Community Gathering and Winter Feast

Save Energy, Save Money and Save the Planet

Dear members, please join us for our winter community gathering on Friday, February 10. Mingle with neighbors, share a potluck supper and start the new year right with the evening's program focused on "How to Save Energy, Save Money and Save the Planet."

Coalition Built Environment Council members will discuss all types of programs available to Ojai renters, homeowners and businesses to conserve energy through building and appliance efficiency and explain how you can easily switch to renewable energy. This will also kick off our new 'Ojai Energy Efficiency Initiative' recently funded by Sempra Energy and Southern California Edison grants. The Coalition is using the funds to spread the word on energy programs to help Ojai move toward a "Net Zero" community - producing as much energy as we use.

This is an evening out with good food and good people while gaining information you can use and possibly would not otherwise have known existed. Hosted at the Chaparral Auditorium, 414 E. Ojai Ave., the evening will begin with a meet and greet from 6:30 to 7:00 p.m., food sharing from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., followed by the energy presentation. There will also be information tables to learn about many of the Coalition's activities and other community efforts.

Come share and celebrate our winter's bounty with your favorite salad, entrée, or dessert featuring seasonal, local and organic ingredients. To reduce our landfill waste, please bring your own table service (plate, silverware, mug, and cloth napkin). To RSVP or for more information please email or call (805) 669-8445.

Join Us for Ojai's Own
First Annual Community Seed Swap!

Spring is coming, and what better time to gather in the beautiful Ojai Valley to share seeds! All gardeners and farmers - both current and aspiring - are invited to join in the fun on Saturday, February 25, at 1:00 p.m. Bring your seeds, bring your stories, and bring your passion for growing food to the Chaparral Auditorium located at 414 E. Ojai Ave., Ojai.

Ojai's First Annual Community Seed Swap will begin with a short talk by Justin Huhn, co-founder of All Good Things Organic Seeds - southern California's bioregional seed company. Justin will share the basic "how-to's" for beginner seed-savers and delve into the importance of seed saving to our community.

If you have a substantial offering of seeds to share and would like table space for your seeds, please arrive no later than 12:45. This event is hosted by All Good Things Organic Seeds and the Ojai Valley Green Coalition. We hope to see you February 25 at Chaparral. For more information, please contact Justin Huhn at 805-758-3184 or agtoseeds@gmail.com. To learn more about All Good Things Organic Seeds go to www.agtoseeds.com.

to read more click here.

Lighting and Plastic Bag Ban
Ordinances Update

On February 1 the Ojai Planning Commission reviewed a draft lighting ordinance to replace the existing ordinance. Though simpler in form than the ordinance language submitted by the Coalition to the city for consideration, we thought it was a compromise that set a good foundation to start with and could easily be updated as technology and new information became available. Commissioners Kathy Nolan and Marleen Luckman as OVGC board members recused themselves from the discussion and vote. The commissioners ultimately decided to continue the review until the March 21 meeting. Thank you to member Gail Topping, who has single-handedly moved this issue forward. Click here to read the ordinance.

Still to come before the Ojai City Council is a single-use carryout bag ban/fee ordinance. At its basics, the ordinance bans plastic bags and places a fee on recycled content paper bags (state law does not allow a fee to be placed on plastic bags). The council will do its first reading of the ordinance on February 28 at which time the Coalition will give a five minute presentation. The council is tentatively slated to vote on the ordinance March 13. We encourage you to attend these meetings and voice your support (or not) for the ban. At the same time, letters to the editor and online conversations at the Ojai Valley News and Ojai Post help the cause. To read the ordinance go to the city website.