The Green Coalition is hosting an energy education seminar - "Use Your Power to Affect Climate Change" - on Saturday, July 11, 2015 at the Ojai Valley Woman's Club, at 441 East Ojai Avenue, Ojai. Thanks to generous sponsors the cost of admission is only $25.00. The seminar will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with lunch included.

The purpose of the energy education seminar is to bring together expert speakers to help residents sort through the myriad of information and fast paced technological changes related to reducing our individual and collective fossil fuel based energy and water footprint.

Topics include:

• available energy and water efficiency upgrade financial tools
• our homes as an ecosystem
• why renewable energy and rooftop solar are so important
• a new model for community energy

The seminar is sponsored by the Ventura County Regional Energy Alliance, City of Ojai, Rotary Club of Ojai and Nutiva Foundation. Registration and further details for the seminar are online.

Simplicity Comes in
Many Shapes and Sizes

"We have a problem with Stuff. We use too much, too much of it is toxic and we don't share it very well. But that's not the way things have to be. Together, we can build a society based on better - not more, sharing - not selfishness, community - not division."

". . . is founded upon the idea that a 'simpler life' of reduced resource and energy consumption is a viable and desirable alternative to consumer culture. Our position is that simple living will improve not only our own lives, but the lives of others, as well as help save our planet from the environmental catastrophe towards which we are so enthusiastically marching."

"Simply put it is a social movement where people are downsizing the space that they live in. The typical American home is around 2600 square feet, while the typical small or tiny house is around 100-400 square feet. Tiny Houses come in all shapes, sizes and forms but they focus on smaller spaces and simplified living."

"Simplicity" is Our July Salon Theme
Friday, July 10, 7 to 9 p.m. at the Coalition
Resource Center - 206 N. Signal St. #S (upstairs)

Simplicity creates the space for imagination and invention. When we simplify, renewal becomes possible. In our complex culture, what does simplicity mean to you? Come share in the medium that speaks to you, or just come to listen. Complete details here.

Director's Note: The Valley of the Moon Community Garden was established in May of 2011. Located at the Help of Ojai West Campus, it exists because of the vision and hard work of one person: Robin Graham. Robin had great support from Keith Brock and others, and the Coalition fiscally sponsored the garden, but Robin has truly been the driving force. Thank you Robin, for your four years of dedication and bringing a community garden to life.

New Valley of the Moon Manager

Interview by OVGC Member, Linda Harmon

Heather Mohan-Gibbons

During our hot Ojai summers most people either try to cut down on outside obligations or take a vacation. Not Heather Mohan-Gibbons. She's already busy gathering information and making plans as the new garden manager of the Valley of the Moon Community Garden. The Garden, located at 370 Baldwin Road, uses sustainable gardening practices to provide two types of activities for Valley residents. The Garden offers a traditional community garden portion for individual gardeners, and a space where community members grow food to donate to the Help of Ojai Senior Food Program. At one time the garden was also a hands-on learning site for Ventura County Master Gardener Trainees.

"I am a fairly new garden member, "says Heather. She adds that her previous credentials with the organization included, "volunteering to organize a potluck.... I've always had a home garden, as I do now, but I wanted the sense of community. I joined and got involved, then was quickly drafted by Robin. She has worked so tirelessly; she needs a break! I am not a Master Gardener, yet know there are lots of garden experts in Ojai that I can go to when I need them."

to read more click here.

Move over Wall Street:

Solar Energy Has a Significant
Return on Investment (ROI)
Financially and Environmentally

Scenario 1: you purchase the system and it pays for itself on average 9 years in California and then the solar power produced has no direct cost. The general manager of Ventura River Water District, Bert Rapp, estimated his return on investment at 13% with the Solarize program, assuming Edison rates remained the same (which they won't). He will also be significantly reducing his family's fossil fuel and water footprint.

Scenario 2: you sign a power purchase agreement (solar company leases your rooftop basically) and the system costs nothing to install. You agree to buy the power the panels generate at a set price below what the utility charges for the life of the agreement, while reducing your fossil fuel and water footprint.

Scenario 3: you agree to pay a monthly "rent" or lease payment in exchange for the right to use all of the power produced by the system, which is less than what you pay to the utility company, and then you still reduce your fossil fuel and water footprint.

Add to this a community Solarize program and you have a win, win, win. The Coalition's Solarize Ojai Valley Program has been extended until July 30, and we have organized one more workshop for you to learn about solar and the Solarize program.

Thursday, July 16 - 6:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Oak View Park & Resource Center
555 Mahoney Avenue, Oak View

If you've been even remotely thinking about going solar, you owe it to yourself to come to a free workshop and get a free estimate from a vetted solar company through the Solarize program. To date we've signed contracts for 30 more kilowatts of solar energy in the Ojai Valley! - can we make it 50? And did we mention solar power on your property reduces your fossil fuel and water footprint, while reducing your monthly electric bill?

For complete details go to SolarizeOjai.org. Once you get your estimate check out this nifty solar ROI calculator.