Thursday, July 18th, 7:00 pm
First Christian Church, 7th & Franklin in Olympia

Dr. Ring, who was trained at Yale and Columbia Universities, is part of a team of cyclists on a pedal-powered speaking tour from Washington State to Washington D.C. with Climate 911.org, a national organization of physicians dedicated to raising the alarm about climate change as a public health emergency.

The group, travelling via part of the proposed route for coal export to China in Washington and Montana and the proposed path of the XL Pipeline in South Dakota and Nebraska is collecting endorsements of their prescription from health professionals across the country and will deliver them to lawmakers when they arrive in Washington, DC.

The event is sponsord by Physicians for Social Responsibility, Olympia FOR Confronting the Climate Crisis, and Transition Olympia.

Friday, March 15th, 6:00 pm
South Bay Grange, 3918 Sleater Kinney Rd NE, Olympia

This is a chance to network and learn about the services of local agriculture related organizations.

2 Presentations

Monday, March 11th, 6:30 mingle and munch, 7-9pm meeting
MIXX 96 meeting room, 119 NE Washington

Greetings friends,

We are committed to the possibility of a thriving and resilient community, where we can live in abundance in many aspects of life while we practice solutions to some of the major challenges facing the world today. We would like to strengthen the local resilience network to its full potential, and you are invited to help create it!

You are invited to the first Transition Olympia Spring Rejuvenation, to be held this Monday March 11th, a the regular monthly Transition meeting time at the Mixx96 conference room, 119 NE Washington St, Olympia. We will be mingling and sharing snacks at 6:30pm, and sitting down to talk at 7pm.

If you choose not to attend, rest assured that there will be many more opportunities in the near future to connect with this community, and that your energy and input is desired!

If you come, we will be exploring themes of vision, commitment, risk, and responsibility. You will be invited to contribute your ideas and desires for this community, and to stand behind them with action!

We hope to see you soon! Thank you!

.. in Solidarity with the 350.org Rally in D.C.

Sunday, February 17th, 3:00 pm
Heritage Park

Reject Keystone XL Pipeline
Reject the Coal Trains
Petition Governor Inslee

music • dance • family fun • OPEN MIKE • reports from D.C.

It’s way past time to get serious. For more info contact: smcrae@earthlink.net Olympia Movement for Peace and Justice • Confronting the Climate Crisis (FOR) https://www.change.org/petitions/governor-inslee-please-address-the-climate-crisis

see flyer

Monday, February 11th, 7:00 pm
MIXX 96, corner of State & Washington in Olympia

A documentary about building healthy houses in the old ways, out of the earth itself, and living together like in the old days, in villages. Shot on location from the West Coast to est Africa.

see flyer

Monday, February 4th, 1:30-3:30
Lacey Timberland Library

Free

Presentation by Kellie Shincke, Olympia Beekeepers Association

Monday, February 4th, 7 - 9 pm
Olympia Center

3rd Annual Community Update:

Andy Haub, Planning & Engineering Manager, Olympia Public Works, will update the City’s ongoing sea level rise work and summarize a recently released Federal study of potential sea rise rates along the Pacific Coast.

Rhonda Hunter, The Climate Reality Leadership Corps and past Ecology statewide Environmental Education Manager for Climate Change, will discuss climate change & action - what’s been done & what we can do.

Sponsors:
City of Olympia • Transition Olympia • Confronting the Climate Crisis (FOR)

see flyer

Building Local Self Reliance

Saturday, February 2nd
EcoHouse, 911 Adams St. SE, Olympia (behind library)

"From Ewe to You"
Learn the steps from raw fleece to carding to roving to spinning to yarn. Then take your drop spindle home and get going! With Shannon Rae Pritchard.
10-12 am. Registration $5. Optional materials fee for spindle $10. Class limit 5.

"Basic Sewing and Repair"
Sewing by hand is a useful skill to know. Learn the basics and bring repairs or any projects you may have that need help with finishing. With Beth Rodman.
10-12 am. Registration $5. Class limit 8.

"Weaving from Weeds"
Sustainable Basket Making from Cast-off Materials. Fibers will be soaked, prepped and ready for you to make a basket of your own. With Irene Hinkle.
1-4 pm. Registration $5. Materials fee $25. Class limit 10.

You must register, be sure to complete the Registration form and email to transitonolympia@gmail.com

see flyer and registration form

February 1st & 2nd, 7:00 pm
Triad Theater, Yelm

An award-winning film with heartbreaking and undeniable evidence of the reality of climate change and how we are killing our planet with ever-increasing speed.

see flyer

Friday, January 26th, 5:00 pm
Olympia Film Society

An award-winning film with heartbreaking and undeniable evidence of the reality of climate change and how we are killing our planet with ever-increasing speed.

see flyer

Monday, January 14, 7:00 pm
MIXX 96, corner of State & Washington in Olympia

The Climate Reality Project is coming to Transition Olympia. Come see and hear how climate change is already happening around the world, even in our own state, and what we can do about it now with Rhonda Hunter, Former Environmental Education, Manager for Climate Change & Water, WA Dept. of Ecology.

* The Climate Reality Project consists of more than 3,000 dedicated volunteers around the globe, including Rhonda, who are personally trained by former Vice President and Nobel Laureate Al Gore to educate the public about climate change.

see flyer

We want to send a full bus to Seattle on Thursday, December 13th!

Scoping for Environmental Impact Statement Hearing

Thursday, December 13, 3-7 pm
Convention Center, Ballroom 6F
800 Convention Place
Seattle, WA

Buses will leave Olympia at 12 NOON.

Sign up to ride a bus from Thurston County to the Hearing! Power Past Coal is asking for a $6 donation at www.tcpronet.org to help defray the cost of the buses. December 10th is the cut-off date for sign-up.

Climate Solutions and Sierra Club have ramped up a massive campaign against the mile-long coal trains that are scheduled to originate from Montana and Wyoming, go through the Pacific Northwest (including Thurston County) to the Gateway Pacific Terminal near Bellingham, for shipment to Asia. Hearings in Bellingham and Friday Harbor saw 3500 citizen protesters. TC Pro-Net is partnering with Climate Solutions and Sierra Club to get hundreds of local folks to the Thursday, December 13 Seattle hearing.

No one will be turned away for lack of funds, but you must sign up. Contact info@tcpronet.org for more information.

Show up in solidarity at this Seattle hearing to oppose the coal export facility.

Please comment on the EIS Scoping process even if you can't attend the hearing!

Join us for a free screening of

"NO IMPACT MAN"

Monday, December 10 • 7 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room, Corner of State & Washington

And watch as the Manhattan-based Beavan family abandons their high consumption 5th Avenue lifestyle and tries to live a year making no net environmental impact!

Sponsored by TRANSITION OLYMPIA

Monday, November 12th, 7-9pm
MIXX 96 Meeting room, State Ave. and Washington St., Olympia

An inspirational immersion in the Transition movement, an idea that has gone viral . . .
A social experiment that is about responding to uncertain times with solutions and optimism . . .
A gathering of stories from around the world of ordinary people doing extraordinary things . . .
In a world of increasing uncertainty, here is a story of hope.

Sponsored by Transition Olympia

Saturday, November 3rd, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
Unitarian Universalist Church
2300 East End Street NW, Olympia

Workshop staff will help you construct simple interior storm window inserts for a suggested donation of $1 per foot.

For more info:
joejoy2@comcast.net

For more info on the process, see:
http://www.HomeEmpowerment.org

World Cafe: Next Steps for Transition

Monday, October 8th, 7pm-9pm
Mixx96 Meeting room, State Ave. and Washington St., Olympia

Thank you to everyone who showed up and made the Re-skilling day on Saturday Sept. 29th what it was, it was so inspiring to see all the resources our local community has to offer in skill, wisdom, and vision!

Let's carry the Re-skilling Day's momentum forward at the Transition Olympia meeting on Monday. It is clear that we have a lot going on in Olympia to be proud of. At this meeting, we will share connection, inspiration and empowerment about where we are and where we are going!

Whether or not you came to the Re-skilling Day, if you would like to get more involved in things like this, bring your ideas and enthusiasm and let's see what we can do together!

We'll hear about some of the ongoing projects related to community Transition, and find out how to get involved.

If you're working on an exciting project in the community, bring an update and we'll explore how that connects to the broader local movement. This will be a space to both deepen relationships and focus commitment on the kinds of changes we are making, creating our common future.

Come prepared to listen and share, vision and move!

This World Cafe will be led by Leon Janssen.

Sponsored by Transition Olympia

Re-Skilling Fair

September 29th

We are planning an all-day event on September 29 where we can offer more longer, in-depth workshops. We have hands willing to teach how to knit or make soap, candles, paper and tinctures. Can you build a solar oven, a chicken tractor or a rocket stove? Do you work with hand tools? Know how to start a fire or build a mason bee box? Want ideas for skills you have and didn't realize were valuable? See made by hand. Let us know if you have skills to contribute that will help build our local community resilience by completing the attached survey. (attached) For more information contact Susi O'Bryan (suzobryan@yahoo.com) or Gita Moulton (gitamoulton@earthlink.net).

Look forward to hearing from you!!

Monday, September 10 • 7 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room, Corner of State and Washington

An award-winning documentary chronicling the life and work of visionary Michael Reynolds, the radical architect-engineer who has been designing and building self-sustaining, eco-friendly homes out of disposable materials for 30 years.

Battling opposition from bureaucrats, politicians and big business, Reynolds strives to show the entire world that "Earthship Biotecture" is the key to preserving mankind's future on earth.

It's a good challenge for us to do some out-of-the-box thinking about our future in a resource-depleted world.

Join us and bring a friend!

RE-SKILLING events

Transition Olympia is sponsoring RE-SKILLING events at the Love Our Local (LOL) Fest as well as the Olympia Village Building Convergence (OlyVBC). We seek local folks who have a skill they'd be willing to share.

Skill Share: Reskilling Demonstrations • August 19 1-6 pm Love Our Local Festival*

Transition Olympia has organized a number of short demonstrations of skills that our grandparents took for granted and knowledge we will need for a world of drastically reduced access to energy and resources. Many of these will be introductions to more in-depth workshops at an all-day Skills Festival on September 29.

On-site Activities and Info Booths

• 2-6pm: WSU Master Gardeners and Master Recycler Composters of Thurston County
• 4pm: Community Seed Exchange hosted by Olympia Seed Exchange. Bring your own seeds to share! We'll have envelopes and writing utensils.
• Edible Forest Gardening will have a booth set up all day. Pat Rasmussen will be available to answer questions when she's not doing a demo or leading a tour.
• The Pedal-Powered Grain Grinder will be set up all day for folks to try out (or just get a little exercise!)
• Info Booths and sign-up sheets for:
  • Streetbank
  • Olympia Village Building Convergence
  • Timeshare Hours
  • Sound Hours

Off-site Workshops and Tours

Tour and Workshop: Building Healthy Soil and
Growing Good Food with Compost and Cover Crops

Tour the Wendell Berry Community Garden and learn how we are using cover crops and compost to build healthy soil and grow delicious, nutritious food. The workshop includes a hands-on activity where we'll construct a compost pile using the Grow Biointensive approach pioneered by John Jeavons.

The workshop begins at 4pm. A bike convoy will leave from the San Francisco St Bakery at 3:30pm or you can use a Self-Guided Foot and Bike Map to WBCG available at the Info Booth at LOL grounds. You can also meet at the garden (928 Wilson St NE).

Sponsored by Sustainable South Sound and presented by TJ Johnson.

Tour the Joy Avenue Pathway and see Edible Gardening in practice!

Joy Ave is just a few minutes' walk from the LOL grounds. Pat Rasmussen will lead a group from 2:30-3:30, and again from 5:30-6:30. Go to the Info Booth to find out where to meet.

*Love Our Local Festival: Sunday • August 19 1-9 pm By the San Francisco Street Bakery

A celebration of local music and art connecting community, promoting sustainability, and showcasing bountiful local resources with live music, a freshly painted intersection mandala, locally grown or produced food, inspirational speakers, a series of skill sharing demonstrations, a local area garden tour, a solar panel site visit, a play area with bubble blowing and lawn chess and information on non-profit resources. Come love your local!

A free event sponsored by Sustainable South Sound. www.sustainablesouthsound.org

Village Building Convergence • August 25 •
Envision Olympia as a network of neighborhood villages that share, preserve and celebrate culture, skills and resources, honoring the earth and building resilience for future generations. Now participate in the realization of this vision! There will be a variety of workshops and events hosted downtown and in east and west Olympia during the week including cob wall building, a Village Kitchen, wild-crafting and more. There will also be other skills as part of the VBC at the Fertile Ground Commons, 311 9th Ave SE, on Saturday afternoon, August 25. Everyone is welcome to participate! For more information visit www.olyvbc.org or email olyvbc@gmail.com.

YERT - Your Environmental Road Trip

Monday, August 13th, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room: corner of State & Washington in downtown Olympia

An award-winning environmental documentary that's not depressing!

Called to action by a planet in crisis, three friends hit the road (50 states in 52 weeks) with hope and humor to explore America (the good, bad, and weird) in search of break-through solutions to humanity's greatest environmental challenges. Vowing to keep to a rigorous low impact lifestyle on the road, the filmmakers set off to interview some of the most important voices in the environmental and sustainable living movements today.

With an infectious drive that lends an almost exuberant air to their often difficult journey, YERT unfolds into an increasingly clearer vision that the environmental movement must shift from an agenda on doing "less harm" to taking effective and immediate actions that are restorative and regenerative.

A free (but we accept donations!) summer event sponsored by Transition Olympia.

"Here's trip you'll wish you had taken, and you'll be glad you get to watch!"
-- Bill McKibben

The International Green Construction Code: Vision to Action

Friday, July 20th, 8:30 am - 1:00 pm
The Evergreen State College, Seminar II A1105
2700 Evergreen Parkway NW, Olympia

With Tom Hill, City of Olympia Building Official, and a panel of local government and building industry experts:

Narrated by Peter Coyote

Monday, July 9th, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room: corner of State & Washington in downtown Olympia

Oil has fueled the incredible journey we've been on for the last 100 years, but changes in the landscape of energy may well trigger a whole new journey for humanity. A discussion will follow the film. Join us!

This program is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Please bring your own mug. Sponsored by Transition Olympia

Monday, June 25, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room, Corner of State & Washington, Olympia

The challenges of peak oil and a changing climate mean that society will change fundamentally and we will need to acquire new skills - which are often old skills - for a world of drastically reduced access to energy. Skills ours grandparents took for granted such as how to use hand tools, how to make and mend clothing, how to conserve and purify water, how to grow and preserve our own food or make our own medicine.

This will be our 2nd meeting. We welcome others who want to help put together a series of demonstrations and workshops where we can share and learn from each other. At the May meeting, we decided to explore using local events happening this summer as a means to introduce shared skills. To that end, we are exploring the options for having a presence at the Northeast Neighborhood's "Love Our Local" event and the Village Building Convergence, (both on August 19) and at one of the "Make Olympia" Street Markets (3rd Saturdays July-Oct.).

At the June meeting, we'll consider these possibilities and begin to look a little deeper into what it will take to make skill sharing successful.

An on-going agenda:

1. What skills do we want to learn?

2. Who in our community has those skills and is willing to share?

3. How/where might this happen?
   • Are we able to piggy back on the other events
   • Any interest in an all-day indoor/outdoor event next fall or winter
   • What about other workshops during the summer at different locations
   • Could we find folks willing to offer more in-depth classes
   • How about a Local Self Reliance Fair next year

4. What is the best learning format for specific skills?
   • 20 minute demonstration
   • One hour introduction
   • 3-4 hour workshop
   • On-going class

5. What else needs to be considered?
   • Other possible locations
   • Indoor or outdoor
   • Free/fee
   • Fundraising/grant writing
   • Priorities
   • Special needs (tables, power, seating, parking)

6. How do we connect with other groups or individuals in the community that are also working toward this end?

For more information, contact Gita at gitamoulton@earthlink.net

Sponsored by Transition Olympia

Monday, June 11, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room, Corner of State & Washington, Olympia

Be a part of Thurston County's Energy Solution!

Join with your community and bring the power of solar into your home or business. Solarize_Thurston is a community group effort designed to bring solar energy to local homes. Thurston_Energy is working with Northwest_SEED to bring this proven process for getting communities and groups to work together to get the best prices and practical solutions for solar.

Learn how collaborative purchasing works, and how to access the financing opportunities that are available - some of them exclusively for Thurston County residents!

For more information: contact Thurston Energy at 360-528-2112 or www.solarizethurston.org

This program is open to the public, but seating is limited. Please bring your own mug. Donations are appreciated.

How Cuba Survived Peak Oil

Monday, May 14th, 7:00 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room, Corner of State & Washington

Everyone who is concerned about Peak Oil needs to see this film. Cuba survived an energy famine during the 1990's and how it did so constitutes some of the most important and hopeful stories of the past few decades. It is a story not just of individual achievement, but of a collective mobilization of an entire society to meet an enormous challenge.

The film opens with a short history of Peak Oil, a term for the time in our history when world oil production will reach its all-time peak and begin to decline forever.

Richard Heinberg

Also showing Homegrown Revolution, a simple film short that introduces the Dervaes Family Urban Homestead. For over twenty years, the Dervaes family has been transforming their home into an urban homestead. They harvest three tons of organic food annually from their 1/10 acre garden, while incorporating back-to-basics practices, solar energy and biodiesel.

It's time to CONNECT the DOTS between CLIMATE CHANGE and EXTREME WEATHER

Saturday, May 5, 2012, 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Olympia Farmer's Market

Join us at the Farmers' Market on Climate Impacts Day
Gathering and music at 1:30, Procession and Program at 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Picture this:

• All of us dressed in black,
• holding up a big inflatable globe
• and holding posters that say "Stop the Coal Train"
• And The American Gandhi will be there! http://www.oly-wa.us/berniemeyer/

There will be big black dots on the globe with explanatory labels, located on:

• Montana and Wyoming, where the coal would be mined
• The states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, throughout which coal would be transported.
• Bellingham, Grays Harbor, Longview, and Oregon terminals, where coal would be stockpiled and shipped.
• Asia (mostly India and China), where the coal would be burned.

Sponsored by Transition Olympia - Climate Action as part of 350.org's Climate Action Day, with sincere thanks to the Backbone Campaign for loaning their globe.

Climate Impacts Day is a global day of action taking place on May 5, all around the world. see website

Here's the agenda.

... and our big event for 2012 was...

Saturday, April 14, 8:15 am - 5:00 pm
Minnaert Center for the Performing Arts
South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC), Olympia, WA{^/center^}

"What a great summit. Keynote speaker David Korten's speech was really well supported with practical immediate solutions. The music, food, location and sunshine made for a hopeful day." -- Dawn Levy

Welcome! At the Sustainability Summit, we kicked off our transition to a resilient, sustainable and more hopeful future. Even if you weren't able to attend, we hope you'll find a way to connect in spirit and future action through perusing <:highlights_of_the_Summit.:agenda> Please find multiple ways to key into new or already formed projects and/or groups through the many links provided. Enjoy!

Summit Partners:

• Artesian_Rumble_Arkestra
• BRICK_(SPSCC_student_organization)
• Capital_Vision_Christian_Church
• Casa_Mia
• Deschutes_River_Cyclery
• Enterprise_for_Equity
• Evergreen's_Master_of_Environmental_Studies_program
• First_United_Methodist_Church_of_Olympia_(FUMCO)
• Garden_Raised_Bounty_(GRuB)
• Grupo_Quetzalcoatl
• Grocery_Outlet
• Intercity_Transit
• John_MacLean
• KAOS
• Last_Word_Books
• League_of_Women_Voters_of_Thurston_County
• Mixx_96.1
• Northwest_EcoBuilding_Guild_(NWEBG)
• Oly_Fed
• Oly-Wa.US
• Praxis_Northwest,_LLC
• South_Puget_Environmental_Education_Clearinghouse_(SPEECH)
• South_Sound_Solar
• St._Benedict_Episcopal_Church
• Sustainable_South_Sound
• Sustainable_Thurston
• The_Natural_Coach
• The_Sherwood_Press
• The_Spar_Café
• Thurston_Climate_Action_Team_(TCAT)
• Thurston_County_Environmental_Health
• Thurston_County_Progressive_Network_(TC_Pro-Net)
• Thurston_County_Solid_Waste
• Thurston_Energy
• <:Transition_Olympia_-_Climate_Action_(TOCA):TOCA>

<:images/U-TOCA.gif:TOCA>

A film that asks the most critical question of our time: How do we become a sustainable civilization?

Monday, April 9th, 7:00 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room, Corner of State & Washington

Rather than dispensing facts about climate change, peak energy, food and water, and biodiversity loss, this film:

Saturday April 7th, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Olympia Timberland Library

Learn how to Solarize our community!

Thurston Energy has brought you trusted information on becoming Energy Efficient, now it's time to Solarize_Thurston!

We're bringing Northwest SEED (Sustainable Energy for Economic Development) to town to explain a proven process for getting communities, neighborhoods and groups together to make getting solar panels on your home and business affordable, easy and fun!

Meeting is free with no commitments required.

See if this is something you'd like to share with your neighborhood association, faith community, community group, business association or other group so that your members can work together to get the best prices and practical solutions for solar.

Call to RSVP: Annette Roth, 360.754.6320 or email: Annette@thurstonenergy.org.

Monday, March 12, 2012, 7-9 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room
119 Washington Street NE, Olympia (corner of Washington & State)

Please join us for a discussion with guests Thera Black, Senior Planner, THURSTON REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL, and Carole Richmond, Founder, SOUND ADVOCATES FOR SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES, about how our communities can grow greener and better.

Sponsored by TRANSITION OLYMPIA-CLIMATE ACTION

You're invited to see "Bag it" - please pass this along to your people!

Saturday, March 10th, 2012 at 4:00 pm
Capitol Theater, 206 5th Avenue SE, Olympia, WA 98501

A screening of the award winning film, "Bag It." The movie documents an average man's struggle with the growing threat of plastics in our society. Funny, education, and relevant, this movie encourages us to think about what happens to our plastic products after we have used them. After the film, a panel will answer questions about how the film applies to Olympia and Thurston County. City and County officials have expressed concern with the plastic problem, and are exploring ways to reduce it. Various citizen groups are calling for a ban on plastic bags.

Speaking will be:

Harvesting Clean Energy: Bringing Agriculture and Clean Energy Production Together

Monday, February 27, 7-9pm,
MIXX 96 meeting room, State & Washington, Olympia

featuring Clark Gilman from Climate Solutions

The Harvesting Clean Energy program works from the position that the clean energy revolution has begun, that there are signs of progress all around us, and that publicly-funded incentive programs are both in our common interest and hugely helpful in allowing rural businesses and farms to adopt renewable energy generation and energy efficiency projects.

There are new financial models evolving to match a new distributed energy system. These include community financing and ownership, utility feed in tariff's, builders or developers capitalizing renewables on new construction, and carbon offsets.

The evening will be structured as a participatory workshop. Clark will share renewable energy initiatives from other communities across our region. We will discuss why a community might want a renewable energy project, how other communities structured and funded their projects, and what organizations and companies were involved in those projects.

Sponsors:
Climate Solutions: http://climatesolutions.org/
Transition Olympia - Climate Action

Coal Hard Truth Forum

Monday, February 13, 7-9 pm
Olympia Center, Room A
222 Columbia Street NW, Olympia

Learn about protecting Thurston County from up to twenty 1.5 mile long coal trains per day! Find out about a proposed dirty coal export project in Whatcom County that would dramatically affect our community and how you can help prevent it from happening.

What are our risks if Peabody Coal (the largest coal company in the world) and SSA Marine are allowed to transport up to 50 million of tons of coal through Thurston County on rail to send to Asia via Cherry Point just north of Bellingham? Join with fellow community members on Feb. 13th and be informed about some of the long term negative and destructive impacts this proposal could have on our entire region.

You'll learn about:

Local Energy Convergence

Monday, January 30
Olympia Center, 222 Columbia Street NW, Olympia

Local Energy for Local Business, 1:30-4:30, $30/person

Local Energy Celebration, 4:30-8:30, free for customers and friends of Thurston Energy and Buy Local South Sound

Details at localenergynow.org

Theme: The Economic Crisis -- Thriving Through Building Community

Saturday, January 28
Olympia, Washington

Our daytime meeting will be held at the Friends Meeting House in Tumwater, 219 B Street SW just off Rt 101S. Doors will open at 8:30 AM and our final session will end at 5:00 PM.

Cost of the day is $20, or $30 - $45 if you wish to hear Nicole Foss in the evening. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Our program for the day:

• 8:30/9:30 - Breakfast and meet old/new friends
• 9:30/10:15 - Presentation by Dick Burkhardt: What Happens When You Hit The Limits To Growth
• 10:30/12:00 - Introductory talks by the afternoon panel participants, on:
  • Local currency use -- Francis Ayley (Seattle)
  • A State Bank for Washington State -- Senator Bob Hasegawa (or staffer in case of emergency)
  • Voluntary Simplicity -- Jody Grage (Seattle)
  • Food Security -- T.J. Johnson (Olympia)
  • The Happiness Index (the anti-GDP) -- Marie Poland (Olympia)
  • The Community Rights Ordinance -- Molly Gibbs (Olympia)
• 12:00/1:00 - Lunch at the Meeting House: soups, sandwiches, and salads
  • Plus a chance to interact with our many panel participants
  • (potluck contributions graciously accepted)
• 1:00/3:00 - Afternoon Sustainability Panel, with question and answer period.
• 3:15/4:15 - Electoral workshop:
  • Sources of information on running campaigns
  • Examples of Green Party state and local campaigns
  • Small party ballot access strategies for 2012
• 4:15/5:00 - Business meeting:
  • Bylaws amendment proposals
  • Green Party of the U.S. Presidential Nomination, Baltimore, July 2012
• 5:00 - End of daytime portion of the Convention

Nicole Foss in the evening!

"Roadmap for the Coming Years of Crisis"

Nicole will give us an overview of how to survive and thrive in the next few difficult years. Nicole has a deep understanding of finances and energy, and how the evolving trends will interact over the next few years.

A taste of her thinking: While peak oil will be the greatest driver of contraction in the long term, we will notice the financial crunch first, because credit will essentially dry up. With credit as the source of most money today, currency itself will become scarce -- as in, "depression." Depression results in less demand for oil, so for a short time we will (counter-intuitively) experience an oil glut, followed by a collapse of oil supplies as oil companies' revenues fail to keep up with the expense of new exploration or even maintenance of the current system. Nicole explores what this scenario will mean to ordinary Americans and what they can do to prepare.

She says the key defense is building community, so that local systems can function even if top-down, centralized services are cut back. She adds that a strong community will give us the inner resources we need to adjust to a new reality.

Nicole's presentations are complete with many details which a short summary cannot do more than hint at. An evening with Nicole Foss will be richly rewarding.

Details at www.gp-wa.us (click on Winter Gathering)

Strategy to Respond to Sea Level Rise

Monday, January 23, 6:45-9:00 pm
Olympia Center, Room B
222 Columbia St. NW

Andy Haub will present an annual update to the community on the effects of sea level rise in Olympia. Haub will give a presentation featuring Olympia's long-term strategy to respond to up to 50 inches of sea level rise. Mr. Haub is the Planning and Engineering Manager for Olympia's Public Works Department.

Please bring your own mug and arrive at 6:45 for refreshments. Program starts at 7:00, and is free and open to the public.

Sponsors:
City of Olympia: http://olympiawa.gov
Transition Olympia - Climate Action

Economics of Local Food

Thursday, January 12
4:30 - 8:30 pm
Huber's Gasthaus, Olympia

Enterprise for Equity is hosting their "Economics of Local Food" event that will be fun, informative and delicious!

There will be food demonstrations and excellent perspectives on our local food systems. Farmers, food venders, restaurant owners, hospital representatives, and policy makers, etc. will all be in attendance. If you, or someone you know, might be interested in starting a food business we will also have information about Enterprise for Equity's Food, Fish and Farm based Business Training Program starting this month.

Here is a link to the event where you can also buy tickets. Tickets are $12.00: http://www.enterpriseforequity.org/economics_of_local_food.html

Sponsored by Enterprise for Equity http://www.EnterpriseForEquity.org

In Transition - the movie

Monday, January 9, 2012,
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room
Corner of State & Washington, Downtown Olympia

A film about the Transition Movement where communities around the world are responding to peak oil and climate change with creativity, and humor. It's about rebuilding local economies, creating local currencies, growing food locally - celebrating local-ness. It is positive and solutions focused. It is a call to action and a story of hope.

Find out how to get plugged in to the local Transition initiative that's working to make our community more resilient in the face of the coming changes.

Please bring your own mug and arrive at 6:45 for refreshments. This program is open to the public, but seating is limited. Donations are appreciated.

Sponsored by Transition Olympia - Climate Action.

Saturday, December 31st, 2011 10:00am -12:00 noon (12:00 noon is also a World Peace Prayer)
Meet at TRADITIONS Fair Trade Cafe, 5th & Water Street

Perhaps we'll explore and discuss the adaptive neuro-net of the mind and emotions.

OPTIONAL BOOK: "Molecules of Emotion" by Candace Pert, PhD formerly with NIH.
OPTIONAL BOOK: "Mysteries of 2012" by Sounds True Publishing: Excerpts from 24 Credentialed Authors and Career Scholars provide scientific data to verify esoteric writings about this current era.

Contact: Diane Grace, (360) 705-2026

Monday, December 12, 7-9 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room - Corner of State & Washington, downtown Olympia

A film by Helena Norberg-Hodge, Stephen Gorelick and John Page

Voices from six continents including:
Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, David Korten, Zac Goldsmith, Michael Shuman, Samdhong Rinpoche, Andrew Simms, Richard Heinberg, Chris Johnstone, Juliet Schor, Clive Hamilton, Keibo Oiwa, and Rob Hopkins.

Please bring your own mug and arrive at 6:45 for refreshments. This program is open to the public, but seating is limited.

Sponsored by Transition Olympia - Climate Action

Tuesday, November 15th, 7-9 pm
Mixx 96 Meeting Room - Corner of State and Washington, downtown Olympia

Wednesday, November 2, 7:00 - 9:00 pm
The Evergreen State College, Seminar 2 E1105

The Food Summit on October 14-15 was the kick-off for our effort to build a just and sustainable local food system. At the follow up meeting on November 2, we are very interested to hear your feedback on what worked and what didn't about the Food Summit, and your suggestions for making future events even better.

In addition, we will be presenting a summary of the outcomes of the Visions and Actions identified in the Whole Measure breakout sessions, and beginning to talk about the next steps in developing the Local food System Action Plan.

Everyone interested in the future of our local food system is invited to this followup meeting, even those who didn't attend the Summit.

For more information, contact:

TJ Johnson
Food Summit Coordinator
tjjohnson@scattercreek.com
360-943-4596 (home)

Sunday, October 30th, 2011 3:00pm - 5:00pm
(Meet at TRADITIONS Fair Trade Cafe, 5th & Water Street)

Cerebral Book Report Club: Neurology, Body-Mind, Consciousness, and Science of Emotions and Esoteric teachings

OPTIONAL BOOK: "My Stroke of Insight" by Jill Taylor Bolte MD - Neuroscientist observes her own stroke and enlightening.
Join us for an intellectually stimulating "Conversation Cafe", sharing and discussing scientifically verifiable writings by Credentialed Authors. Using non-fiction books of current relevance as our source, this social and interpersonal group aims to inspire and inform, in a safe, open environment, encouraging individual responsibility and choice, to "take what you like and leave the rest"!

Contact: Diane Grace, (360) 705-2026

Understanding our Energy Futures

Thursday, October 20 6:30 - 8:30 pm
Urban Onion Ballroom - 116 Legion Way SE

(downtown Olympia, across from Sylvester Park)

Program begins at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early to order from the menu.

With growing demand and a volatile, shrinking supply of fossil fuel energy, the Alliance for Community Transition is exploring how conservation, efficiency and renewable energy sources can help our community adapt to an uncertain future. What are the possible solutions, what's feasible and what's already happening? A panel of energy experts will offer answers, and invite discussion of our possible Energy Futures - including representatives from Puget Sound Energy, South Sound Solar, Sunset Air, and members of the Energy Working Group.

For more information on this event call 360-754-6152.

Sponsored by the NW EcoBuilding Guild www.ecobuilding.org and the Alliance for Community Transition

On-site PASSIVE HOUSE Tour

Tuesday, October 18, 7-9 pm
For location, email barb@scavezze.com

PICTURE THIS...
You're heating your beautiful new home with less energy than it takes to run a hairdryer...
You're enjoying fresh indoor air and relaxing in comfortable, stable room temperatures day and night...
Oh, and paying 90% less on your heating bill!

BENEFITS OF A PASSIVE HOUSE

Come To The Table

Food Summit - South Puget Sound - Oct. 14th and 15th

The goal of the Food Summit is to bring our community together to celebrate, network and develop an action plan for a safe, local and sustainable food system. The Food Summit will take place over two days, October 14 & 15. The first day will feature a giant community pot-luck on the streets of downtown Olympia, an environmental and agricultural expo, and a presentation by Mark Winne - author of Food Rebels, Guerrilla Gardeners, and Smart Cookin' Mamas: Fighting Back in an Age of Industrial Agriculture and Closing the Food Gap - at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts.

The second day will be a "roll up your sleeves" conference at the Thurston County Fairgrounds where we will learn about our current local food system, clarify our vision for the future, and start building the roadmap to get us from today to tomorrow.

The food summit will be the capstone of a series of events throughout the summer and fall that we are calling Focus on Food. Events leading up to the summit will include tours of local farms and gardens, events and programs at local Timberland Regional Libraries, discussion groups, and other opportunities to learn about the food system, our local food economy, and options for a more sustainable future.

For more information:
http://www.sustainablesouthsound.org/programs/local-food-systems-program/

To register:
http://cometothetablefoodsummit.eventbrite.com/

The Economics of Happiness

Sunday, October 9th, 5:00 pm
Harmony Hill, Nordstrom Great Hall

Moving Planet Day

...coming September 24th

By bicycle, by foot, by bus or by unicycle,
they're coming to downtown Olympia
for Moving Planet Day!

Once there, they will leave their wheels and walk from one interesting business to another. People can shop or just check out the ideas on display and greet friends.

• Vendors will be out in force.
• Hopefully, buskers will be performing too!
• Local organizers will have tables at strategic points. They'll display large maps of downtown with points of interest marked, as well as information on "sustainable cities" and on themselves.

Picnic in Sylvester Park, 5-8 pm, to the strains of local bands and a few inspiring speeches!
4:45 - Artesian Rumble Arkestra performs
5:45 - New Trail being built in NE Olympia - Jack Horton, Woodland Trail Greenway Assn President
5:55 - Alternative Transportation - Chris Hawkins, Sustainable South Sound
6:05 - Engineering to Reduce Car Traffic - County Commissioner Karen Valenzuela
6:15 - Benefits of Human Powered Transportation - Dave Griffiths
6:25 - Jennifer Witherspoon and her Bluegrass Band performs
7:00 - Back Porch Swing performs

Buy your food from a local vendor; if you can't afford to buy, Food Not Bombs will be handing out hot dogs at the library (3 blocks away).

The Green Party of South Puget Sound and Transition Olympia/Olympia Climate Action have teamed up to bring Moving Planet Day To Olympia.

This special day is the brainchild of 350.org, the premier organization working to limit climate change, and is being celebrated all over the planet. In Olympia, it will take the form of a day for people to come downtown, support their local economy, and move themselves one step closer to a car-free city.

Every city's Moving Planet Day plan is different. In Everett, people are biking/back-packing/ pulling wagons to bring their backyard produce to the local food bank. In Accra, Ghana, people will bike to a wind-blown site where they will plant trees. In Annapolis, Maryland, bikers will rally to visit their state capital and demand more offshore wind energy. There are many more plans. Go to 350.org's list (scroll down the page) to check it out.

Why have a Moving Planet Day?

One purpose is to begin the process of lowering our Olympia carbon footprint. In Washington, transportation is the leading consumer of energy, followed by the industrial and residential sectors. This makes transportation a prime target for carbon reduction efforts. We'll demonstrate we can have fun in Olympia just walking around.

The other purpose is to support local businesses, since these are the ones that pump dollars back into other local enterprises to keep our local economy ticking. Local businesses provide more family-supporting jobs than chain stores, and sell products with more of a local flavor. Local enterprise have more resilience in an economic downturn.

Eventually, the sponsors of this event hope for a walkable downtown, served also by free public transportation, inviting all citizens to leave their carbon producing engines behind and join the fun.

Tuesday, September 20, 7-9 pm
Mixx 96 Meeting Room - Corner of State and Washington, downtown Olympia

We need you!
Open discussion on how you can help transition our community toward a resilient and sustainable future, in response to climate change, diminishing resources, and economic uncertainty.

For more information, contact Barb at 878-9901 or barb@scavezze.com

Canning Class - Sponsored by Helsing Junction

When: Saturday, August 27th 2011 from 10am to 4pm

Where: At the Lincoln Creek Grange. (About 45 minute drive south west of Olympia, just 10 minutes from the farm)

What: Learn how to can pickles, tomatoes, green beans, plum or apple sauce, and peaches, pears or apricots depending on what is the freshest at the time of the class. Produce is organic and from Helsing Junction Farm. The fruit is organic and comes from either local trees or OPMA, a organic fruit growers cooperative in the Okanagan. This is a hands-on class where participants will prepare the fruit and vegetables and can them using two different methods: steam canning and pressure canning. Participants will take home literature on the basics of canning, the recipes for each item and a jar of each product made. The instructors are Selma and Sharron. Many of you know Selma from Bone Dry Ridge Farm. Sharron is a long time canner and a fabulous baker who knows how to can just about everything.

Cost: $75.00 per person, Paid in advance. Sign up and pay at the Helsing Junction Farm web site http://www.helsingfarmcsa.com/ in the webstore section. Sign up soon - 10 slots remaining.

What to bring: A dish for a potluck lunch, an apron and a sharp knife. Canning jars and produce will be provided.

Saturdays in August and September - 11:00 am - noon
Westside Farmers' Market, one block off Harrison on Thomas St NW

Saturdays in August - 11:00 am - noon
Westside Farmers' Market, one block off Harrison on Thomas St NW

Thurston County Food Bank Produce Program
with David Murphy

Tuesday, August 16, 7-9 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room, Corner of State & Washington in Olympia

Featuring:

• Gleaning (collecting leftover crops from farmers' fields)
• Kiwanis Food Bank Garden
• School Gardens
• Local Farms

Please bring a mug to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea along with other refreshments. This program is open to the public, but seating is limited. Donations are appreciated. For more information, contact Barb at 878-9901 or barb@scavezze.com

Sponsored by Transition Olympia - Climate Action

Slow Food - Learn how Slow Food member Greg Hamblin prepares Summer Squash & Tomatoes and Basil

When: Sunday August 14 10:30

Where: Olympia Farmers Market stage.

What: Slow Food members and others in the community have joined together as Market Produce Promoters for this educational effort. Taste the recipe Greg will prepare and pick up copies of recipes shared in past weeks. What's up next? Jerusalem Artichokes are on tap Sunday Aug 21. Come every Sunday at 10:30.

Sponsored by: Slow Food Greater Olympia, Olympia Farmers Market and Friends of Olympia Farmers Market.

For more information about Slow Food Events see our website at http://slowfoodolympia.org

Slow Food - Catch a film Thursday evening and Summer Squash & Tomatoes and Basil demonstration at the Market on Sunday

When: Thursday evening, August 11 at 7- pm

Where: The Red Room at The Mark Restaurant (http://www.themarkolympia.com/) downtown Olympia

What: Vanishing of the Bees -No charge for this 90 minute film. Fine to combine great items from The Mark's menu for dinner or refreshments withyour movie.

Sponsored by: Slow Food Greater Olympia and The Mark.

For more information about Slow Food Events see our website at http://slowfoodolympia.org

Tuesday, July 19, 2011, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room, State and Washington, downtown Olympia

Presented by Robin Lee and Jalene Smith

What is a Time Bank? A tool by which a group of people can create an alternative economic model where they exchange their time and skills rather than acquire goods and services through the use of money or any other state-backed value.

Easy Web Interface - No Paperwork - No Taxes

Please bring a mug to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea along with other refreshments. This program is open to the public, but seating is limited. Donations are appreciated.

Tuesday, June 21st, 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
MIXX 96 meeting room, State & Washington, downtown Olympia

Invite your neighbors and join Transition Olympia - Climate Action and Village Building Convergence to create a visual of our community support system.

Attendees will participate in an interactive "community mapping" exercise, for an evening of meet & great & explore where you live with your neighbors.

What are the benefits of community mapping?
Presents a visual document to catalyze local community, sustainability, resilience, and human scale solutions by:

• Identifying resources; the environment, individuals, organizations, or institutions.
• Describing assets of those resources.
• Identifying existing or potential partnerships.
• Identifying needs.
• Helping with long-term planning by recognizing community power.

VBC envisions Olympia as a network of neighborhood villages that share, preserve and celebrate culture, skills and resources; honoring the earth and building resilience for future generations.

Interested in learning more? - http://www.olyvbc.org - olyvbc@gmail.com

This program is free and open to the public, but seating is limited. Please bring your own mug to enjoy coffee or tea. Donations are appreciated.

Tuesday, May 17, 7-9 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room, Corner of State & Washington

Rebels By Bus will share their slow travels with a low carbon footprint.

Sponsors Transition Olympia and Climate Action suggest that the cost of gas could be a good reason to give the vacation this summer to your car. The Rebels on-the-bus adventures around the greater Puget Sound area range from simple, low-cost, near-by, one day explorations to more complex two or three day trips around the Olympic Peninsula and beyond - no car needed. Information on our local trail system and suggestions for great evening and week-end bike trips around the County will also be presented.

This is an open-to-the-public program with refreshments. Donations are appreciated.

Tuesday, April 19, 7-9 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room, Corner of State & Washington

Featuring:

• Woodard Bay Co-Housing with Liv Monroe
• Living in 84 Square Feet with Dee Wiliams
• House Sharing Over 50 with Ellen Weaver
• Teens Build Small for Low-incomes with YouthBuild

Family size shrinking,
Population graying,
Housing market faltering,
Economy stalling ...

What's a person to do?

Come hear how local folks have said "no" to the McMansion trend and created unique homes and communities that meet their needs in beautiful, energy efficient ways.

This program is free and open to the public. Please bring a mug for coffee or tea.
For more information: Barb at 878-9901 or barb@scavezze.com
Sponsored by Transition Olympia - Climate Action

Friday, April 15-17

6:00 pm, Opening Night Celebration of the Environmental Film Festival
Kick off the festival with a delicious organic meal at The Gyro Spot and an opportunity to meet and mingle with representatives from local environmental organizations, including Transition Olympia - Climate Action, GRuB, SPEECH, NW Ecobuilding Guild, and more!

7:00 pm, Carbon Nation
With filmmaker Q & A via Skype plus live panel discussion with local environmental stewards.following film.

Setting out to look at how people are addressing the realities of carbon and its environmental impacts today, director Peter Byck freely roamed the country to examine solutions in the process of being implemented now, from the world's largest wind farm to a refrigerator recycling plant and more. Virgin magnate Richard Branson, former CIA Director R. James Woolsey Jr., Earth Day founder Denis Hayes, and others are interviewed for this documentary. Los Angeles Times critic Gary Goldstein writes that the film offers us "a stirring cross-section of pioneers, researchers and innovators committed to helping the world reduce its carbon footprint."

Also scheduled:

• April 15, 11:00 pm: Silent Running: Classic 1971 sci-fi vision of a technological future in 2008.
• April 16, 6:30 pm: Into Eternity: Managing the Long-term hazards of nuclear waste.
• April 16, 9:00 pm: End of the Line: Future concerns of over-fishing and future food.
• April 17, 5:00 pm: Earthwork: Multi-acre environmental art piece, with short: Grandma's Bottle Village - Large folk art project in Simi Valley
• April 17, 7:30 pm: SoLa: Louisiana Water Stories w/ Presentation by Dr. Alan Wilson, Aquatic Ecologist from Alabama
• April 18, 9:00 pm: Into Eternity (also shown on April 20 and 21)

*Advanced Tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com or at box office before each film. This screening is a part of the OFS Annual Environmental Film Festival, Friday, April 15 to Sunday, April 17.

Check Olympia Film Society for details: http://www.olympiafilmsociety.org/calendar

Tues, March 15, 7-9 pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room, Corner of State & Washington

As a local backyard beekeeper, Kellie Shincke will share her experience with bees in her backyard. She will discuss both honeybees and mason bees as pollinators, different kinds of hives, and plants to attract bees to your yard, and will bring samples of honey and hives. Could beekeeping be in your future?

This program is free and open to the public. Please bring a mug for coffee or tea. For more information: Barb at 878-9901 or barb@scavezze.com
Sponsored by Transition Olympia - Climate Action

Monday, March 14th, 7:00pm-9:00pm
MIXX 96 Meeting Room, Corner of State and Washington, downtown Olympia

The Alliance for Community Transition of South Sound (ACTSS) is a network of organizations and individuals working to coordinate and strengthen local citizen action in response to economic uncertainty, diminishing resources, and climate disruption. Our purpose is to accelerate our community's transition toward a resilient and sustainable future dependent upon human resourcefulness, renewable energy, and a healthy natural environment. Our goal is to organize community participation in developing and implementing an Action Plan that will strengthen our economy, reduce our carbon footprint, and increase our capacity to adapt to a changing climate.

Our work is done in Working Groups: Food, Energy, Transportation, Land Use and Housing, Water and Environment, Solid Waste, Economy and Finance, Inner Transition, Media, and indicators. Each Working Group wil develop a chapter of the Action Plan.

March 9th, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Traditions Cafe, 300 5th Avenue, Olympia

Something remarkable is happening in the fields and orchards of the Pacific Northwest. They're growing much healthier food, much more per acre and using less energy and water than factory farms. An excellent film.

Part of the "Ethical Eating" series co-sponsored by Earth Care Catholics of Olympia and Interfaith Earth Stewardship Committee.

All events are free and open to the public.

Donations are appreciated.

Sat. March 5, 6:30 pm
Capitol Theater, 206 5th Ave. SE, Olympia

Opening Night - Filmmaker Q & A plus local Beekeepers Demonstration
In recent years, colony collapse disorder, a phenomenon in which worker bees abruptly disappear, has affected more than 5 million hives (each with 50,000-60,000 bees) worldwide. Given that bees pollinate 40% of the food humans eat, their vanishing signals huge repercussions for the planet. A large cast of biodynamic beekeepers, scientists, and authors, explore some of the reasons for colony collapse and suggest ways it might be remedied, including things the average person can do to improve the situation.

Simultaneous premier in Olympia, Bellingham, and Seattle.
Check out The Capitol Theater's website for exact show times for March 6 and beyond http://www.olympiafilmsociety.org/calendar/

Feb 27th thru Mar. 20th at Wild Thyme Farm, Oakville, WA

Globally, we are experiencing unpredictable changes in climate, economy, and resources. Through intentional design, we can anticipate what adaptive skills will be necessary for a joyful and abundant future. In this permaculture design course, students will be immersed in strategies to build community resilience and respond to uncertainties of the future. Through presentations, slides, games, lectures, field trips, and hands-on opportunities, this permaculture course will offer diverse learning styles to emphasize ways that students can design their lives and engage their communities in strategies for a sustainable future. For More Information: http://www.herbnwisdom.com Marisha Auerbach (360)273-7117

February 15th, 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
MIXX 96 meeting room, Corner of State and Washington, downtown Olympia

"Deep Green" is an eye-opening film that travels the globe, unearthing ingenious solutions to get humanity off its fossil fuel consumption and reduce civilization's footprint.

The film will be screened at 7 pm, followed by a discussion. This program, sponsored by Transition Olympia Climate Action, is free and open to the public. Please bring a mug for coffee or tea.

For more information, contact Barb Scavezze 878-9901 or barb@scavezze.com.

Thursday, February 11th, 7:00 pm
Thurston County Courthouse, Bldg #1 Room 280

Sponsor: Thurston County League of Women Voters

A JUST, SUSTAINABLE and RESILIENT FOOD SYSTEM for THURSTON COUNTY

Date: Monday, January 17, 2011
Time: 7:00PM - 9:00PM
Location: Olympia Unitarian Universalist Church
2200 East End St NW, Olympia

Where our food comes from, how it's produced, and how it gets to our table has tremendous implications for our ability to create a secure and sustainable future for ourselves and future generations. The cumulative pressures of Peak Oil, climate change, and economic uncertainty cast serious doubt on the ability of the current globalized, corporatized industrial food system to ensure adequate healthy food for the future.

What can we do locally to cultivate a food system that is just, sustainable, and resilient? How can we use our existing assets - fertile farmland, an educated population, and a strong environmental and social justice ethic - to provide wholesome, local food to all members of our community, while also creating good jobs, a strong local economy, protecting farmland, beautifying our urban spaces, and preparing the community for an uncertain future?

TJ Johnson, local food activist and Director of the Urban Agriculture Program at Sustainable South Sound, will present information about the current food system, identify opportunities for re-localizing food production, and offer ideas for moving forward. Following the presentation there will be an open discussion and a chance for everyone in attendance to begin envisioning solutions.

Sponsored by Transition Olympia - Climate Action, Sustainable South Sound, and the OUUC Ethical Eating Committee

For more information, contact Barb at 878-9901 or barb@scavezze.com

Wednesday, January 12, 7-8:30 pm
Traditions Fair Trade Cafe 5th and Water Streets, Olympia.

A discussion will follow.

This is the third event in the Earth Care Series 2010-2011 entitled: Ethical Eating: Healthy Planet, Healthy Food, Healthy People, co-sponsored by Earth Care Catholics and the Interfaith Works Earth Stewardship Committee.