GULP General Meeting Notes
From CFI
The GULP Digest for the week of 8/8/06
MEETING REMINDER***CHECK LOCATION*** Please join us for our next regular Greater Ukiah Localization Project (GULP) meeting.
Tuesday, August 15 NCO Conference Room in Ukiah, located at 413 North State Street 7 p.m.
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
Many people in this group are interested in having Ukiah's movie theater
show this film. It had quite a run in Willits due to W.E.L.L.'s good work.
At this point, the theater does not have it on their calendar. With some
phone calls, we think they can be persuaded to make room for this important
film. Ukiah Stadium 6 is owned by Regal Entertainment Group. Their Customer
Relations number is 1-877-835-5734 and they do claim to take requests for
specific films and specific theatres. They do not ask for your name, so one
could presumably call multiple times. It would be great if people could call
this Thursday and Friday, flooding their office with our good Mendo ideas.
Thanks!
VOLUNTEERISM A big GULP Thanks for Janet Rosen for assisting at the 7/29 Ukiah Farmers Market and to Leah Middleton, Hal Voege, Lydia Feltman and Robert Feltman for staffing the Redwood Valley Community Market GULP booth.
We have a request for volunteers at both public markets and for an October food event. It is a fun way to be in the community; meeting people and having good conversations about our interests and endeavors. Contact moski@pacific.net if you can help out.
Also anyone interested in staffing the tables at the 9/16 Fabulous Flashback Car Show and the Ukiah October Pumpkinfest, please contact Scott scratty@adelphia.net
GARDEN TOURS There are planned organic farm and garden tours. Check out http://www.puremendocino.org/gmofree.html for more details.
RECAP FROM AUGUST FIRST'S MEETING After a few business items, Hal Voege presented a process for introducing new ways of thinking into communities. This is a process that he and several colleagues developed, refined and tested in a number of settings. The process is simple to understand, however outreach always takes careful thought at each stage.
He began by discussing four key points that are essential to understand and use to do successful outreach. The points were: The goal of outreach is to change people's beliefs, perceptions, and ultimately their behavior. It makes use of persuasion techniques from Social Marketing. While education has a part to play, it is only effective after people are ready to listen. Outreach is a process that goes through orderly stages (like every process). "Jumping ahead" or forgetting to take any of the stages to its end point is like trying to build a house starting with the second story. We see, hear, and act on what we already believe. Thus, perceptions matter more than facts in the outreach process. It is difficult to argue with a perception and facts won't easily change it. In order for anyone to take action, they have to believe two things about the outcome of their action. They have to believe it will be desirable (something they want) and that is in agreement with their values. Then they have to believe it is something they can achieve with the resources they have. If they do not believe both these things, they will not act. Words matter. They create images in the audience's mind, which will be very hard to erase once they are formed (see point 2). It is critical to make sure those are the images you want to present.
He went on to describe the five stages of the outreach process. They follow each other in order and none of them can be skipped. Investigation - uncovering the audience's perception, values, and barriers to action. Awareness raising - making the issues and desired actions clear in the audience's terms and getting their attention. Reassurance - overcoming confusion by providing reassurance that the new action is directly beneficial to them. Support - people have decided to act and they need support, realistic guidance, and resources. Diffusion - people who have adopted the new behavior are ready to spread the word. They need sharing opportunities and ways to maintain and improve their skills.
He also discussed the bell shaped curve that describes how people adopt new ideas. At the two ends of the curve are Pioneers (us) and Resisters, both very small segments of the population. Next to the Pioneers are Early Adopters, the trend setters that other people look to for validation. Late Adopters and Laggards follow. Each of these groups requires different techniques and messages from us in order to hear and accept what we have to say.
Copies of his handout material are available by calling 485-1664.
A lively discussion about projects that GULP could pursue that would incorporate this outreach process followed the presentation. The Community Garden and doing some sort of event in connection with Eat Local Month in October, participation in the CERT training program, monthly movies or presentations were among the ideas suggested. The point was made that there are many opportunities and a limited number of people. Meeting participants went home to think some more about the possibilities that were raised, which ones could be attempted, and how to go about it.
The next GULP meeting (at the NCO Conference Room in Ukiah, located at 413 North State Street) will include further discussion (and planning) of the possible projects that were raised in this discussion. See you there
The GULP Digest for the week of 8/1/06
Greeting Economic Localizers,
I have been encountering email problems in the past few weeks, so I wanted to recap a few items for you all. I believe that my hero at pacific dot net has the problem solved and I am back in business. Those of you who already have received all these announcements, please pardon the redundancies.
Be well and happy, Maureen
MEETING TONIGHT!
Please plan to join us tonight Tuesday 8/1 at the general GULP
meeting.7pm at the Ukiah Washington Mutual Community Room.
- MEMORIAL FOR SUMO***
Here is a message from Freeda Alida Burnstad regarding her father Sumo's memorial:
Dear Friends,
I am so sad to write and inform you that my wonderful Poppa, Sumo, passed away last Friday the 21st. On Sunday August 20th we will hold a Memorial Service at the Saturday Afternoon Club (where his 60th birthday party was held) starting at 1pm with a pot luck and continuing on until who knows when. You are very welcome to attend and share with us your memories of him.
If you have the urge to write something special or have special photos that you'd like to send in advance I will be putting together a scrap book about him.
I hope to see you in about a month!
For my Daddy Sumo, Freeda Alida Burnstad
NETWORKING*** PLEASE RSVP ***
GULP would like to make a directory of members available so that it is easy
for us to stay in touch and work together. However, we also respect your
privacy. If you would like to have your contact information included in the
directory, please RSVP to moski@pacific.net to let us know that it is OK to
share your email address and phone number (if we have it) with other GULP
members.
BIKE RAFFLE Purchase tickets for an excellent bike.a Trek Multitrak 7100. to be raffled at the end of the summer season. Tickets are $5 and folks can contact Cliff for those. cliffpaulin@hotmail.com Proceeds benefit GULP. Thank you!
MARKET HELP Anyone interested in helping staff a GULP table at the Ukiah Farmers Market (Saturdays 8:30-noon), please contact Scott Cratty at scratty@adelphia.net. Anyone interested in helping staff a GULP table at the Redwood Valley Community Market [Sundays through October 9:30-1], please contact Maureen at moski@pacific.net
The GULP Announcements of 7/27/06
Greetings!
MEETING REMINDER August 1, 7pm, General Meeting, Washington Mutual Community Room, Ukiah
August 15, 7pm, General Meeting, NCO Conference Room in Ukiah, which is located at 413 North State Street
Looking forward to seeing you! (PLEASE NOTE THE LOCATION CHANGE FOR 8/ 15)
NETWORKING
GULP would like to make a directory of members available so that it is easy
for us to stay in touch and work together. However, we also respect your
privacy. If you would like to have your contact information included in the
directory, please RSVP to moski@pacific.net to let us know that it is OK to
share your email address and phone number (if we have it) with other GULP
members.
BIKE RAFFLE
Purchase tickets for an excellent bike.a Trek Multitrak 7100. to be raffled
at the end of the summer season. Tickets are $5 and folks can contact Cliff
for those. cliffpaulin@hotmail.com Proceeds benefit GULP. Thank you!
The GULP Digest for the week of 7/19/06
GULP DIGEST - 7/22 - GULP ANNOUNCEMENTS
IMPORTANT NEWS
GULP sadly notes that member Sumo Burnstad died Thursday, a week after a heart attack he had while staying with family in Eugene. We send loving thoughts to the Burnstad family during this difficult time. We will deeply miss Sumo.
NEXT MEETING
Please mark your calendar and plan to join us at the next general GULP meeting at 7pm, Tuesday 8/1 at the Ukiah Washington Mutual Community Room.
MARKET HELP
Anyone interested in helping staff a GULP table at the Ukiah Farmers Market (Saturdays 8:30-noon), please contact Scott Cratty at scratty@adelphia.net. Anyone interested in helping staff a GULP table at the Redwood Valley Community Market [Sundays through October 9:30-1], please contact Maureen at moski@pacific.net
PARTY HELP
Anyone interested in working on a local food themed celebration for sometime in September, please contact Cliff at cliffpaulin@hotmail.com
LOCAL ORGANIC MEATS
GULP food group members Adam Gaska and Julie Schleuder offer locally raised chicken, turkey and lamb at reasonable prices. Their small scale operation is a model of economic localization. If you eat poultry or meat, please consider supporting their efforts. Their Summer Newsletter (which is very informative whether or not you plan to buy food from them) is attached.
GULP INVESTING
The GULP Business Group is pondering working with community partners to start one or two small local investment projects. First up is a small fund that would be used to provide low interest, flexible micro-loans to people working to get small businesses started. As these are very high risk loans, the goal of this program would be help fuel small business and innovation and to earn enough return to keep the fund whole so that it can keep supporting new projects over time. I.e., this fund is not intended to generating return for contributors. Ideally, the fund would start with several smaller initial contributions of, e.g., $2,500 or less. Second, we are also interested in exploring the possibility of a small venture fund for local companies. This fund would be targeted to help locally grown companies get capital and technical assistance. This effort would target a reasonable return and would also possibly involve members working with supported companies to help them succeed. Some examples of developed fund of this sort are http://www.sierraangels.com/SA%20home.htm, http://www.northbayangels.com/ and http://www.goldencapital.net/
If you are interested in participating in either fund please contact Scott at scratty@adelphia.net. If you know someone who might be interested, please pass this information along. Whether either fund actually happens will depend on the level of interest received.
REBUILD STORE NEEDS HELP
The Community Center's ReBuild Store (which helps fund the center by selling donated reusable building materials, which reduces landfill waste, etc) is losing its home on Gobbi Street. If anyone know of a very low cost or possibly free lot space in Ukiah that the ReBuild Store might use, please let us know.
BUSINESS GROUP MEETING
The GULP Local Business Group will have a meeting soon that will focus on taking the independent, local business directory to the next level ... such as getting window displays designed and produced, forming the committee that will review completed surveys and certify businesses, and planning the next wave of outreach to businesses. If you are not on the local business group list and would like to be informed about this project, please contact Scott at scratty@adelphia.net
LAND STEWARDSHIP MEETING
Pacific Forest and Watershed Lands Stewardship Council. The Council is soliciting public input on the development of a Land Conservation Plan that will guide the conservation of over 140,000 acres of watershed lands across California. The meeting is from 6-8pm on Wednesday 7/26 at the Ukiah Valley Conference Center, 2000 South School Street. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please visit website at www.stewardshipcouncil.org or call (650) 286-5150.
COMMUNITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM (CERT)
Also attached below is a notice of upcoming CERT classes. The Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program was developed in California in the mid-80s as a way to train people to better prepare for emergency situations in their communities.
REGIONAL LOCALIZATION CONFERENCE
A 3-DVD set of the many excellent presentations and working sessions from the regional localization conference that WELL hosted last April is now available. It is $37 postpaid. Individual DVDs are $17 postpaid, 2 DVDs are $27 postpaid. Please send your order and a check or money order to Yuba Gals Independent Media, 15504 Lone Bobcat Way, Nevada City, California 95959. Or you can e-mail your order and pay via Paypal to account janaia2004@yubagals.com For more info, contact Janaia at this e-mail address, or phone 530-265-4244
JULY 18 GULP GENERAL MEETING SUMMARY
As tends to happen in summer, the meeting was sparsely attended. The meeting focus was a presentation by the outreach group regarding its work on a Circle Project, which identifies other groups, media and venues in the area that may have some common ground with the GULP mission and that we should consider contacting and partnering with. The list of organizations that King and Outreach generated together and a picture of the circle project work can be found on his website at: http://www.greenmac.com/circles/ If you have information about organizations or contacts that you are aware of, you can contact King at king@greenmac.com
The Outreach Group stressed the need for GULP to develop process before and along with projects so that we do not try to build the 2nd floor before the 1st is complete, the need for inreach to create community and common purpose/vision within GULP and the need to take time to celebrate regularly. The members that were present shared ideas for possible outreach and community building projects. The group has also developed material with topics and questions that can help develop group inreach and can facilitate outreach to the community. That material will be explored in more detail at a future meeting.
We finished the meeting with a discussion of a harvest party as a good event to celebrate our accomplishments and enjoy some fun together.
The GULP Digest for the week of 7/12/06
FLASH - MEETING LOCATION CHANGE: The location for the next, 7/18, GULP meeting has changed!!! We will meet on 7/18, starting at 7pm at the NCO Conference Room in Ukiah, which is located at 413 North State Street (see http://www.ncoinc.org/contacts.htm for a picture of the building). (The 8/1 meeting will be at Washington Mutual and the 8/15 meeting will be at the NCO Conference Room again.) This temporary relocation of what have been our 3rd Tuesday meetings in Redwood Valley to the NCO room in Ukiah is due to the fact that we cannot get into our normal room at the Eagle Peak School during the summer months without a significant additional fee.
Mark your calendars for the afternoon and evening of 8/5 for a GULP party. Location and details to follow. This just for fun event will be open to all area activists, friends and family ...
If you are interested in helping staff a GULP table at the Ukiah Farmers Market this Saturday 7/15 from 8:30-noon, please contact Scott at scratty@adelphia.net
GULP Thanks
Big thanks to Annie E, Christine D, Dave S, Doug [last name unknown], Hal V, Holly C Ruth S & Steve S for meeting on 7/7 at Ukiah Brewery to help assemble the Main Street Program newsletter, including information about the local business directory project. Thanks to their efforts, information about GULP will be going out to well over 1,000 area businesses and residents.
Thanks to Ruth S for staffing the GULP table at the 7/8 Ukiah Farmers Market.
Two events GULPers may be interested in:
- 1) Biomass Utilization Workshop, Ukiah, August 1. Contact Janet Olave (Janet.Olave@ca.nacdnet.net) to sign up or for more information (agenda, registration form, and directions). Registration due July 20. You are cordially invited to attend. It is hosted by the North Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council and the Mendocino County Resource Conservation District. This workshop will provide an overview of natural resource management related to forestry, fuel load reduction, and watershed health; provide a background on biomass and bioenergy conversion technologies and economics; relate biomass energy production to air, water quality, environmental impacts and solutions; and, review local economic feasibility and concerns for biomass production in the region.
- 2)Anna Lappe to Speak on the Politics of Food, Ft. Bragg, July 21. Contact Marty Johnson (potspoem@mcn.org) for more information. Food activist and best-selling author Anna Lappe will speak at a public forum on local food production and consumption at 7:00 pm on Friday, July 21 at Fort Bragg Town Hall, corner of Laurel and Main. This event will be a
continuation of the "Feeding the Future" gathering that took place locally last February, where 100 people involved in food growing, processing, selling, and eating gathered to begin the discussion of how to develop a sustainable food shed in our community. This upcoming meeting will be the start up for organizing a future month-long "eating locally event." Local food growers and processors will provide food samples as part of the event's refreshments.
Anna Lappe is a national bestselling author and renowned public speaker on food politics, globalization and social change. Her first book, "Hope's Edge," co-written with her mother Frances Moore Lappe, chronicled courageous social movements around the world addressing the root causes of hunger and poverty. Anna's second book, "Grub: Ideas for an Urban Organic Kitchen," co-authored with Bryant Terry, offers readers ideas and hands-on tools and menus to create healthy lives for themselves and their community. Anna will discuss the social, political and economic impact of our food choices, will offer inspired solutions and reasons for eating local, sustainable food, and will celebrate Grub heroes-from farmers to community food justice advocates.
Sponsored by the Alliance for Democracy and CELL. Free and open to the public. Donations are appreciated to help cover costs. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments served; please bring your own cup. For information contact 964-6164 or potspoem@mcn.org.
The GULP Digest for the week of 7/5/06
We hope you GULPers are enjoying this beautiful summer weather. Here is the latest GULP news for you:
Anyone willing & able to help put together a 2,500-piece mailing for the Main Street Program in Ukiah this Friday (7/7), please meet up at Ukiah Brewing starting at 6pm. The mailing will include a flier advertising the GULP and the GULP business project! As we assemble, we can also plan next steps for the business group project(s).
On Monday 7/10, there will be a repeat showing of the important peak oil-related film the Power of Community, which many GULP members enjoyed at our 6/8 fundraiser (Thanks again Charlene and Holly! Charlene also wants to give a big public acknowledgement to Judy Corcoran who was so enthusiastic and hard-working at the last Cuba film event. Thank you, Judy! ). If you missed it (or just want to see it again), please consider attending the showing at 7:30 on Monday 7/10. Details are:
THE POWER OF COMMUNITY- The Church & Society of Ukiah Methodist Church presents the documentary film, The Power of Community, How Cuba Survived Peak Oil. The film explores how a community can pull together in the face of adversity by explaining how Cuba managed not only to survive, but to transform their entire society to a sustainable, low-energy-use system in response to the loss of Soviet oil in 1990. The Greater Ukiah Localization Project (GULP) will facilitate a community discussion following the screening. The screening will be held in the Choir Room of the Ukiah United Methodist Church, at 270 N. Pine Street, starting at 7:30 pm. For more information, call 468-8785. Donations accepted.
Anyone is interested in helping staff a GULP table at the 7/8 Ukiah Farmers Market, please contact Scott at scratty@adelphia.net
The GULP booth will not happen at the Concert in the Park this Sunday (but may be back for future concerts).
The GULP Digest for the week of 6/26/06
The GULP Digest for the week of 6/26/06
Greeting Economic Localizers,
PLEASE NOTE: The 7/4 GULP Meeting is CANCELLED. Due to the holiday, GULP will not have a 1st Tuesday meeting in July. However, look for opportunities to join GULP at other events (see below). The next general meeting will be the third Tuesday in July, 7/18, at the Eagle Peak Middle School in Redwood Valley
GULP thanks: Mulligan Books for the donation of Kate Wolf Festival tickets, which generated $150 for GULP in our instant auction! Please stop by and check out Mulligan's great and growing localization book section!
Thanks to Leah Middleton, Molly McCalla, Leeya Thompson, Sandy Turner, Hal Voege, Chuck Williams and Sal Yanez for setting up and staffing the GULP booth at the 6/25 concert in the park.
GULP NEEDS: The GULP food service was shut down at the June 25 Ukiah Concert in the Park. To meet City requirements for future events we need: 1) access to a certified code kitchen on concert Sundays and 2) portable (non- electric) food warmers for large trays. If you have access to either that GULP might use, please contact Sal Yanez at 468-8819. Also, the GULP business group is looking for help working out bugs in the on-line version of the business survey. If you can help with that effort, please contact Scott at scratty@adelphie.net
6/20/06 GENERAL MEETING REVIEW
Our third Tuesday meeting for June was held at the Eagle Peak Middle School (outdoor as we could not get into the room!) The meeting started off with general reports, including an update by Cliff regarding GULP's effort in conjunction with WELL and others to support a County energy inventory and plan.
The group then had an open discussion about ways to recruit new members so that our many event opportunities and projects are adequately staffed. Among the suggestions were: revamp some GULP literature to more directly address why people should care about GULP and how our issues effect them; work with the High School Leadership Class and with other clubs [Kristin will look into this], particularly on focused projects; article in the High School paper; get more fliers out on bulletin boards throughout the area, particularly at the college; generate letters to the editor; have more fun & public events; get a GULP sports team on the field, and; advertise in new venues such as the City Parks and Recreation guide & the Mendo-lake Exchange. Please contact Cliff cliffpaulin@hotmail.com to jump into one of these project opportunities
Please also consider helping staff the GULP table by signing up for events including the Ukiah Concerts in the Park, the Redwood Valley Community Market and the Ukiah Saturday Farmers market at: http://www.cloudforest.org/GULP_Events_Schedule
The group then broke into our working groups to spend time on specific projects. A brief summary of each group's efforts is outlined below:
Food & Health -. In the Food Group we are continuing to widen our sphere of influence concerning community gardens. Kristin F and her little sidekick Kamala Rose have joined the group and will introduce the idea of planting a Medicine Chest Garden at the Labyrinth on Observatory St. near the Community Health Clinic in Ukiah. This is an ideal location for a Medicine Chest Garden....but remember our goal is to plant as many Medicine Chest Gardens as it takes to have one available within walking distance to anyone who may have the need. If you know of anyone who would be interested in having their yard planted in medicinal herbs tell them to contact us. Sumo and Adam have had a planning meeting and taken the first steps toward the development of the data base for the county wide animal and vegetable germplasm inventory. Look for this by the end of summer.
Mobility- This group continued to coordinate effort to organize the Bike to the Park and GULP booth at the Ukiah Concerts in the Park
Outreach - During this past month the Outreach group has met a couple of times for the purposes of photographing the garden and developing the Circle Project. Committee members are variously working with KMEC, Ford Street Garden, the Medicine Chest Garden and the PeerSpirit Circle. The recognition of networking with allied groups has arisen out of the Circle Project as well as the need for Outreach to network with the new Steering Committee of Gulp. A new Gulper, Hal V, whose specialty is community relations and outreach will be meeting with us to help us develop our foundational strategies. Submitted 6/26 by Leeya T
Civic Action- No one from the CA group was present. However, rumor is that the group is working with the City of Ukiah to host additional meetings and a forum on green building codes. Also, SF is hosting a "landmark event" in green building at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, September 28-30, 2006 in San Francisco. West Coast Green will showcase over 250 exhibitors and 120 speakers, more than 12,000 industry professionals and homeowners (on the final day) will convene from all over the country to gain the tips and tools for building sustainably and successfully. Some GULP members plan to be there. Perhaps you would care to join them? See http://r.vresp.com/?WestCoastGreen/0a91211bea/615937/9986569057/1034838>
Business- Business group members are off to a good start at getting the survey package out to local businesses (see http://www.cloudforest.org/Business_Visit_Tracking ). We will have the opportunity to include a page in the 2,500 copy newsletter mailing by the Ukiah Main Street Program, please contact Scott if you are interested in helping with the folding, stapling and labeling party. Also, tune in to KZYX&Z (88.3 90.7 91.5 or http://www.kzyx.org/pages/listen_now.html on July 19 at 7pm to hear the GULP business group on the WestCo radio program.
Still reading? . If so, please consider supporting the following independent local business:
Live Power Community Farm: Organic, biodynamic, local, renewably-powered, community-supported food. Call contact Gloria Decater at 983-8196. Mendocino County Certified Farmers Market: Awesome, fresh organic flowers, produce and meats provided by your neighbors. Ukiah, Clay & School, Saturdays 8:30-12:00, Tuesday 3:00-6:00. Willits, City Park, Thursdays, 3:00-6:00.
Re-Use Thrift Store: Provides tax credits to keep usable construction materials our of land fill, low cost building materials for everyone . all to the benefit of the Ukiah Community Center. Weekends before 2pm at 195 E. Gobbi. Call Kari Hackett at 707-462-8879.
Ukiah Natural Food Co-op: Your member-owned and operated source for natural foods, supplements and related items with the mission to "Provide and promote organically grown, sustainably produced food, goods and services that are locally and regionally sourced whenever possible." 721 S State, Ukiah, 462-4778
Independent, Local Businesses that have donated to GULP:
Acupuncture Center of Dr, Grace Liu, 390 West Clay, Ukiah, 462-121
Dragon's Lair, 101 S Main, Ukiah, 462-4010
Harmony Gaits, horseback lessons for children, 485-5354, Redwood Valley
Heidi's Yarn Haven, 180 S School, Ukiah, 462-0544
Hispanic Organic Kitchen
Late Afternoon Garden Design, http://lateafternoon.com/, 707-462-5133
Mulligan Books, 208 S State, Ukiah, 462-1555, tobeofuse.com
Ruby Slippers, 110 N School, Ukiah, 462-7829
Tashe Kurkland, CMT massage therapist, 391-5125, Ukiah
Three Sisters, 112 S School, Ukiah, 462-2320, threesistersgoddess.com
The GULP Announcements of 6/17/06
Hello GULPers,
Hope you enjoying this weekend. Here are three GULP related announcements for you. Hope to see you at the next meeting!
For those of you who haven't signed the GULP petition, there is an electronic way to take care of it. This petition urges local leaders to seek out ways to strengthen and support a strong local economy and community. Thank you for your effort in signing this document!
http://home.earthlink.net/~scratty2/GULP_Petition.html
The GULP Local Business & Civic Action groups wish to alert everyone to the following local business/ waste reduction/green building/community building opportunity:
In an effort to help generate its own funds and help support its Food Bank, Crisis Line, Homeless Services and Transitional Housing, the Ukiah Community Center is opening a "Re-Build Thrift Store" business operation. Re-Build will be a thrift store that specializes in used or cull lumber, flooring, plumbing, electrical, cement, bricks, fencing, cabinets and just about anything that can be reused for housing or business improvements. This project will provide many benefits to the community such as:
Keeping items like the above out of our landfills
Providing on the job training and employment to our homeless population.
Providing much needed income to a vital community organization.
Providing businesses and individuals with charitable tax receipts for their donations.
This is an excellent project that combines conservation, waste reduction, community building and exchange, increased self sufficiency, and skill development for and support of individuals in need in our community. It transforms what would have become trash into a tax benefit for the donator, an opportunity to obtain more affordable building materials for local residents and a vehicle for the Community center and the community members it supports to help themselves.
Contractors, home owners, businesses or anyone else wishing to donate items can arrange for free pick-up by calling Community Center Executive Director Kari Hackett at 707-462-8879.
Persons interested in supporting the Community Center by purchasing Re-Build materials can check out what is available at the kick-off parking lot sale at 195 E. Gobbi Street in Ukiah on July 1 from 7am to 2 pm and on July 2 from 9am to 2 pm. The Community Center expects to have the Re-Build Thrift Store open on other weekends throughout July at the same location. Please get out and support this effort.
Please join us for our next regular Greater Ukiah Localization Project (GULP) meeting, June 20, 7:00 PM at Eagle Peak Middle School in Redwood Valley.
Eagle Peak Middle School is located in RV on West Rd. Exit 101 at West Rd and head towards RV. Go straight through the stop sign and you will see the school on your right. Park in the north parking lot, near the Baptist Church. We will be meeting in the Staff Work Room.
For those coming from Ukiah, a carpool is meeting in the parking lot behind Washington Mutual at 6:30 and departing at 6:40.
The GULP Digest for the week of 6/5/06
Greeting Economic Localizers,
A quick update on the many goings on of the Greater Ukiah Localization Project, affectionately known as GULP. This is a busy week for GULP, many thanks to all those whose efforts are making this all possible.
FILM SCREENING A HUGE SUCCESS
GULP sponsored a screening of the film, "The Power of Community, How Cuba Survived Peak Oil" on June 8 at the Center for Positive Living. The screening was proceeded by a silent auction, music, socializing, and delicious organic Mexican food prepared by Salvador Yanez of the Organic Hispanic Kitchen. The film was a wild success, with a standing room only crowd. The film showed how Cuba transformed their economy to adapt to drastically reduced energy availability with the collapse of the Soviet Union and their fuel subsidies. The film was both inspirational and educational.
Donations and the silent auction brought in a significant sum to supplant the GULP coffers and will enable us to further expand and improve our mission to prepare the Ukiah Valley for a low energy future. Many thanks to those that donated and helped make the evening possible, in particular Holly Cratty and Charlene Light.
INAGURAL PEDAL TO THE PARK
GULP is sponsoring "Pedal to the Park" an event to encourage people to ride their bikes to the Sunday's in the Park concert series. GULP will have a booth at the park, where we will be distributing information, raffling off a brand new bicycle, and selling organic lemonade and Organic Hispanic Mexican food. We will also be leading a bike parade from Alex Thomas Plaza to Todd Grove Park starting at 5:00 PM. Pull your bike out, and get ready to ride!
6/6/06 GENERAL MEETING REVIEW
Our regular first Tuesday meeting was held at the Washington Mutual Community Room. The meeting started off with a presentation from Gloria Decater of Live Power Community Farm in Covelo. Live Power raises organic vegetables using draft horses and runs a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program that supplies families in Mendocino and the Bay Area with a weekly share of the farm's bounty. This model is truly economic localization in action. If you're interested in getting more information or becoming a member check out their website at: http://www.covelo.net/agriculture/farm/pages/farms_lpf.shtml
The group then broke into our working groups to spend time on specific projects. A brief summary of each group's efforts is outlined below:
Food & Health - Nine Gulpers have joined the Grateful Gleaners. A plot has been reserved at the Cleveland Lane Community garden for medicinal herbs. Any one interested in helping to plant it can call Jenny 743-1287. The garden of Ruth Sander, Leeya and Star on West Mill Street is also developing into a demonstration Medicine Chest Garden. Molly McCalla has been volunteering at the new Ford Street Community Garden.
Mobility-The mobility group is gearing up for our "Pedal to the Park" event in conjunction with the Sunday's in the Park free concert series at Todd Grove Park. The event will include a booth at the concerts where we will distribute information on GULP, raffle off a beautiful bicycle, and be selling organic lemonade and Mexican food courtesy of Sal Yanez and his Organic Hispanic Kitchen. The event will also feature a "bike parade" from Alex Thomas Plaza to the Park starting at 5 P.M. Bike parking will be provided in racks donated by Dave's Bike Shop and the City of Ukiah. Please join us for the inaugural event on June 11. It should prove to be a fun and educational day!
Outreach - We'll be meeting June 13th for a potluck and on-going work on the Circles project (developing a circle map of the Ukiah area). We continue to develop our work on the digi-garden stories with King, Molly, Seth, and myself as principal actors on this project with Gabrielle when she returns from Hawaii. YubaGals have reported that they are currently editing April's interviews and will be getting to the Ukiah interviews as soon as they are able to which will hopefully be in the next month or so. A reminder that we do have a "Virtual Library" of DVD's and are happy to share our listing with interested people.
Civic Action-Orion is continuing to grow the Green Building group contact list, which now has about 15 members. He will continue working to expand that effort. The first meeting with the City was productive. Scott reported that WELL and the Alliance for Democracy chapters have signed on with GULP as sponsors of a proposed County formula/box store ordinance. That effort may be informally presented to some of the County Supervisors sometime over the next few weeks.
Business-The business group session focused on the independent, local business survey process. Christine and Maureen shared observations from presenting the business survey package to several businesses just North of Perkins near State. They noted that most businesses had not heard of GULP yet and needed time to review the material. They also suggested that approaching the effort as a team was helpful. Several members agreed to visit additional businesses and we agreed on the need for a page on the CFI site to track which businesses have been contacted and which individuals want to reserve for future contacts. A group task is to ponder how to get the word out in a less paper and labor intensive manner as the effort expands. Scott noted that WestCo will be helping get the survey to its members. The business group decided that the directory will be open to listings from any business in the County. The group discussed whether the rating process might intimidate some businesses but did not take any action related to that concern.
Our next meeting is June 20, 7:00 PM at Eagle Peak Middle School in Redwood Valley. We look forward to seeing you all there.
GULP Individual Actions from the May 16, 2006 General Meeting
GULP is an action oriented community group. As such we each make individual action commitments at the conclusion of our meetings, and begin our meetings with a check in of our progress.
The purpose of this list is to serve as a reminder of our individual actions, to help establish some accountability for our commitments, and to provide us with a record of the many small accomplishments we are making on our way towards realizing larger goals. I will note accomplishments on this list after our next regular meeting (June 6, 2006 at the Washington Mutual Community Room). If you feel I have misstated your action please feel free to use the edit function.
Cliff – Will meet with Sage and Lauren at the City of Ukiah to confirm the “Peddle to the Park” plans.
Jeff - Provide input to Local Business (LB) Directory and maintain contact with Green Building (GB) Group.
Sandy- Continue working with the LB Group and make a connection between local co-housing group and GULP.
Don- Continue to learn about issues in the area, continue contact with LB Group.
Scott- Set up a meeting of the LB Group to finalize business survey.
Orion- Continue coordinating efforts of the GB Group, contact additional “players” and give feedback on LB survey.
Tony- Read GULP website to gain more info, await GB e-mail, feed back on LB survey.
Seth- Attend Outreach potluck, photograph community gardens.
Gabi- Talk to Phil Coole about possible interview and filming of gardens. Making yogurt for the Outreach Potluck.
Leeya- Coordinating filming by APPLE. Hosting potluck. Interviewing Margaret Reynolds.
King- Researching circle analysis and bringing ice cream or cheesecake to the potluck.
Lydia- Continue planting in garden.
Jenny- Attending Greatful Gleaners meeting, discussing establishing a Ukiah chapter.
Holly- Attending Civic Action Formula Store discussion [revised from Attending Greatful Gleaners meeting on 5/19 due to poor scheduling by the business/civic action group], working on screening of “The Power of Community”.
Sumo- Continue Planting, coordinating efforts with Adam Gaska to create a web form and database for the Germplasm survey
Ashley- Awaiting e-mail from LB group
John- Hitting the streets with the LB survey
Ike- Attending meeting with Sage. Approaching Dave’s Bike shop about donating a bike for our raffle. Providing information to the city on bike racks.
GULP May 2, 2006 Meeting Notes
The Little GULP
Newsletter of the Greater Ukiah Localization Project
The 5/2 GULP meeting at Washington Mutual focused on work by the individual workgroups to plan ways of keeping projects progressing despite the distractions of spring and summer.
Food & Health
At our last meeting the Food and Health Group worked together as it is our common goal to promote more vegetable and healing herb gardens. Gardens in the works include the demonstration Medicine Chest Garden to be located at the home of Leeya, Ruth and Star as well as the demonstration vegetable garden being planned on the land owned by Jeff Taylor located in Redwood Valley. This garden will be managed with the expertise of Adam Gaska and may be the site of future gardening training sessions.
Another project initiated by Adam Gaska is his Germplasm inventory of vegetable seeds being saved and breeds of animals being raised by local farmers and gardeners. Sumo Burnstad has offered to guide in the design of a county wide relational database to store this information. It could be an online and available resource. Sumo also envisions a self diagnostic expert system of medicinal herbs.
Ann Oliver encouraged the participation of GULP in the Redwood Valley Community Market which is held at Lions Park in RV on Sunday’s from July though October. GULP could have a table there and also schedule demonstrations such as how to build worm bins, solar dehydrators, etc, or even offer medicinal herb start up kits.
GULP would like to encourage more community gardens within the Ukiah City limits and realizes that a representative to the UVAP planning meetings is vital. Miles Gordon will be recruited for this role. It was suggested to outreach via a classified ad to seek out vegetable gardeners within the city who would be willing to share their techniques for gardening in small areas and from this develop a garden tour map.
Finally, we got excited about having a facilitated visioning session about the possibility of the Masonite property becoming a demonstration project for economic localization. Local inventors and creative thinkers along with newly identified potential big money investors would be invited to attend.
Pea Pod Seattle was suggested as a site to Google.
Community Outreach
Four of our Outreach members attended the general GULP meeting and looked over the Outreach active projects to determine which one we would focus on during the summer. With planting/growing season now in full swing we decided to develop a number of “garden digi-stories” using the technology being used by the Ukiah Placemeant Project. At the end of the season we will develop a show using these digi-stories to inspire and encourage Ukiahans to seriously begin preparing their own gardens for food. We will collaborate with the Food Group in this project and have it as an educational tool for Adam Gaska’s teaching sessions at the Food Co-op. Seth Delaney has begun taking pictures and we are zeroing in on about four gardens that we will follow – from a patio in the pot food garden to a small farm in the outskirts. This project will involve some expert computer graphics work and if there is someone who knows how to do this, be in touch with us (467-8456). A potluck scheduled May 19th is for the purpose of planning this project in detail.
In April a couple of GULP members, King Collins and Scott Cratty, visited the Progressive and Environmental clubs at Ukiahi. The exchange of discussion went very well and we look forward towards developing this exchange in the Fall. King will be focalizing this connection and will invite various other GULPers to join him.
A “Virtual Library” of DVD’s has been started in virtual space. These films can be borrowed and shown by GULPers either for their personal use or if they want to share them with another organization to which they belong. We urge GULPers to make use of these important documentaries as a way of educating people about what needs to change and how we can move into a new economy with grace. For a list of titles, call Leeya (467-8456).
We now have a GULP column in the Ukiah Daily Journal. Once a month (second Wednesday, Business Section) we will have an article published telling about different activities and areas of GULP interest and concern. Be sure to tell your friends and neighbors to check out our articles.
The APPLE Yuba Gals television interviewers will be coming to Ukiah to interview four of our local “hero(ine)s” May 20th. These shows will be offered to television stations and localization groups all over the country. How wonderful it is to be sharing the outstanding contributions of Els Cooperrider, Dave Smith, Kate Magruder and Anne Oliver. We are so fortunate to have these people in our area, supporting GULP with their projects.
When the right organizer turns up to promote a community wide teach-in, call Leeya Thompson 467-8456. These programs are important not only to educate the public about the post-carbon age, but to generate energy for GULP.
Mobility
Members of the GULP Mobility Group reported on the progress of the Peddle to the Park (P2P) events. P2P is going to be an event associated with the successful Concert in the Park series. P2P will encourage people to ride their bikes to the Concerts in an effort to reduce automobile traffic to the events and the associated parking headache. It will also be a way to encourage cycling and demonstrate to the city the need to expand and improve the bike path system. We hope to have “valet” style bike parking at the park as well as a booth where GULP can sell local food and raffle tickets as a fundraiser, as well as pass out informational material as an outreach opportunity. In addition to the presence at the park, P2P hopes to have a bike parade from Alex Thomas Plaza to Todd Groove park which would enable people who live outside the city to bring their bikes, park downtown, and then ride in a fun and supportive group to the Concerts. This would further raise the profile of the event.
On top of the main P2P project, the mobility group is also going to be meeting with the Mendocino Council of Governments to add our suggestions to the upcoming update of the Mendocino County Regional Bikeway Plan.
Civic Action
Members of the GULP Civic Action group reported that it had been in contact with the City of Ukiah planning department regarding the development of Green Building guidelines. The group intended to follow-up by attending and supporting a Ukiah Staff proposal to the City Council on 5/3 to move forward planning green building education, incentives and, possibly, requirements. We can report that the effort was a great success. After public comment lead by GULP members Jeff Taylor, Orion Walker and Cliff Paulin, the City Council unanimously supported proceeding to work on green building issues. Council member McGowen suggested that the Ukiah Planning Department should consider using the speakers as the core of a citizen task force on the green building project. Hence, GULP appears to be on its way to being at the core of this important effort.
GULP is co-sponsoring an proposed County ordinance that would help control the entry of large, new formula stores. We hope it will be ready to forward to County Supervisors for support by mid-May. Please contact Scott at scratty@adelphia.net if you would like more information about that effort.
Local Business
The business group intends to firm up documents that they will use to begin visiting local businesses to introduce GULP, explain the GULP local business certification process, distribute the local business survey and solicit entries in the planned independent, local business directory. Drafts of the existing business project documents are available at: http://www.cloudforest.org/LOCAL_BUSINESS, all comments are welcome. An important part of the process will be to develop one or two standard paper sized, color window postings that provide some education as to the importance and benefit of supporting local business. The color flier can be used as a window posting to begin to create a wider awareness of the local business project and of GULP. The group will meet again in about two weeks to assign individuals blocks on which to canvas local businesses with the finalized package.
GULP Petition
Most of those present at the meeting sign a copy of the GULP Petition. If you have not done so, please consider doing so. You can sign and submit your petition online by going to: http://home.earthlink.net/~scratty2/GULP_Petition.html . If you would like paper copies of the GULP petition to sign and to distribute to others, please contact Scott at scratty@adelphia.net
Spreading the Word
Would you be willing to help staff a GULP table at a local event? Do you belong to a local organization that might welcome a presentation by GULP? If so, please contact Cliff Paulin at cliffpaulin@hotmail.com
GULP March 21, 2006 Meeting Notes
Transcribed from the large group note pads.
Mission: Why are we here? -To create a healthier local community
-To co-create a healthy community through compassion, education, and consideration of all
-To define local natural limits and practice temperance (healthy moderation)
-To create a controlled (deliberate) uninterrupted future
-To Plan in an adaptive manner
-To re-educate ourselves and our community to be self-reliant
Who do we serve?
-Upper Russian River Watershed (and points beyond)
-Active Partisans
-Youth
-People coming to the community
-Each other
-Businesses, individuals, co-ops, schools, churches
-The collective interest
What do our Stakeholders value?
-Quality of life
-Jobs and Housing
-Practical life skills
-Local self determination
-Ecological Integrity (local and global)
-Local self-reliance
-Community Cooperation
-Economic integrity
-Peace, health, and safety
-Light "footprint"
-Lasting continuity
-Equality in the valley
-Joy, celebration, dancing
-Permanent Agriculture "Permaculture"
-Preparedness
-Opportunity for meaningful contribution and participation
What are the results our stakeholders want to see?
-Reliable sources of food
-Community self reliance
-Meeting people's basic physical, spiritual, and emotional needs not at the expense of others
-Means of exchange to acquire what's needed
-Sense of belonging
-To be a successful example
-To practically apply what we learn
-Increased cooperation and communication
-"Ecotopia"
-Restorative Community Justice
-Balanced community
What is our plan to achieve those results?
-Educate
-Practically apply our learning
-Create specific projects with measurability and follow up
-Break our addiction to energy (Learn new habits)
-Build better houses and create better jobs using recycled and local materials
-Self-Responsibility coupled with community support
-Get started so we can learn as we go
-Have fun and spread joy
-Involve working groups with existing groups and resources
-Work together with a human systems perspective
-Not "Do it all" (Utilize partnerships and networks)
GULP Newsletter - March 1, 2006
by Cliff Paulin
Here's a brief update on upcoming events and a recap of what the Greater Ukiah Localization Project (GULP) has been up to. First off I’d like to send a big thank you out to the steering committee for their continued hard work and support. I’d also like to personally thank all of you for your interest in this endeavor and for fulfilling your individual actions. This is a collective process, and the group moves forward through our individual participation. Our next regular meeting is March 7th, 7:00 PM, in the Washington Mutual Community Room, corner of Gobbi and State in Ukiah. Please attend and bring a friend!
The Community Business Working Group is hosting two upcoming events. The first is a general meeting of the working group tomorrow night, Thursday March 2 at 7:30 at the Ukiah Brewing Company. The second is a discussion on progressive local banking and Credit Union practices on Saturday March 4, 10:30 AM at Schat's Bakery and Café, 113 W Perkins. Bill Leland of the Santa Cruz Credit Union will lead the discussion. If you want more information on either of these events please contact Scott Cratty at scratty@adelphia.net.
GULP recently celebrated its one month birthday, and what an active month it’s been. In our first month of existence we’ve hosted a panel discussion examining the need for economic localization, met as a group to discuss our collective vision for a sustainable Ukiah Valley, and formed working groups to realize that vision. Current working groups are: Food, Health and Medicine, Civic Action, Mobility, Community Business, and Outreach. There are obviously issues that are not currently being addressed by the working groups (Water and Shelter for example), but the groups have been formed based upon current interest of participants. As we continue to grow additional working groups will be created.
GULP has begun to receive attention from the larger community. GULP was featured in a panel discussion hosted by WELL on February 6 with members of localization groups from throughout the county. KZYX/Z has broadcast several interviews on the Community News, the Ukiah Daily Journal ran a short article and letter to the editor on us, KMEC radio has continued to provide extensive coverage of our activities, and our website is up and running.
Thanks again to everyone for making this project a reality. It’s extremely exciting and gratifying to see so many thoughtful and motivated people coming together to take charge of our collective future.
Review of GULP Activities - February 9, 2006
by Cliff Paulin
February 9, 2006
The following is a brief summary of the activities undertaken thus far by the Greater Ukiah Localization Project (GULP). GULP is a citizen based initiative striving to create a strong sustainable local economy. The driving force behind our efforts is the realization that global energy supplies are going to begin declining in the near future and that those reductions are going to have massive implications. Fossil fuels are essential for every aspect of modern life, from electricity generation and transportation to food production and medical care. The current global economy is entirely dependant upon the availability of cheap energy thus economic localization seeks to create means to meet local demands without relying upon the global market.
Our first public meeting was held on January 24, 2006 in the Ukiah City Council Chambers. About 75 people attended, many of whom had attended Willits Economic Localization (WELL) events from Redwood Valley and Ukiah. Local officials David Colfax and John McCowen were present.
I moderated a panel of 4 with some predetermined questions for each member in turn. The panel consisted of Richard Heinberg world renowned energy expert and the author of “The Party’s Over” and “Powerdown” who gave his Peak Oil overview, giving a lot of attention to the Hirsch Report (A 2005 Department of Energy Report on oil depletion) and recommending all public elected officials read it. Then Els Cooperrider was asked questions about her radio show, The Party's Over, and especially food issues. She had a nice handout showing what we do and don't have food-wise around here. Jason Bradford, founder of WELL went next and told the WELL story. He recommended getting very politically active and being persistent, developing relationships with government people, business people, gaining their trust and feeding them quality information because they are unlikely to lead on their own about this. Groups like WELL and GULP are going to have to do almost all the important work pointing out the vulnerabilities and opportunities in this transition. Next was Ann Oliver of Ukiah Valley Smart Growth. This new group has successfully halted some big development projects recently. She wanted better coordination among these groups and emphasized the importance of our personal relationships as a source of local wealth.
The Q&A period went on for over an hour. A few key points that came out were: It was clear that the oil issue was only one reason to localize, and we should play up all benefits: emergency preparedness, ecological footprint reduction (e.g., climate change), and creating a more vibrant society that maintains important personal relationships and generates meaningful employment opportunities. There was also a discussion of the cognitive dissonance many people have who are tied to existing institutions, especially transportation agencies, and that these mindsets need to be challenged by a coordinated effort.
Our second gathering took place February 7, 2006 in the Washington Mutual Community Room. Approximately 30 people attended what was billed as an envisioning session for GULP. GULP’s steering committee hoped to use this gathering to brainstorm and survey the desires of the membership. A modified World Café format was employed, in which attendees were split into 5 small conversation groups. The groups were then posed a series of questions and given 8 minutes to discuss and record their ideas on large format paper on a table in the middle of the group. After the initial period attendees were shuffled and given an additional 5 minutes to discuss the same question with their new group. The process was repeated for each of the three questions.
The questions posed were:
-What does a sustainable Ukiah look like to you?
-What are our strengths and weaknesses?
-What is in our control to change, and what is out of our control?
Following the discussion period the entire group reconvened and major themes were outlined. Attendees were then given two pairs of colored dots to “vote” for the topic that most interested them. They were instructed to place green dots by those topics that could be addressed in the short term, through volunteer effort, and with limited capital expenditures. They placed red dots by those topics that will require longer term planning, expertise, or large capital outlays. Several areas that received the most attention were food production, health care, and walking/biking trails.
The evening was concluded with each attendee publicly stating what personal action they would undertake before the next meeting. These ranged from committing to bringing a friend or neighbor to the next meeting, writing letters to the editor, helping with the e-mail list, to writing this letter to you today.
All of the attendees seemed extremely energized by the meeting and I would expect turn out at our upcoming events will increase. Our next events are a screening of the film, “The End of Suburbia” on February 20, 7:00 PM at the Ukiah Player’s Theater, followed by our next regular meeting on February 21, 7:00 PM also at the Ukiah Player’s Theater. I would highly encourage all city employees and members of the City Council to attend these events. The citizen energy behind these issues is highly infectious and encouraging in this age of apathy.
GULP General Meeting at the Ukiah Players Theater on February 21, 2006
Following is a transcription of what the working groups had on their collaboratively produced notes pages at the end of the February 21, 2006 GULP meeting.
AGENDA
- Check-in
- Info Share
- Working Groups
1) Short Term Goals 2) Long Term Goals 3) Collaboration
- Draft Timeline
- Individual Action
MOBILITY
Short Term Goals
- If you have diesel –use Biodeisel
- Can convert to Veggie Oil
- Use ethanol in reg. gas cars/propane/plasma gas
- Coordinate production of fuels (Biofuels)
- Individual commitment to ride bike
1) Promote “Bike to Work” Day 2) Community Bikes Program 3) Bike Repair Day – free tune up or classes to educate
- Find out status of using rails
- Stress conservation (fuel)
- Safe bicycle parking/storage (bike racks in city)
- City sponsored biker insurance
- Committee to research resources for info to group
Long Term Goals
- Bike/Ped trails – South end to North End Potter/Redwood Valley
- Rails-to-trails or use rails (Ukiah Valley local transport)
- Manufacturing fuels
- Segments of city “car free”
- Construction of ethanol stills for local use farming 55 acres/per still
Timeline (short term goals)
- Resource/Committee Research Info (perhaps committee within GULP)
- Put out call on Wed.
- Bike
1) 1-2 month info gather re: trails – city map of existing paths – how to create more and where – cost – who owns land 2) 2 month – create a plan for city owned bikes 3) Plan for summer bike promo 4) Ask Spencer B. to announce at Summer Park Prog.
- Work with city to make walk/Ukiah on School St. (Perkins to Clay) Standley?
- Idea: 9-6 - no cars
- Summer Parks Program – Special Parking
- City – Bike racks
1) What will it take? 2) Sponsored bike racks 3) What space? 4) By June?
FOOD
Short Term Goals
- Create a list of people willing to support a CSA (a list of current farmers)
- Create a list of gardeners/farmers skilled to run a CSA
- Get a list of properties to lease for farms
- Promote local CSAs
- Develop community markets
- Calculate acreage needed to feed population
- Investigate industrial hem growing
- Teach basic gardening to locals – Victory Gardens
- ID vacant lots
- Create a water inventory
Long Term Goals
- Increase number of CSAs
- Increase community gardens
- Conversion of vineyard land to food production
- Increase locally produced dry goods
- Farmer’s Mkt year-round
- Local meat processing
- Long-term food storage
- Regional sustainable planning
Collaborators
- Farm link
- Mormon Church
- Mariposa Inst. Of Biodynamic Ag.
- Mendocino Organics
- Farm Bureau
- Mendocino Organic Network
- Livepower community farm (CSA)
- Mendo College
- Co-op
- Tom Palley (Round Valley farmer)
- 4H
- FFA
- Organic wine growers
- Fred Marshall
Timeline
- CSA through our promotion – 2-3 months
- Inventory of:
1) Farmable land (MON, farm link) – 5 mo – 1 yr 2) Willing farmers (Biodynamic farms Assoc., UCSC) – 6 mo.
- Calculate acres – 3 months
- Inventory of what could be grown for region – 3 months.
- Teaching gardening – ongoing
1) Leavons 2) Ukiah HS 3) MCC?
- Farmers Market – solicitfarmers@market
OUTREACH
Short Term Goals
- Know your neighbor party
- Use talking points for every group
- Neighborhood art stroll
- City repair project speaker
- Wise elder group
- “Turn on Teachers” – create educational materials package to go to schools.
- ”Another Voice” – new UDJ regular column
- CFI website – community bulletin board
- Neighborhood disaster preparedness
- Visit Elks, Lions, Garden Club and other service orgs.
- What can we do to bring Native Americans, Latinos, Thai, African Americans and other members of the community into group?
Long Term Goals
- Small neighborhood community networks (circles within circles)
- Resource exchanges – CFI website (barter as outside resources become scarce)
- Celebration at Ukiah H.S.
- Is there an environmental club at Ukiah H.S. to invite to these meetings?
- Kate M. – Talking points performance
- CD or documentary about solutions – biodiesel; alternative solutions; alternative energy; food; transportation; health
- Find out neighbor’s skills and resources
- Take talking points to groups
- Need talking points committee
1) What are community resources? 2) In emergencies, where do lock key children go for help?
BUSINESS
Goals
- Infiltrate open county boards
- Living wage
- Local currency/smartcard/debit card
- Alternative Chamber of Commerce (with conscience)/sustainable
- Boycott chains
- Local business promotions
- Educate about loan ripoffs
- Local business lending
- Local venture capital (especially for local power)
- Multiplier effect of dollars
- Monetary leakage – mortgage, box stores, credit cards
- Vocational training
- Brain drain (find ways to stop)
- Certify local business
- ID local input needs
- Research co-op talents/resources
- Local resource directory
- Inventory local natural resources/look at how to control them (esp. water)
Collaborators
- High School
- College
- LSNC
- West CD
- Main Street program
- Apollo Alliance (US)/Apollo Project (CA)
- Co-op America
- Ukiah co-op
- Networked local businesses
Initial Activities – Two Top Projects
- Local credit union
1) Find area expert 2) Investigate existing credit unions 3) Check out Santa Cruz as a model (work with co-op America) 4) Invite Bill Leland to meeting
- Alternative Chamber of Commerce/local directory
- Meet with Chamber of Commerce
- Alternative “Phone Book” – ID businesses and other resources
CIVIC ACTION
Short Term Goals
- Board of Sups “Halt on Development” until plan is in place
- Mobilize and support emergency ordinance
- Need to find good consultants to help craft plans
- Interest-based negotiations
- Green building (platform of what community could do)
- Subsidizing small, local farms (local government grants, e.g., green house funding)
Long Term Goals
- Good consultants to help with planning
- Charettes
- Green building
- Formula business ordinance
- Strengthen downtown businesses
- Study of patterns of development of city and neighborhoods)
- Story collection to reflect community back onto itself
Collaborations
- Develop broad-based support via “cells”
- Adopt an opinion leader – bring them “on board” with us
- Planning department
- Civic action as component of other GULP discussions
- Process for mingling the renegades with the right wingers – break down exclusivity
- UDJ
Timeline
- Within next two months to a year:
1) Network of sustainability efforts around Country 2) City/County co-planning of the Ukiah Valley
- Authentic community planning process for Ukiah Valley Area Plan (new and sustainable that people understand) – input from good consultants and citizens asking questions
- Teaching decision makers (and everyone) a common negotiating process (development of a shared leadership)
- Start an energy group and set energy goals
- Green building platform
- Develop GULP policy recommendations
- Question: where is the energy component?
