Sunday, November 9th, the Coalition Hosts
The Ojai Film Festival FOCUS EARTH 2014
Screening of

Bringing It Home

It has been over 40 years since President Nixon signed the Controlled Substances Act making hemp illegal, yet industrial hemp has no drug value. The film Bringing it Home is packed with information that will leave you surprised and well informed about the often misunderstood topic of industrial hemp.

Hemp is a plant with compelling benefits for healthy homes, food, farmers, job creation and our environment. Industrial hemp is a non-psychoactive plant, grown in 30 other countries - but prohibited in the United States. Legalization advocates say it could help American farmers, create jobs, and replace thousands of harmful petrochemical and synthetic products. In their award-winning documentary Bringing it Home filmmakers Linda Booker and Blaire Johnson explore the question of "Why aren't we growing it here?"

The film tells the story of hemp through a series of short interviews. Its past, present and future is discussed and illuminated from conversations with individuals and business owners using hemp for construction, textiles, nutrition, soaps and bio-plastics in America and around the globe.

Join the Coalition Sunday, November 9, 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. at The Ojai Art Center, 113 S. Montgomery St., Ojai. The film screening will be followed by a conversation with the filmmaker/editor/producer, Linda Booker and a panel of distinguished guests:

to read more click here.

Exploring the Relationship Between
Nature and Human Nature II

The Ecological Function of the Human Being:
Finding our Place Together in Gratitude

Thursday, November 20, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m
at the Coalition Resource Center 

Are we the problem? The solution? Both, or neither? Join a group of Green Coalition members and friends to creatively explore these questions. We will discover and examine our closely held beliefs, hopes and fears by traveling into our inner world. When explorations are made together, resources abound. Art making, writing, and shared texts will serve as our guide.

The process will be facilitated by Pat B. Allen, Ph.D., ATR, Green Coalition member, artist, writer, and art therapist, and author of two books: Art is a Way of Knowing (1995) and Art is a Spiritual Path (2005). Pat has also earned a permaculture design certificate and is a practicing master gardener in Ojai. Before moving to Ojai 12 years ago, she founded the Open Studio Project in Evanston, IL where she now serves as visiting faculty. Her present work focuses on Collaborative Inquiry Through Art as a means to engage the natural world.

Come for an introductory session and decide if you'd like more. NO art or writing experience is necessary. The workshop is meant to provide support for activists and concerned citizens and to aid Pat in her research on these topics.

Please join us at the Resource Center - 206 N. Signal Street, at the corner of Aliso and Signal. Suite S is upstairs, above the Blatz Law Firm. A suggested donation of $10 for OVGC members and $15 for non-members at the door will go towards supporting the Green Coalition Space is limited to 18 participants, so please RSVP early to Deborah.

It's Time Again For Our Annual

Membership Drive - and Every Dollar You Contribute Will Be Doubled!

If you're reading this - you are awesome! The Green Coalition has about 250 members who faithfully open our e-communications each month and we really appreciate it. We hope you find the information, the community service announcements and the educational event promotions valuable.

Now, we invite you to include the Green Coalition in your year-end giving plans (or first of the year). From now until January 31, 2015 every dollar you contribute will be matched up to $10,000. We depend on membership to do our good work, pay our dedicated staff, and run the Resource Center. Our 2013 annual report will attest to the importance of you and your generosity.

Team up with us to show our leaders and neighbors how a community can be green and thrive. Invest in the Green Coalition and help us reach our goal of $30,000 by 1/31/2015.

Together we can chart a path to a healthy and sustainable LOCAL economy by addressing food, energy, water, transportation, and how we shop and conduct business locally.

You are the force that turns a mission and vision into a reality - a sustainable and resilient Ojai Valley. Please join, renew, or consider an extra year-end contribution. Thanks so much!

We've also made it easy to gift an Ojai Valley Green Coalition membership!