, animals, and our communities. Permaculture always keeps in sight three ethics: care of the Earth, care of people, and generating and sharing the surplus.  Permaculture is solution-focused! We have solutions that are available on any scale, and we can make a change that will reach out to future generations. the PDC offered at the Santa Cruz Waldorf School will be uniquely integrated with the Waldorf School Community as well as being connected with the UCSC agro-ecology community, Transition Santa Cruz, and the Live Oak Grange. The course will also include discussion of Rudolf Steiner's teachings on agriculture, known as Biodynamics, which is being recognized for increasing soil health and corresponding plant and animal health and nutritional quality. We will also explore Steiner's thoughts on the  human-nature connection and land stewardship, as well as business, economics and the three-fold social order. This collaboration will be a dynamic and community building experience for all involved!
 

Getting Nature Connected
Offered: 3rd Friday and Saturday of the month, March - August 2010 and September 2010 - February 2011
 

Location: Santa Cruz Waldorf School 
Cost: $825
(goto the website for more info)
 
Introduction to Permaculture*
Offered: Friday, April 16, 6:30–8:30pm
Location: Santa Cruz Waldorf School, Santa Cruz, CA
Suggested Donation: $10
What is permaculture? Join us for a 2-hour presentation and explore the ethics and principles of this ecological design science.
 
*The evening will also focus on the permaculture movement in Santa Cruz. Lydia Neilsen, Ken Foster, Dave Shaw and others will share their stories and discuss the dynamic collaboration that is building between the Waldorf School, Transition Santa Cruz, the Live Oak Grange, and the UCSC Agro-ecology community around permaculture.

Four Seasons Permaculture Design Course
Offered: 3rd Sunday of the month, April 2010 - March 2011
Location: Santa Cruz Waldorf School 
Cost: $660-1100

(goto the website for more info)

 

Take a stand for organics! Reject Monsanto's GMOs

Join Food Democracy Now to protect the integrity of organics by not approving the use of genetically-modified (GMO) alfalfa. The USDA has alarmingly and mistakenly announced that they do not believe that consumers care whether or not GMO's are a part of our food supply and our agricultural production. Approving GMO alfalfa would significantly harm the integrity of and access to organic food, as well as the livelihoods of organic farmers. We need to show them that we do indeed care!
Please take a moment to submit your comments to the USDA by following this link from Food Democracy Now! Then please pass this on. Every voice counts! http://fdn.actionkit.com/cms/sign/make_a_stand_for_organics/?referring_a...  
 

Winter Film Series - Community, Connection and Sustainability

Concerned about the environment and climate change?
Looking for ways to make a positive, sustainable change for people and the planet?
Join us for a Friday evening film series that focuses on hopeful and positive solutions to problems affecting our world

It will be a great way to learn more and connect with our Bay Area environmental community.

Time: 

02/19/2010 - 7:30pm - 9:30pm
02/26/2010 - 7:30pm - 9:30pm
03/05/2010 - 7:30pm - 9:30pm
03/12/2010 - 7:30pm - 9:30pm
03/19/2010 - 7:30pm - 9:30pm

Address: 

3921 E. Bayshore Rd., Palo Alto, CA

Hosted by SVAN, Acterra, and Transitions

URGENT OUTREACH - Wednesday nationwide phonebank to constituents whose House members haven't committed to health care reform

Time: 
03/10/2010 - 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Address: 
see below

The Details
Phone bank reach-out Wednesday March 10 in Palo Alto (Health Care Phonebank)
 
We will be calling other Californian supporters of healthcare reform to enlist their help in reaching their representatives. It's time to push and pass some real reform!! Come and join us, light refreshments will be available :)

(Note: This is the same phone bank as the other march 10 reach-out - this one just has the address included so you can come! Call me with any questions and to rsvp: Megan 650-325-4548
 

Time:
Wednesday, March 10 from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Host:
Megan Smith

Location:

Jean Griffith's home (Palo Alto, CA)
330 Campesino Ave
Palo Alto, CA 94306
Maps:

 

 

 

 

Biking across the country -- Journey to promote sustainability

On April 22, 2010, the brother and sister team, known as The Green Riders, will embark on a journey across the country on electric bicycles.  They will pedal away from their childhood home in Palo Alto, California and head southeast on their journey to meet and share stories with champions of sustainability.

The final chapter of this journey will be in Washington DC where they will deliver their petition, “The Declaration of Interdependence”  to the White House.  Signatures will be collected in ink along the route as well as electronically through this site.

The goal of The Green Riders is to inspire, educate and activate people towards becoming more engaged in the growing sustainability movement happening all across this country. The more people know about what they are doing, the more chances they have to increase the ranks of sustainability activists.

To encourage and join their effort virtually, let's follow them on Facebook and/or Twitter.  Their blog is full of cool stories about their gears and setup.  If you have any connection to the White House, the Green Riders would love to your help in finalizing their DC plan.  Matter of fact, they'd love to hear from anyone who wants to get involved.  Please contact them at thegreenriders.bock@gmail.com.

The website www.thegreenriders.org is where you will find information about the trip and about the Green Riders.  Also included is a sustainability petition that they will deliver to the White House at the end of their ride.

Their blog is where their social media focus is.  They have links to facebook, twitter, etc. and they will be posting blogs with photos and videos as they make their way across the country exploring the sustainable solutions happening right now.
www.thegreenriders.blogspot.com.
 

Group Discussions

Topic Author Replies Last Postsort icon Last Post Author
cynthiatham's picture
3/18/2010 SVAN Environment Group Meeting Notes cynthiatham 03/19/2010 - 2:34am cynthiatham
cynthiatham's picture
Reminder: Please come and join us this evening about "Curbing your energy appetite" and Energy Basics. We'd love to see you. cynthiatham 03/18/2010 - 8:41am cynthiatham
AlexC's picture
Climate Change Myths AlexC 2 03/17/2010 - 11:55pm AlexC
Watergroove's picture
***Today is the last day!*** Please support Assemblyman Paul Fong on AB1947 Watergroove 03/17/2010 - 9:52am Watergroove
cynthiatham's picture
Please help to get the words out for our March 18th talks on Curbing our energy appetite and make smart choices cynthiatham 1 03/16/2010 - 9:45pm AlexC
bkengland's picture
Drive Less Challenge 2010: Starting on Earth Day, preregistration now open... bkengland 03/11/2010 - 12:25pm bkengland
cynthiatham's picture
Biking across the country -- Journey to promote sustainability cynthiatham 03/01/2010 - 2:27pm cynthiatham
psalvatierra's picture
Reminder: 21st AD Candidate Forum psalvatierra 02/21/2010 - 2:03pm psalvatierra
cynthiatham's picture
2/18/2010 SVAN Environment Group Meeting Notes cynthiatham 02/19/2010 - 12:16am cynthiatham
Chevyfhuis's picture
BOOK: Authors of "The Full Plate Diet" Chevyfhuis 02/19/2010 - 12:12am Chevyfhuis
dcarnese's picture
Biofuels 2.0 - *tomorrow* Feb. 16 - Stanford/MIT Venture Lab dcarnese 02/15/2010 - 5:02pm dcarnese
psalvatierra's picture
Help finish the fight for health reform psalvatierra 02/08/2010 - 3:10pm psalvatierra
Watergroove's picture
Republican attack on Obama **IMPORTANT** Watergroove 01/31/2010 - 12:22pm Watergroove
Chevyfhuis's picture
Gas May Be the Key to Climate Changes Chevyfhuis 14 01/27/2010 - 2:33am Watergroove
AlexC's picture
Myth of recent climate cooling AlexC 01/08/2010 - 6:22pm AlexC
dholcomb's picture
Overwhelmed dholcomb 12/22/2009 - 3:43pm dholcomb
Watergroove's picture
Could there be a natural phenomina as well to global warming Watergroove 1 12/22/2009 - 1:26pm AlexC
cynthiatham's picture
What changing the color of your roof can do for global warming cynthiatham 1 12/22/2009 - 12:29pm AlexC
Watergroove's picture
Stop PG&E Watergroove 12/22/2009 - 10:58am Watergroove
cynthiatham's picture
CBO Scores Senate Climate Bill - Will Save $21 Billion in First 10 Years cynthiatham 12/17/2009 - 11:23pm cynthiatham
Chevyfhuis's picture
EPA Head Says United States must "Make Up For Lost Time" On Climate Control! Chevyfhuis 12/09/2009 - 10:50am Chevyfhuis
dholcomb's picture
Vote Earth dholcomb 11/18/2009 - 6:03pm dholcomb
dholcomb's picture
Our focus dholcomb 1 10/31/2009 - 3:55pm peterandmeiling
dholcomb's picture
November meeting and the school educational project idea dholcomb 3 10/31/2009 - 12:57pm dholcomb
cynthiatham's picture
RESCHEDULED: Wednesday 10/29 9am (12pm EDT) call with Senator Kerry - Energy and Climate Legislation cynthiatham 2 10/20/2009 - 10:51pm cynthiatham

Group Wiki Pages

Last comment timesort icon Title Last comment author
12/31/2009 - 9:38am WHITE HOUSE streaming Video Chevyfhuis
10/23/2009 - 1:39am Energy/Environment Group Activities cynthiatham