Dear ,
I recently spoke to a class on Sustainable Living at UCSC about the Transition movement and on remaining hopeful. I often stress the importance of remaining hopeful in my talks because I deeply believe that it is something we can and must
choose to do. I shared with the students this quotation from oft-jailed former Czech dissident Vaclav Havel:
Hope is not prognostication. It is an orientation of the spirit, an orientation of the heart....It is definitely not the same thing as optimism. It is not the conviction that something will turn out well, but the certainty that something makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.
Havel went on to become the first democratic president of Czechoslolvakia after the Soviet regime ended. But before the fall of the regime, he had no way of knowing if he would ever succeed in his efforts for democracy. That is why his perspective on hope is so powerful.
One of the best things we can do to maintain a hopeful outlook is to work side by side with others willing to hope and work for positive change. It is very difficult to maintain hope alone, or without action.
That is the main reason Transition Santa Cruz exists. We try to highlight many ways of joining together and reclaiming our collective vision and power. Slow Money, Sharing Gardens, shared living arrangments (see this month's potluck description at right)....There are so many ways to Transition to more togetherness. They may push us into uncomfortable territory, but what they have in common is that they offer the potential for a richer life.
I hope to share something with you soon.
—Michael Levy |
| Produce from the Homeless Garden |
Looking for a CSA? Here's a message from our Resilience Partner, The Homeless Garden Project. You can get great produce and support them at the same time.
Our garden is in full bloom and our crops are ready to go home with you! Join the Homeless Garden Project's Community Supported Agriculture program and receive a weekly basket of produce now through October 26 with our pro-rated prices.
You-Pick Shares: Shares harvested by you each week on Friday 11AM - 6 PM or Saturday 10 AM - 4 PM. This share is sized for small families or individuals. Great for children of any age or anyone who wants to connect more deeply with the food they eat.
Pick-Up Shares: We harvest shares for you each week and are available to pick up every Friday from 2:30pm - 6 PM.
Stick around for Friday afternoons for live music and cooking demos out at the farm!
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| Help create a Sharing Garden |
The Community Garden at the Live Oak Grange is a very special place with a promising future...given an infusion of love and leadership. We are gathering names now of folks interested in helping make it thrive.
A sharing garden is different from other community gardens, in that rather than having private beds, all the beds are for sharing. The sharing garden could serve a number of valuable functions, such as:
- Creating community
- Learning and teaching about growing food
- Seed saving and sharing
- Growing food that can be eaten at Transition and Grange events (as well as some for the gardeners)
Here is a great article on Sharing Gardens in Communities Magazine.
Please reply to this email if you are interested! |
| Engineers for Water Alternatives |
Thursday, June 14, 7-8:30pm
Ecology Action, 877 Cedar St.
Free
Learn from some of the region's top water engineers about "conjunctive use," the sharing of water resources between neighboring districts (like Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley and Soquel Creek), and how it relates to the need for a desalination plant. A flier with more information is here. |
| Also worthy of attention... |
♦ Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We're in without Going Crazy--a new book by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone. Get it from Bookshop Santa Cruz (not Amazon)!
♦ Teens and Transition phone conference
Tuesday, June 19, 11:00am - 12:15pm
Click here to get more information and register.
♦ How Small Groups Can Power Big Change
A great article by Sarah Byrnes, founder of "Resilience Circles."
♦ Have some say in the Soquel Ave. Transit Corridor
The Transit Corridors Plan intends to integrate the County’s land use and transportation policies in a way that protects environmental resources, supports economic growth, and increases access to opportunity for all County residents. You can comment on this website and influence the plan.
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| Become a member of Transition Santa Cruz |
Help support our important work of building local resilience! Go to http://transitionsc.org/donate and join at the $25, $50, $100 or $200 level, or join as a volunteer. Your participation matters!
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Contact Details
831-427-9916
http://transitionsc.org
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Potluck with a Purpose
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Tuesday, June 26
6-8:30 pm
Live Oak Grange, 1900 17th Ave.
Free/by donation
Family friendly!
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| "Laurel Manor" near Mission |
Shared Living Arrangements
Save money, enrich your life
Whether a shared living arrangement is something you did once and might like to try again, something finances are pushing you toward, or just something you are curious about, this will be an interesting evening! We will have a panel composed of folks living in various shared arrangements; that is, more than members of one family on the same property. You can expect to come away with some tips about how to make the experience fun and enriching--rather than annoying!
Bring your own success stories too, as there will be a chance to share.
Potluck 6:00, Program 7:00
Feel free to come for either or both!
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