June 2011

June 2, 2011

Coalition Signs Lease for a Community Green Resource Center

On April 22, Earth Day, the Coalition signed for space at 327 E. Ojai Ave. to create a center to make sustainable education and resources more accessible to all. Though an empty 430 square foot room now, our vision is to furnish it with energy and water conservation product models, green building material displays, small recycling area, and a lending library; along with guides, tips, and other literature to support our journey to change our habits, policies and ultimately our culture.

Over the next months we will hold open houses asking you and businesses to sponsor and adopt the tools we’ll need to do this right. Once ready, with your continued involvement, we look forward to workshops, green job fairs for youth, films, and presentations, to name a few activities. In the meantime to get us started, please read on and if you have any items to donate we’d be much obliged!

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Posted by Sharon Emery on June 2, 2011 9:24 AM | | Comments (0)

Everyone is Invited - Join the Ojai Valley Community Garden!

Don’t Delay – Dig Today

On May 5, 2011 the Ojai Valley Green Coalition adopted the Ojai Valley Community Garden as a pilot project under the Coalition’s Food Council. The Community Garden is an organic garden established earlier this year on one-acre of land at the Help of Ojai West Campus on Baldwin Road. The Coalition chose to adopt the Community Garden as a way to continue to support food and agricultural activities in the Ojai Valley.

Current Community Garden Members are now planting their spring crops and making friends with one another. The garden is as much about community as it is about gardening. Every one of the gardeners is working toward the same goal and enjoying the process of creating something that feeds their spirit and their passion.

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Posted by Sharon Emery on June 2, 2011 9:20 AM | | Comments (0)

City Gives Variance to Increase Energy Efficiency

Green Thumbs Up to New City Manager, Rob Clark

At a city Building Code workshop, Coalition member and green building contractor, Reggie Wood expressed a concern about the lack of a provision to allow residents to thicken the walls of a guest house for energy efficiency purposes without losing interior space. Shortly afterwards we received a copy of an email from the city manager.

“This is actually a zoning issue rather than a building code issue. I have authorized the issuance of a minor administrative variance in these cases so those interested in paying extra for an energy efficient building are allowed to enjoy the same amount of interior space as those who do not. Eventually we should amend the zoning code to make this permissible without a variance.”

Download a simple sheet of 'Top Ten Energy Reduction Tips' HERE.

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Posted by Sharon Emery on June 2, 2011 9:15 AM | | Comments (0)