Vigil for Survival - Dec 11

There is a global mobilization planned for the weekend in the middle of the Copenhagen climate conference—Dec. 11-13.

Mid-way through the climate talks, people all over the world will gather at iconic or strategic locations in their communities, and will light candles of hope to stand in solemn solidarity with the citizens of the nations whose very survival is threatened by the climate crisis.

These nations are calling for a “survival pact,” for commitments by the developed world to cut emissions enough to get the atmospheric concentration of CO2 back to 350 parts-per-million. They know the simple, mathematical truth of global warming: 350 = Survival.

In the Westchester area of Los Angeles (right beneath the flight path of LAX airport) we will be gathering. We'll hold our vigil in front of the LAX sign on Sepulveda at Lincoln.

When: Friday night, Dec 11, 7pm

Where: [no longer at the LAX sign]
LOCATION CHANGE BECAUSE OF RAIN!
We will still hold the candlelight vigil! We will move indoors, into a church a few blocks from the outdoor site. We'll be at Holy Nativity Church, 6700 W. 83rd, Westchester/LA 90045. 310 670 4777 This backup location is shown on the "Google map to the site" below.

Who: you, your friends, your family and children, and many others who care about global warming and survival.
Coordinated by the Environmental Change-Makers and Transition Los Angeles

Bring: candles, warm clothes (it gets windy there), and signs or banners about 350 or global warming plus flashlights to illuminate them.

What we'll do: We are planning candles (of course!), song, possibly drumming, and a reading of the very moving speech given a few weeks ago by the President of the Maldives, the speech which called for solidarity. Photos from the evening will be forwarded to 350 and to our political representatives to make our voices be heard.


RSVP here

Google map to the site

Why LAX?
"Flying off to a Warmer Climate"
"Saying Goodbye to Air Travel" by Richard Heinberg
The impact of flying on the environment, BBC Justin Rowlett
"To Fly or Not to Fly" by Rob Hopkins and Naresh Giangrande

The Science of 350
"The Physics of Copenhagen: Why politics-as-usual may mean the end of civilization" by Bill McKibben
"Global Warming Deniers Well Funded," Newsweek (if that link doesn't work try this one)

Sharing in our Neighborhoods - Sept 24

Are you worried about the economy? Are you wondering how you might
meet your family's needs with little cash? Are you curious about
alternative currencies and other ways of sharing finances within a
community?

On Thurs evening Sept 24, the Environmental Change-Makers will hold an
event which explores many ways of Sharing within Our Neighborhoods.
(7-9pm in Westchester)

There are many ways of sharing finances within
communities, including time banks, LETS systems, barter, and other
creative sharing arrangements. Some of these are ways to meet our
needs cash-free. Others are ways to reduce costs or to access things
we might not get alone.

If you don't know much about alternative currencies or time banks,
we'll explain what they are. But despite the press attention to local
currencies, alternative finances don't end there. At our Sept 24
event we'll explore many other ways of sharing.

In Portland, they have a tool sharing arrangement, which works a lot
like borrowing books from a library. In some communities, people join
together to create a neighborhood home improvement group, working
together on projects at different members' homes each month. Garden
sharing is where a property owner gives a gardening friend permission
to grow vegetables on the property-owner's land. Childcare co-ops,
elder care co-ops, carsharing, group purchasing and more, all expand
the list.

As the economy contracts, cash is becoming tougher to come by. Skill
sharing is an attractive way of meeting our needs with little or no
cash. Bartering is the idea of a one-to-one swap: you wash my car, I
mow your lawn, and the deal is complete. A LETS system (“Local
Exchange Trading System") is more sophisticated and can be compared to
the idea of tracking "favors": I help you with childcare, and later
use the credits I gained toward carpentry services from another person
within the same network.

At the Sept 24 event, you'll have the opportunity to sign up for some
of the simpler sharing arrangements, including a group purchase of
bareroot fruit trees. You'll meet like-minded individuals, and you
can participate in discussion circles about how we might go about
creating the more complex forms of sharing here in LA.

Community-based finances are part of our journey into the future. As
we leave the era of cheap, plentiful energy, we will have less ability
to transport ourselves and our goods around the planet. Our economies
will become much more localized. Putting community-based sharing
arrangements into place now strengthens our local resources and
prepares us for the future.

If you are interested in any of these sharing ideas, come join the
gathering on Sept 24. If you're not from Westchester, come anyway and
we'll show you how to do it where you live.

Environmental Change-Makers, Thurs Sept 24, 7-9pm, Community Hall of
Holy Nativity, 6700 W. 83rd, Westchester. The event is free, but we
appreciate your donations and ask that you bring a can of food to
contribute to LAX Food Pantry.

Resources for this sharing event (which explain many of the above
terms) are linked from http://envirochangemakers.org/ECM.calendar.htm

Picklefest Westchester!

A hands-on workshop making lacto fermented pickles.
A harvest celebration with live music.

Bring-your-own vegetables. Recommendations: Radishes (daikon is especially tasty), cucumbers, cabbage, baby onions, green beans, carrots, garlic cloves, beets, lemons, turnips, all work nicely.

It will be helpful if you bring your own cutting board and knife.
We will provide brine and canning jars.

Materials fee: $5, payable in cash or check at the door.
Please RSVP so we have enough materials.
No fee or RSVP needed to simply watch and listen.

Full details at http://envirochangemakers.org/ECM.calendar.htm

Harvest Westchester in the News

See Harvest Westchester on the Channel 4 News.

The story also made the front page of the Daily Breeze.

Bread Baking Workshop - Mar 26

Please join us on Thursday March 26 for a hands-on Bread Baking Workshop given by Fr. Peter, the local "Breadbaker par Excellence."

Baking bread is one of the most basic skills of our civilization. Yet many of us don't know how to do it! Learn how to knead a basic bread. You'll get a recipe and take home a small sample.

The bread baking workshop is part of our ongoing series of "reskilling" classes. In the past 50 or so years of energy surplus, we have eagerly outsourced many of the basic skills of everyday living. As we enter the post-petroleum age, we learn we will no longer be able to do this for a variety of reasons which range from economic constraints to transportation constraints under peak oil. We discover that we must quickly reacquire skills that our grandparents and great grandparents knew so well.

Bring an apron, or come dressed to work with flour. $5 materials fee, although no one will be turned away for lack of funds. We will be collecting canned goods for needy local families via LAX Food Pantry.

Since 3/26 is a harvest Thursday, Harvest Westchester will also be accepting backyard fruit. You may bring extra fruit from your home trees to share with others and donate (see details at http://www.harvestwestchester.org/ ).

Environmental Change-Makers, 7-9pm, 6700 W. 83rd, Westchester (LA 90045)
www.EnviroChangeMakers.org
www.TransitionWestchester.blogspot.com
www.TransitionLA.blogspot.com