Saturday, October 23rd, 2010- Natural Building and Passive Solar Design – This workshop includes hands on work with straw bales, adobe blocks, mud based plasters, cement based plasters, and cob. We’ll do hands on building of small structures like benches and walls – projects that you can easily do at your own [...]

Tomas Friedman’s New York Times column describes the well funded effort to reverse California’s pioneering effort to reduce the impact of green house gas emissions.
“A.B. 32 was designed to put California on a path to reducing greenhouse gases in its air to 1990 levels by 2020. This would make the state a healthier [...]

A New York Times article provides a stark warning about the impending water crisis facing communities in the southwestern United States.  The article provides some of the basis for concern:
“Adding to water managers’ unease, scientists predict that prolonged droughts will be more frequent in decades to come as the Southwest’s climate warms. As Lake Mead’s [...]

The City of Tucson and Pima County have completed a draft Water Sustainability Action Plan to implement the recommendations from the City/County Water and Wastewater Study Phase 2 Report. The public comment period on the Action Plan extends from September 16th to October 7th, 2010. Below are ways in which you can review and comment [...]

The New York Times reports on a massive flow of money into California to defeat its recent legislative efforts to control green house emissions in that state. Out of state oil companies are the major sources of millions of dollars supporting an initiative to suspend application of the law until unemployment falls below, and stays [...]

Tell the folks at your favorite restaurant that Tucson Water is now offering free replacement valves & installation for commercial kitchens. As part of the Rinse Smart Program, Tucson Water will replace inefficient high water-use pre-rinse spray valves with low-water use valves saving water, sewer and energy costs. They will install it in less than [...]

Barbara Rose, a teaching team member of the Sonoran Permaculture Guild has announced a series of intensive workshops about native foods, herbs, and earth crafts on the first and third Saturdays of each month.
More details are available at www.beantreefarm.com.

National Geographic has developed a cute (and informative) water use calculator. Even though it leaves out some of the ways in which we use and save water, you might enjoy giving it a try. Of course, you might want to pass the link on to your friends.
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/water-footprint-calculator/

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, [...]

A recent study suggests that even though more of us are concerned about the environment and the importance of reducing our carbon footprint, most of us are poorly informed about the relative impact of energy saving actions we can take in our homes. Arguably “people seem conditioned to think of energy savings as they [...]

[ Thursday, September 9, 2010; 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm. ] La Cocina at Old Town Artisan
201 North Court Tucson, AZ 85701
(near the Tucson Museum of Art downtown)

In the 1990’s, author Paul Ray’s research on changing values and lifestyles concluded that in the U.S. alone, there are over 50 million “Cultural Creatives”—adults participating in the social and consciousness movements, which have emerged since World War II. [...]

ENERGY EFFICIENCY RETROFITS FOR HOMEOWNERS
Are you interested in improving the energy efficiency
of your home?
Approximately 300 homes located within the City of Tucson will be selected to receive energy efficiency upgrades to reduce the home’s energy use by 15-20%.
Residential energy efficiency retrofit work may include things like substituting compact fluorescent light bulbs for [...]

Cheers Sustainable Tucson:
Lots of of Zero-Race.com serendipity is happening!  The Electrics are coming to town!  So now it’s time to tap into furthering the wellspring of EVnthusiastism with Sustainable Tucson.  Many around the country are jumping in as “Indians” and just being players on the Zero Race Regional Coordinating Teams (RCTs).  EVolunteers are needed for the RCT – Arizona, [...]

Matt Simmons, a leader of the Peak Oil movement and global energy expert,  died suddenly on August 8th.

His 2005 book, Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy, was a significant factor in waking up business and political leaders around the world to the critical implications of the emerging end [...]

Tom’s of Maine is asking for the public’s vote to determine five non-profit organizations that will each receive $20,000 through its “50 States for Good” initiative. This year, the “50 States for Good” program drew submissions from every state with a special focus on non-profits that need volunteers to help get important projects started in [...]

Fossil Fuel Subsidies Are 12 Times Support for Renewables!
Bloomberg reports that although the US provides greater support for renewal energy than most nations, we still provide substantially more subsidies for non-renewal energy.
See the rest of the article here.

A recent report from climate scientists at Stanford University evaluates the results of multiple model runs that suggest extreme heat waves are likely to become the norm in the Western United Stated, with Arizona being among the states most heavily burdened. Read the brief report here.

All political parties including independents are accountable to the emerging challenges of sustainability. The G.O.P. in Arizona is particularly accountable for the state’s catastrophic condition both now and going forward.
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 [...]

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 Information Technology & Innovation Foundation has just published a very comprehensive but sober analysis of various strategies for achieving a necessary reduction in carbon emissions by the much-discussed 2050 target deadline. In their view “numerous advocacy groups, scholars, think tanks and others have proposed a variety of steps to take based on a [...]

Rolling Stone magazine will soon publish a scathing analysis of the administration’s failure to mange the high risk deep sea oil exploration effort, beginning with the Interior Department’s tepid response to mounting evidence of incompetence and malfeasance within its Minerals Management Service. Make sure you are prepared for an assault on your assumptions about how [...]

Public opinion researcher Jon Krosnick has just reported solid and impressive evidence that the public still understands the threat of climate change, our role in it, and some of what we need to do to address it. He provides a direct challenge to recent reports that have claimed that doubts have risen dramatically. Read his [...]

Transition United States is passing on the word about the great success enjoyed by the first Cyclovia Tucson. You can follow these stories here.

Pima Connects is asking that you complete a survey to help identify the connectors in our community. Identifying Connectors and bringing them together is a powerful way to encourage different and dynamic voices to be part of community conversations about issues that affect us all. It’s also a great way to link people and resources [...]

Find out about an exciting opportunity to work with your neighbors and save both money and water! Download the flyer here .

TUCSON CITY COUNCIL REQUESTS PUBLIC COMMENT ON PROPOSED TUCSON WATER SERVICE AREA POLICY – COMMENTS DUE MAY 20th
On June 15, 2010 the Tucson City Council will consider formalization
of a Water Service Area Policy for Tucson Water which will define the geographic footprint where Tucson Water will extend water service.
Public comments are requested on the proposed [...]

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 [...]

Industry leaders seem to be showing more openness to energy descent issues
Published on Energy Bulletin (http://www.energybulletin.net)
Published Tue, 05/04/2010 – 07:00 by The Oil Drum
This is a guest post by George Mobus, who is an Associate Professor of Computing and Software Systems at the University of Washington, Tacoma. His blog is Question Everything.
I’ve spent the [...]

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 [...]

Paul Krugman suggests that the BP oil spill in the gulf may be just what the environmental movement needs to get back on the public agenda, given what he observes about public sentiment: For one thing, as visible pollution has diminished, so has public concern over environmental issues. According to a recent Gallup survey, “Americans [...]

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 [...]

Building a Green Economy
By PAUL KRUGMAN
If you listen to climate scientists — and despite the relentless campaign to discredit their
work, you should — it is long past time to do something about emissions of carbon dioxide
and other greenhouse gases. If we continue with business as usual, they say, we are facing a
rise in global temperatures [...]

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 [...]

By Dan Allen
Published by the Energy Bulletin, (www.energybulletin.net)  March 30, 2010

SUMMARY: Bound by the tangled cord of its own sins, Industrial Civilization sits immobilized — with the gun of reality pressed to its temple. Monumental changes are imminent – probably (hopefully) a swirling mix of both bad and good. [...]

Road transportation emerges as key driver of warming: NASA analysis
Published Thu, 02/18/2010 – 08:00
by NASA
For decades, climatologists have studied the gases and particles that have potential to alter Earth’s climate. They have discovered and described certain airborne chemicals that can trap incoming sunlight and warm the climate, while others cool the planet by blocking the [...]

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 [...]

Trying to make sense of the intense weather events, including “Snowmageddon?” You might want to review part or all of Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States now available in print, or free in electronic form from the US Global Change Research program: <http://www.globalchange.gov/publications/reports/scientific-assessments/us-impacts/download-the-report> .

According to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center, the general public is not much interested in global warning or the environment. The importance of energy policy has also slipped as a matter of public concern.  This would suggest that policy initiatives that involve using taxes as a strategy to move consumption away from [...]

The recent decision of a divided Supreme Court has serious implications for the role of citizens in the development and implementation of policies in support of sustainability. This recent editorial from the New York Times provides a clear, but understated assessment of the seriousness of this decision.

On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, the Tucson City Council and Pima County Board of Supervisors met to discuss the final Phase II Report for the City/County Water and Wastewater Study.The Board of Supervisors adopted a resolution endorsing the report and directing staff to move forward with the recommendations.The City Council voted to continue the item [...]

Read an excerpt from James Hansen’s new book, Storms of My Grandchildren, about why a program of “fees and dividends” is far superior to “cap and trade” proposals currently being debated. The article in The Nation is available here: http://www.thenation.com/doc/20100111/hansen .

This editorial by Nicholas Kristof for the New York Times at first seems to be a plug for living in Costa Rica. In fact, it is filled with numerous links to measures of happiness and well-being, many of which incorporate assessments of sustainability. You can review this article here: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/07/opinion/07kristof.html

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 [...]

A new report, America on the Move, describes the efforts being made at the state level to carry forward the fight against Global Warming. The report identifies six states that have taken the lead by adopting enforceable caps on global warming pollution. Ten states have created regional cap-and-trade systems for emissions from electric power plants, [...]

A palindrome reads the same backwards as forward. This video reads the exact opposite backwards as forward.  Not only does it read the opposite, the [...]

Al Gore issued a bold challenge from the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, calling on Members of Congress to pass clean energy and climate legislation in the United States by next April 22, the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. In an inspiring speech that was interrupted often with outbursts of applause and that [...]

Many Americans Mix Multiple Faiths
The religious beliefs and practices of Americans do not fit neatly into conventional categories. A new poll by the Pew Forum finds that large numbers of Americans engage in multiple religious practices, mixing elements of diverse traditions. Download the new report here.

Via Clean Break, John Holdren, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, offers some useful thoughts on the recent controversy surrounding the emails stolen from the Climatic Research Unit at the University of East Anglia. Holdren touches on the current state of climate science, the significance of the emails, and the [...]