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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 economic vitality and regional energy and food security.

As oil fouls some of the most precious and productive ecosystems in the US, polls show that Americans are ready for a radical shift away from dependence on oil.  Recently President Obama stated from the Oval Office:

The tragedy unfolding on our coast is the most painful and powerful reminder yet that the time to embrace a clean energy future is now. Now is the moment for this generation to embark on a national mission to unleash American innovation and seize control of our own destiny.

There IS an alternative to oil that we can embrace NOW!    You are invited to spend an evening with David Blume as he discusses appropriate scale alcohol fuel production – a way forward that creates plentiful green jobs and supports our economy, while improving our environment.  And best of all, alcohol fuel can be used in our current autos and trucks to make any car an eco-car!

• David will discuss how the proud history of alcohol fuel (the original auto fuel) has been conveniently left out of the official history of energy in America; and how Big Oil’s billion dollar “Food vs Fuel” PR campaign buried the best alternative to oil under an avalanche of misinformation and propaganda (until now).

•  David will introduce you to a new paradigm of permaculture-based food AND fuel production, and discuss how to unleash an economic and energy renaissance in Tucson, in the Southwest, and beyond.

A biofuel pioneer for over 30 years, David Blume is the author of Alcohol Can Be A Gas, Executive Director of the International Institute of Ecological Agriculture, Permaculturist, and most recently, founder of Blume Distillation, LLC.  David has devoted his career to exploring how to create abundant food and biofuels, sustainably helping navigate the challenge of our time:  the end of the age of cheap, plentiful oil.

There is no charge to attend this event.

Five theme areas are: Natural Resources, Air Quality, Water, Transportation and Energy, and
Community and Economy, to represent the essence of the community and its influence on
the land and our environment. This report, built on 2006 baseline data, provides trends for key
indicators, and includes a few new indicators. Buffelgrass is featured for the first time and we are monitoring data to track expanding regional progress to control this invasive plant.

The report (large file) is available for download here.

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 .

The City Council is scheduled to meet again to consider adoption of the report on Wednesday February 17, 2010. Comments about the report can be submitted through the following methods:

Web: www.tucsonpimawaterstudy.com (Comment Form link)

E-mail: info@tucsonpimawaterstudy.com

Phone: 520-884-9477

Mail:P.O. Box 2344, Tucson AZ 85701

The Phase II Report can be reviewed on the study website – www.tucsonpimawaterstudy.com – or in printed format at the Joel D. Valdez Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave.

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 money. No barter. No trade. Everything is free. Really.

Share the Wealth. Save the Earth.

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 \”hands-on\” activities for children and provide information on environmental products, water conservation/water quality, household hazardous waste, wildlife, nature preserves and much more!

At 10:00 the unique and colorful parade will include participants dressed up as plants, animals, and insects, and environmentally themed floats. Batucaxe, high energy drum and dance group will lead the “All Species Procession” as part of the Earth Day Parade!

After the parade, watch as local middle school students test their design and construction skills in a model solar electric race car competition.  Then change gears from model cars to full-size vehicles at the Alternate Fuel Vehicle Show.  Check out vehicles that run on alternate fuels such as biodiesel, compressed natural gas, electric, ethanol, propane and even waste vegetable oil.  Ask the experts how you can start using an alternate fuel in your vehicle to keep the air clean for all species.

Animals love the earth and deserve a place on earth too! So, ride your bike to the Earth Day Festival and for those riding their bikes (with a helmet) get free admission to the Reid Park Zoo by showing your safety helmet.

For more information about the 16th Annual Tucson Earth Day Festival please visit www.tucsonearthday.org, call (520) 206-8814 or email tucsonearthday@yahoo.com.Earth Day

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 Way (between Irvington and Ajo) and the other in the Student Parking Lot at Salpointe Catholic High School, 1545 E Copper St. (on Mountain between Glenn & Grant). Any Pima County residents who have used cooking oil are invited to bring it to either drop-off location.

Enjoy Dining Green will have monthly collections for Tucson area residents. The schedule will be posted on their website, www.enjoydininggreen.com. Enjoy Dining Green is a coalition of concerned and environmentally-conscious people and restaurants united to practice environmentally sustainable recycling in the form of used cooking oil to biodiesel processing. In 2010, EDG and EDG Fuels will open a biodiesel facility in Tucson, Arizona able to produce up to 1.5 million gallons of biodiesel per year.

Enjoy Dining Green is also seeking pledges from area businesses and restaurants to help the environment by allowing us to recycle used cooking oil.

Enjoy Dining Green is part of EDG which is an innovative company with an environmentally committed staff. For more information about EDG, please visit our website at www.edgroup.us

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 Southern Arizona. The February General Meeting of Sustainable Tucson will feature presentations and activities designed to help us understand our food resources. We’ll look at food facts and information that define our food supply, population, farmers and ranchers, farmers markets, traditional food sources and eating trends for local and natural foods in our desert home. Come join us. Be prepared to participate.

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 east bound on Speedway, and when you pass under the freeway, be in the right lane. After crossing the north bound frontage road there is a ’spur’ off from Speedway to the right. Take this spur, go right at the first street and the garden will be on the right. [If you miss this spur, and go under the railroad tracks you have gone to far. In this case, follow Speedway to Oracle (Main), turn right (south) and follow directions below].

From the east:
Travel west bound on Speedway, at Oracle (Main) turn south, stay in the right lane and immediately after crossing the rail road tracks, turn right onto Davis. At the stop sign turn right. This is N. Anita Ave. Travel north until you find W. Williams (nearly to the stop sign). Garden will be on your left.