Dear ,
When Transition Santa Cruz first got going in the Fall of 2008, the core group was motivated, in large part, by two concerns, both related to fossil fuels: peak oil and climate change.
By brute force, you might say, the collapsing economy forced its way onto the agenda. But this is really a sign of the maturation of the Transition movement. Many of us have come to realize that none of these global problems can be solved apart from the others.
On Monday, I was proud to be at a ceremony at City Hall for the release of the new draft of the City's Climate Action Plan. This Plan reflects a ton of work by City staff, and significant contributions made in the past year by Transition Santa Cruz members and others. It even now contains language about peak oil and energy descent.
Now our work is cut out for us: making sure that the good intentions in the mostly suggestive Plan are carried out in meaningful ways. But that's not all...
[Please click here to read the rest of this letter and to find out a couple of great ways to become an effective agent for positive change.] |
| TSC Membership drive: launched! |
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After 3 and a half years of running exclusively on love and donations at events, Transition Santa Cruz launched a paid membership system at the Frances Moore Lappe event on November 11.
Response was wonderful, with the first 14 members signing up that very night. Many thanks to those 14 and those who have joined since then.
While we are excited about our new membership base, we want to be clear: everyone who cares about our project of Transition, with its many aspects of local resilience-building, belongs, and will continue to have access to events, to receive the newsletter, to download resources from the website, and so on.
But if you can manage it, taking the additional step of becoming a "member" is a great way of showing your commitment and helping ensure that the project can keep going. (And, it is possible to do it by volunteering as well as by paying.)
It's easy to join! Just click here to go to our "Join/donate" page. |
| Tax oil, fund education! |
Doesn't that sound like a good idea? Several billion dollars a year that could go to education are left untapped in California because unlike other states (like Texas), we do not tax oil extraction in the state.
According to local organizer Maureen Smith:
This initiative includes natural gas to be taxed at extraction at 15% per barrel value as well as oil. It distributes the funds collected as follows: 37% to K-12, 38% to community colleges, 14% to CSU and 11% to the UC system.
Contact Maureen at 688-8692 if you would like to help make this tax a reality.
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Bicycle Dreams, the movie |
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Tonight (Thursday, Dec. 8)
7:00 pm
Rio Theatre
$15 at the door
Bicycle Dreams, an award-winning feature-length documentary about the Race Across America, will premiere in Santa Cruz at the Rio to benefit People Power. The film follows the cyclists in intimate detail through physical and emotional breakdowns, late-night strategy sessions, and spectacular moments of personal triumph during the 10-day, 3000-mile race. Join us for this exciting and inspiring film, and a bicycle-related raffle.
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Contact Details
831-427-9916
http://transitionsc.org
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Potluck: Meet the Meetup
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♦ Tuesday, December 20
6:30 to 9:00 pm
♦ Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave (map)
♦ Free/donation
♦ Family friendly
♦ Bring a dish to share
Long Name, Fun Group
They are called the (Sub)urban Homesteading and Sustainable Living Meetup Group. But don't be scared by the long name (or its acronym, SHSL). This group is all about getting together, having fun and learning valuable skills.
This month, while Transition Santa Cruz takes a break, SHSL will be in charge of the potluck evening, offering the space for:
a DIY and Sustainable Gift show and tell,
a sales/trade emphasis at the Market Table, and
a DIY Sewing/Craft Area if you want to make something--or learn how to.
For details, check out SHSL's webpage, where you can join the group if you like. You can also read about their other events, past and future, such as:
♦ Recycled Crafts Family Workshop (coming on Dec. 18)
♦ Make Cute Aprons out of used shirts-Learn to Re-Use! (Dec. 4)
♦ Sourdough Rye bread making (Dec. 3)
♦ Fibre Arts and Pine Needle basket making in Felton (Dec. 3)
The great thing about SHSL is that the group is what the participants make it. Everyone is encouraged to be a "teacher" as well as a "student" and can propose a "class" (aka a Meetup) anytime.
So, for the potluck, bring your own stuff to show, tell, sell, trade, sew, etc....or just come and share some good food.
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