We've raised $1,437 toward our $10,000 matching challenge goal needed by January 31, 2012. Membership has gone from 171 to 186 individuals with many renewing members. We'd love to double membership to 350. Can you be one of those 164 new members? Or add a year-end gift to your existing membership? Or give a membership to someone as a holiday gift? 

The Ojai Valley Green Coalition needs your financial support TODAY to keep up the work you read about in this newsletter. If you contribute by the January deadline, every dollar will be doubled! That's money that will be used to further a green, sustainable and resilient Ojai Valley for all of us now and in the future.

Clearly, if you're reading this, you care about the environment. The Coalition is here as a voice for you and the community to affect positive change. Our award-winning volunteer-driven organization brings educational events and hands-on projects that improve our sustainability in the Ojai Valley. There is so much more to be done. With your financial support, we can deepen the impact of our projects, education, and advocacy work that restore and preserve our environment for all of us.

Invest in the Ojai Valley Green Coalition with a monthly membership donation as low as $10. It's simple and easy to do securely. Or join as an annual member with as little as $25 a year. A gift membership or extra gift added to your current membership will help us achieve some specific goals, too..

Act TODAY so your gift to the Ojai Valley Green Coalition can be DOUBLED by our special membership challenge up to $10,000!  

to read more click here. 

An Ojai Valley-wide meeting about new water quality standards and local options to protect water quality will be hosted by the Coalition on December 13, 2011. Presenting will be the Regional Water Quality Control Board, with local input from the Resource Conservation District and the Waste to Energy bio-digester project.

The new standards are being developed because of increased levels of plant nutrients (mainly nitrates) in the groundwater and in the creeks of the Ventura River watershed. High concentrations of nitrates cause more frequent algae blooms in some reaches of the Ventura River, which diminish aquatic life and recreational aesthetics of the river. High nitrate concentrations have been found in surface flows of San Antonio Creek and in some wells, which requires treatment or blending to meet drinking water standards.

All are invited to attend this free meeting on Tuesday, December 13 at the Chaparral Auditorium, 414 E. Ojai Ave. from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. For more information about the meeting, please contact our Watershed council chair Bill O'Brien at 805-658-6611.

For a flyer click here. Thanks to the Ojai Unified School District and our volunteers who are providing the meeting arrangements..

to read more click here. 

The Coalition directors held their annual meeting on December 1. They welcomed Marleen Luckman as a new director and Caryn Bosson graciously accepted a second three year term. Voted in as officers were Kathy Nolan as president, Dale Hanson as secretary and, new to the treasurer position, Marleen Luckman. To learn about all our dedicated directors visit our board members webpage.

Marleen has been involved with the Coalition from early on and comes to the organization with fantastic credentials and many passions. She is a certified Building Biology Environmental Inspector through the International Institute of Building Biology where she also serves as an instructor. She is an experienced public speaker on home environmental health issues and advises consumers on wise consumer choices.

Marleen Luckman

Since 2008, Marleen has held the position of Green Operations Coordinator at the Ojai Unified School District funded through a grant to Food for Thought. As such she is working to reduce waste, conserve resources, reduce pesticide/herbicide use and training teachers in hands-on environmental education lesson planning. In 2011 she designed a Sustainability Plan for the District which was presented to the OUSD School Board in October, 2011. Marleen also serves as a Planning Commissioner for the City of Ojai and sits on the Complete Streets Subcommittee.