Do you know how your carbon footprint compares to that of other Americans? Whether you use more or less water, gas and electricity than the average person? On Saturday, the Pasadena chapter of the League of Women Voters (LWV-PA) will co-sponsor a Climate Change Forum where attendees can bring their recent bills and learn to grade their carbon footprint. (For details see the LWV-PA website.)
The forum, which will be held at the Neighborhood Church on Orange Grove, will feature speakers such as the power resource and planning manager for Pasadena Water & Power, Leesa Nayudu, and the director of the California Renewable Energy Initiative for the Nature Conservancy, Laura Crane. Nayudu will discuss how the City plans to generate more power from renewable energy sources. Crane will talk about renewable power sources in the western deserts and their environmental impacts.
Julie Parker, who, as co-chair of the LWV-PA's Natural Resources Committee, helped organize the event, said last week that visitors should also expect "a strong pitch for a carbon fee" that would lower CO2 emissions, grow jobs and stimulate the development of alternative energy solutions. A presentation on the topic by one of the representatives of the local chapter of the Citizens' Climate Lobby, Robert Haw, is also on the agenda.
The Climate Change Forum is being co-sponsored by a number of organizations working toward environmental sustainability, including the recently formed Arroyo Interfaith Environmental Coalition, Transition Pasadena and the Arroyo Seco Foundation. Parker said that she hopes for the event to contribute to a ground swell that will eventually equal the push of lobbyists from the oil companies in strength.
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What: Climate Change Forum
When: Saturday, March 21, 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Where: Neighborhood Church, 301 N Orange Grove Blvd, Pasadena
Showing posts with label Neighborhood Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Neighborhood Church. Show all posts
Pasadena churches form new coalition to collaborate on environmental issues
Representatives from congregations in the Pasadena area are forming a new council, the Arroyo Interfaith Environmental Coalition, to support each other in their work for a more sustainable environment. The coalition will focus on making church practices, campuses or legislation more earth-friendly, on advocating for climate, energy and water issues, and on strengthening relationships between the faiths.
So far, representatives from about a dozen faiths are involved. The new council will kick off on Sunday afternoon at the Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church on Orange Grove with an event titled Interfaith Earth Stewardship Summit.
The idea for the coalition originated in late 2013, when Susette Horspool, the chair of the Green Council at the Neighborhood UU Church, reacted to public media articles "about conservative religions deciding to promote good earth stewardship, while simultaneously claiming they weren't 'environmentalists.'
"I decided to set up a summit to help bond faiths of all kinds who wanted to support a healthy environment," Horspool said in an email on Friday. "Didn't matter if they called their work 'climate change activism' or 'stewards of God's creation.'" The coalition took off when Tom Brady from the environmental committee at All Saints Church joined the effort. He is now its interim president.
Brady's outlook goes even further than the collaboration of faith groups. In an email on Saturday he said: "It is essential that the environmental community work with the faith community to respond to the unprecedented challenge of the climate crisis. For too long, these groups have worked on separate tracks, despite a shared interest in preserving the natural world/Creation."
Brady added that both groups would benefit from collaborating and increasing communication. Noting that the coalition's tentative mission statement is "to promote 'cultivating compassion and thankfulness for all life in a community of friends,'" he said: "I cannot imagine any secular person denying the need for more compassion and community in our too-insulated and fragmented world."
At this point, about a dozen faiths and churches are part of the coalition. They include Unitarian Universalist, Episcopalian, Mennonite, Methodist, Quaker, Jewish, Pagan, Presbyterian, Baha'i, United Church of Christ, and three interfaith groups. Representatives from other faiths have announced that they will, as a minimum, attend the summit on Sunday.
The program for the event includes a presentation on The Role of the Faith Community in Addressing the Environmental Crisis by keynote speaker John B. Cobb, Jr. (Emeritus Professor, Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate School.) There will also be three panels, one on Communication/ Outreach/ Worship, one on Greening Congregational Operations, and one on Addressing the Climate Crisis. The driving forces behind the summit were Horspool, Brady and Allis Druffel, who is the Southern California Outreach Director at California Interfaith Power & Light.
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What: Interfaith Earth Stewardship Summit
When: Sunday, March 15, 1:30-5:30 p.m.
Where: Neighborhood Church, 301 N Orange Grove Blvd, Pasadena
RSVP here
This post was last updated on March 14, at 1 p.m.
So far, representatives from about a dozen faiths are involved. The new council will kick off on Sunday afternoon at the Neighborhood Unitarian Universalist Church on Orange Grove with an event titled Interfaith Earth Stewardship Summit.
The idea for the coalition originated in late 2013, when Susette Horspool, the chair of the Green Council at the Neighborhood UU Church, reacted to public media articles "about conservative religions deciding to promote good earth stewardship, while simultaneously claiming they weren't 'environmentalists.'
"I decided to set up a summit to help bond faiths of all kinds who wanted to support a healthy environment," Horspool said in an email on Friday. "Didn't matter if they called their work 'climate change activism' or 'stewards of God's creation.'" The coalition took off when Tom Brady from the environmental committee at All Saints Church joined the effort. He is now its interim president.
Brady's outlook goes even further than the collaboration of faith groups. In an email on Saturday he said: "It is essential that the environmental community work with the faith community to respond to the unprecedented challenge of the climate crisis. For too long, these groups have worked on separate tracks, despite a shared interest in preserving the natural world/Creation."
Brady added that both groups would benefit from collaborating and increasing communication. Noting that the coalition's tentative mission statement is "to promote 'cultivating compassion and thankfulness for all life in a community of friends,'" he said: "I cannot imagine any secular person denying the need for more compassion and community in our too-insulated and fragmented world."
At this point, about a dozen faiths and churches are part of the coalition. They include Unitarian Universalist, Episcopalian, Mennonite, Methodist, Quaker, Jewish, Pagan, Presbyterian, Baha'i, United Church of Christ, and three interfaith groups. Representatives from other faiths have announced that they will, as a minimum, attend the summit on Sunday.
The program for the event includes a presentation on The Role of the Faith Community in Addressing the Environmental Crisis by keynote speaker John B. Cobb, Jr. (Emeritus Professor, Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate School.) There will also be three panels, one on Communication/ Outreach/ Worship, one on Greening Congregational Operations, and one on Addressing the Climate Crisis. The driving forces behind the summit were Horspool, Brady and Allis Druffel, who is the Southern California Outreach Director at California Interfaith Power & Light.
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What: Interfaith Earth Stewardship Summit
When: Sunday, March 15, 1:30-5:30 p.m.
Where: Neighborhood Church, 301 N Orange Grove Blvd, Pasadena
RSVP here
This post was last updated on March 14, at 1 p.m.
Pasadena weekend: January 30 - February 1
Learn about water in nature and about safe bicycling, walk in the Arroyo. Plus: ongoing and recurring events.
Water and You is the title of a four-part workshop series that the Neighborhood Church’s Green Council has organized. The first session, on Saturday afternoon, will explore the topic Water in Nature. Meditation, discussion and action component included. Free and open to the public.
Traffic skills for cyclists. On Sunday Bike San Gabriel Valley will host an all-day class in El Monte: Traffic Skills 101. Aiming to instill cyclists with the confidence to ride safely and legally in traffic or on the trail, it will teach participants how to conduct bicycle safety checks, fix a flat, on-bike skills and crash avoidance techniques. RSVPs required. Attendees must be 18 or older.
Walking Pasadena will host a walk on Saturday afternoon to explore the trails in the Lower Arroyo Seco starting near the Rose Bowl and heading to South Pasadena. The route is about 5.5 miles round trip. Easy walking with lots of nature and urban views. Suitable for all.
More walks, docent-led. Descanso Gardens (La Canada) has docent-guided seasonal walks on its calendar for Saturday and Sunday morning. On Friday and Saturday morning, the Arboretum (Arcadia) will host docent-led walking tours.
Gardening, workshops. On Saturday morning, Descanso Gardens (La Canada) will host the last of three sessions in a workshop on organic gardening. On Sunday afternoon the Throop Learning Garden will host a workshop dedicated to the care of fruit trees.
Gardening, hands-on. Transition Pasadena's Throop Learning Garden (usually) meets on Sunday mornings.
One petition, two City surveys. Change.org's petition for a ban of styrofoam containers in Pasadena is still up and active. Pasadena Public Works is asking members of the community to weigh in on the future of trees in the city. The tree survey will end February 1. Pasadena Water and Power is conducting a survey on the city's energy future. (Note: PWP has not posted any information on when the survey period ends, but as of this printing the link was still up.)
The Arroyo Food Co-op will be open Saturday and Sunday. In fact, it is now open seven days a week: Store hours are Monday-Friday 4-7 p.m.; Sat and Sun 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Exhibition. As part of the Pasadena Arts Council's AxS Festival 2014, the Armory presents Karin Apollonia Müller's World’s Edge, a photographic exploration of the intersection between the natural landscape and complex urbanization. Ends next summer.
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Pasadena weekend: October 31-November 2
Do something about climate change and learn about plans to alter the Hahamongna Watershed Park. Plus: a seed swap, a new watering schedule, this week's random read and more.
Hahamongna Watershed Park. The LA County Flood Control District recently released the final Environmental Impact Report for the Devil's Gate Sediment Management Program in Hahamongna Watershed Park. It will present the plan to the City of Pasadena at a council meeting on Monday. In addition, a series of three public meetings will allow the public to comment on the Flood Control District's plan before it goes to the County Board of Supervisors for their review and possible approval. The first meeting is on Saturday afternoon. Local sustainability groups including the Arroyo Seco Foundation strongly oppose the plan.
Climate change. Interested in climate change? The Citizen’s Climate Lobby will meet on Saturday morning.
Pasadena's watering schedule for the winter begins on Saturday. Going forth, Pasadena Water and Power customers may water on one day a week only. It must be a Tuesday, a Thursday or a Saturday.
The Free Food Garden at the Arroyo Food Co-op is hosting a seed swap on Saturday with a work party in the garden to precede it. The co-op is now open on Saturdays and Sundays for pick-ups and shopping. Orders placed online by Sunday midnight will be available for pick-up starting next Tuesday.
Gardening. Transition Pasadena's Throop Learning Garden meets on Sunday morning.
Petition, vulnerable road users. The Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition has initiated a petition for the City to adopt an ordinance to protect vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboarders and persons with disabilities.
Survey. Pasadena Water and Power is conducting a survey on the city's energy future. To participate go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PWP_Energy_Future2014. (Note: PWP has not posted any information on when the survey period ends, but as of this printing the link was still up.)
Cycling. On Sunday morning Pasadena Cyclery will hold Gwen's Group Ride and the Sunday Morning Neighborhood Stroll. For details see the calendar page of Pasastainable, CA.
Random read. An environmental disaster story with a happy ending: In the November/December issue of Orion Magazine Rowan Jacobsen explores the history of Yuma, Arizona, a "kiln-dry city of ninety thousand people and 3 billion heads of lettuce." His narrative, Down by the River, shows how upstream damming of the Colorado which was once "an unruly god of creation and destruction" wreaked havoc on the environment and in the local communities; the river's wetlands turned to desert, and the native Quechan and the residents of Yuma fought "a cold war". The turnaround came with the new millennium. Thanks to the persistence and vision of a community developer and a landscape architect the wetlands and a sense of identity have been restored — with water that runs off from the lettuce fields.
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Pasadena weekend: October 17-19
Read about food waste and attempts to deal with it. Learn about lawns. Join others for a picnic, a festival or a bike ride. Plus: local exhibitions and petitions, and a survey.
Festival. The City of South Pasadena is hosting an event on Saturday to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Nature Park. Visit and enjoy the Nature Park while learning about native plants and water conservation. Also on the program: booths, a guided nature walk, a plant sale and fun for the entire family.
Picnic. The Pasadena Community Garden on Pasadena Avenue and LA Community Gardens are hosting a low-waste picnic on Saturday. Expect live music, children's activities, garden tours and exhibits as well as the honoring of Yvonne Savio for her continued support of community gardens throughout LA County.
Water, gardening. For Sunday morning, the Neighborhood Church has invited native plant expert Roger Klemm (JPL Green Club) to discuss the topic of lawns: Which resources go into keeping grass green? What are the ecological benefits and drawbacks of lawns? Which alternatives are there? The event is titled How To Murder Your Hungry Lawn. On Sunday evening the Urban Village Garage is hosting a presentation on all things water by Dan Sharp, a water management engineer for L.A. County. Transition Pasadena's Throop Learning Garden meets on Sunday morning.
Petition 2, vulnerable road users. The Pasadena Complete Streets Coalition has initiated a petition for the City to adopt an ordinance to protect vulnerable road users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, skateboarders and persons with disabilities.
Survey. Pasadena Water and Power is conducting a survey on the city's energy future. To participate go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PWP_Energy_Future2014. (Note: PWP has not posted any information on when the survey period ends, but as of this printing the link was still up.)
Cycling. On Sunday morning Pasadena Cyclery will hold Gwen's Group Ride and the Sunday Morning Neighborhood Stroll. For details see the calendar page of Pasastainable, CA.
Got kids? On Saturday morning, the Eaton Canyon Nature Center is hosting a family nature walk. Bring your small children, walking shoes, sunscreen, water and a hat. Also on Saturday morning at the Nature Center: the weekly Nature Tails Story Hour which includes stories, nature walks and puppet shows for children ages 3-5.
Random reads. Did you know that about one third of the food we produce globally never makes it into our mouths? That we could feed three billion people with the food that is lost and wasted worldwide on farms, in kitchens and in-between? A recent article on the website of National Geographic, One-Third of Food Is Lost or Wasted: What Can Be Done, looks at where and why we dump food, at how our behavior impacts water usage and generates greenhouse gases, and at what we can do to fix things. Some of the numbers in the piece — yes, it's a dry read — boggle the mind: "If global food waste were a country," Elizabeth Royte writes, "it would be the third largest generator of greenhouse gases in the world behind China and the United States." On a more uplifting note, the State of Massachusetts implemented a ban on commercial food waste disposal on October 1. The first such statewide ban in the nation, it forces businesses to divert food wastes from disposal to composting, conversion, recycling or reuse. And what's happening locally? According to the draft of the Zero Waste Strategic Plan for the City of Pasadena diversion programs for food scraps, other organics, and compostables are on the horizon. The deadline for their implementation is 2020. (Post updated at 5:30 p.m. on 10/17/14)
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