Despite voters’ May approval of Prop 100 to tax ourselves to solve some of the current deficiencies, the G.O.P. and its Tea Party affiliates continue to nudge us toward disaster and beyond.

The following disturbing article in the current July 2010 issue of Harper’s Magazine is an excellent summary of Arizona’s example for the country. Click the following link for a PDF file of the article:

Arizona’s G.O.P. Governance(Harpers)

Take a look here.

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 mole. Rachel Yaseen of The Organic Kitchen and
Justin Dixon of Mercado Sunday Dinners will also be cooking.

TUCSON’S LOCAL FOOD AMBASSADOR

Kim Fox, a Tucson micro-urban farmer and food activist dedicated to
community education and local food production, is embarking on a new
adventure! Up until now, Kim has been busy designing urban sites for
food production and distribution. Her community education programs
focus on local food production, soil science, food security and
health. Now that summer is here, she’s hitting the road with her bike,
and an open plate and mind!

Kim is an observer of and participant in local and international food
ways. She has traveled to 25 countries working on small farms and
urban gardens, visiting farmers’ markets, participating in food
culture and customs, and observing local food production and
distribution methods. Beginning in June 2010, Kim will travel by
bicycle across Europe engaging with people who manage urban and rural
farms, gardens, farmers’ markets, food banks, seed banks, and public
and private agencies in order to exchange perspectives and information
on local sustainable agriculture. In particular, Kim will study and report on
seed saving, climate change consequences, GMO issues, sustainable farming
and urban gardening techniques, and seek to collect recipes straight from the kitchen.

Her community in Tucson and beyond can learn with her, via internet updates
on her blog, at www.theoriginalhoe.blogspot.com or on Facebook “Kim Fox Food Trek 2010.” Your donations or in-kind support will ensure that fresh and enriching ideas, beyond the American perspective, will benefit our community’s local-sustainable food system.

To contribute to her trip or for more information, visit her blog or
contact her at theoriginalhoe@live.com or 520-622-1917. Become a food
trekkie!

Catalina State Park, 11570 N. Oracle Road.

Citizens for Solar invites everyone to come and join in the fun of the 28th Annual Tucson Solar Potluck and Exhibition. This is the longest continuously running solar potluck in the world. See practical, innovative solar energy in useful action. People will be cooking food in dozens of types of solar ovens. Enjoy solar powered music during the afternoon and into the evening. Taste solar cooked food, see photovoltaic solar electricity generated, feel solar cooling, and see solar powered technology.

Although solar cooked snacks will be provided all day, the solar potluck feast begins around 5:00 p.m. Either bring your solar oven and cook with us or bring a dish to share and join in the fun.

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 Streets Bike Tour, 10am to 2pm
• April 24th:  WMG Co-op Extravaganza, 8am to 12pm
• April 24th: WMG Co-op Bazaar, 12:00pm to 2pm

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

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.” We’ll first hear the story of Native Seeds/SEARCH, then have an open conversation with all who join us for this unique opportunity. Be prepared to participate. Free.

For further information: Lori Ryder at 520-440-6940

Cyclovia will give Tucson folks the chance to enjoy our great weather, see neighbors, friends and people from throughout Tucson, and get a little exercise – all on city streets that will be closed to car traffic and open to walkers, joggers, cyclists, skaters and all other forms of natural movement.

Motor vehicles are detoured from the route allowing everyone the freedom to enjoy the outdoors – safely. It isn’t a race, parade or competition. Instead, it’s a chance to enjoy Tucson from a new perspective, get some exercise and have some fun. Walk your dog, roller skate, blow bubbles. Have fun because during Cyclovia, the world stops for you.

Read a recent Arizona Daily Star article here:

For more information visit: www.cycloviatucson.org

To learn more about this event and how to get involved, please attend the event open house, on Tuesday, March 30 from 5:30pm to 7pm, at the Northwest Neighborhood Center at Mansfield Park, 2160 N. 6th Avenue.

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 . Please also encourage your friends and colleagues to participate.

Nominations are being accepted in more than 30 categories, including community gardens, solar sites, recycling centers, re-use shops, public parks, scenic vistas, rainwater harvesting locations, and historical sites.  It takes only a minute to nominate a site and you do not have to provide any personal information other than a zip code.  Once a site is nominated, it will typically appear on the website within a month.  A selection of sites will also appear on a printed version of the map.  If you want your site(s) to be considered for the printed map, please submit your nomination(s) by April 1, 2010.

The Green Pueblo Map is a free, community-based mapping effort.  The on-line map is constantly evolving and reflects the community we are all creating together.  Residents are encouraged to visit www.greenpueblomap.org at anytime to help identify and explore the features that promote sustainable living and which makes our region such a special place to live.

Pima County, the City of Tucson, and The Inner Connection are organizing the Green Pueblo mapping effort.  However, the project is part of a much broader, international green mapping initiative that began in New York City in 1995, and has since spread to 55 countries.  For more information, please visit www.greenmap.org .