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"To break the dependance
on oil, stop contributing to global warming, and build resilient cities
that can thrive in the new urban age of energy and climate uncertainty,
the bottom line for local governments is this : Reduce consumption and
produce locally."
~David Lerch
"I don't think the American public has
gripped in its gut what could happen (as a consequence of climate
change). I'm hoping that the American people will wake up."
~U.S.
Energy Secretary Stephen Chu
"In the same way that
government, industry and investors, need to unleash innovation in
science and technology, we need to
build the capacity of local communities to exploit the many
opportunities that
come with tackling climate change."
~Lord David
Puttnam
"The World needs an enormous number of new Innovators, Change Agents,
and Transformers, all dedicated to turning Development in the direction
of sustainability. People like you."
~Joanne
Poyourow
"Consuming local, unpackaged, organically
grown food reduces pollution and builds stronger communities.
Especially in the United States, where the prevalence of consumerism
has pulled us out of our gardens and into the mall, it is essential
that we seek out and support producers and distributers of healthy ,
live food. This way we nurture local food security and ourselves at
once".
~H.C. Flores
Info about Palm Springs' two
watersheds on EPA site :
Southern Mojave Watershed --18100100
Salton Sea
Watershed -- 18100200
We over-consume resources in part because
we use them inefficiently. Only 10 percent of the raw materials that
are extracted become part of the final products we use. The rest
becomes waste. And, after just six months of use, more than 90 percent
of the products Americans purchase end up sitting idle in our homes or
in landfills.
~Bob Doppelt
"Waste is too
expensive; it’s cheaper to do the right things."
~Paul Hawken
"Waste needs to
become the basis of the human economy as well as nature's economy."
~Dr. David Suzuki
"Astronauts have looked down on dumps
that are visible from space and rival the Great Wall of China in size.
There's a 3.5 million ton heap of debris called the Great Pacific
Garbage Patch that's twice the size of Texas floating in the Pacific
Ocean. Houston, we have a problem."
~Van Jones
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The "hot" issues
of our changing times, the challenges and opportunities...
Energy & Peak Oil
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The Post-Carbon Institute
Conducts research,
develops technical tools, educates the public, and organizes leaders to
help communities around the world understand and respond to the
challenges of fossil fuel depletion and climate change.
Post Carbon Cities (article)
by Daniel Lerch, featured in
the December 2008 issue of Planning magazine
Portland Peak Oil
is a grassroots group of concerned local
citizens, from different backgrounds, with different interests, who've
separately become aware of the looming crisis caused by the peaking of
world oil supplies.
The Energy Bulletin
BBC - Global Energy Guide
New York Times
The Energy Challenge series, with
multimedia features.
American Solar Energy Society
A major nonprofit dedicated to
increasing the use of solar energy, energy efficiency, rebates, and
other sustainable technologies in the U.S. How to go solar. Find a
local installer.
California Center for Sustainable Energy
Dedicated to Greening
Your World through public programs and services including free
workshops, rebate programs, free shade trees, outreach events and
public education.
Flex Your Power
California's statewide
energy efficiency marketing and outreach campaign, rebates..
Sustainable Communities Network - Energy
Climate Crisis
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California Climate Change
Portal
California Global Warming
Site
Mayors Climate Protection
Center
600 U.S. Mayors have signed The U.S.
Conference of Mayors’ Climate Protection
Agreement, an agreement where supporting mayors pledge to reduce carbon
dioxide emissions.
BBC - Climate Change Portal
News, opinion, and
explanation of climate change, with in depth graphical and animated
guide.
Sustainable Communities
Network - Air & Climate
Sustainable Communities
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Business Alliance for
Local Living Economies - BALLE
"How can my
business use less energy and produce less waste? How can I help my
customers understand that locally owned businesses are important to the
strength of our community? What new business opportunities exist for
our region in the emerging green economy?"
Transition United States
Transition Initiatives
are communities working to look Peak Oil and Climate Change squarely in
the eye and address this BIG question: "for all those aspects of life
that this community needs in order to sustain itself and thrive, how do
we significantly increase resilience (to mitigate the effects of Peak
Oil) and drastically reduce carbon emissions (to mitigate the effects
of Climate Change)?"
some
Transition initiatives :
Transition Boulder County (CO)
Transition
Santa Cruz (CA)
Sandpoint Transition Initiative (ID)
Towns prepare for 'peak
oil' point (article)
Intitute for Local
Self-Reliance
Provides innovative
strategies, working models and timely information to support
environmentally sound and equitable community development.
Permaculture Principles
Design principles
that allow us to creatively re-design our environment and our behaviour
in a world of less energy and resources. Great video resources on this
site..
The Urban Permaculture Guild
Educates and
inspires communities and individuals to creatively transform how they
live and the urban places where they live.
Rails-to-trails Conservancy
We are organizing communities around the
2010 Campaign for Active Transportation, which aims to double the
federal investment in trails, walking and biking.
and for the fun of it ....
Regal Mini Sulkies (dog powered
transportation!)
Food
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American Community
Gardening
Association
Multiple studies
in recent years have clearly demonstrated the benefits of community
gardens: they increase urban green space, provide fresh produce, give
children a constructive activity, enhance property values, build
connections between diverse neighbors, and even reduce crime.
Community Garden Start-Up
Guide
UCCE Common Ground Garden Program step-by-step detailed guide. Great
resource for all urban dwellers who want to get their neighborhoods
involved in a community garden project !
Sustainable Table
Promotes the positive shift toward local, small-scale
sustainable farming.
The Learning Garden (in LA)
A model example of how school gardens can transform the lives of
students and teachers and the environment of their community.
Recommended : the virtual garden tour.
UC
Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education Program
Sustainable Community Food Systems
CUESA -The Center for
Urban Education about Sustainable Education
The
Center
for
Urban
Education about Sustainable Agriculture is dedicated
to promoting a sustainable food system ...and educational programs.
Native Seed S.E.A.R.C.H.
Southwestern
endangered aridland resource clearing house.
Organic Consumers
Association
Campaigning for
health, justice, and sustainability. We are the only organization in
the US focused exclusively on promoting the views and interests of the
nation's estimated 50 million organic and socially responsible
consumers.
Slow Food USA
A way of living and a
way of eating, linking the pleasure of food with a commitment to
community and the environment.
Feeling the heat of food security (article)
Dr Peter Baker argues
that reforming the economics of food production and supply would be
beneficial for a number of environmental and social problems.
Food and Water Watch
Promotes food safety, adresses issues relating to
agricultural methods, factory farms, irradiation of food & more.
Water
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h20 conserve
What is your water
footprint - find out online.
Aquafornia
Aquafornia is
dedicated to providing comprehensive news and information about
California water issues, as well as issues affecting the southwest.
Aquafornia posts links from the news media, press releases, trade
magazines, and blogs.
Note : Brad Lancaster is the
leader of water harvesting methods in the US, dealing essentially with
water cachement in drylands (he lives in Tuscon AZ). Here are a couple
of sites featuring his work, all packed with info, videos and resources
:
Rainwater Harvesting for
Drylands and Beyond
Turn water scarcity
into water abundance!
City of Tuscon Office of Conservation and Sustainable Development
Water Resources
Community Model
American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
We encourage all
rainwater harvesting enthusiasts to join our organization
Food and Water Watch
Stop water
privatization, promotes clean water, water conservation, California
issues, water facts & more.
Blue Gold : World Water Wars
About the
prize-winning film, and water resources.
Sustainable Communities Network - Water
Habitat
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The Home Energy Saver
The first web-based
do-it-yourself home energy audit tool.
GreenHomeBuilding.com
Where you can find
a wide range of information about sustainable architecture and natural
building. One of the most complete and exhaustive sources of
information on these subjects !
D.O.E. Solar Decathlon
The Solar Decathlon joins 20 college
and university teams in a competition to design, build, and operate the
most attractive and energy-efficient solar-powered house.
CAL-EARTH : The
California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture
Cal-Earth is at
the cutting edge of Earth Art and Ceramic Architecture technologies
today. Founded and directed by the internationally renowned architect
and author Nader Khalili, it's scope spans technical innovations
published by NASA for lunar base construction, to design and
development of housing for the world's homeless for the United Nations.
Gardening Insights
Tuscon company
with many desert friendly creative landscaping ideas & articles
online. Also workshops and resources.
Urban Homesteading
This link takes
you to a ring of sites, all packed with great info, created by the now
famous Dervaes family in Pasadena :
- Little Homested in the City
- Path to Freedom
- Freedom Gardens
- The Peddler's Wagon
Sustainable Communities Network - Healthy Home &
Property
Zero Waste
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Zero Waste California
Imagine a "zero waste California". See the resources on this site
relating to composting and the three "R"s :
Reduce (or refuse !)
Reuse
Recycle
OK, so
ZERO WASTE has to do
with recycling ? I can do that !
Good, that's a great
start, but the real impact you can make is to REDUCE YOUR CONSUMPTION
OF STUFF....
The Story of Stuff
The Compost Guide
Why make compost,
and how to.
Nature Conservation
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Oceana - Protecting the World's Oceans
Sierra Club ... and check out the
Sierra Club Green Tips
Library
Wisdom of the
Elders
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Great Depression Witnesses
Remember (article)
By Rod Lamkey Jr. and David
M. Dickson
The Washington Times
Monday, December 29, 2008
The International
Council
of
Thirteen
Indigenous Grandmothers
The grandmothers are
both women of prayer and women of action. Their traditional ways link
them with the forces of the earth. Their solidarity with one another
creates a web to rebalance the injustices wrought from an imbalanced
world; a world disconnected from the fundamental laws of nature and the
original teachings based on a respect for all of life.
For the next 7 generations (documentary film in the
making- see trailer)
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Peak Oil Interview
With Richard Heinberg
Global Green USA - Solar Energy Film
(very informative)
Ever wonder what size a solar panel system
you need or how much one costs?
Solar Power Calculator
"Almost everything you do will seem
insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."
~Gandhi
Transition Towns
With Rob Hopkins
Paul Scott founder of Plug in America talks about
electric cars
Urban Food Growing in
Havana, Cuba
Rainwater harvesting basics
with Brad Lancaster
Solar Ovens
Nature-Powered Cooking
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