I know some of you may not receive the Santa Rosa mothers group newsletter so I just wanted to pass a long this information about The Living Room's Gift and Clothing drive going on during the month of November.

The Living Room is a wonderful local agency that supports women and children in homeless situations. If you are able to donate gift items (for women or children), clothing or food items (particularly those listed below) or if you can donate some of your time at the organization during the week of Dec 14 while they are setting up for the holidays and making it a really special time for their participants, anything you can do to help would be greatly appreciated.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me or the Living Room coordinator Caroline Banuelos at 321-0976 or cbanuelos@thelivingroomsc.org

Thank you very much in advance if you can help in any way. - Emily Vincent


Here (below) is a copy of an article written in this months newsletter with more detailed info.....

***************************************************************

The Living Room Clothing and Gift Drive

By Mary Hortin & Emily Vincent – Community Service Coordinators

 For the last several years, the Santa Rosa Mothers’ Club has collected donations for The Living Room’s Holiday Store. We are proud to be continuing this tradition again this year. The Living Room is very concerned about receiving enough items this year.

 The Living Room is a daytime, drop-in center providing safe haven for women and their children who are homeless in Santa Rosa. Throughout the year, women who utilize The Living Room earn “points” which they use at the “store” to purchase donated goods for themselves and their children for the holidays.They serve people from 0-80 years old.

Don’t be intimidated by this long list, whatever you can do to help is greatly appreciated.

Please only NEW, unused items.

For their Christmas store and Santa’s visit: new children’s toys (no plush toys please) and adult gifts.

 High need items are:

• Pajamas (two piece sets sizes 4-14)
• Blanket sleepers (toddler sizes)
• Slippers for mothers and children (all sizes)
• Pocket calendars
• New underwear (kids to adult, especially ladies’ sizes 8 and up)
• Diapers (especially sizes 5 and 6)
• Sanitary pads and tampons
• Anything for cold and rainy weather (especially socks, gloves, scarves, hats, blankets, coats, sleeping bags and umbrellas)
• Stocking stuffer items
• Gift cards for teenagers (movies and clothes)
• Handheld games
• Arts and craft supplies
• Cosmetic bags
• Large shampoos
• Hair accessories (brushes, combs, clips, scrunchies)

The Living Room feeds 60-80 people two meals a day.

They frequently run out of items like :

• oatmeal packets,
• packets of hot chocolate,
• tea (especially herbal)
• dry cereal.

 Items need to be turned in to The Living Room by December 10 becasue the store and dinner party are the next week.

The Living Room is seeking volunteers for the week of December 14^th.Even a small amount of your time would be greatly appreciated. 

Duties would range from

• setting up the store for the women and children,
• assisting them in selecting items  
• wrapping gifts

If you are interested in helping please contact Caroline Banuelos at 321-0976 or cbanuelos@thelivingroomsc.org

Drop off sites all through November / Deadline Dec 9th:

 The Living Room

636 Cherry St

Santa Rosa 95404

cbanuelos@thelivingroomsc.org

Monday through Friday OPEN 8:30 am to 1:30 pm

       or) Emily Vincent

579-3566 or emilyvincent@hotmail.com

(I can pick up your items if you are unable to deliver to one of the drop off sites)

Mary Hortin

570-1621 or morthort@sonic.net

Here is an email I received recently from a local creek steward. It highlights the good work our community is doing to clean up our creeks as well as all of the work that still lies ahead  to return the water and habitat in the Santa Rosa creek system to health and vitality.

Hello Creek Stewards,

 With nearly 2 3/4 inches of rain in the last several days our creeks have started flowing again.  Not many leaves have fallen yet so the storm didn’t cause as much street flooding as a storm later in the fall might have.  I spent a little time on Santa Rosa Creek near Pierson Street this morning and didn’t see as much trash littering the shoreline or hanging in bushes as I expected.  I think that the work of the Youth Ecology Corps on creeks this summer and the 10 volunteer creek clean ups we’ve had this fall made a big difference.

 Six groups on Colgan, Spring, Matanzas and Spirit Creeks counted the trash they collected on tally cards and the results were turned in as part of the 3 week period of recording data for the California Coastal Commission.  Coastwalk led the Sonoma County effort and reports the following numbers from Sonoma County, with numbers from Santa Rosa in the second column:

No. of volunteers:              1,218                  182

Pounds of trash:               10, 564                 634

Pounds recyclables:           8,390                  236

Distance cleaned:             104.85 miles       3.5 miles

Quantified trash in the Santa Rosa area included:

211 plastic bags

28 balloons

59 pieces of clothing

45 toys

83 straws and stirrers

232 cups

884 food wrappers

125 plastic bottles

136 glass bottles

116 beverage cans

26 plastic six-pack holders

52 pieces of building material

3 tires

What can we make of these results?  Unfortunately, there is a lot of trash out there such as balloons, food wrappers, and plastic bags that can be mistaken as food by birds, fish, terrestrial, and marine animals.  The relatively low number of 26 plastic six pack holders might indicate that these are becoming less used as packaging to the relief of ducks, fish and other animals that can become entangled by them.  Food and beverage packaging is the most common form of trash.  There are 74 more tires somewhere in our creeks.  (This is calculated by having found 3 tires in 3.5 miles of creek and extrapolating that to 77 tires in the 90 miles of creeks within the City of Santa Rosa.  A similar calculation would estimate that 1,111 toys and 2,050 straws remain in our creeks.  Actually, I think these numbers would be high as the clean ups concentrated on creek areas with the most trash.)  Certainly, we can conclude that the volunteers made a difference. 

If you can, please join us for another volunteer creek clean up on Saturday October 24 on Steele Creek by Biella School.  Details are below.  And we’re certainly ready to support students, clubs, or businesses with a creek clean up as a community service project.  Sonoma Country Day School and Waldorf Summerfield School will keep the ball rolling with creek clean ups scheduled for later this month. 

A couple of animal sightings: I was surprised to hear from several people of a coyote wandering in Santa Rosa Creek not too far downstream from Stony Point Road.  I’ve heard of coyotes on the outskirts of town but not of them using the more urban stream corridors.  Sharp-eyed Mary Tressler spotted a river otter in Santa Rosa Creek by Gateway Park (the mosaic fish statue).  A Water Agency maintenance worker in the creek out by Willowside Road was startled when an inquisitive otter suddenly emerged between his hip boots.  A gaze of eight raccoons (time for the Funk and Wagnalls) raised havoc in garages as they used the storm drain pipes to move around a NE Santa Rosa neighborhood.  What have you seen?  It’s always fun to learn from the many eyes, ears, and voices on our creeks. 

Hands Across the County & Make a Difference Day

Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009,

9:00 a.m. to noon

Steele Creek clean up at Biella School – 2140 Jennings Avenue, Santa Rosa (west of Marlow Road)

Hands Across the County, a county-wide volunteer work day underwritten by Friedman's Home Improvement, mobilizes volunteer groups and individuals to make the community a cleaner, safer, brighter place while making friends and having fun too!  This will be the first time we’ve done a community creek clean up on Steele Creek.  Many parents and students will be working on the buildings and grounds.  This is a chance to clean up the neighborhood creek that drains the land as far away as Cleveland Avenue and enters Piner Creek a couple of blocks downstream of the school.  Tools and refreshments provided.  Rubber boots could come in handy. 

Insecta-palooza – explore the fantastic world of insects

Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009,

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Darwin Hall, Sonoma State University

What’s the difference between a bug and an insect?  Do scorpions really glow in the dark?  Find out about the diversity of insects, spiders and other arthropods that live in our gardens, fields and forests.  Entomologists of all ages can explore the fascinating world of insects in a day long series of interactive displays, presentations and lectures and a chance to use the University’s top-notch microscopes.  Sounds like they will cover everything you didn’t know and didn’t want to know about insects.  The flyer for this event is available at

http://www.sonoma.edu/pubs/insectapalooza/images/insectapalooza.png

and details are online at:

http://www.sonoma.edu/pubs/insectapalooza.html

Baby Stroller Drive

During October, drop off a new or used stroller that's in good operating condition to a Community First Credit Union branch. CFCU will deliver each stroller (along with $20 for each) to The Living Room, a local agency that provides help to at-risk women and their children.

LOCATIONS in Santa Rosa:

Central Santa Rosa
501 College Ave.
(northeast corner of Mendocino & College avenues - just south of the JC)
9a to 5:30p, Monday-Friday; 9a to 1p, Saturday


West Santa Rosa 70A Stony Point Rd.
(just south of Finley Aquatic Center)
9a to 5:30p, Monday-Friday

Pick up your free Farm Trails Guide for 2009 -  2010 at a local farm or business or email them and they will send you one for five dollars.

They are really nice this year with recipes and notes from local farmers as well as the typical maps and guides to all the local farms in Sonoma County.

 The Environmental Discovery Center of Sonoma County offers multi-sensory, hands-on activities for people of all ages. Rotating exhibits focus on a different aspect of the natural resources of Sonoma County.

 Center's Features

• Nature Trails
• Outdoor Amphitheater
• Storytelling Cavern
• Science Activities
• Technology Tent - interactive computer games
• Theater - Educational videos

For more information,check out their website

Very cool new web site I just discovered featuring local businesses:

http://scgc.golocal.coop/

SonoMax is a free service to  help keep good materials out of the trash.

Green Classified Ads.

IF IT CAN BE REUSED, POST IT ONLINE!!!

Patchworks Farm is about awakening this broader notion of service in ourselves and in our young.Our process is to introduce the young and our ourselves to each persons personal inventory of skill and talent and then melding these assets with  broader understanding of service as full-time participation in the perpetuity of life.

Around mid-February we want to builda group of adults willing to commit to fostering this notion of service.We will call the group “Holy Flying Frogs”.our group motto will be LEAP- an acronym for Live simply, Educate for change, Advocate for justice,Practice faith.We will meet on Sundays at the farm Dirt Church”for discussion, interaction with the land, and celebration with the sharing of food etc.

If you or friends are interested in pursuing this thought, please all me at 542-6700 or on my cell phone at 228-6006.

Objectives of the Patchworks Collaborative:

• Build a sustainable-living collaborative consisting of schools, other non-profits and committed adults willing to support our mission
  
  
• Create an outdoor laboratory which would be a model sustainable "village" including 3 or 4 alternative energy projects, 3 models of low cost shelter, a comprehensive water conservation project and 3 acres of farmland
  
  
• Engage students and teachers each semester in land-based service-learning projects
  
  
• Raise $157,000. this fiscal year to help pay for projects and provide scholarships for students pursuing education in sustainable living
  
  
• Engage volunteers in projects who will mentor students and assist in work on the farm
  
  
• Build a community of friends willing to model sustainable living in their daily lives and intentionally lower their ecological footprint as a sign of hope for our children

 

The new Obama Administration has set up a website for people to get connected to the needs of their community (local and global) with usaservice.org. 

This national day of service will fall on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, January 19, 2009 and, unlike past calls to service, President-elect Obama is calling on all Americans to do more than just offer a single day of service to their cities, towns and neighborhoods.  He is asking all of us to make an ongoing commitment to our communities. Never has it been more important to come together in shared purpose to tackle the common challenges we face. This website is designed to help promote these events and for Americans to make their commitments, build communities, find opportunities to serve and share their results. These can be events that engage people in direct service, or bring people together to reflect on Dr. King's legacy and how they can commit to becoming more engaged citizens.

If you are interested in receiving updates about service projects that you can become involved with, you can sign up for information at usaservice.org 

http://www.waccobb.net/forums/showthread.php?p=75142#post75142

http://www.doubledeckerlanes.com/solar.php

Jennifer K, our mutual friend, and I went U-picking organic strawberries last week Friday at  Love Farm in Healdsburg (10 miles north of Santa Rosa). One thing I love about the whole idea of visiting local farms is how accessible the farmers are. When we first arrived at the farm, there appeared to be no one around. However there was a cell phone number posted on their outdoor bulletin board and literally 1 minute after calling the number,  the woman farmer arrived, very welcoming and said we could help oursleves to all the strawberries we could eat while we were there. (Rosemary and I took her up on it. Never tell either one of us there is free food around becasue we will take you up on it !!!! : ) She only charged $3.50 a basket for some of the best organic strawberries I have ever eaten. And they were beautiful. Bright red with no blemishes, which is hard to understand, especially with organic but there they were. Some of the most gorgeous strawberries I had ever seen. 

Anyway, it was a fun experience with the little kids watching their excitement about picking strawberries and  there was an ostrich at Love farm who was an attraction for them too. If you are local and can get to Love Farm between now and November, I would highly recommend it. (The farmer said they have strawberries through November....wow!)

With summer coming to an end (BOO HOO, it has really flown by) my favorite U-pick season is almost upon us. FALL!!! I love picking apples, pulling potatoes, and checking out the pumpkin patches. If you haven't already, check out the Farm Trails guide for 2008. It's educational, virtually free and so much fun with the kids.

If you make it to Love Farm and have will power and happen to have some  strawberries left by the time you get home (we barely did), here is a yummy recipe I found: 

Strawberry-Almond Muffins

Ingredients:

 - 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 1/2 tsp. almond extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 2 cups strawberries, chopped
- 3/4 cup slivered almonds

Preheat the oven to 375 and grease 12 cup muffin tin or line with paper liners.

In a bowl of an electric mixer or food processor, cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, and blend until fluffy. Mix in the milk and the almond extract. In a separate bowl, sift the flours, baking powder, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture and blend until just combined. Fold in the strawberries and almonds. Fill the muffin cups to the top and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Makes 12 muffins.

 I came across this quote today and really liked it. Luther Burbank as most of you Santa Rosans know came to Santa Rosa in his 20's and is famous here and around the country / world for developing more than 800 varieties of plants and flowers. Most famously among his creations are the Shasta Daisy and the Russett Burbank potato (which is the most widely cultivated potato in the U.S.) McDonald's uses the Russett Burbank potato for their french fries......that has got to be A LOT of potatoes. 

Anyway, I wanted to share this poignant quote that I found today as well as let any of you local Santa Rosans know that if you haven't been to Luther Burbank gardens in a while (or ever), its a beautiful, peaceful place to go and see beautiful gardens and learn more about Burbank who was a pretty fascinating person and true environmentalist.

 
"Every child should have mudpies, grasshoppers, waterbugs, tadpoles, frogs, mud turtles, elderberries, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb, animals to pet, hay fields, pinecones, rocks to roll, sand, snakes, huckleberries and hornets - and any child who has been deprived of these has been deprived of the best part of his education." 

- Luther Burbank

Since summer / fall seems to fill up fast, I wanted to give you an early heads up for the "Farm Trails Weekend" which this year will be the weekend of September 27-28.

We visited about 8-9 farms last year during their farm trails weekend and LOVED it. The kids dug potatoes out of the ground, milked cows, picked fruit and vegetables, saw all kinds of animals, and in general got a real flavor of the local Sonoma County farms. I would highly recommend it!!!!

About 6-8 months ago, I wrote a post about how I noticed some pretty tremendous water wasting happening ay the YMCA showers (where I shower every morning). Some women would turn on and leave showers to "heat up" that need no heating up, some women would shower in one and let their bathing suit "shower" under another head.....just stuff where I thought "I can't keep watching this happen and not do something about it". So I asked a woman (very nicely, I thought) if she would turn off the shower she was using for her bathing suit because we were in a drought and it was wasting water. She looked at me funny, then laughed and kept the 2 showers going. I thought sarcastically "that went well" and then thought "I really don't want to get into any more of a confrontation while naked with another naked woman in the community shower area".

So I wrote a letter to the Director of Operations at the Y and asked if they could post signs requesting that people conserve water. Within a few days, nice big lamenated signs were up in every  corner of the shower area. I was so impressed with the YMCA for taking my request and acting so quickly. As the months have gone by, the signs began to fall off the shower walls (or maybe the 2-shower-head-lady took them down one by one : ) Either way, I asked the Operations Director a few weeks ago if she could put up those signs again and she did one better...she ordered permanent acryllic signs for the shower areas and they are up today. They look great!!!

All of this is just to say that if you ever feel like you should speak up about something but think you won't be listened to or you may get laughed at, I am saying that ...well , you may get laughed at (lady in the shower) but you may also be surprised to find that (especially on a local level) people are very responsive in general to ideas and positive changes.

I get lazy though and see things that need changing and think about them and think about them and never end up saying something.

So here is my challenge to myself  for local things I have thought about for a long time that need changing and haven't acted on them but will now.  

#1 Ask Trader Joes to look at alternatives to their double bagging system. I know they say that they do it because the handles fall off but then they should purchase bags  with handles that don't fall off or bags with no handles (like they had in the "old" days...TJ's is so good about rewarding people who bring their own bags and reminding shoppers before they enter the store "Did you remember your bags?"....The double bagging system seems to me to be counter to their otherwise eco-minded, anti-bag-ness (is that a word?)

 #2 Ask Safeway to display their reusable bags that are for sale by the check out lanes (seems logical right?). The last  ten times I have been to Safeway, the reusable bag display has been hidden in obscure back corners of the store where people either won't see it at all or will see it AFTER they have realized they forgot their bags and so selected plastic/ paper.

#3 Ask the YMCA to start using something other than Styrofoam for their complmentary coffee they give out in the a.m. It's really nice they give out coffee (God bless them for that) but the Styrofoam has got to go. I will also ask them to make a little sign that requests that members please bring their own mug.

I will keep you updated on the feedback / changes if any, I find after sending these letters. 

We went to Shangri-La the other day, and as usual it was great.  When I saw this story in the Press Democrat, it made me even more happy to support it.  She might not be using all local or organic food, but she is doing good work.  And I support that.  Maybe a good Green Mommy Night Out?  Lots of great vegetarian choices!

 Some days it's just $1. Other days, it might be $10. But whatever amount constitutes the first tip of the day, that money goes straight into a squat little pot kept behind the counter at Shangri-La Restaurant in Rohnert Park.

For Nepalese native Meenakshi Sharma, who owns the cozy cafe with her brother, the gesture is akin to a prayer of thanksgiving.

Accumulated tips are taken to Nepal on a yearly goodwill trip to support others in need. Beginning with last year's trip, Sharma also travels with local college students who want to experience Nepal.

Here's a review, and the location, etc. 

Hey mamas...I'm proposing a little challenge, a nudge, a step...to choose ONE thing to buy local from now on. Could be one fruit, one veggie, one piece of clothing, a bar of soap, dairy, meat, herbs, yogurt, flowers, etc....

Just ONE item that you would normally buy anyhow, but just switching to buying it local. Don't take on whole categories of things, just one thing for starters. Or, one additional thing for those of you who are buying local frequently.

This is your challenge, should you choose to accept it. :)

I haven't completely decided what my one item will be-although I am leaning towards homemade soap- but I hope everyone will post their choices and sources on the blog!

Bill McKibben, one of the first  to write a book on climate change called End of Nature in the 1980's, has written a more recent  book titled Deep Economy. I found an interview between him and NPR Forum's Michael Krasny that was so compelling and I thought I would share some of his points he makes on this post.

McKibben stated that every year since the end of WWII, pollsters have asked Americans, "Are you happy?". What they found was that since 1956 when happiness peaked, Americans' reported happiness has slowly but steadily gone down. He and other researchers believe that this is a result of people moving farther and farther from the city to afford bigger and bigger houses(sprawl), so they have to drive more (commuting) to get to shops and work and activities. This results in having less interactions with people and so many Americans end up feeling less connected  and more lonely than they did before. McKibben said that research has shown that Americans report having half as many close friends as they did 50 years ago. This is just one result of our "prosperity" leaving us lonely and unhappy.

As of 2007, only 25% of Americans reported being happy yet material prosperity for Americans in the last 50 years has almost tripled. You would think, he says, that those two curves should track in more or less the same direction...they shouldn't split fundamentally apart the way that they are. What he theorizes is that our prospoerity has brought about a social disconnection with our community. As we become a more prosperous country we reduce the odds that we will run into each other in the course of the day by moving farther away from the center of town,  we are forced into our cars more, which means less time at home with family and friends, less meals eaten and cooked at home (and the list goes on and on).

McKibbens' answer  to this dilemma which could also help solve our climate problem is to rebuild local economies which will force us to depend on each other more. This will likely increase our happiness on average  because we will have more interactions with community members and at the same time use far less fossil fuel than we do now.

Community building happens he says when there is a reason for us to rely on one another. He uses as an example the farmer's market re-emergence in the U.S. (now the fastest growing part of Americas food system). They save us energy (eating dinner from a farmer's market uses 1/10 the eneregy used to produce a take out meal) and they increase our socialization and sense of community with others by 10 times. A pair of sociologists, McKibben said, followed shoppers in grocery stores and then at farmer's markets and found that shoppers at farmer's markets have 10 times more interactions with others than they do at the grocery store. This is absolutely true from my own experience. At the grocery store, I know what I need, I go right to it, get it and get out, MAYBE say hello to the cashier and that's it. At the farmers market I am much more relaxed, enjoy myself more, sample food, ask the farmers about their product, educate my kids (and myself) sometimes about this plant or that food. It is a totally different experience in every way.

We have all been taught to believe in this country that more is better, and bigger is better yet all the studies are showing just the opposite. He says that we have confused the pursuit of happiness with the pursuit of stuff. and its not working for us. Isn't it sad that one of the fastest growing industries in the U.S., he says,  is storage lockers....

McKibben's point in his book Deep Economy I think (although I haven't read it yet) is that, more than any new innovation or technological advance to combat climate change,  we need to revive our local economies and rely more heavily on those in our own community for our food, clothing  services and other basic necessities, to not only reduce our use of fossil fuel but to increase our happiness and sense of wellness.

If you have a spare 30 - 45 minutes sometime, I HIGHLY recommend listening to this interview with Bill McKibben and Michael Krasny. You will be inspired.

Upon Jen A.'s recommendation, the kids and I went to:

PACIFIC STAR GARDENS

20872 County Road 99, Woodland 95773

Telephone: (530) 666-7308

Hours: Apr-Oct

Farm stand and U-pick operation selling apricots, strawberries, melons, mixed vegetables, lettuce, tomatoes, pumpkins, transplants, flowers and more! Field trips and farm tours also available.

while visiting family in that area. The entire farm is organic and the kids and I had a so much fun picking strawberries, apricots, leeks, garlic, and onions. Not only were the prices right but we got to talk to the farmer, learn a little history of the farm, and Noah got to ride on his tractor. You can't do that in a grocery store and you can't get organic produce for $2 a pound either.

I highly recommend taking time to visit farms this summer and fall  when there is so much to eat and see. It's also a great educational experience for kids who otherwise  might think that our food comes FROM the grocery store. 

For a list of farms in Somona County including their location, hours you can visit and what the grow, please visit farmtrails.org

If you live in the Sacramento/Woodland area, you can find more information here 

 If you live in a different area and have information on farms in your area please let us know.

http://www.munchiemug.com/about_us.html

 They were at the Baby Expo in Santa Rosa today at the Wells Fargo Center.

The Downtown farmers market in Santa Rosa began last night.

FREE each Wed night 

May through August

5:30 - 8 pm along 4th street

Local farmers, vendors and activities for children.

A great venue to get local, organic produce, cheese, bread and meat. 

We have been spending the week in Laguna Beach which is a quaint beach town with lots of high end shops, luxury cars, body augmentations of one kind or another, etc. I have long held some pretty strong biases about towns like this and the people who live there, i.e. they are shallow, only concerned with themselves and their money, etc. I know that's awful that I have thought that way but I guess that has been my stereotyping of SoCal since I have never  lived here and because I got most of my information about the people who do  live here from watching "90210" when I was in highschool.

Anyway, we took the kids to the park yesterday and I saw a playgroup of moms and kids (all looking very put together, very blonde, very thin, fancy cars parked on the street, on and on and on) and a table nearby that said "FREE SNACKS" with tons of fruit, packaged snacks, drinks, sandwiches piled high. Being my dumpster diving, free loading self, I took a few snack for me and the kids and then, looking for who to thank, said to the group "Did you put out those snacks?" The women said they did and that they come every week with the snack table and put out free snacks for people who are homeless as well as any other parents who come to the park with their kids  (They also leave a little sign on the table that says "Come Join our Group") They were super welcoming and friendly and I thought.....I am so glad I had this experience! When I looked around in fact there were several people who appeared homeless who had helped themselves. What a great way for these moms to set an example for their kids about sharing with others and treating people who are less fortunate with dignity and respect. Later as I was remembering when we first arrived at the park, I saw a man who appeared to be homeless sitting down and talking with the women and I assumed he probably just barged in to their group and was talking to them and they didn't know how to tell him to go away....however now I realized they probably welcomed him into their circle and may have even initiated their conversation.

Anyway, I bring this up for two reasons. The first being that I am so glad when I have the opportunity to be proven wrong in my biases and stereotyping of people and I am reminded of how hurtful and powerful those biases / stereotypes can be if they go unchecked so I am so grateful for that experience. The other reason I bring this up is that I think what these women do each week is so inspirational and also so easy. Buying some extra food and drinks at the store for many of us isn't a great hardship but for someone who doesnt know if they will eat from day to day, it means the difference between going to "bed" (bed being most likely outside, on the cement or grass somewhere) hungry or not. And the impact this simple act of kindness would have on our kids would be invaluable. I know that passing out snacks every week to a few people isn't going to solve the problems of homelessness. However, I think just the gesture of kindness and particularly "seeing the Other" rather than pretending they (people who are homeless) don't exist is really powerful for the giver and receiver. I also think everyone is a giver and receiver in this type of exchange....

So I feel moved to do something similar to what these women started  in our community of Santa Rosa (and neighboring communities).   Does anyone else have the same feeling and if so would you want to put our heads together to come up with a way we could reach out to our community weekly/monthly?

Presented by the City of Santa Rosa....

April 10, 2008 -Low Water -Use Plants

April 17, 2008- Irrigation Efficiency  for the Home

April 24, 2008 - Drip Irrigation Systems

Classes are free. Call 707-543-3737 to sign up.

Classes will be :

Finley Community Center 

2060 College Ave West

6-8 pm 

In this week's Bohemian (a free North Bay weekly publication), an article was featured on the new renaissance in meat eating. It's a quick read that explains the history of meat eating (from family farms, to factory farms, to vegan, to vegetarian to mad cow and now....back to the pasture (full circle). The "back to the pasture" meat eating movement which is starting to become popular is a opportunity for meat eaters to eat meat with less impact on the environment and less cruelty to the animals. Vegetarians of course have the least impact on the environment and the animals who are (or aren't eaten) but if you eat meat, the back to the pasture movement in meat eating is a great alternative.

Here are some excerpts from the article.... however I think  the entire article is a quick and informative read if you have time to follow the link above......

.....just as the discovery of mad cow disease and the unsavory details of factory farming and stockyard practices came to light, organic farmers began raising chickens not only for eggs, but also for their meat. Looking to the free-pastured practices of West Marin's own Niman Ranch—not to mention the profitability of chops, steaks and roasts bearing the Niman brand—ranchers began putting pigs on their pastures, letting them roam and forage freely before taking them down to the road to be slaughtered, and then selling the all-natural, artisan-butchered cuts at farmers markets and small local restaurants........All of this expands the possible solutions to the "omnivore's dilemma," a term coined by psychologist Paul Rozin and popularized in the book of the same name by Michael Pollan. Centering on the issue of choosing what to eat when you can eat everything and anything, the dilemma seems to have eased, thanks to the growth of traditionally raised, naturally fed and humanely treated animals.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) system for buying meat in the North Bay: 

 As with fruit and vegetables, the trend in meat is toward sustainable, locally raised and organic. But unlike with plants, there has so far been no CSA system in which growers provide their products direct from farm to consumers. That's all changing with the Sonoma County Meat Buying Club. Here's how it works: club members sign up for three months of food at a time, designating whether they want seven, 15 or 25 pounds of meat per month. Each month, a different provider is highlighted and the packages feature a mix of beef, pork and lamb in prime and unusual cuts. Members receive a handmade designer bag to pack their products in, as well as special sauces and butters to accompany the food, rancher bios to better learn where it came from and laminated recipe cards from UC Davis that tell how to prepare the stuff.....It comes out to $7 or less a pound.

My husband and I have talked about eating less meat and then trying to buy the bulk of the meat we do eat from a Meat Buying Club such as the one mentioned in the article. What are your thoughts?

Santa Rosa's 114th Annual  Luther Burbank Rose Parade and Festival

Saturday , May 17th

Parade Steps off at 10 AM in Downtown Santa Rosa
Festival runs 11 AM to 4 PM in Downtown Santa Rosa

I was excited when I learned that the theme of this year’s event will be “Go Green & X-Treme” which will showcase activities that take life to the edge as we focus on reducing our carbon footprint.

Some of the days activities will include:

Iron Chef competition adding a new twist – X-Treme n Green Iron Chef competition – in which the participants will  be judged on their ability to cook green and extreme; 

Green Zone where you will be able to learn about how each person can make a difference and help to sustain our planet.

 Good for Santa Rosa!! It's definitely a step in the right direction.

I know many of you have husbands who carpool, bike and bus to work. I found out today that Santa Rosa has a free trip reduction incentive program. Anyone who works for any company within the Santa Rosa city limits is eligible. This incentive program aims to reduce single occupant vehicle trips. The goal is to decrease motor vehicle emissions, traffic congestion, parking challenges and improve air quality in Santa Rosa.

To participate in this program, businesses in the Santa Rosa city limits must designate a Transportation Coordinator who, through this Web site can register their company and sign-up employees who want to participate. Registered employees can receive great incentives by reducing the trips made in their car by carpooling with other registered participants, walking, riding a bike or taking the bus to work.

Some of the incentives include discounted monthly bus passes. CityBus monthly passes and Sonoma County Transit passes are discounted to $10 each for registered participants. Movie tickets are awarded to registered participants who walk, ride a bike or carpool to work at least 8 round-trips or 16 one-way trips during the month.

FAQ's 

What are the incentives?

CityBus and Sonoma County Transit monthly bus passes are only $10 per month. People who walk, ride a bike or carpool at least 8 round-trips or 16 one-way trips during the month receive a movie ticket to the Rialto on Summerfield Road.

How many times a month do I have to walk to work to get an award?

You need to walk, ride your bike or carpool at least 8 round-trips or 16 one-way trips each month. That is only 2 times a week and, if everyone did it, could reduce emissions up to 40%!

Which companies can participate?

Any company that is within the Santa Rosa city limits.

How does a company register?

First designate a Transportation Coordinator within the company. The Coordinator then registers the company and receives a login and password to access the site and sign-up employees.

What if my carpool partner gets sick and needs to go home?

The Free Ride program includes a Guaranteed Ride Home in a taxi. Of course, there are rules and restrictions. The company’s Transportation Coordinator authorizes and issues GRH vouchers as appropriate.

I live in Cloverdale and work in Santa Rosa, how can I participate?

Any enrolled participant who works in Santa Rosa is eligible to buy a monthly Sonoma County Transit pass and/or a CityBus pass for only $10 each per month! Or look into putting together a carpool with others who live and work near you.

Can you help me? I would like my business to be "green".  What do you look for in a local business to be green?  For starters, the eggs I buy are local, cage free hens.  What else? Green cleaning products, green suppliers, etc...

I was at Oliver's Market in Cotati the other day.  I noticed a sign posted stating that Oliver's was going "green" and all of their plastic containers for the salad bar and such are made from corn now.  And they have metal reminders on the light poles in their parking lot reminding people about their reusable bags.

To all the green mommy's and families out there....

Community Supported Agriculture is a perfect way to put your values into action. A way to support local farmers, community, organic food and wellness, with less impact on our world. With the new year ahead, I have made the choice to support CSA's through Capay Valley's Farm Fresh to You, home delivery CSA program. I hope you will do the same! Get $10 off your first delivery box by putting in the code 8356 when signing up online at:

http://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/fftoyou_info.php

More info can be found at the above link, but here is a brief summary:

 What is CSA?
CSA is simply a box of fresh, local, organic, seasonal produce directly from a farm. It's part of a connection to your food and it's source...a relationship between farmer and the urban landscape.
Why CSA?
CSA comes directly from the local farmer to you. This reduces the impact on the environment on many levels. The food travels far less, uses less resources in getting to you, has less packaging, and is not treated with pesticides so it is healthier for our bodies as well as the earth. CSA's support the goal of community and conscious living.
Where can I try out a CSA?
Capay Organic, a Capay valley family farm that has been around since 1976, has a home-delivery CSA program called "Farm Fresh to You". They have fruit/veggie boxes to your door for $21.50 or $29, with your choice of weekly/biweekly/monthly delivery. No contracts. You can change delivery schedule to fit your needs, place vacation holds, skip weeks, or suspend service at any time. You even have some flexibility as to what goes in your box.

They make it pretty easy to see if you even like the idea of CSA.
How do I sign up or get more info?
Go to:
http://www.farmfreshtoyou.com/fftoyou_info.php

Get more info, check delivery areas, and learn more about the farm. First-timers can get $10 off their first box by putting in 8356 in the promo code box when signing up.

Cheers to a greener 2008! 

I normally don't drink beer. I normally don't drink wine either. I'm just not a drinker.

But.......

While at Dan's going away party at his old job, I got a sip of his beer. Man! It tasted good! So, after our vacation, I was on a mission to find this beer.  Well, I found it!

It's made by the Anderson Valley Brewing Company, called Boont Amber Ale.  Little did I know... The bottle cap says "Solar Powered Brewery".

So, as I sit here drinking the beer while typing this out, I feel good to be drinking something that tastes good and is "green".  Their web site is avbc.com 

Thanks to EnviroMom, I just learned that Goodwill and Salvation Army may be places we DON'T want to donate to.  This surprised me, but like most things, things are never as simple as they seem.  Seems like a simple and honorable situation of donating things, buying things and that's it!  But no, Goodwill and Salvation Army are big money operations, which usually translates to less than ideal aspects to the company.

Goodwill donates a large portion of clothing overseas.  Hmmm, besides the shipping aspect, this seems like a nice thing because people overseas get used clothing at a cheap price.  BUT this displaces local textile workers overseas.  So it's not such a good thing for those people trying to make a living.

 So do we stop shopping and donating to Goodwill?  Or just shop there and not donate?  But shopping there essentially tells Goodwill that their business practices are okay with us. 

 So, what are the alternatives?  Freecycle, Craigslist, Swaptree, Neighborrow,  ebay, consignment shops and good old fashioned garage sales to name a few.  Can anyone think of other ways to donate or recycle things we don't use anymore?

I read about Oxbow Public Market in a magazine last week and wanted to share it with you. It's grand opening is somtime in the next month or so. It would be fun to check it out some afternoon this winter.

Oxbow Public Market and its artisans and purveyors passionately support the concept of sustainable agriculture and local harvest—promoting a healthy environment, and social and economic equity within our community.......

Oxbow Public Market has a commitment to the unique character, spirit and content of the Public Market not only as a place to display and sell organic and/or sustainably produced local crops, other regional specialties, and other high quality and unique food products, but also as a place that actively supports sustainable and organic farming practices, owner-operated businesses, local food producers, and the agricultural community of the Napa Valley and surrounding regions.

There is a similar market that I visit when in San Francisco at the Ferry Building. You can  learn more about it by checking out this website.

November 3, 2007

Noon-4 pm at Julliard Park in Santa Rosa

227 Santa Rosa Ave
Santa Rosa, CA 95404

• Get free compact fluorescent bulbs
• Learn how to take local action and local leadership
• Learn more about reducing your carbon footprint
• Check out some of Santa Rosa's green building and sustainable agricultural efforts
• Live music
• Children's Art contest with Prizes

 The following information was taken from the Santa Rosa City web site

The Environmental Projects team is helping the City reduce its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions and  helping facilitate the reduction of community-wide GHG emissions. The City's objective to reduce its emissions is being accomplished by encouraging the use of renewable energy through implementing solar, biomass, wind,  and alternative fuels into their every day operations.

As well as encouraging the use of renewable energy the City has reduced its energy demands and water consumption  through various conservation projects. beneficial reuse of recycled wastewater and biosolids. The City is also in the process of educating staff about Environmentally Preferable Purchasing, and encouraging  municipalities and residents to build green.

Currently, the City has installed 3 photovoltaic (PV) systems totaling 81.5 kilowatts (kW) which together are estimated to be producing approximately 153,000 kWh of green energy each year. Another project is currently in the works, which will add an additional 30 kW and reduce the City's GHG emissions even further.

In June of 2003 the City of Santa Rosa adopted a voluntary green building program, Santa Rosa - Build it Green, that promotes building and remodeling homes in a way that reduces energy demands, releases fewer pollutants into the atmosphere, conserves water and reduces construction waste. The City has also committed to utilizing guidelines set by Build It Green when constructing or renovating municipal buildings

The City of Santa Rosa continues to take bold actions towards bettering itself as a sustainable community. The City has been innovative in its pursuit of public-private relationships. These relationships are what has changed the culture in Santa Rosa and allowed us to be placed on the top 10 list of Green Cities in the U.S. for 2006. 

For more information, comments or suggestions please feel free to contact us at: Environmentalprojects@srcity.org

The City of Santa Rosa is offering water conservation classes in October. There are also two new rebate programs the city is offering as well as incentives for people to conserve more water.

Most produce in the United States is picked 4 to 7 days before being placed on supermarket shelves, and is shipped for an average of 1500 miles before being sold. That distance is even longer for foods imported internationally.

Local Harvest is a great website for anyone looking to find farms, farmers markets, co-ops and CSA's (Community Supported Agriculture) in their area in an effort to support local growers, and vendors and reduce the amount of fossil fuel it takes to bring our food to our plates.