Intro: We're Winning -- Come Celebrate!
Bay Localize News (Winter 2011)
It's hard to believe Bay Localize is nearly 5 years young. Working together, we've already made "community resilience" a household concept, built gardens and rainwater catchment systems around the Bay, and helped light a fire within the movements for climate justice, local clean energy, and local food systems!
In the first two months of 2011 alone, we've already made incredible progress:
- In partnership with the Oakland Climate Action Coalition, we passed a landmark Energy and Climate Action Plan with one of the boldest climate protection goals of any US city — a 36% cut in greenhouse gas by 2020 — along with commitments to advance energy efficiency, urban farming, and transit-friendly development.
- In collaboration with the Sierra Club, Global Exchange, and other allies, the Local Clean Energy Alliance just convinced the SF Public Utilities Commission to develop a city-wide plan to build major new local solar power systems as part of its new CleanPowerSF program.
- And in partnership with the SF Urban Ag Alliance, we convinced the SF Planning Commission to support the expansion of urban farms and community gardens, while allowing the sale of fruits and veggies at those sites!
As we look to the next five years and beyond, we invite you to join us on Saturday, April 2nd for Roots of Resilience, our 5-year anniversary gala celebration! Enjoy delicious food, reconnect with friends, and celebrate your role in this growing movement. Over 300 people will gather for this milestone event, which will feature keynote speaker Oakland Mayor Jean Quan, as well as electric hip-soul artist Jennifer Johns and Jet-magazine up-and-comer Ashel "Seasunz" Eldridge!
Read on for more exciting updates from our programs, and for localization news from around the Bay!
Yours for community,
— The Bay Localize team
Program Launched to Support Grassroot Leaders
“Thank you for the WONDERFUL session you gave us…the information, the activities, the rich discussion and the fresh, new perspective you shared was POWERFUL.”
—Solar Richmond, commending Bay Localize on a Community Resilience Workshop
Bay Localize is launching our Communities for Resilience program, supporting grassroots leaders in making their communities resilient. We’re building on the momentum of the in-depth community workshops we facilitated in 2010, which reached over 270 participants. Participants included local government commissioners, community organizers, youth leaders, and green job trainees — we all have the potential to step up as grassroots leaders! Building an equitable and resilient Bay Area takes a movement, and Bay Localize is helping to provide the training.
Contact Kirsten Schwind if you’re interested in collaborating on a workshop for your group.
Download the Community Resilience Toolkit Learn more about our Communities for Resilience program
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A New Story for the Bay, Plus Themed Story Slam
Stories are a powerful tool for communication. As we build a regional movement for resilience, Bay Localize is bringing together voices to create an irresistible story of the future we want to see in our region. We're collaborating with Movement Generation and SmartMeme to "flip the script" on our ideas of living well from consuming to connecting and building community.
We're also launching a series of story slams to promote community storytelling as a tool for social change. The first in the series was held at the California Academy of Sciences’ NightLife on March 3rd with the theme “Buggin’ Out!” and featured workshops by Pesticide Watch and the Insect News Network. Our next story slam, “Food Fights” takes place on Thursday, March 24 at 7:30 pm at Spice Monkey Cafe in Oakland, so start thinking about what stories you'd like to share!Interested? E-mail Dave Room or go to collectiveliberation.com.
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Fresh Ideas from Old Roots
Building on our work to promote models of resilience like green roofs, rainwater harvesting, and solar energy, Bay Localize is stepping up campaigns to secure city and regional support for these and other local solutions.
This year, Bay Localize is developing an exciting new regional campaign to ramp up urban agriculture! As we engage with local advocacy campaigns, we'll be drawing on your knowledge, your vision, and your excitement about building a truly vibrant and resilient future. If you want to get involved, or want to see urban ag-friendly policy changes come to your city, contact Leah Fessenden.
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SF Urban Ag Alliance, Bay Localize Promote Urban Farms, Community Gardens throughout the City
Urban farmers, food entrepreneurs and locavore enthusiasts have something to cheer about in San Francisco! Thanks to the hard work of the SF Urban Ag Alliance and some of Bay Localize's allies, the Planning Commission unanimously passed a new farm-friendly ordinance on February 17th. As part of former Mayor Gavin Newsom’s comprehensive directive on healthy, sustainable food, the new proposed ordinance would make it legal to grow and sell produce on-site in neighborhoods throughout the city.
In most cities, current regulations permit urban farming in industrial area, while many prime ag sites may be in residential or commercial areas. The SF ordinance opens up urban farming and produce sales in these areas under certain conditions (click here or the image at left to watch the video of the jam-packed hearing at the Planning Commission). Bay Localize and the SF Urban Ag Alliance are championing the measure to make urban farming more economically viable, to increase greenspace around the city, and create stronger connections between residents and healthy food.Get Active!
This ordinance will soon go before the Board of Supervisors. If you are a San Francisco resident and are interested in stay updated or lending your support at a future event, please e-mail Leah. With the contagious enthusiasm everyone is having for urban ag, Bay Localize is excited to engage with other communities to ensure it catches on around the Bay Area!
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Local Clean Energy: Clean Power, Healthy Communities Conference to Bring Together 150 Advocates, March 17-18
Bay Localize hosts the Local Clean Energy Alliance, which now unifies over 70 Bay Area organizations into a powerful voice for advocacy. Join us for the Second Annual Clean Power, Healthy Communities Conference, March 17-18, 2011. This event promises to be the Bay Area’s highest impact clean energy conference convening activists, stakeholders and entrepreneurs to transform our region's energy economy. We will highlight local solutions to avert rising greenhouse gas emissions and focus on creating healthier, sustainable communities and green jobs.WHERE: California Endowment, 1111 Broadway, 7th Floor, Oakland
Featured speakers include:
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Oakland Passes Landmark Energy and Climate Plan
On March 1, the Oakland City Council passed an Energy and Climate Action Plan (ECAP) with some of the strongest greenhouse gas reduction goals of any city in the country. The passing of the ECAP caps two years of advocacy by the Oakland Climate Action Coalition, Bay Localize, and the Local Clean Energy Alliance. The plan will explore reclaiming local control over Energy Efficiency Public Goods Charge funds now being poorly managed by PG&E, linking affordable housing goals with Transit-Oriented Development, and expanding urban agriculture!
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Advocates Strengthen CleanPowerSF Program
An intense flurry of activity by CleanPowerSF advocates in early February resulted in progress toward achieving the promise of Community Choice energy. At issue was whether the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) would launch a clean power buying program without a plan for local renewable power.
Thanks to some intense lobbying by the Local Clean Energy Alliance, Brightline Defense Project, Our City, Global Exchange, Grid Alternatives, and the Sierra Club, we convinced the SFPUC to develop a plan for local renewable energy systems as part of the program, which will provide lower-cost power and green jobs for San Franciscans, while slashing greenhouse gas emissions.