A personal choice to select, prepare and serve local, fresh, healthy, natural and organic foods is only as good as the available food supply.  Here in the desert, it can be a special challenge – both for customers and those who grow food locally.
Local Food Concepts, the Tucson-based, local food information resource headed by writer/consultant [...]

By Steve Andrews, Sally Odland, John Theobald and Randy Udall.  Andrews and Udall are retired co-founders of ASPO-USA. Odland is a former ASPO-USA board member. Theobald is a former ASPO-USA conference organizer.
Published by the Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas – USA (ASPO-USA) on Mon, [...]

[ Tuesday, July 13, 2010; 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm. ] ooo
000
The Truth About Alcohol Fuel: Our Path Beyond Petroleum,
with David Blume
Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 5:30 pm
Tucson Public Library, 101 N. Stone Ave.  Lower Level Meeting Room:
Co-Sponsored by the Community Information Resource Center and Sustainable Tucson

Permaculturist David Blume will present the history of alcohol fuel, and outline how localized, small-scale alcohol fuel production can contribute to [...]

Here’s a nice little story about a truly “frugal” family writing a new chapter about living sustainably ( but unfortunately they live in Pasadena.) Perhaps some of you will figure out the secret for doing some of this here in Tucson.
Take a look here.

The Pima Association of Governments just approved the Second Tucson Region Indicators Report. It provides a snapshot of the region with data on key measures that characterize its current health from an environmental and community perspective.
Five theme areas are: Natural Resources, Air Quality, Water, Transportation and Energy, and
Community and Economy, to represent the essence of [...]

[ Sunday, May 23, 2010; 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm. ] Local chefs cook meals with produce from local gardens at a fundraiser
for Kim Fox’s travels from 4 to 6:30 p.m., Sunday, May 23. $25 to $75.
Mercado San Agustin 100 S. Avenida del Convento. Call 461-1106, or
visit theoriginalhoe.blogspot.com for more information.

Sara Jones of Tucson CSA will make dessert, and Amy Schwemm of Mano Y
Metate will make [...]

Sustainable Tucson is republishing the following call to the community which we originally presented in February 2008. The message is not only more relevant today but portends some of the events which have already happened since then. As we prepare to participate in the upcoming Imagine Greater Tucson process this coming Fall, let’s focus on [...]

The New York Times reports on a truly scary “we told you so” story about the growth of “Roundup-resistant weeds” that threaten to dramatically raise the cost of food and the widespread use of even more deadly pesticides.
This is how the article begins…
“Just as the heavy use of antibiotics contributed to the rise of drug-resistant [...]

Bill McKibben on “Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough Planet” (video)
by Michael Brownlee
Description:
As part of his current book tour, author and climate activist Bill McKibben spoke at the First United Methodist Church in Boulder, CO on April 27, co-sponsored by Boulder Book Store and Transition Colorado. The video of his presentation is below, following [...]

You may want to read at least the free summary of the recent National Academy of Science report on The Impact of Genetically Engineered Crops on Farm Sustainability in the United States.
According to the summary:
“Corn, cotton, and soybean that have been engineered to resist insect pests and herbicides are now planted on almost half of [...]

[ Saturday, April 24, 2010; 9:30 am to 11:30 am. ]
You‚re Invited to a FREE Public Showing

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO MONSANTO

GREEN VALLEY LIBRARY

601 N. LA CANADA

GREEN VALLEY, AZ 85614

Saturday, APRIL 24, 2010—-TIME: 9:30 a.m.

The World According to Monsanto, a film by Marie-Monique Robin, documents the devastating cost of Monsanto‚s race [...]

By Guy R. McPherson
Published at Energy Bulletin and Guy’s blog: Nature Bats Last
(Guy, a former UA professor, has inspired Sustainable Tucson with his writings and appearances at ST General Meetings during the past four years)
As we continue into the decades-old, but only recently acknowledged era of destruction and extinction, it’s apparent the current model [...]

[ Wednesday, April 21, 2010; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] An important planning meeting of the Sustainable Tucson Food & Agriculture Working Group will be held in the small meeting room at the Woods Memorial Library, 3455 N. First Avenue. All are invited to help discuss, dream, create, suggest, discover, plan and envision the future focus of the group.

[ Saturday, April 17, 2010 2:00 pm to Saturday, April 24, 2010 2:00 pm. ] Join The Watershed Management Group in celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.  Earth Month events include:

April 10th: Green Streets Block Party, 4pm to 7pm
April 10th: Street Painting Event, 10am to 1pm
April 17th: Samos Neighborhood Green Streets Workshop, 8am to 1pm
April 18th: Green [...]

[ Saturday, March 27, 2010; 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. ] Double Check Ranch at the Walking J Farm

Amado, Arizona

Here’s one to add to your shopping list on March 27 – fresh, natural, locally grown and grass fed beef.  See where your food is grown!  Go directly to the source!  The Walking J Farm (a member of [...]

[ Sunday, March 21, 2010; 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. ] BECOME PART OF THE CHICKEN REVOLUTION!
RAISE CHICKENS IN YOUR BACKYARD

Come to the workshop teaching all aspects of raising chickens for meat and egg production ($20)

rsvp 622-1917 $20

[ Wednesday, March 17, 2010; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Woods Memorial Library, Large Meeting Room

(West side of 1st Avenue, just south of Prince)

The March meeting of the Sustainable Tucson Working Group on Food & Agriculture will continue our series of programs featuring local leaders in food and agriculture. Bryn Jones, Executive Director of Native Seeds/SEARCH will join us for “A Conversation with Bryn Jones.” [...]

Dear Community Friends and Partners:

The first print edition of the Green Pueblo Map showcasing our community’s favorite “green” places and spaces will be available later this year.  If you haven’t already done so, we encourage you to “make your mark” on the map by nominating your favorite sustainable sites at www.greenpueblomap.org [...]

[ Thursday, February 18, 2010; 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Woods Memorial Library (West side of 1st Ave, south of Prince Rd. )
Large Meeting Room

Note:  If you were planning to join the Sustainable Tucson General Meeting on Monday, February 8, we’ve moved the program to the monthly meeting  of the Food Group on Thursday, February 18 at Woods Library.  This change of [...]

[ Saturday, January 16, 2010; 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. ] A Community Celebration of Sharing, Reusing, and Recycling. Bring something to share: useful items, a vegetarian snack, music or poetry, skills (haircuts, painting, knitting, etc.), or just your smile. Take home what you need or want.

3rd Saturday of every month at Himmel Park. Meet east of the tennis courts at 1st Street and Tucson Blvd.

No [...]

The Call of the Land
Explores Surging Agrarian Movement
New book is “An Agrarian Primer for the 21st Century”
“Food and farms are involved in a blitzkrieg of changes,” writes veteran journalist Steven McFadden in The Call of the Land, published this October by NorLightsPress. The book gives voice to a growing chorus of 21st century agrarians who [...]

[ Saturday, April 17, 2010; 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. ] Tucson\’s 16th Annual Earth Day Festival and Parade will be held on Saturday, April 17, 2010 at Reid Park. The theme for the 2010 Festival is “All Species Deserve a Place on Earth!”  All species great and small – insects, plants and animals – the Earth needs them all!

Exhibits related to the environment will include [...]

[ Sunday, December 6, 2009; 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. ] Hello Food Enthusiasts, chicken revolutionist and organic gardeners!
Below are upcoming micro-urban farming workshops at Pachamama’s Garden.
Please call at 622-1917 for more information or to RSVP. All workshops $20.

CHICKEN REVOLUTIONIST WORKSHOP
Sunday – December 6th Noon- 2 pm
Sunday – December 13th Noon – 2 pm
Sunday – January 3rd Noon -2 pm
Sunday – January 24th Noon – 2 [...]

[ Friday, November 27, 2009; 7:00 am to 12:00 pm. ] Enjoy Dining Green (EDG) will collect used cooking oil the Day after Thanksgiving! EDG will start the first of their regular monthly collection sites in hope to reduce the amount of oil being dumped in our sewer system.

Enjoy Dining Green will have 2 collection sites, one at the EDG building located at 4551 S. Alvernon [...]

[ Monday, February 8, 2010; 5:45 pm to 8:00 pm. ] The focus of the Sustainable Tucson General Meeting will be Food Sustainability. On February 8, your view of food sustainability in Tucson ’s future may change forever. The Sustainable Tucson Working Group on Food & Agriculture will engage your mind and your tastebuds in thinking about the sources of food in Tucson, Pima County and [...]

[ Saturday, November 14, 2009; 8:00 am to 9:00 am. ] A free composting workshop will be held at the Tierra Anita Community Garden site, located in Barrio Anita at the corners of N. Anita Ave and W. Williams St. on Saturday, November 14th from 8:00-9:00am. The workshop will be taught by Kent Sorensen and Diane DePaul of Sonoran Desert Landscape.

Directions to Tierra Anita:
From the west-
Travel [...]

[ Saturday, November 14, 2009; 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. ] Nov. 14th
Time: 10AM to 3PM
Cost: $65 – partial scholarships available as class registration allows. Includes all class materials.
Location: Bean Tree Farm at Dancing Rocks Community, 15 miles north of downtown Tucson. Directions and more info sent with registration.
Instructors: Barbara Rose and Bean Tree Farm staff  www.beantreefarm.com or www.sonoranpermaculture.org/members/barbara-rose

Foods and Herbs collected during their seasons will [...]

Nicolette Niman, from a decidedly self-interested perspective on the matter, still has some interesting arguments to consider about what she refers to as “the real story of meat’s contribution to global warning.” You might want to read her op-ed in the New York Times.

Land Institute President Wes Jackson announced as new Post Carbon Institute Fellow
Published Mon, 09/28/2009 – 07:00
by Energy Bulletin (http://www.energybulletin.net)

Click on the headline (link) for the full text.
Many more articles are available through the Energy Bulletin homepage

From the Post Carton Institute website:
Wes Jackson is one of the foremost figures in the international sustainable agriculture movement.
Founder [...]

[ Thursday, September 24, 2009; 6:30 pm to 11:00 pm. ] The GMO Free Project of Tucson, www.gmofreeprojectoftucson.org, presents another
Two FREE film showings of: The World According to Monsanto

Thursday, September 24, 2009 at the Crossroads Theatre, Grant and Swan
6:30pm and 9:00pm

Please bring a can of organic or non-GMO food to donate to the Community Food Bank.

[ Thursday, September 24, 2009; 8:30 pm; Sunday, September 27, 2009; 6:30 pm; ] What kind of innovative approaches are scientists taking to help mankind protect the planet and live more sustainably? WaveLengths: Sustainability — the season premiere of the science program from Arizona Public Media – explores some of the cutting edge research scientists are using to look for solutions for more responsible use of the planet’s natural [...]

[ Sunday, September 20, 2009; 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Sunday, September 27, 2009; 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Saturday, October 3, 2009; 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. ]
Join us for a true local food producer experience!

Did you see the films Fresh or Food Inc. this summer?

It’s time to know where your food comes from. This is an opportunity to see our local food at the source.

Are you ready for a great tour of three locations led by the [...]

[ Wednesday, September 16, 2009; 5:45 pm to 8:00 pm. ]
The Sustainable Tucson Working Group on Food & Agriculture will meet for our regular monthly meeting on September 16, from 5:45 – 8 pm at the Woods Memorial Library on 1st Ave, south of Prince.

Special presentation by Vanessa Bechtol, Executive Director, Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, on local and heritage foods. Followed [...]

[ Saturday, September 26, 2009; 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. ] Everyone is welcome to come enjoy the ever-growing display of Artisans! Taking place in the outer-space surrounding \’4th & 4th\’- right
in the Heart of Tucson. Hosting Musical/Performance Acts on our main-shaded porch. A variety of local arts and crafts vendors will be present, as well with their works up for purchase- a great place to [...]

[ Saturday, August 29, 2009; 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. ]

TENTATIVE AGENDA

GREENING MISSION GARDEN:

A FORUM ON OPERATION AND MANAGEMENT

Sponsored by The Drachman Institute, Friends of Tucson‚s Birthplace, and the Office of Ethnohistorical Research at the Arizona State Museum

Honorary Chair: Cele Peterson

**************** [...]

[ Friday, July 17, 2009; 12:00 am; ] On July 17: the most-talked about new film, “Food, Inc.” will be shown at
The Loft Cinema,
3233 E. Speedway Blvd.,
520-795-7777,
http://www.loftcinema.com

[ Thursday, June 25, 2009; 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. ] WHAT:  FREE public showing of The World According to Monsanto

Monsanto’s controversial past combines some of the most toxic products (e.g. PCBs and Agent Orange) ever sold with misleading reports, pressure tactics, collusion, and attempted corruption.  They now race to genetically engineer (and patent) the world‚s food supply, which profoundly threatens our health, environment, and economy. [...]

Organic Initiative Funds Now Available!
First Sign up Period: May 11 – May 29

The Natural Resources Conservation Services (NRCS) has created a special $50 million pool of funding for a new Organic Initiative under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The Initiative will provide payments and technical assistance to transitioning and existing organic farmers who adopt [...]

[ Saturday, May 2, 2009; 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. ] Expand your knowledge of Non-Genetically Modified Organism-based foods.
Where:  the New Life Health Center,  4841 East Speedway, 520 795-7862
When: Saturday, May 2nd,  11am to 3pm

Health Fair featuring information, free food, and prizes

[ Tuesday, July 14, 2009; 5:45 pm to 8:00 pm. ] What: Sustainable Tucson July General Meeting
When: Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 5:45pm- 8:00pm
Where: Joel D. Valdez Main Library Downtown, 101 N. Stone Ave (free lower level parking off Alameda St.)
At the July general meeting, Sustainable Tucson will show the film “FRESH (the movie)” and provide time for people to discuss and network.   The film is co-sponsored [...]

[ Wednesday, March 25, 2009; 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. ] Widely acclaimed author, sustainable food advocate, ethnobiologist and co-founder of Native Seeds/SEARCH, Gary Paul Nabhan speaks on ”Flavors Without Borders: Desert Foods, Regional Food Security and Health” as part of the Well University Partnership’s (Well U) Provost Lecture Series, on March 25th.

Gary Paul Nabhan, PhD ”Flavors Without Borders: Desert Foods, Regional Food Security and
Health”

Who:     Gary [...]

[ Saturday, March 14, 2009; 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. ] The UA Controlled Environment Agriculture Center has volunteer meetings on the second Saturdays of each month from September through May.  Our next meeting will be March 14th and our speaker will be Dr. Merle Jensen, emeritus professor from the UA who has been involved in greenhouse hydroponic production for over 40 years.
You are welcome to [...]

[ Saturday, April 25, 2009; ] 27th Annual Tucson Solar Potluck and Exhibition

April 25, 2009

10:00 a.m. until dark

Catalina State Park, Tucson, Arizona

Presented by Citizens for Solar

For information: 940-2565

Citizens for Solar invites everyone to come and join in the fun of the 27th Annual Tucson Solar Potluck and Exhibition.  This is the longest continuously running solar potluck in the world.  See practical, [...]

Urban Food Growing in Havana Cuba: >>See Video
How Cuba Survived Peak Oil: >> See Video
The whole movie:

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, Cuba’s economy went into a tailspin. With imports of oil cut by more than half – and food by 80 percent – people were desperate. This film tells of the hardships [...]

Diana Hadley writes:
I’m hoping that you can help me spread the word about a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program coming to the Mercado. This program can provide you with weekly bundles of fresh, locally grown produce at a reasonable price. This is a great way to be green, eat healthy, and support local [...]

DONATE YOUR TREE’S FRUIT
We are Iskashitaa Refugee Harvesting
Network, volunteers working with refugees
to harvest and distribute over 30,000 pounds of produce annually from your fruit trees and local farms.
• Can’t give it away before it spoils?
•We’ll pick up, harvest and distribute your fruit.
•Help feed families in need in your community.
• Reduce the waste of good, healthy [...]

JANUARY Organizing Questions & Notes:
* How do we coordinate cooperation and support between people and groups involved in local small scale food production?
* Is it possible to have rainwater harvesting on every home in Tucson? Are community gardens in the future?
* How can we get fast food places to use recyclable containers?
What plants make sense [...]

On October 30th, Dr. David Suzuki, reknowned Canadian scientist and educator, gave “one of the great speeches in history”  to the 20th Anniversary Roundtable on the Economy and the Environment.
Click on the following to watch a video of that speech:
http://www.cpac.ca/forms/index.asp?dsp=template&act=view3&pagetype=vod&lang=e&clipID=2099

Honorable Mayor, Councilmembers, and City Manager,
Members of Sustainable Tucson are here this evening on the dual occasion of the Council’s first rainwater harvesting ordinance and Sustainable Tucson’s anniversary celebration — beginning our third year of activities in the community.
Sustainable Tucson began in 2006 when people attending evening potlucks and community conversations realized that we needed [...]

[ Sunday, October 19, 2008; 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm. ] Janos Celebrates Local Foods with Farm Dinner

What: Hors d’ Oeuvres and 4 Course Wine Tasting Dinner

The Event: Reception and dinner with the local growers along with a
sampling of Callaghan wines and beer from Nimbus

Where: Janos Restaurant
3770 E Sunrise Dr., Tucson, AZ 85718
on the grounds of the Westin La Paloma Resort and Spa

When: Sunday, October 19, [...]