May = Bike Month:: May + 9 = Bike to School Day!

Just in time for April’s Earth Month, Safe Routes to School E-News March/April 2012 announces:

First-Ever National Bike to School Day

Wednesday, May 9, 2012 – in conjunction with National Bike Month

According to their newsletter:

Adding to the fun and excitement of National Bike Month in May will be the first-ever National Bike to School Day on Wednesday, May 9, 2012! “Celebrating Bike to School Day will increase the excitement surrounding 2012 National Bike Month,” said Andy Clarke, president of the League of American Bicyclists and National Partnership Steering Committee member. “Bike Month – including Bike to Work Week and Bike to Work Day – has grown year after year and we’re pleased to add a school-and kid-focused event to the celebration this year.” National Bike to School Day will be a great way to generate excitement about bicycling and reinforce safe bicycling skills; events can take place on May 9 and other days throughout May. Share your photos and stories with us on our Facebook page and for step-by-step guidance in planning your Bike to School Day activity, visit www.walkbiketoschool.org launching on April 9.

“The Obligation to Endure”–Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” Turns 50

Fifty years ago, in 1962, Rachel Carson published her landmark and highly influential book, Silent Spring. According to Wikipedia,

Rachel Louise Carson (May 27, 1907 – April 14, 1964) was an American marine biologist and conservationist whose writings are credited with advancing the global environmental movement. Carson began her career as a biologist in the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, and became a full-time nature writer in the 1950s. Her widely praised 1951 bestseller The Sea Around Us won her financial security and recognition as a gifted writer. Her next book, The Edge of the Sea, and the republished version of her first book, Under the Sea Wind, were also bestsellers. Together, her sea trilogy explores the whole of ocean life, from the shores to the surface to the deep sea. In the late 1950s, Carson turned her attention to conservation and the environmental problems caused by synthetic pesticides. The result was Silent Spring (1962), which brought environmental concerns to an unprecedented portion of the American public. Silent Spring, while met with fierce denial from chemical companies, spurred a reversal in national pesticide policy—leading to a nationwide ban on DDT and other pesticides—and the grassroots environmental movement the book inspired led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency

What follows is chapter two from Silent Spring. It is still meaningful and relevant today, 50 years after it was published.

THE HISTORY OF LIFE on earth has been a history of interaction between living things and their surroundings. To a large extent, the physical form and the habits of the earth’s vegetation and its animal life have been molded by the environment. Considering the whole span of earthly time, the opposite effect, in which life actually modifies its surroundings, has been relatively slight. Only within the moment of time represented by the present century has one species — man — acquired significant power to alter the nature of his world.

April 23: Earth ACTION Day 10-2:30pm VC quad

Ventura College’s Earth Action Day Weds. April 23, 2008 10-2:30p

VC’s second annual Earth Day is about ACTION–taking action, advocating action–with an emphasis on
educating and advocating actions related to and about global warming. The event is free; parking is $1
on campus.

The event features entertainment, a film series, booths, a program by America’s Teaching Zoo, music,
singer/songwriters, poets, writers, a clothing swap, art activities, alternative transportation info, and more.

The film series will run from 10-2 in the Fireside Lounge in the cafeteria/campus center. Films include the classic An Inconvenient Truth, the brand new documentary The 11th Hour, the drama Into the Wild, and with a series of short films provided by the Earth Action Network from the Live Earth events as well as a 4 minute
reflective video by Steve Shaefer set to a poem by Robert Frost. The short films are provided by the
Earth Day Network; the longer films are donated by Movie Town in midtown Ventura.

The main stage in the quad will feature a 10-11am show by “America’s Teaching Zoo”, the Exotic Animal Training and Management Program at Moorpark College. The show will focus on endangered species and the impact of global warming. Many of the children from VC’s Child Development Center will be walking up to the quad for the family friendly show.

Jazz music by VC students Louis Lopez on trumpet and Max Gauliteri on guitar will follow interspersed with poetry, an open mic, singer/songwriter Emy Reynolds, and CSUCI prof and Sespe Wild writer Brad
Monsma.

Local organizations and student clubs will offer activities and information and the VC preschool coop will be squeezing fresh orange juice. Bagels have been donated by Noah’s and water donated by the Ventura Water store will be provided to anyone who brings their own container.

In addition to encouraging students to take action about climate change, a goal is to register as many students to vote as possible.

This event is supported by a grant from the Ventura College Foundation.

“Up Jumped Spring” a spring poem by Al Young

Al Young, CA Poet Laureate visits VC

Monday April 21

12-12:45pm Poetry & discussion of poetics for change

1:30-2:30pm Poetry & Prose plus writing tips

both the above events take place in the Garden Patio

between the new library (LRC) and the old library (SSC)

7pm Guthrie Hall with live music, art and living history performance by Suzanne Lawrence

Ventura College 4667 Telegraph Road Ventura

Host: Gwendolyn Alley

What’s most fantastical almost always goes

unrecorded and unsorted. Take spring.

Take today. Take dancing dreamlike; coffee

your night, creameries your dream factories.

Take walking as a dream, the dearest, sincerest

means of conveyance: a dance. Take leave

of the notion that this nation’s or any other’s earth

can still be the same earth our ancestors walked



From “Up Jumped Spring” by Al Young

California poet laureate, Al Young, was born in Mississippi and was reading by the age of three. He began publishing poems, stories, and articles in his early teens, and has lived most of his life in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been a poet, writer, teacher and lecturer throughout his literary career and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California , Berkeley in Spanish. He has taught poetry and fiction writing at a number of universities nationwide, including the Universities of California at Berkeley , Santa Cruz and Davis ; and Stanford University . Versatile and prolific, his works have appeared in the New York Times, Chicago Review, Seattle Review, Rolling Stone, and the Norton Anthology of African-American Literature. As a screenwriter, Young has worked with Sidney Poitier, Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor.

Thanks to Phil Taggart and Maggie Westland for helping to get the word out about these readings!

Al Young at VC M. April 21: noon, 1:30, 7p

On Monday, April 21, Al Young will do a live interview on NPR’s Morning Edition, then he will drive up to Ventura College to participate in three events:

7-9pm–”A Celebration of the Earth:
Poetry & Performance featuring AL YOUNG “
in Guthrie Hall on the West side of campus; park near the gym; $1 to park

The evening begins with live music and a living history performance by Suzanne Lawrence as Anna Paquette on “One Hundred Years of Growth: 1815-1915–from remote agricultural Mission Town to car accessible county seat” followed by Theater Arts student KM Hageman and Friends who will sing Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land.”

At sunset, Al Young will perform backed by jazz musicians and with an accompanying slide show of eco-art images contributed by Debra McKillop, Steve Schafer, Dan Holmes, students, and others. The slide show is organized by student Art major Tanya Orozco. The evening will close with another song by KM and Friends.

For more about Al Young, author of over 20 books of poetry, prose, and fiction including the National Book Award winner in 2002, The Sound of Dreams Remembered go to alyoung.org.

A reception, funded by the Ventura College Foundation, will follow. Al Young’s performance in funded by Associated Students.

Al will give two readings during the day: a lunch time brown bag poetry reading in the Garden Patio between the new library (LRC) and the old library (SSC) from 12-1245p, and a prose and poetry reading with writing tips and techniques from 130-230 in the same location.

All events are free and open to the public.

a band perfect for VC’s Earth Day: LA’s Dengue Fever at Salzer’s 4/17 –CANCELLED!

a fascinating band from LA passing through to Santa Barbara’s Soho by way of Salzer’s tomorrow 4/17 for an instore at 6pm. does this mean a performance I hope? gonna see if they’ll play VC’s Earth Day!

oh no–just found out they cancelled all instores; The Soho gig is still on for tonight however

Honor the Farm Music Festival

The Honor The Farm Music Festival
Sunday April 20th, 10am – 7pm
370 Baldwin Rd/Hwy 150
Ojai CA 93023

A day of music with:

Jonathan McEuen
one of the most exciting guitar player/singer/performers we’ve ever seen on
any stage . . .
http://www.myspace.com/jonathanmceuen

Alan Thornhill

A festival favorite at Strawberry Music Festival, Winfield Festival and others.  One of life’s joys is hearing his beautiful voice and exquisite fingerstyle guitar playing.

http://www.alanthornhill.com

Samba Da’
(fabulous 7 piece, rockin’ Brazillian band that’ll get you up & dancing!
http://www.sambada.com

Emy Reynolds
Winner of the Food For Thought, battle of the bands and since then, one of our favorite new discoveries, you have to see her
http://www.myspace.com/emyreynolds

and more!!

The festival name celebrates the transformation of a former honor
farm/jail site into a thriving organic farm. The site also houses
community service organizations including Help of Ojai.   A portion of proceeds from ticket sales will go to Help of Ojai.

Get your tickets

Online at http://www.farmerandcook.com or at the gate.
or at the gate

$20 general admission (children 8 & under free)

$200 for 4 VIP section tickets – in special sectioned off area up front & center (we’ll only be selling a limited number of these – first come, first served)

VCCOOL April News & Earth Month info

This newsletter can also be read on line.

VCCool Newsletter April 15, 2008

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Dear Climate Activists,

It’s an Earth Day event smorgasbord, so get your calendars out, air up your bike tires, find the bus schedule, and call your car-pool buddies! It’s time to meet, greet, and cool the heat.

VCCool will have a booth at two of the events – so see you there.

Also in this issue – important policy information.

-From the folks of VCCool
www.vccool.org

Mid Town – Earth Day Expo and Green Home and Garden Tour

Saturday, April 19th, 2008
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
336 Sanjon Road, Ventura
Expo free – tour $10

Come out and see what your neighbors are doing to go green at home. The Midtown Ventura Community Council is sponsoring an Earth Day Expo and Green Home and Garden Tour. Visit the displays and pick up the map for the tour.

Updated Slide Show – An Inconvenient Truth

Saturday, April 19th
5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
EP Foster Library, Topping Room
651 E. Main St., Ventura

Gretchen Lewotsky “Climate Jedi” will be presenting this Climate Project presentation. Gretchen is one of 1,000 people who trained with Al Gore. The slide show has been updated with new information and facts about our local communities.

This event is sponsored by Jorgensen for Congress. Marta Jorgensen is a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, 24th District, and will also be at the event.

Earth Day in Santa Barbara – CEC Style

Sunday, April 20
10 am – 5:30 pm
Santa Barbara County Courthouse
1100 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara

Sponsored by
the Community Environmental Council

Highlights include:
Green Car Show and Advanced Transportation Marketplace, Energy Village, Environmental Entrepreneurs and Innovators, Live Music and Entertainment on the Solar-powered Stage, Free Bicycle Check-ups, Children’s Area, Ride Free on MTD.

Ventura College Earth Action Day

Wednesday, April 23
10:00 to 2:30 p.m.
Ventura College
Free
car parking is $1 on campus, bicycles free

VC’s second annual Earth Day is about ACTION–taking action, advocating action–with an emphasis on actions related to global warming.

The event features two stages of entertainment, a film series, booths, a program by EATM, music, singer/songwriters, poets, writers, clothing swap, alternative transportation info, and speakers. (A big thanks to Gwendolyn Alley and Elzbet Diaz de Leon!)

More information

Carl Morehouse:
Creating Sustainable Communities
(a Ventura College Earth Week event )

Thursday, April 24th
12:30 to 1:20 p.m.
SCI 352 (the Science Building), Ventura College Campus
Off Telegraph, Ventura

Carl Morehouse, Ventura City Council Member, previously Ventura’s Mayor, will speak on creating sustainable communities. This is an excellent opportunity to hear about city planning issues that affect Ventura citizens, and our ability to curb climate change.

Faith, Food, and Farming:
Presentation and Communal Supper

Saturday, April 26
1:30 – 5:30 p.m.
North Oxnard Methodist Church
1801 Joliet Place, Oxnard, 93030
$7 (no one turned away)

Presented by Progressive Christians Uniting

Environmental Justice:
Our Faith, Our Bodies, Our Neighbors, our Planet

How does what we eat really matter — and what does it really cost, now and in
the future? Join us for an afternoon of learning and action on the issues of how
our culture of food production and food choices impacts our bodies, our planet,
and our life together. Breakout sessions on organic farming, nutrition, farm
policy, and more. We’ll worship together and share a simple meal at 5 PM. Flyer

Californians for Solar and Clean Energy has just collected enough signatures to put the Solar and Clean Energy Act (SACE) on the California 2008 November ballot!

This act requires 50% of all electricity sold by California utilities after 2025 to be generated by clean, renewable sources including: solar, geothermal, wind, biomass, small hydro, and tidal. According to the group, “California’s major investor-owned utilities, as well as coal and nuclear interests have indicated they will vigorously oppose this ballot proposition.” press release,
SACE FAQ V

Two More Green Events

Saturday, April 19th, 10 a.m. to Noon
Low Flow Irrigation practical workshop with John Lamar – 401 South Ventura Street, Ojai

Saturday, April 26, 3-7 pm
EcoLogic Life – green interior building store opens in Ojai – Refreshments and Harp Music Flyer

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If you received this message from a friend, and you’d like to be on Ventura’s Global Warming email list, send a note to the action@vccool.org with instructions to add you to the global warming e-mail list.V

Tips on Writing a Publishable Letter to the Editor about an environmental problem

Take action or advocate an action! Write a letter to the editor for extra credit or to make-up an absence! Here are some tips how from the Earth Day Network News:

Tips on how to write your own Opinion Editorial or
Letter to the Editor and get it published!

Letters to the editor are an easy and effective way for us to voice our opinion to policy makers, corporations and the general public on the negative impacts of climate change. You can use letters to correct or interpret facts in response to inaccuracies, statements by corporations or government officials, to explain the connection between the news story and your priority issues, or to praise or criticize an article. The letters section is one of the most frequently read segments of newspapers.

Know your paper’s policy
Find out the newspaper’s policy for printing letters. Some have word limits and all require that you include your name, address and phone number. Your address and phone number will not be printed, but most publications will want to call you before they print your letter to confirm that you really did write the letter and that you want to have it published.

Keep it simple
Keep your points short and clear, and stick to one subject. If you focus on one specific issue, you’ll already have an edge on the writer who thinks they will be able to fill up their letter with a laundry list of details. Also, stick to commonly used terms and avoid jargon. Connect to basic values such as clean water and healthy communities.

Make your letter short
Make your first sentence short, compelling and catchy. Be direct and engaging. Try to hold each sentence to a minimum of 20 words. Your whole letter should ideally be a maximum of 150 words. No more than four paragraphs total, two paragraphs is best.

Get personal
Newspapers, at their core, are community entities. Editors will be much more likely to publish a letter, and the letter will have much more impact, if it demonstrates local relevance. The tips below are especially relevant if you are submitting a letter to the editor to your local paper.

Use local statistics. For example, a letter focusing on climate change should point out what is at stake in your local area.

Use personal stories. For example, if you or someone in your family relies on agriculture to make a living, for example, you should talk about your experience in a letter to the editor addressing your concerns about how climate change will affect the industry.

Use names to encourage action. If a letter to the editor mentions a Representative or Senator’s name, they will see it as their aides comb through all of the press in their district. They care about how they are being perceived in the district, and they will pay attention to a letter that asks them to take a specific action. You should also urge readers to support your position and to let their elected officials know their views<!– (please visit our resources page to see how to contact your local representative).–>

Use your credentials. If you have expertise in the area you are writing about, be sure to include that information even though it may not be printed in your letter.Y

Earth Network News

Earth Day 2008 is shaping up to be the biggest yet! We are approaching our goal of 1,000 campus events! From the national Mall in Washington DC, and major events in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Dallas, & Miami to millions participating in the Call for Climate. From Togo to Buenos Aires people are mobilizing to make their voices heard this Earth Day.

On Earth Day, April 22nd, you can help send a loud and clear message to Congress. Help get as many concerned people as you can to call Congress at 202-224-3121 to tell their Representative or Senator that they want tough action on climate change.

Here are some ways you can help:

• On Earth Day, organize volunteers on your campus to help generate calls to congress. Use banners, tables, posters, or fliers to encourage people to call while walking between classes. Ask your professors to allow you to make an announcement before class or get there early and write a message on the board.
• Contribute an op-ed to your campus or local newspaper. We have templates for you to use so all you’ll have to do is fill in the local details and submit. Contact your regional organizer for help or for a copy of the template.
• Hand-deliver one of our celebrity PSA’s to your campus or local radio station. By hand delivering a copy, you will greatly improve the odds that it will be played!

Current options include:

• Chevy Chase
• Kevin Bacon
• Questlove of The Roots
• Zach Braff

• Collect signatures for Earth Day Network’s Sky Petition.

Earth Day network wants you to have Live Earth short films at your Earth Day event! Live Earth will send you a special DVD produced only for Earth Day event organizers – it will have a selection of 8 of the Live Earth short films. Sign up here by April 17th and you’ll receive a free DVD in the mail in time for Earth Day!Ear