Meet new friends who love good food: Growing it, Cooking it, Eating it

So says our star food advocate, Dulanie Ellis, who gleans information from the valley and beyond about food and agriculture to bring you our monthly Food News - thank you, Dulanie. We link the latest issue in every e-News (left column) or you can change your OVGC profile at the bottom of this email to receive it automatically.

Then the Coalition invites you to our 3rd annual Thunderbird Farm canning class on Saturday, June 29, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Cecil Baumgartner, who sells Thunderbird Farm produce at the Ojai Farmers Market with Sue Francis, will be demonstrating a traditional 'sugarless' fruit canning technique.

Coffee and tea will be served, along with jam tasting and you will take home a jar of homemade jam. Class is only $20 for OVGC supporting members and $25 for non-members payable at the door. Reservations are required and the class is limited to 20 participants. Address and other details will be provided with confirmation. Email or call (805) 669-8445 to reserve your place.

Lastly, you'll want to attend this kitchen makeover workshop.

Cooking up ideas for a kitchen remodel that is beautiful, eco-friendly, and healthy may be a daunting task. There are so many choices, and it can be difficult to sort through the maze of greenwashing about materials and finishes. As with any good recipe, kitchen design planning starts with understanding the ingredients, and then carefully blending just the right amount of each.

To help you get a better understanding of the ingredients available EcoLogic LifeStyle Design and EcoLogic Life green design resource center in Ojai will host a presentation on Wednesday, June 19, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. as part of the Conscious Building Design workshop series. Check it out here.

An Award-Winning
Environmental Lending Library

Well, that is, if there were such a thing. Call us biased, but the caliber of books and films we've had donated is first class, and our library is impressive and ever expanding. We thank Evergreen Hendricks for seeding the idea and getting us started, and then our steadfast weekly volunteer at the resource center, Laurie Walters Slade, for getting everything cataloged and organized in our new home at 206 N. Signal St. Suite S.

Laurie Slade in the library at the new Resource Center

Laurie will lead our first 'reading salon' on July 18; stay tuned for details. "When we moved the OVGC resource center we labeled each book and created a specific database. We have so many fabulous books about nature, man's impact on the environment, overviews on the environment and what we each can do about it. Plus all kinds of field books on animals, trees and plants, snakes and lizards, which is fabulous if you want to go out and take a hike. And there are beautiful big photo books. You are welcome to come in and browse. We have a cozy little seating area right up in front of the windows. You can check books out for up to 3 weeks and DVDs for a week. You don't have to be a member. We just put your name and contact info on a sheet on our clipboard!"

Stop in and browse any time Wednesday thru Friday, 12 to 5 p.m. Preview the catalog here.

Ojai Lighting Ordinance
Shifts Gears

Sometimes the best lighting of all is a power failure ~ Doug Coupland

We're not suggesting blackouts, but when the lights are dimmed many people noticeably relax. Maybe our nervous systems are trying to tell us something?

Ojai's lighting ordinance story is becoming more like a saga. Here is the latest: as the city council was about to go to its second 1st reading last month of the proposed updated exterior lighting standard ordinance, staff got wind the state was passing new standards on exterior AND interior lighting to be public in July and go into effect January 1, 2014. This will be part of the infamous California Title 24 energy efficiency code. This along with the realization there was commercial lighting language in the California Green Building Codes, gave the council members pause and they decided it was best to wait to see what the state would be requiring.

Though the state focus is energy efficiency and ours is reducing light pollution while increasing energy efficiency, it's all good and this was a wise and reasonable decision; what's another few months. Not to be delayed on SOME kind of action any longer, we helped rally a meeting with city staff and Edison representatives to look at the city light pole inventory. In this meeting scheduled for June 18 we'll look at the type, design, age, and location of city light poles and work with the city and Edison to shield, change out, or possibly even remove light poles. The Coalition will be brainstorming ways to help raise the funds. 'Adopt a Light Pole' neighborhood effort, anyone?

If you have an offensive light pole in your neighborhood and live within the city limits (we'll work in the unincorporated areas next), please let us know. Our goal is to help the city lower its light bill and energy footprint, lower its night sky glow, and elevate its standing with residents, tourists, and nocturnal critters, who depend on 'dark skies'.

p.s. Astronomers and dark sky-advocates take note-you can now measure the brightness of the night sky using your smartphone.