Ojai Valley Green Coalition

May E-News 2013

2013-05-14T00:35:47Z

May E-News on the Stands Now *"Ladies of the Land" * Board Changes * Ventura River Watershed Council *Earth Day Recap Read E-News Here...

2013 May Board Changes

2013-05-09T03:23:00Z

Besides our recent location change, OVGC Board changes are afoot. We are losing Marleen Luckman, our esteemed President, and her husband Frank Malle and welcoming a new board member, Cynthia Grier. Marleen and Frank, who will be sorely missed not just by the OVGC, but the entire community, are moving out of state to be near family. Not to be too sad, we are looking forward to Cynthia coming onboard after being an active member since 2008. Marleen is a certified Building Biology Environmental Inspector and has spent 30 years as an elementary teacher. She has had a broad impact on our community. An experienced public speaker on home environmental health issues, Marleen held the position of Green Operations Coordinator at the Ojai Unified School District funded through a grant to Food for Thought to develop green school policies, provide teacher support in environmental education, and guide the District through the National Green Ribbon School certification process. Marleen also has been serving as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Ojai and sitting on the Commission’s Complete Streets subcommittee. “We have been making frequent trips to Arizona to visit family and this way we will be nearer for day to day support,” says Marleen. “We have fallen in love with the area and have found a really great house.” Marleen’s husband, Frank, has been an OVGC supporter and is also highly involved in the Ojai theatre community as well. Both are sure to be welcomed in their new Arizona home with the wealth of community experience they bring. Cynthia, who has a strong background in home environmental issues, is the owner and founder of one of Ojai’s first green businesses, Ecologic Life, located at 111 W. Topa Topa St. “This is my first time on the OVGC Board,” says Cynthia. “ I have been active in the various transmutations of the committee once called Building & Construction, then called Built Environment, trying to do my part to work on anything that brings awareness around lowering our carbon footprint and preventing further ecological damage.” Cynthia came into the environmental field for very personal reasons. Her health became compromised over 20 years ago when she moved into a new home filled with formaldehyde, PVC, and other toxins found in standard building products. This experience, coupled with her background in interior design, inspired her to broaden her knowledge of eco-friendly, sustainable products, launch the store and become more active in educating the public in safe nontoxic, earth-friendly materials. Cynthia has worked hard to bring more environmentally friendly alternatives to the forefront, contributing to OVGC projects like our Green Home Tour and the Green Building & Beyond Forum in 2008, and is currently producing a series of monthly Eco building workshops with Jon Cotham. Join with us in saying thank you and farewell to Marleen and Frank and a huge thank you to Cynthia for stepping up.

Final Creek Work Day Until Fall - Saturday, May 4

2013-04-29T04:49:39Z

The Coalition is spearheading volunteer recruitment for current creek restoration work in Libbey Park, Ojai being led by the C.R.E.W. Please join us for our next work day: Saturday, May 4 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. We will be removing invasive non-native plants, mulching and reestablishing native habitat. A hat is highly recommended, as are long pants and closed-toed shoes or boots. The Coalition will provide work gloves, tools, water and snacks, but feel free to bring along your own gloves and digging tools. Parking is available at the lower Libbey parking lot off of South Montgomery Street. To check in follow the signs to the work site near the old jailhouse building in lower Libbey Park (between the bike path and the lower tennis courts). Those under the age of 18 will need a liability release waiver signed by a parent or guardian. For more information or for waivers please contact deborah@ojaivalleygreencoalition.com or call (805) 669-8445.

Spring Community Gathering and Potluck

2013-04-28T05:42:05Z

Friday, May 10, 6:30- 9:00 p.m. at Chaparral Auditorium, 414 E. Ojai Ave. Mingle with neighbors, share a potluck supper and learn about women in agriculture. We will screen “Ladies of the Land” followed by a discussion of “Women, Agriculture and the Ojai Valley” with local “Ladies of the Land”. There is a suggested $5 donation to support the Coalition. Bring a vegetarian dish to share and to reduce our landfill waste, please bring your own table service (plate, silverware, mug, and cloth napkin). If you'd like more information call (805) 669-8445. Download flyer here

April E-News 2013

2013-04-09T03:52:06Z

Check out the Ojai Valley Green Coalition's monthly E-news: *Earth Day EarthPlay * Our Focus for 2013 * Seed Library Webinar * Business Profile: Our Co-founder Ken Wright's WaterSmart Technology Read E-News Here...

Ken Wright, Coalition Co-founder andWaterSmart Technology Founder

2013-04-06T04:06:44Z

This month we highlight new business member Ken Wright who has lived in Ojai for 17 years. Ken, the founder of WaterSmart Technology, Inc. is an inventor with products and inventions used world-wide. Perhaps most importantly to us, Ken helped found the Ojai Valley Green Coalition after an “environmental awakening” spurred by Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth.”]]> here to learn more about business membership with the Coalition.

Ken Wright, Coalition Co-founder andWaterSmart Technology Founder

2013-04-06T04:06:44Z

EarthPlay 2013 – Wishes for Our World

2013-04-05T16:09:40Z

EarthPlay 2013 – Wishes for Our World - 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Your hosts for Earth Day – Oak Grove School, Food for Thought, Ojai Valley Land Conservancy and the Coalition – have a great day organized for the community. Here are all the fun and interesting things you can to do: Hang out at the stage – entertainment includes Dave Palmer & Friends; Kalinka; the Ojai Youth Symphony; school bands from Nordhoff, Besant Hill, and Oak Grove; Kealoha & Company; Tonalli Aztec Dancers; author James Mihaley; Peace Sticks; and more. Eat, learn, browse and play – there will be food aplenty, environmental presentations and exhibits, field play, community involvement, and great ideas for our world. Create – elementary students from schools throughout the Ojai Valley have designed 9" x 9" cloth squares with wishes for our world that will be displayed for all to see. Additional squares will be available at the event so you can create your own"Wish for Our World." Tread lightly – trolley rides to EarthPlay are free all day, courtesy of the City of Ojai Trolley. There will also be a bike valet available and special parking for EV cars. Walking is great, too, but please leave the dog home for this event. Admission is free and everything takes place under the trees at the Oak Grove School campus, 220 W. Lomita Avenue in Ojai. For more information visit ojaiearthday.org. To help staff the event, check out the volunteer shifts available here.
We also have Earth Day raffle tickets available that benefit the Coalition. Hit reply to contact Deborah for raffle details. Thank you! To download the flyer click here

FOOD NEWS - APRIL 2013

2013-04-04T23:56:57Z

Find out what the Food Council has been up to: *Tomatomania!!! *Food Forest Workshop: Raised Beds *Beyond Monsanto and HR 733 *"Ground Operations" goes to Washington DC Read Food News Here...

March E-News 2013

2013-03-22T22:28:29Z

Check out the Ojai Valley Green Coalition's monthly E-news: * New Home for the OVGC Resource Center * Millions of People Will Turn Off Their Lights for One Hour * Check Out Light Bulb Finder * EarthPlay Saturday, April 20 Read E-News Here...

New Home for the OVGC Resource Center

2013-03-12T23:01:45Z

The Coalition has moved its headquarters down the street to 206 N. Signal St. Suite S (El Paseo office complex next to Wells Fargo, we’re upstairs). We hope you will visit us sometime Wednesday thru Friday, 12 to 5 p.m. And look for Open House invitations coming this summer Soon we’ll have everything back in order – educational displays and artwork, very impressive lending library, and recycling center for household batteries, handheld electronics, media storage, ink & toner, old holiday lights, and wine corks – to name a few of our ‘resources’. If you can donate any of the following items on our Wish List, we'll get there that much faster! • Light weight 8' curtain panels • Flat screen monitor/TV for presentations • Silk or live green plants • Create a 4'x4' mural - on the 'story' of compost, watershed, or green streets Please contact Deborah at membership@ojaivalleygreencoalition.com, if you are able to donate fixtures, funds, or materials for our new center. Thank you.

March 23, 2013 Event Postponed

2013-03-12T22:51:22Z

The Coalition will join the 7th Annual Earth Hour at our new Resource Center located at 206 N. Signal St. #S from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23. Along with participating in this historic event, we will be kicking off our Lights Down, Please project under our Ojai Energy Efficiency and Renewables Initiative. Come learn how you can take personal steps toward better exterior lighting and, as a Coalition member, help our community turn down its lights. This is an RSVP event and reservations can be emailed to membership@ojaivalleygreencoalition.com or leave a message at (805) 669-8445. Click here to download the flyer ]]> Earth Hour interconnected global community. They have proven that if you believe in something strongly enough, you can achieve amazing things. Earth Hour is not merely an annual event, but is a continuous movement driving real actions to change the world’s use of energy and bring to light human impact on our home, planet Earth. Since 2007 when 2.2 million people took part in the first Earth Hour in Sydney, Australia, Earth Hour has massively expanded to over 7,000 cities and towns in 152 countries and territories with hundreds of millions of participants across seven continents. In the USA, nearly 35,000 Girl Scouts took part in Earth Hour last year through the Save Energy Project, and installed 132,141 energy efficient light bulbs across the country. The impact is a staggering 75,392,654 pounds of CO2 emissions eliminated, equivalent to the CO2 sequestration accrued per year from planting 7,286 acres of trees. Here in Ojai, the Ojai City Council just passed an updated Exterior Lighting Standards Ordinance and we plan to work with the city to help residents and commercial owners as they begin to shift to more appropriate and efficient lighting. Ojai will be one of many cities in California to adopt an exterior light ordinance to help reduce the use of fossil fuels and preserve the dark skies. Los Angeles County recently passed an exterior light ordinance for 1000 square miles of rural area in an effort to stop the encroachment of city lights. Join the world and the Coalition this March 23 with one hour of dark from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. We’ll meet at 8:00 p.m. for refreshments, and then turn off the overhead lights and have a glowing conversation. If you can’t join us, we encourage you to shut off your lights at home and watch the stars from your own backyard. You can get more information about Earth Hour here.

March 23, 2013: Millions of People Will Turn Off Their Lights for One Hour

2013-03-12T20:20:38Z

People from all walks of life, from all nations around the world, are the lifeblood of the Earth Hour interconnected global community. They have proven that if you believe in something strongly enough, you can achieve amazing things. Earth Hour is not merely an annual event, but is a continuous movement driving real actions to change the world’s use of energy and bring to light human impact on our home, planet Earth.]]> The Coalition will join the 7th Annual Earth Hour at our new Resource Center located at 206 N. Signal St. #S from 8:00 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23. Along with participating in this historic event, we will be kicking off our Lights Down, Please project under our Renewables, Energy Efficiency & Lighting Program (REEL). Come learn how you can take personal steps toward better exterior lighting and, as a Coalition member, help our community turn down its lights. This is an RSVP event and reservations can be emailed to membership@ojaivalleygreencoalition.com or leave a message at (805) 669-8445. Please download the flyer and share it with family, friends and neighbors. Since 2007 when 2.2 million people took part in the first Earth Hour in Sydney, Australia, Earth Hour has massively expanded to over 7,000 cities and towns in 152 countries and territories with hundreds of millions of participants across seven continents. In the USA, nearly 35,000 Girl Scouts took part in Earth Hour last year through the Save Energy Project, and installed 132,141 energy efficient light bulbs across the country. The impact is a staggering 75,392,654 pounds of CO2 emissions eliminated, equivalent to the CO2 sequestration accrued per year from planting 7,286 acres of trees. Here in Ojai, the Ojai City Council is expected to pass an updated Exterior Lighting Standards Ordinance and we plan to work with the city to support residents and commercial owners as they begin to shift to more appropriate and efficient lighting. Ojai will be one of many cities in California to adopt an exterior light ordinance to help reduce the use of fossil fuels and preserve the dark skies. Los Angeles County recently passed an exterior light ordinance for 1000 square miles of rural area in an effort to stop the encroachment of city lights. Join the world and the Coalition this March 23 with one hour of dark from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. We’ll meet at 8:00 p.m. for wine and cheese, and then turn off the overhead lights and have a glowing conversation. If you can’t join us, we encourage you to shut off your lights at home and watch the stars from your own backyard. You can get more information about Earth Hour here.

FOOD NEWS - February 2013

2013-02-21T20:41:54Z

Find out what the Food Council has been up to: *"Ground Operations" Wins! *2nd Annual Seed & Plant Swap *What to do now in the Garden? *Some Good News on GMO Labeling??? *Ojai Food Co-Op has the Green Light Read Food News Here...

February E-News 2013

2013-02-21T20:36:51Z

Check out the Ojai Valley Green Coalition's monthly E-news: * Second Annual Ojai Valley Seed & Plant Exchange * "Valley of the Moon" Community Garden 2012 In Review * Our City, Our Valley - Needs Our Activism! * Remember Solarize Ojai? Read E-News Here...