Welcome,

Thank you for visiting our site!

Here at Local Green Sierra, we believe we are at a pivotal point regarding the health and long term survivability of our environment. A new vision is emerging that will take us beyond the current global crisis rooted in consumption, exploitation and personal gain. This new vision is one of community; it is based on communication, collaboration, and an informed citizenry. It is our intention to help facilitate and accelerate this movement toward a cleaner, healthier planet.

The purpose of this site is to help you make everyday choices to support your values, encourage and support our community, and hopefully save you money in the long run. We aim to be a green community bulletin board, where you can find what you are looking for in the Sierras having to do with creating a sustainable, efficient and clean community.

Our mission is to promote local businesses and people who are making small or large efforts at being green and sustainable. We are not a certifying agent like Keep The Sierra Green, but instead are a tool to help promote those businesses that are making an effort toward being a responsible part of the community. We want to encourage and provide a means for them to make a change for the better.

Businesses listed by category are located in the Directory on the upper menu bar. On that same menu bar you will also find other resources for becoming more sustainable: green events, green media, and volunteer opportunities. The lower menu bar contains news, current issues, and other helpful info. Do you have a project that you are working on and would like to let others know about? Is there something you are passionate about that you would like to let others know about? Have you recently made your business model more sustainable and would like to get the word out? Send us your stories and we’ll put them up.

If you would like to be added to the directory (basic listings are free!) or have something to add – an article, job listing or swap, e-mail lori@localgreensierra.com

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Sierra Permaculture Guild: EcoVillage & Low Impact Development Strategic Planning

Do you want to know how to be able to successfully build and create an EcoVillage? Join us for in depth discussion about strategic planning that can be done here in the United States based upon the work and success of the Lammas EcoVillage in Wales. Learn how Paul Wimbush and the Lammas family pioneered from the ground up the first global model of… an ‘EcoVillage’ that made it through the strict and rigorous planning departments of Wales in the UK. Learn why if Lammas could succeed in the UK then community planners can also succeed here in California using the Lammas process and model to get through the red tape and/or community resistance. Presented by Dandarius of the Interdependent Project: http://interdependentproject.org/

Always free and open to the public — donations gratefully accepted. Anyone interested in permaculture, sustainable design, ecological agriculture, peak oil, relocalization and related topics is encouraged to attend and participate. Bring your questions, ideas, stories, and visions of how permaculture can help us bridge the transition as we co-create sustainable homesteads, communities and livelihoods.

***This month, our meeting will be held on the THIRD Saturday!***Saturday, September 18, 2010, 2:30pm gathering & networking, 3:00pm meeting start/presentations

In the yo’garage at Willow Springs, 29085 State Highway 49, North San Juan, CA 95960, (530) 292-3463, Web: http://willowspringsnsj.org/wp
Seating is limited. Please bring a mat, pillow, or folding chair to sit on.

For Sierra Permaculture Guild information, please contact Paul Racko at (530)613-4181
paul@sierrapermaculture.org, http://sierrapermaculture.org/, Join the Sierra Permaculture Guild Listserv on Yahoo! Groups
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SierraPermaculture/join Become a Fan on Facebook!, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sierra-Permaculture-Guild/199464354385

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September 25th 2010 – Last year more than 3,500 volunteers joined together to remove over 130 tons of trash and recyclables from Sierra rivers during the very first Great Sierra River Cleanup. More than 100 community groups spread across 22 counties and 500 river miles to pull appliances, cigarette butts, beverage cans, baby diapers, tires, furniture, and more from the rivers and streams that supply the State of California with 65 percent of its water. This effort, in partnership with the California Coastal Cleanup Day, serves to promote good stewardship on all of our waterways, from the source to the sea.

What is the Great Sierra River Clean Up?

The Great Sierra River Cleanup is the premier volunteer event focused on removing trash and restoring the health of waterways throughout the Sierra Nevada Region. This cleanup is an annual event coordinated by the Sierra Nevada Conservancy and held in conjunction with California Coastal Cleanup Day. For more info go to: http://www.sierranevadaconservancy.ca.gov/rivercleanup.html

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Featured Green Business of the Month:

Greensmart produces bags made from 100% recycled plastic bottles. Backpacks, lunchsacks, Laptop covers, Wine totes and more. At GreenSmart, they try every day to make the world greensmarter. From the designs they create, to the materials they use, to how they manufacture and ship their products, they put everything we do through their GreenSmart filter. They believe that even the smallest of positive actions every day can result in big changes toward a better product and a better environment in the long run. It is a pursuit of best practices for them. They have been doing it since we started back in 1995.

Their intentions are simple, transparent and ongoing:

• To make great bags using green materials.
• To use smarter manufacturing practices whenever possible.
• To provide smarter ideas for our own lives, as well as our customers.
• To help educate and influence others through our products and practices.
• To be passionate about everything we do.

To help guide us in our mission and incorporate our GreenSmart philosophy into everything we do, we approach success with 3 criteria in mind: people, product and planet.

People: Social Responsibility

GreenSmart is a human-powered company. Our success is fueled by the hearts and minds of our customers, retailers, designers,and partners that encourage and inspire each of us to do better every day. Through our shared commitment to the GreenSmart philosophy, we strive to be continuously innovative, efficient and conscientious about every business decision we approach. We believe in the power of environmental education and the ability to enable all of us to make smarter choices about our lifestyles. Because of this, we will continually lead the charge to better educate everyone about the environment through communication in our marketing, our products and on the web. To be successful requires the continued healthy relationship we share with our suppliers around the world, as they tirelessly pursue newer and better materials, practices and work conditions.

Product: Supply Chain Integrity

GreenSmart approaches and continually strives to make the most sustainable products possible including overall design, materials, production processes and distribution. For us, design is more than how a product looks, it is also about how a product is used. If a product is all form with little focus on function, whether it’s green or not, it loses its ability to be sustainable. Because of this, we make sure every product we make is created with a minimum impact on the earth, and a positive impact in your life. That is why all the products that we make are just that, green and smart.

Planet: The place we call home

We can all agree that less landfill is good, and less energy used to make products makes sense, too, not to mention lots of other greensmarter ideas. Polluting the planet for profit is a short sighted business model that serves no one. We believe businesses can be positive change agents and still be profitable, innovative and transparent in their pursuit to creating a better product and a better planet. That is why GreenSmart will always be visionary in its effort to seek greener materials and work with our suppliers to utilize energy-efficient, eco-conscious and people sensitive ways to produce our products.

When we look forward,we see a GreenSmart planet that is sustainable and proactive when it comes to using its resources in countless GreenSmart ways. Our commitment to reaching this goal will take both big and small steps. Because even small steps like turning off lights, using less water or buying recycled products can make a big difference when everyone joins in and does their part. Together we can help create a GreenSmart planet.

Greensmart Headquarters are locates in Grass Valley Ca, You can find them on the web at www.greensmart.biz.

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Eat Local Nevada County! A Challenge put on by the Co-op system and locally, BriarPatch.

How local can you eat? For the month of August Briarpatch Co-op in Grass Valley challenges you to a diet of nothing but Local products. You do get a 200 mile radius to choose from but the more local the product is, the less pollution is generated and you are supporting your local farmers as well, which in turn strengthens our local food security.  Events throughout the month can be found on their calendar here and include Come Home to Eat, August 22nd at Gateway Park in Penn Valley and local food tastings throughout the month. You can also eat out at selected restaurants serving local food during the month of August, get a card stamped (get the card at BP) and if you fill it up (4 stamps) – enter it for a prize in a raffle at the end of the month! Eat Local First! Participating restaurants include: BriarPatch, The Organic Grill, New Moon Cafe, Ike’s, Diego’s, Matteo’s, The Old Five Mile House, Summer Thyme’s, Flour Garden and Citronee all in Grass Valley and Nevada City.……………………………………………………………………………..

Discover the future of organic farming in three mellow days on the San Mateo Coast. The Slow Coast Bicycle Tour is an indulgent taste of coastal life crafted for anyone with a bicycle, a passion to learn, and a love for food from the source. Details: www.wheeledmigration.org/slowcoast

Fully supported by on-bike mechanics, guides and a luggage van, this all inclusive event features live music, picture perfect farmlands, feisty bac…k roads, epic ocean vistas, camping in the redwoods, fruit-picking, tastings, site tours, banquets with the farmers, and guest speakers presenting the new story of independent, organic farming.

WANT TO GO? Register *now* to reserve your seat! www.wheeledmigration.org/signup

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Join PlacerGROWN for the inaugural

Eat The View Farm to Table Dinner – Sunday, July 25, 5:30-8:30pm – Postponed to a later date

The new  Eat the View Farm to Table Dinner series is inspired by a poster created several years ago by Joanne Neft, featuring this message:

If you love to love to look at farmland…
you’ve got to Eat the View or lose it!

What better place to Eat the View! We invite you to an intimate al fresco dinner on a knoll at the heart of Natural Trading Company’s 40-acre farm in Newcastle.

You’ll gaze on orchards, row crops, greenhouses and the beautiful rolling foothills as you enjoy a gourmet dinner prepared by Chef David Hill, a true advocate of local, seasonal delicacies.

- Wine Tasting & Farm Tour
- Multi-Course Farm Fresh Dinner
- Placer County Real Food Cookbook Signing
$100 per person including tax and gratuity

Menu Includes:
Lamb & Sweet Pepper stuffed Squash Bites
Thai Chicken Lettuce Cups
Watermelon and Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with mint and feta cheese
Grilled Squash and Tomato Salad with pea shoots and goat cheese
White Wine Braised Natural Trading Company Chicken with Purple Potato Salad and Cippolini Onions
Blueberry-Peach Pie with Vanilla-Black Pepper Custard

Advance Reservation Required. Seating is limited.

Go to The Chef’s Table website to reserve your place for this elegant, intimate experience. Using “Open Table,” go to July 25, and make your reservation at 5:30pm.
You may also call PlacerGROWN at (530) 889-7398 for reservations.

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Green Drinks August24th  -

We will be discussing the Eat Local Challenge and why eating locally is important to the local economy and food systems. Bring a dish made of 80% local products to share. Come and network with like minded people interested in sustainability.

Contact us If you would like to be a speaker at one of our upcoming GreenDrinks.

e-mail Lori at lori@localgreensierra.com. Hope to see you there!

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July 1st: Exhibit explores the roots of America’s health crisis at the A.P.P.L.E. center for Sustainable Living, though August 30^th.

In the midst of our health insurance crisis, while Americans fill billions of prescriptions per year, the A.P.P.L.E. Center for Sustainable Living is examining how we each can and must be more in control of our personal health, with an exhibit titled Personal Health and Vitality Now! Sustainably Caring for your 50 trillion cells.

Since the rise of big drug companies and even bigger insurance companies, Americans have become less and less in touch with their health, and more reliant on their doctors/insurance companies/prescriptions to be “healthy”. However, American heath is on the decline, mostly do to health problems caused by unhealthy behaviors such as high fat diets, little exercise, high stress, and little sleep.

For the healthcare pendulum to swing back toward disease prevention (and away from treatment) we as individuals must take responsibility for our own health! It’s easier than you might think, and the new exhibit at the A.P.P.L.E. Center can show you how.

The exhibit shows how human systems are interconnected, and by understanding some basic principals, our health and vitality is in our hands. For example, immune system strength is tied to digestive system health and the physical signs of stress can be self-treated with simple mind exercises before stress causes disease.

“Most Americans are so out of touch with their bodies, they don’t even realize they are unhealthy until it’s too late, and they end up in emergency care,” explains Erin Hense, RN at Sierra Nevada Memorial Hospital in Grass Valley. “With this exhibit, we’re trying to show our community how much individuals, moms, and families really can do to prevent that traumatic scenario.”

The A.P.P.L.E. Center is a community hub for the Alliance for a Post-Petroleum Local Economy of Nevada County. In the wake of the gulf oil spill and narrowing predictions of when the globe will experience peak-oil, the A.P.P.L.E. Center is increasing its outreach on the effects of less available fossil fuels. The current healthcare system is precariously dependent on plastics, disposable tools, energy and manufactured pharmaceuticals, all of which depend on cheap, abundant availability of fossil fuels.

Accompanying the 2 month exhibit will be 4 public events hosted by the A.P.P.L.E. Center. Three panel presentations will cover the topics of Plant-based Medicine, Integrative Medicine, and Mind-Body Medicine. The fourth event will be a community forum exploring what real, local healthcare reform would look like in Nevada County, see our calendar of events for the details.

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Keep Tahoe Blue - Please join us for the 13th Annual Tahoe Forest Stewardship Day at North Lake Tahoe Regional Park! September 11 · 8:30am – 2:00pm.

The event, sponsored by the League to Save Lake Tahoe and NTPUD, will focus on the wildland urban interface between the park and the town of Tahoe Vista. It will combine field education in forest ecology, defensible space, BMP’s, soil conservation, wildlife biology, and natural history with hands-on forest restoration projects. …Restoration projects will include hand-thinning of over-stocked forests, trail restoration, native plant re-vegetation, and erosion control practices.

Volunteers of all ages and abilities are welcome! In addition, we need qualified team leaders to work with teams of 10 – 15 volunteers. If you enjoy working with people and have field experience in a natural resource discipline, please consider being a team leader for this year’s Tahoe Forest Stewardship Day.

For more information on being a team leader or a volunteer, contact Flavia Sordelet at (530) 541-5388 or events@keeptahoeblue.org.

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Grand Opening celebration at the Eriksson Education Center

TAHOE CITY, Calif. — Activities begin from 1 to 4 p.m. with Children’s Environmental Science Day. Treat your child to a fun and educational afternoon of environmental science. More than 40 interactive science activities hosted by organizations around the region will be available for children ages 6 and up. There will be information provided by Lake Tahoe research scientists, a live animal presentation with Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care and a living green seminar. Free ice cream from Susie Scoops will be provided throughout the day.

Continue in the festivities from 4 to 6 p.m. with the North Lake Tahoe Chamber mixer and open house. Complimentary food will be provided by Sawtooth Ridge Café. There will be a cash bar hosted by Incline Spirits and also live music with Dan Copeland.

The historical hatchery was built in the 1920s. The building was recently restored and is opening to the public for the first time since fish hatchery operations closed in 1956.

The center will be open Saturdays through Labor Day. Volunteer docents will provide free tours of the historic fish hatchery and demonstration gardens. Children of all ages can participate in new scientific exhibits and interactive games. Guests will learn about the historic hatchery and current research. Learn the answers to all your Lake Tahoe environmental and scientific questions.

The Eriksson Education Center is located just a half-mile from downtown Tahoe City at Highway 28 (North Tahoe Boulevard) and Lake Forest Road. Due to limited parking, guests are encouraged to walk or ride bikes down the paved bike path and follow the “fish” to the event. Free public transportation provided by the TART bus will also be available.

For more information, visit the Tahoe Environmental Research Center online at www.terc.ucdavis.edu.

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Featured Green Business

S.O.A.P.

If you haven’t noticed we have a Green Business Directory on the top left side of the page. We want to promote those businesses that are doing great things to make the planet a better place to live.

This month we are featuring S.O.A.P. or Save Our Ailing Planet. Lori Largent the owner wanted to make make a difference in the world so she opened a bulk soap shop. By Buying in bulk lots of plastic is saved from going into the landfill, as of today Lori has saved 300 containers from becoming more landfill material.

Bring your own containers to refill or she also stocks a few different kinds of glass bottles for purchase. She has a great selection of shampoos, soaps, laundry detergents and more featuring: Dr. Bronners, Ecos, Ecover, BioKleen, Soap Nuts, Nature’s Gate, Dishmate, Alba, Kiss My Face and Shikai.

SAVE OUR AILING PLANET is your one stop refill shop for natural and organic Soap and MORE! Open from 10-6 daily. 11-4 Saturdays. Think Local! Shop SOAP! Member Think Local First!

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The Farmers Markets are in full swing!

Here’s a short list of the area’s markets :

FOOTHILLS

• Auburn Old Town Courthouse Parking Lot - Yearround – The Auburn Farmers’ Market continues to roll, Saturday from 8AM-Noon, rain or shine.  The location is the courthouse parking lot in downtown Auburn, right off Auburn-Folsom road.
• Auburn:DeWitt Center -  Wednesday’s – Bell Rd and 1st St. June 9th-Nov. 24th, 10-1
• Foresthill – Wednesday’s – Main Street June 9-August 25, 4-7 PM
  
• Nevada City Farmers Market – Saturdays – 8-12, June 19th-October. Union Street in downtown Nevada City. Locally produced goods and produce.
• Nevada County Growers Market – Saturdays- Historic North Star House, Circa 1906, 12075 Old Auburn Road, just before Gate 4 of the Nevada County Fairgrounds turn left onto Auburn Road. Saturdays 8-12. May-October North Star House 8-noonLive music every Saturday,Children’s Art with Mim Meakin the first Saturday of every month. 
  • Tuesdays, Nevada City, June-October Sierra Presbyterian Church 3-6 PM, 175 Ridge Road at Nevada City Highway
  • Thursdays, Penn Valley, June-September Seventh Day Adventist Church 2-5:30 PM, 17645 Penn Valley Dr.

TRUCKEE/TAHOE

• Truckee: Truckee River Regional Park, 10500 Brockway Rd, off Highway 267, Tuesdays, 8 am – 1 pm, June 9 – Oct. 13
• Kings Beach: Kings Beach State Regional Park, Highway 28 at Bear Street, Tuesdays 9 am – 1 pm, June 9 – Sept. 1
• Tahoe City: Commons Beach, North Lake Blvd in downtown Tahoe City, Thursdays, 8 am – 1 pm, May 21 – Oct. 15
• Homewood: Homewood Mountain Ski Resort, 5145 Westlake Blvd on Highway 89, Saturdays, 9 am – 1 pm, June 20 – Aug. 29
• Sierra Valley Farm Farmers Market – The only on-farm farmers’ market in California, the market is located on a 70-year old family farm north of Truckee. The Farmers’ Market features a free chef’s cooking demonstration from noon to 1 pm, highlighting some of the most prestigious chefs in the Reno/Tahoe Area. When the chefs are not on the schedule, the Artisans Market is in full swing. The artisans are all local, talented unique artists with affordable wares. Fridays, 10 am – 2:30 pm, First Friday in June – Second Friday in September., 1329 County Rd A23, Beckwourth http://Sierravalleyfarms.com

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Meet Ben Emery Our Local Green Party Candidate

My name is Ben Emery and I live in Nevada City, CA with my wife and two kids. I’m a native Northern Californian who lives and works in Nevada City. I believe that our government has become wholly owned subsidiaries of Trans-national corporations and cannot govern in the public’s best interests. A third party revolution is needed to lead us out of this corruption. What we need is to unite against corruption and unethical practices and take back Democracy in America. As your representative I will not back down from big money interests and will fight for the rights of working class citizens.

Once in office my primary issues will be Public Financing of Campaigns, Total Financial Reform, and Single Payer Health Insurance Program (Medicare for all). Other issues will be a peaceful ending to our occupations of Afghanistan/ Iraq and Social/ Economic Justice.

Ben Emery – www.benemery.org – Green Party – www.cagreens.org

Because the Earth community is imperiled and the current political system has proved ineffective, Green politics has arisen worldwide through Green parties and kindred grassroots movements.

The Green Party of California was formed in 1990-91 when more than 103,000 pragmatic visionaries changed their voter registration to “Green” and thereby qualified the new party for the state-level ballot in California. The Green Party of California stands on two legs: one in electoral work (initiatives, referenda and candidates), and one in community projects and grassroots social-change movements that are compatible with the Green vision. That vision is based on Ten Key Values adopted by the U.S. Green movement.

Through political application of these values, we seek to repair and create bonds of community that have been weakened or destroyed by economic, political and social dynamics.

10 Key Values:

The first four values are the pillars of the Green Party philosophy. http://www.cagreens.org/platform/10k.shtml

Ecological Wisdom, Grassroots Democracy, Social Justice, Nonviolence, Decentralization, Community-Based Economics, Feminism, Respect for Diversity, Global Responsibility, Sustainability

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Living Lands Farm Tour & Membership Drive

Pick up a map and a muffin at the Pioneer Park amphitheater and tour three unique farm sites in Nevada City.  Meet the farmers, enjoy delicious farm fresh appetizers prepared by In the Kitchen, and learn more about LLAN’s unique model of farming.  Bring the family and see farm demonstrations like a horse-drawn plow, goat-milking, and more. After the tours, bring a picnic lunch and celebration back at Pioneer Park with live music and games.  Members will enjoy farm fresh ice cream from TREATS and have a chance to win great prizes like a home-garden consultation with one of the LLAN farmers.

Living Lands Agrarian Network is a non-profit organization that offers training and mentorship to the next generation of farmers.  Their unique model of cooperative farming integrates ecological education, community involvement, resource sharing, and celebration around the food we grow in our own neighborhoods.  Proceeds will go towards expanding our educational programs and the development of local farms.

Be at the Pioneer Park Amphitheater in Nevada City between 9 and 9:30 on the morning of July 11 to get a muffin and map for the tour.  The Alliance for People Powered Transportation (APPT) will be organizing a bike tour from farm to farm, departing the park at 9:15am, so leave your car at home ride your bike instead!  The full tour costs $25 per person ($30 the day of) or tour free with a $45  – $100 Living Lands membership.  Family discounts are available.  To sign up, or read more about it, visit www.livinglandsagrarian.org, or  call Tim Van Wagner at 530-205-8817

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Do-it-Yourself Herbal Classes

Rachel Berry – www.backyardbotanics.com -

Learn how to make your own lotions, salves, topical body care, baby care, and more using local plants and other easy to find, organic ingredients.  Save money, reduce your carbon footprint, avoid chemicals in commercial products, and enjoy a deeper connection and appreciation for the plants growing in your bioregion.  Each course will include a how-to on basic herbal preparations, recipes to try at home, a list of easy to grow and useful herbs to put in your garden, and a set of products to take home at the end of the day.

Nourish Thyself, June 26
Spend a day in the garden making nourishing remedies for the body, and take home your own cream, salve, facial scrub and more.  You’ll also leave with a basic know-how to make your own, and a handful of recipes to experiment even more.  www.backyardbotanics.com/Nourish_Thyself.html
Herbal  Baby Care, June 27

A great class for parents and parents-to-be who want to make their own pure and clean baby care products that really work.  Learn basic preparation methods and leave with a diaper salve, baby massage oil, diaper powder & more. www.backyardbotanics.com/BabyCareEssentials.html

Herbal First Aid, September 25
Learn about basic herbal preparations by making your own herbal first aid kit.  You’ll get hands-on experience making a medicinal salve, tincture, powder, and more.  Leave with your own travel-size kit to take home. www.backyardbotanics.com/Herbal_First_Aid.html

Coming Soon: Herbal Personal Care
Learn how to make your own toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, mouthwash and more.

Classes held in at a home garden in Grass Valley.  $60-$70 per class, plus materials fee. Trades may be negotiated.  For more information, call 530-273-3083, email info(at)backyardbotanics.com, or visit www.backyardbotanics.com

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Lend Your Locks, Used Pantyhose to Help Oil Spill Cleanup Efforts

Gulf of Mexico oil spill getting you down? Time for a hair cut. While it may seem like a harebrained scheme at first blush, hair clippings make remarkably quick work of sopping up oil. Just ask Matter of Trust, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that collects landfill-bound locks from over 300,000 salons and barbershops throughout North and South America, China, and India. Piled together, the discarded tresses are then needle-punched into hair mats or stuffed, sausage-like, into nylon hose to create absorbent “booms.”

HAIR RAISING

Any hair, including processed hair, soaks up oil even better than fur or synthetics can. (A pound of hair can absorb a quart of oil in one minute.) Once wrung out, the mats can be reused 30 to 100 times, after which they’re broken down organically using mushroom spores, making them ecologically superior to petroleum-based spill products like polypropylene pads.

A pound of hair can absorb a quart of oil in one minute and reused up to 100 times.

Plus, 98 percent of the oil sopped up by the mats can be recovered, according to OttiMat, the company that invented the mats and loans out the design to Matter of Trust for remediating emergency spills, including the Nov. 7, 2007, spill that engulfed San Francisco Bay.

“Now at the Gulf Coast, people are stuffing booms,” says Matter of Trust. “Salons and beachlovers all over the Gulf Coast are organizing boom-making parties called ‘Boom B Ques.’” Other hair-harvesting drives include “Cut-a-thons” and “Shave-a-thons.” Who says you can’t let your hair down while doing good?

+ Gulf Oil-Spill Hair Booms

+ Matter of Trust

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Scooter’s Pals now has a Pet Deposit Program! Moving and can’t afford the pet deposit? Don’t give up your animals call Scooter’s for help. Scooter’s Pals helps Nevada County pets stay with their families when a pet deposit causes a financial hardship. For more info call Jackie at (530) 477-2922 or email jsimonson@cebridge.net

Scooter’s Pals will be at Incredible Pets in Grass Valley, CA. To meet dogs for adoption please check our event schedule. Click Here! Now the second Saturday of every month, Incredible Pets, Grass Valley 11a.m. – 2 p.m.

Looking to adopt a pet or foster? Go to www.scooterspals.org to find out more.

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What our oil addiction is doing to the planet! Sorry to do this to you but it’s really unbelievable. Can we all take a day off driving one day a week in remembrance of these lovely creatures? Go here to learn – “How to Reduce your Oil Footprint “-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-grayson/eco-etiquette-how-can-i-r_b_563772.html#s88288

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YOGA. MUSIC. NATURE.

Wanderlust is a one-of-a-kind festival bringing together the world’s best yoga teachers and best performers in rock & roll, all in a setting of breathtaking natural beauty.  It is a place to relax, unwind, bend, dance, revel, and contemplate. It’s a community of like-minded people who share a common set of interests and values.  It’s a chance to escape the mundane and dwell in the extraordinary. It’s healthy hedonism and spiritual exploration. Most of all, it’s a long weekend of satisfying, stick-to-your-ribs fun.  Join us July 29th – August 1st  – The Village at Squaw. www.wanderlustfestival.com

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The Growers Market Has Moved

NEW LOCATION FOR GROWERS’ MARKET- NORTH STAR HOUSE.It’s official, the Growers’ Market has relocated to the Historic North Star House, Circa 1906, 12075 Old Auburn Road, just before Gate 4 of the Nevada County Fairgrounds turn left onto Auburn Road. We will utilize the beautiful property for our Growers market and have a stable and permanent location. Please join us for our exciting new location on May 1, 2010. . ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Alliance for People Powered Transportation – http://nevcoappt.org/

Get more information

The Alliance for People Powered Transportation is promoting Bike-to-Work Week from May 17-21, 2010 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 21, 2010. Clean air, exercise, a healthy planet, spending less money, living a joyful life….what’s your reason for cycling? On Friday, May 21st, we’ll celebrate all of these. There’ll be events all week, stay tuned for event details! Not sure about commuter cycling? Need some tips for how to get started, or how to make it more fun? Check out our Bicycle Routes Map to help plot the safest way to commute on your bicycle. Click here for helpful tips for commuters. Also, check out the local bus schedule here, and bus route maps here and consider a hybrid commute. All Gold Country Stage buses are equipped with bicycle racks on the front of the bus and can accommodate two bicycles per bus.

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Keith Logan, writer of the “Green Cafe” column that appears in business pages of The Union, has been recognized by the Sierra Business Council. The founder of Logan and Associates sustainability consulting is being honored for the council’s Vision 2020 Awards along with the group he helped to start, the Northern Sierra Biomass Utilization Task Force. Logan and the task force members are among five people or groups honored as “leaders and visionaries in the areas of conservation, energy, smart planning and growth, sustainable development and affordable housing,” the council said. The task force is a broad-based group including Nevada County Supervisors looking at ways to use fire fuels in area forests for energy co-generation. It formed with the help of the Economic Resource Council of Nevada County “People show a pragmatic openness to exploring economic possibilities in sustainability and clean tech economies,” Logan wrote in an early column introducing the task force. Logan links co-generation with woody biomass to healthy forests and fire safety. “The North Sierra Biomass Task Force is analyzing the economics and finances on different uses for the woody biomass to see which processes provide the highest value for the biomass,” Logan wrote in another column. “If a company could get enough value from the biomass, it would help pay some of the costs of getting it out of the woods,” he wrote. “If we can get this build-up of fuels out of the woods, we may not be able to prevent the fire that will come, but we can try to get it on our terms, burning where and how we want it.” The activities of Vision 2020 award recipients “demonstrate the immense value the Sierra region brings to the state of California,” council President Steven Frisch said. “Some of the greatest things happen under conditions of adversity, and at Sierra Business Council, we’re committed to approaches that create opportunity from those exact circumstances,” spokeswoman Nikki Streegan added. Other Vision 2020 Award winners are Reed Tollefson from Audubon California’s Kern River Preserve; Meea Kang of Domus Development; and Jim Turner from Sierra Pacific Industries’ Loyalton co-generation power plant. A Lifetime Achievement award will be given to Mike Chrisman, the former secretary for natural resources for the California Resource Agency. They will be feted at a free event, open to the public, at the California Capitol from 5 to 8 p.m. April 14 at the Leland Stanford Mansion in Sacramento. The Sierra Business Council, a regional nonprofit dedicated to promoting sustainability, is accepting donations for the event. To RSVP, visit www.sbcouncil.org/vision2020.  Congratulations Keith!

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Green:Net 2010 examines how the tools created for the Internet, computing and IT revolutions will be crucial for fighting climate change.

Information and communications technologies could enable emissions reductions 15 percent below current amounts by 2020, the Climate Group has predicted. Whether you’re in a corporation wanting to learn about best green IT practices or an entrepreneur looking for your next venture, Green:Net in San Francisco is a must-attend event that will allow you to take away the best ideas and meet contacts and thinkers in this space. For more info go to: http://events.earth2tech.com

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Warning – this video could really ruin your day! Another reason to ban plastic bags from the world forever!!! How sad…. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

The Story of Bottled Water

Dear friends,  I’m joining with some of North America’s leading environmental groups to release the latest Story of Stuff Project short film:  The Story of Bottled Water. Like The Story of Stuff, this new film uses simple words and images to explain a complex problem, in this case manufactured demand:  how you get people to think they need to spend money on something they don’t actually need or already have.

Over the last two decades, Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nestle and other big beverage companies have spent untold millions of dollars making us afraid of tap water. They’ve told us that if we want to be sure what we drink is pure and clean—not to mention hip and fashionable—we should buy bottled water. Unfortunately, it worked. In the United States alone, we consume approximately 500,000,000 bottles of water each week. Imagine that: while 1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water worldwide, other people spend billions of dollars on a bottled product that’s no cleaner, harms people and the environment and costs up to 2,000 times the price of tap water.

But there’s good news: Last year, for the first time in a long time, bottled water sales fell—not that much, but they went down. Consumers who want economy, portability and convenience are switching to refillable metal bottles. Restaurants are proudly serving tap water. And cities, states, companies and schools around the world are ditching the bottle to save money and do their part for the environment. Still, we’ve got a ways to go. So please, take a minute today to watch The Story of Bottled Water. Then pass it along to your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers—anyone you think might be interested. You are The Story of Stuff Project’s strongest allies:  You made the original Story of Stuff an Internet phenomenon, with nearly 9 million views total. Last December, you pushed The Story of Cap & Trade past half a million views in just under six weeks. And in the last ten days, you’ve helped our new book, The Story of Stuff, enter the New York Times extended bestseller list at #35. Thank you a million times over.

After you’ve forwarded The Story of Bottled Water to your networks, I encourage you to join a campaign for investment in clean tap water for everyone, like those sponsored by our partners at Corporate Accountability International, Food & Water Watch, Polaris Institute, Environmental Working Group, and Pacific Institute. Visit these fantastic groups’ websites to learn more, sign-up and get involved. Together, we can send Coke, Pepsi, Nestle and the rest of the industry a message as clear as a glass of tap water: We’re not buying into your manufactured demand anymore. We’ll choose our own demands, thank you very much, and we’re demanding clean safe water for all! Sincerely, Annie P.S. It takes a pretty penny to make and distribute these short films. After The Story of Bottled Water we have films coming on electronics (planned obsolescence anyone?), personal care products and more. Please consider a tax-deductible gift to The Story of Stuff Project today to help us keep these films coming and on-line for free.

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Sierra College wins Energy Saving Demonstration Center & Training Grant Center for Applied Competitive Technologies focuses on manufacturers’ energy reduction Published on Mar 17, 2010 – 8:40:21 AM

from: YubaNet.com

By: Sierra College ROCKLIN Mar. 17, 2010 – The Center for Applied Competitive Technologies (CACT) (sierracollegetraining.com) at Sierra College was selected through a competitive process to receive a $205,000 grant from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, Economic and Workforce Development Program.

The grant will focus on manufacturers and train energy technicians to identify and implement energy saving practices that provide competitive advantages to businesses, while supporting workers and the region economically. The project includes a demonstration site to assist manufacturers in utilizing energy audits, weatherization and other methods to reduce energy consumption without outlay of capital investment. In partnership with the California Conservation Corps in Auburn, CA, CACT will develop curriculum to train Corps members to fill the need for energy efficiency technicians.

This project will give local manufacturers cost-saving advantages generate new businesses, open ‘green collar’ career paths to well-paid jobs and develop workers’ skills to meet a growing demand. Carol Pepper-Kittredge, CACT Director for Sierra College, will manage this grant project. According to Sandra Scott, Director, Grant Development and Career Technical Education at Sierra College, CACT has been providing technical assistance to employers since 1992. “To mitigate the effects of the deep recession that began in 2008, manufacturers have retrenched and reduced costs by implementing ‘lean’ and process improvement practices to increase productivity,” said Scott. “One of the few remaining expenditures that businesses can control is energy use. By implementing energy efficient practices that align with lean manufacturing and continuous improvement principles, California manufacturers can improve their financial performance in the globally competitive marketplace.” The California Conservation Corps (CCC) Placer Energy Center will play a key role explained Rod Thornhill, Center Director, CCC. “In addition to hosting training courses, the site will be used for business and industry workshops on improving energy efficiency as well as demonstrating new and renewable energy technologies,” said Thornhill. “This program will serve as a state-wide model, ultimately training and placing hundreds of workers.” Those trained through the program may further develop their skills through the new Sierra College Energy Technology photovoltaic program (sierraenergytech.com). Local manufacturers, public agencies and economic development organizations support this effort. According to Clay Schmidt, Executive Manager, Sacramento, PG&E, this partnership will positively benefit the region. “PG&E fully expects excellent results that will help Californian businesses be competitive globally and expand the region’s workforce,” said Schmidt. To spread the impact through the CACT’s Northern California territory, Butte College and College of the Redwoods are grant partners. Annie Rafferty, Director of Contract Education for Butte College explained that the Sierra College CACT currently provides customized training to the North Valley Lean Group composed of 13 leading manufacturers. “The Lean Group and the Butte College Green Building Technology Advisory Group with CACT will provide businesses with critical skills to implement energy-smart procedures and find energy-saving opportunities,” said Rafferty. Sierra College CACT and Training & Development also offer on-site customized employee training in process improvement, lean manufacturing, high-tech soldering, supervision, communication and other business topics. Since 1992, Sierra College CACT has worked with businesses, manufacturers and technology companies in Northern California. For more information, go to www.sierracollegetraining.com or contact Sandra Scott, at sscott@sierracollege.edu or (916) 781-6245. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Mountain Bounty Farm: Summer Vegetable and Fruit Subscriptions Available

Via: www.yubanet.com Published on Mar 17, 2010 – 10:48:05 AM

By: Carlyle Miller, CSA Manager, Mountain Bounty Farm

NEVADA CITY, Calif. March 17, 2010 – Mountain Bounty Farm, a 10-acre family farm on the San Juan Ridge, is accepting sign-ups for its 2010 vegetable, fruit, and flower share programs. Since 1997, Mountain Bounty Farm has provided fresh, organically-grown produce from May through November to the members of its Community Supported Agriculture program. “Mountain Bounty Farm is fantastic. The food is fresh, I know where it’s from, it tastes great, and it has varieties you just can’t get in the supermarket,” wrote Tracy Jones, a farm member from Grass Valley. “It’s like opening a Christmas present every week!” Farm member Ron Gajar from Truckee adds “Our kids (ages 5 and 2) love the boxes too, they are calling the beets, squashes and other veggies ‘candy,’ they can be that sweet.” Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, is a model of growing and eating that creates a direct connection between you and your farm. You invest in the farm at the beginning of the season, and we-your farmers-provide fresh, diverse, and amazingly delicious produce straight from our fields every week. Your share of the harvest.

“The financial investment from our members at the start of the season is what makes family farming on this small scale feasible,” said John Tecklin, owner of the farm. “And in exchange, you get the best produce available!” At Mountain Bounty Farm, each week’s delivery yields its own special harvest, picked fresh that day. We put tremendous care into growing over 250 varieties of vegetables, including many heirlooms-if you’ve never tried a Big Zebra tomato or our luscious sweet corn, you are in for a real treat! “Spring is such an exciting time of year here,” said Tecklin. “The cover crop is lush, the air is warming, and all three of our greenhouses are bursting with baby plants.” Over the course of the season, the amount and variety of produce increases, but on average, members receive enough produce to fill a large grocery bag full of their favorite staple veggies, plus a healthy portion of the exotic and unusual.

This year, Mountain Bounty Farm is once again partnering with Filaki Farm to provide a weekly fruit share, including apricots, apples, cherries, nectarines, peaches, pears, plums, table grapes and more. The fruit shares average 7+ pounds per week and vary with the season. This tree-ripened fruit has real flavor and character-it is fruit that you will rarely, if ever, find in the store! For a full list of all the vegetables that we grow, or to find out more about our CSA programs, please visit http://www.MountainBountyFarm.com or contact us at 292-3776. Who: Mountain Bounty Farm What: Summer Vegetable and Fruit Subscriptions Available Where: www.MountainBountyFarm.com or 292-3776 When: Sign-ups open today, deliveries are for 24 weeks from May 25th through Nov 6th ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Obama announces his Cash for Caulkers plan.

SAVANNAH, Ga. — Sounding a familiar clean-energy theme, President Barack Obama on Tuesday announced details of a proposed energy rebate program he hopes will spur demand for insulation and water heaters – and jobs for hurting Americans.

Obama said the administration’s “HOMESTAR” program would reward people who buy energy-saving equipment with an on-the-spot rebate of $1,000 or more. He cast the idea as one that would save people money on utility bills, boost the economy and reduce American dependence on oil. The plan would take the approval of Congress. “When it comes to domestic policy, I have no more important job as president than seeing to it that every American that wants to work and is able to work can find a job,” Obama said at Savannah Technical College, in a state where the unemployment rate tops the national average of 9.7 percent. Read more…. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

New CSA – Soil Sisters Farm and Art Collective

This year Willow Hein of Honey in the Heart Farm and Maisie Ganz of Living Lands Agrarian Network are partnering to bring about a new agricultural project for Nevada County.  We are a women’s collective devoted to creating sustainable lifestyles for ourselves, our communities and the earth. The idea arose out of a need that we saw for women to have a safe space and support system within the context of sustainable farming in order to cultivate a deeper trust in their own capabilities and skills. We are committed to cultivating good food, healthy soil, and happy people. We are still a part of the Living Lands network, continuing to grow a diversity of vegetables and flowers, and will be hosting a variety of women’s workshops and community programs.  We hope to be a source of inspiration and empowerment for the women in our community and beyond. We are offering a small CSA program, and will also be at the downtown farmer’s market on Saturdays starting in June.

• Enjoy weekly boxes of fresh locally grown vegetables.  Set up like a farmer’s market, you pick your produce!
• Begins June 1, 2010 and ends November 1, 2010 (23 weeks)
• Cost is $575 upfront, or 3 payments of $200 each.
• We also offer a glorious 10-week Flower Share for $100.
• CSA pickup will be Tuesdays beginning June 1, 2010 – Conveniently located pickup at In the Kitchen in Nevada City, across from SPD on Zion Street.
• How to get started.  visit website: www.livinglandsagrariannetwork. org. Download the CSA Registration Form (also attached), fill it in and email it to livinglandsagrarian @gmail.com.

The CSA is of course the greatest way to get connected and get our food, but we will also be at farmer’s market on Saturday, will be offering to do local flowers for events this summer (tell your friends who are getting married!), will be continuing to host our wildly popular “soup nights” to raise money for various agricultural non-profits and our “young-farmer” internship program, are always open to willing volunteers, and encourage you to join us at our Thursday night potlucks, open to everyone in the community. If you are interested in being on our email list, in order to receive a weekly update of events at the farm as well as a newsletter, it would be my pleasure to put you on. Our vision of a food community is inclusive and dynamic, we can find a way to get you involved, just ask! If you have any questions, feel free to email me at farmermaisie@ gmail.com. Support your local farmers!

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New Exhibit Opening  at the APPLE Center!

Join us to celebrate the newest exhibit at the APPLE Center. Just Grow It! presents ideas on starting a vegetable garden at home. The exhibit features a demonstration garden complete with living plants, a gardener, soil, and more.  Each piece of the garden is explained on a placard and special activities such as identifying soil types, plants and a worm bin are part of the display. Fun facts and startling statistics are peppered through the information fit for hours of interesting browsing for all ages!

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Riverhill’s “Fresh Start” Women, Infants and Children Project

from http://riverhillfarm.com/riverhillfarmcsa.php Last season, Riverhill Farm initiated a pilot project to supply fruits and vegetables to serve low-income families participating in the local Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Supplemental Nutrition Program.  The primary mission of the WIC Program is to improve the nutrition and health status of pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women, as well as their infants and young children under age 5.  According to the director of the local WIC office, there is indeed a deficit in the fruit/vegetable intake of the WIC families of Nevada County, particularly in the current economy.  Many Nevada County families have seen their incomes plummet in the past year or two.  The need for fresh fruits and vegetables is high in this vulnerable population.  Good health and nutrition status during pregnancy, breastfeeding, and early years of life can set the stage for a lifetime of improved cognitive and overall function. To facilitate last season’s pilot project, Riverhill reduced the weekly price of a CSA share for WIC clients.  Through an appeal for community support through our email list to private citizens and through other fundraising efforts, we were able to raise sufficient funds to provide reduced cost CSA shares for 20 WIC families. One of the additional benefits of the Riverhill/WIC pilot program was the interest and excitement of families in bringing their young children directly to the farm for the weekly pick up.  Children enjoyed the activities of the farm, including chances to harvest fruits and vegetables themselves, and watch the produce grow as the season progressed.  One family made a wonderful book chronicling their summer farm adventures at Riverhill, which you can view by clicking on this link: Diego’s Summer Picking at the Farm. This season, we are attempting to increase our program to provide for forty families.  If you’d like to contribute to our efforts to expand our Fresh Start project, you can send us a check in any amount, made payable to Riverhill Farm.  If you would like to contribute as part of your own CSA subscription, we’ve made room on our online sign-up form for you to indicate an amount you would like to contribute.  You can pay that amount along with your CSA deposit and we will add the additional funds to our WIC project fund.

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Federal Advisory Committee Seeks Public Comment on Proposals to Restore the Lake Tahoe Ecosystem

Published on Mar 6, 2010 – 6:36:00 AM via Yubanet

By: Rex Norman, US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Mgt Unit SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. March 5, 2010 – The Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee (LTFAC) is accepting public comment on capital projects and science themes that have been recommended for funding to help restore the Lake Tahoe Basin ecosystem, using Southern Nevada Public Land Management Act (SNPLMA) Round 11 funds. A total of 21 project proposals were received, addressing four federal vision focus areas: watershed and habitat improvement, forest health, air quality and transportation, and recreation and scenic. Proposed Round 11 science themes are: forest health; watershed, water quality and habitat restoration; air quality; and integrating science. The Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee is made up of representatives of a broad array of constituencies concerned with the environmental and economic health of the Lake Tahoe Region. One key role of LTFAC is to facilitate the integration and coordination of appropriate federal programs and funds to help achieve the goals of the Lake Tahoe Basin Environmental Improvement Program. “LTFAC encourages everyone with an interest in the health of the Lake Tahoe Basin to take a look at the Round 11 proposals and share your comments,” said Andrew Strain, LTFAC Chair. “Public comment plays a key role in helping us make the best possible recommendations for Lake Tahoe SNPLMA projects.” A list of projects can be viewed at http://bit.ly/Round11PreliminaryRecommendations. The public is asked to comment on the Preliminary Recommendation Package for 30 days, beginning March 4, 2010 and ending on April 5, 2010. Comments may be submitted by email to: comments-pacificsouthwest-ltbmu@fs.fed.us, or by regular mail (must be received by close of business on April 5, 2010) to Linda Lind, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. LTFAC will review and discuss comments at its next meeting on Monday, April 5, 2010, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the US Forest Service LTBMU Office at 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA. From the comments, LTFAC will develop final funding recommendations. ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Farmers Market Grant Opportunity Announced

from: http://sustainableagriculture.net

March 1st, 2010

USDA published a notice of $5 million in grant funds available through the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP) in today’s March 1 edition of the Federal Register.  NSAC and the Wallace Center developed this program and NSAC championed it in the 2002 Farm Bill. FMPP grants vary in size from $2,500 to $100,000 and do not require a match.  Competition for the funds may be intense so we encourage applicants to take advantage of two new tools available this year, the FMPP Pre-Application Guide for 2010 and a FMPP grant-writing PowerPoint presentation. Proposals are due on April 15, 2010 and late applications will not be considered.  Access an application packet here. FMPP is designed to increase direct producer-to-consumer marketing opportunities and has funded more than 200 projects since 2006.  The 2008 Farm Bill added a provision that at least 10 percent of FMPP funds be spent each year to increase low-income consumers’ access to farmers markets by equipping markets with electronic benefit transfer machines (EBT) that can accommodate SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamp) sales. This year’s FMPP application emphasizes several priorities including bringing new farmers into direct marketing venues and improving access to local food in under-served rural communities.  These priorities harmonize with USDA’s Know Your Farmer Know Your Food effort that uses existing programs to strengthen regional food systems and knowledge between producers and consumers.  They also fit nicely with the First Lady’s Let’s Move initiative designed to eliminate childhood obesity in this generation by increasing knowledge and access to affordable, nutritious food and encouraging more exercise.  Both administration efforts reflect a new, multidisciplinary approach that links improving health with strengthening local food economies.

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Solar-Powered Yurt at Hope Valley provides Human-powered Fun

Posted on December 21, 2009 From Tahoe Arts and Mountain Culture - www.tahoeculture.com Filed Under Green Businesses, Ski Culture Long-time South Shore local, Joyce Coker (aka “the Pie Lady”), has set up a 21′ yurt at the Burnside Lake trail head, located at Pickett’s Junction in Hope Valley. Although it’s off the grid, the yurt is home of the Hope Valley Outdoor Center which offers high voltage fun. Joyce’s deep love of Hope Valley is personified in every detail of this symbolic mountain structure from its nostalgic Tahoe decor and local art to solar power. Yes, that’s right. The yurt is green!…using solar power to produce all of the electricity. The Hope Valley Outdoor Center offers over 60 miles of marked trails and dogs are welcome.  Joyce and the crew offer cross country skiing and snowshoe lessons and guided tours, and equipment rentals. The yurt is open daily, and there are no trail fees. Instead, appreciative mountaineers are asked to donate at least $10 to help Joyce offset her costs for maintaining the trails. To help us experience Tahoe ski culture, HVO offers the following events:

• Once in a Blue Moon New Year’s Eve tour on December 31, 2009, a 3 day event with x-c ski equipment and snowshoe lessons and tours in Hope Valley.
• Full Moon Ski tours:   January 30, and February 27, 2010Tours start at 6pm; $20 per person. Rentals are extra.
• 9th Annual Snowshoe Thompson Tour: Saturday,  March 6, 2010

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peace. love. swap.

What is peace. love. swap.? The peace. love. swap. mission is to keep gently used baby, kid, and maternity items out of our landfills, and to donate to local charities by hosting fun, affordable, family friendly swaps where moms and dads can exchange their unwanted and/or outgrown items with other local parents. p.l.s. is a nonprofit organization that produces and supports local kid’s swaps in Northern California (and growing fast).  To find out when and where our swaps are, visit the Find an Event page. These events are becoming increasingly popular with local moms and dads.  They get together, meet other local moms and dads, and recycle & swap their gently used items.  When it’s over, they know that the leftover items are going to different local charities (contact me if you would like for us to donate to your organization).  If you think you would like to start one in your area, please look over the website,  email me and we can talk about what I can do to help you or your organization make it happen. How do the swaps work? Bring all your gently used items that you want to get rid of-  as much or as little as you want (ages 0-14) & maternity   (-it’s not just a kid’s clothing swap, we take toys, movies, strollers, highchairs, bouncy seats etc..click here for what not to bring ) ~  and take what you want~ as much or as little as you want.  It’s NOT a “swap meet” or a “consignment sale” where stuff is for sale, or even a once in a blue moon kid’s clothing swap~ kids grow fast~ that’s why these happen on a regular basis, in communities around you! It’s that simple – no tagging or pricing your stuff, no registration forms & it’s not expensive to attend.  It’s better than throwing your own because so many moms attend – It’s like going to a consignment store or sale & being able to take things for free!!  Families exchanging with other families & helping those in need & the environment along the way- – what’s not to love? peace. love. swap. ~ everyone is welcome,  just come in and enjoy!, Before attending *** Please read the FAQ’s Page Don’t forget to spread the word – find an event in your area & click on the PDF version of the flier,  print out and post around town!  ~ and make sure to become a fan on Facebook, join the Yahoo group & check the blog

Next Local Swap -

Nevada County Kid’s Swap

Location/Sponsor: Gold Country Gymnastics

110 Spring Hill Dr #14 Grass Valley, CA 95945

Date: Sat., Feb. 6 (Every other month, first Sat. -even months- Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec.

join email list or email Meg to get updates

Time: Drop off items between 8:30am – 9:30am ~ Swap starts at 10am until 11:30am

Cost: $5 admission* & stuff to swap**

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Living Lands Agrarian Network Invites you to a Soup Night at the Broad Street Bistro

Next Friday, February 12th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm Join us and enjoy fresh, locally grown soup, good conversation, and support the Living Lands 2010 Farming Internship Program We ask for a $7.00 donation for soup, bread, and butter. Please bring your own bowl and utensil. The Soup Night winter fundraiser generates critical support for our internship program, providing stipends to 4-6 aspiring farmers each season. We appreciate your support. We will also have winter produce available, including Winter Squash, Parsnips (oh so sweet with the cold weather), carrots, chard, kale, cabbage, collards, and lots of delicious pesto! Check out our website at www.livinglandsagrariannetwork.org for more information about what we do. We are now accepting sign-ups for our CSA and gardening workshop series. Visit our website!

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Grocery stores around the country are filling their dumpsters with food. Not rotten, spoiled food, but billions of pounds of good, edible food. Why? Because the expiration date is nearing? Because it costs less to simply throw away excess food rather than do something helpful with it? Whatever the answer, the contradiction is profound: good, edible food is being thrown away in the very same communities where people are going hungry. Follow filmmaker Jeremy Seifert and his circle of friends as they “dumpster dive” in the back alleys and gated garbage receptacles of L.A.’s supermarkets. In the process, they uncover thousands of dollars worth of good food and an ugly truth about waste in America: grocery stores know they are wasting and most refuse to do anything about it. In the meantime, Seifert and friends no longer spend money on groceries. With nothing more than a big appetite and a strong stomach, they “dive” for Pacific Salmon, American Ground Beef, New Zealand Lamb Chops, Free-Range Whole Chickens, Pork Loins, and loads of fresh fruit, vegetables, and bread. Totally edible, totally free, and totally illegal. Why aren’t grocery stores giving the food to people who need it? Seifert takes this question to corporate front offices in an attempt to find out. The result is equal parts entertainment, guerrilla journalism, and call to action. The power of the film lies in its ability to motivate: it will move you to question the manager at your supermarket; it will move you to learn about food waste and the role it plays in your community. In the end, you might even find yourself in a dumpster. Go to: www.divethefilm.com to watch the trailer.