Dear Subscriber,
According to Buddhist activist Joanna Macy, there are three aspects to the "Great Turning" from our industrial growth economy to a sustainable one.
The first is "Holding Actions," all the environmental and social battles being fought to keep people, other forms of life, and our precious ecosystems from being destroyed while the current society still holds sway.
The second is "Creating Structural Alternatives," which means analyzing our current systems and building alternatives which can replace them as they fall apart.
Third is "Shift in Consciousness." As Macy says, "The structural alternatives cannot take root and survive without deeply ingrained values to sustain them."
While all of these are essential, the Transition Movement has focused on numbers two and three, as the articles in this newsletter demonstrate.
To do all three is truly an awe-inspiring challenge. Fortunately for each of us who hold hope for the future, we are members of a huge community. When we work for positive change, we are not working alone. While one of us is supporting a local currency, another is fighting for a just distribution of shrinking community resources, and another is teaching her children about the happiness of simple things.
What helps you remember your connectedness to this vast, hopeful effort on the part of so many people? Drop me a line and let me know, and I'll share your thoughts with others.
—Michael Levy
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Water awareness 6-week course
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Tuesdays, August 2nd to September 6th
6:30 to 8:30 pm
Louden Nelson Community Center, Santa Cruz
$30-$90 sliding scale, $5-$10 single class session
Our local water situation is stressed and the era of water “consumers”
is giving way to the era of water stewards. In this introductory level
class, led by Julie Boudreau, we will look at where our local water comes from, the forest
ecosystem that sustains our water supply, policy questions about water
needs and limits, and wise water use practices that are key to water
stewardship and sustainability.
An informative, inspirational, and
engaging way to spend your evenings, the course provides the information
we need to be active participants in the water transition before us. More info here.
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Teleconference with Rob Hopkins
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Monday, July 18
8:00 am to 9:15 am
Click here to register.
Rob will talk about the latest developments worldwide in the Transition movement, and take people's questions.
Rob is the originator of the Transition concept and co-founder of the Transition Network.
He spent many years teaching permaculture. Now based in Totnes, he is a member of Transition Town Totnes, works part time for the Transition Network, publishes transitionculture.org, is author of the ‘Transition Handbook’ and generally spends far too much time thinking about Transition stuff.
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Farmageddon film night
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Tuesday, July 19
7:00 pm
Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave.
Sliding scale, $10 suggested
Revolutionary farmer Joel Salatin writes:
“Many of you have seen Food Inc. and Fresh. Now it’s time for the next
level: Farmageddon. Everyone should see this documentary because it
takes up where previous documentaries have ended by answering the
question: ‘Why is local food pricey and hard to find?’ You deserve an
answer, and this hard hitting video delivers. I can’t recommend it
heartily enough."
Fundraiser for the Grange, Transition SC, and HopeDance Films. More info here.
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Support your local Grange!
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The mission of the Santa
Cruz Live Oak Grange, aka "The Green Grange," is to be a hub
for
advocacy and activism on behalf of small family farmers,
organic farming, and
issues regarding sustainability.
It hasn't always been this way. Just a few years ago, the Grange, site of most of TSC's potluck events, was in danger of being shut down as the mostly older members, and the original impetus for Granges, faded away. Fortunately for us, a group of "renaissance Grange" activists stepped in to revitalize the Grange.
The Grange has a
demonstration organic garden, sponsors
lectures and discussions concerning organic methods,
provides free meeting space for organic farming groups and
local groups such as the Live Oak Neighbors. There are numerous ways for members to
participate in
activities.
Learn more about the Grange here.
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Also worthy of attention...
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♦ Plum Picking with SC Fruit Tree Project
Sunday, July 10, 11 am
Free
Meet in the parking lot near Trader Joe's, on the river
side of the lot. Folks living south of town can go directly to the
ranch... More information here.
♦ An inspiring video on Neighborhood Sharing can be found here. Check it out, then contact Michael about how to build resilience in your neighborhood!
♦ Will natural gas save us from peak oil? Don't bet on it, according to this well-researched, easy-to-read report from Post-Carbon Institute.
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Contact Details
831-427-9916
http://transitionsc.org
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Potluck with a Purpose
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Note different time and location!
♦ Wednesday, July 27,
6:15 to 9:00 pm
♦ Temple Beth El (map)
and Cabrillo Horticulture Bldg. (map), Aptos
♦ Free/donation
♦ Family friendly
♦ Bring a dish to share
♦ We will carpool from Beth El to Cabrillo around 7:15
Activism: What's Love
Got to do with it?
After our usual wonderful potluck, in an unusual location (Temple Beth El), we will
carpool up the hill to the amazing overlook of the Cabrillo Horticulture Building for a great program
with renowned mystic activist Andrew Harvey.
A sampling of local
visionary groups affiliated with Transition SC will describe their
missions and how you can join them. Meet representatives from local
food, local currency, and the Resilient Neighborhood Program.
Bring a
friend who’s wondering how to get involved.
More information here.
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