FoCuS

Foothill Collaborative

for Sustainability

September 2007

Mission:

FoCuS is a non-profit collaborative that educates groups and individuals about sustainable living and local community self-reliance. We promote collaborative relationships to achieve mutual well-being in Amador, Calaveras and Tuolumnecounties.

Core Values:

We recognize the intrinsic beauty of our region as worthy to preserve for future generations.

We recognize the vital link between the individual and the sustenance we derive from where we live (food, water, air, shelter).

We recognize that the level of human functioning is directly linked to the quality of the environment.

We value the contributions of those individuals who are presently contributing to our knowledge about living in harmony with natural laws and principles.

We believe that our relationships within the collaborative and those we seek to create in the larger community must be based on mutual respect, consideration of multiple points of view and effective communication.

F.O.C.U.S.

www.foothillsustainability.org

Contact Us:

focus@goldrush.com

POBox1812

Murphys,CA95247

Recent Events and Doings

FoCuS board members and associates traveled to King's Beach on Lake Tahoe for the annual Sierra Nevada Alliance Conference August 3,4,5, this year's theme focused on sustainability in the Sierras. Workshops, keynotes and success stories included those of Sierra communities up and down the range's length preserving historic, environmental and social resources by developing grass roots efforts working with governmental leadership and the private sector. FoCuS became an Alliance member and was given time to share our newly emerging story with the dozens of member groups. The Alliance provides much in the way of support for developing and sustaining efforts of community based groups.

http://www.sierranevadaalliance.org/conference/

Twelve people gathered in Murphys a week later to debrief on their learnings and next steps.

Not in order- FoCuS board members John Adams and Rhoda Nussbaum, Bob Dean (CCWD), John Trinkl (EPFW), Mickey Williamson FoCuS rep for county general planning, Penny Sarvis (CAP), Tom Infusino (Community Coalition for the General Plan), Glen Inouye FoCuS solar educator (apologies to those not identified here)

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The following weekend (August 18), Board member Randy Crutcher and Seed Group co-coordinator for Health and Wellness Karin Lubin traveled to Nevada City to attend the second annual "Power Palooza," an event that took over downtown Nevada City featuring displays and booths with green building, energy efficient lighting and windows, cutting edge water purification, electric vehicles, PG&E workshops on home energy efficiency and solar grid-tie systems, community sustainability groups, inspiring out of town speakers and a DVD viewing room along with local food vendors and music stage. It was organized by Reinette Senum and Kelly Casterson, also members of the Sierra Nevada Alliance.http://www.powerup-nc.org/

It is a FoCuS vision to learn from the leaders of this event and create one for our own region.

August 26 saw the first FoCuS Summer Festival, a well attended day long outdoor celebration with music and food in a lovely forest setting at the home of the Bridges family. It was a relaxed opportunity to gather and get better acquainted with folks sharing similar interests along the spectrum of sustainability. People from a two county area attended.

Welcome New Board Members!

FoCuS is pleased and excited to have two new board members joining the efforts to broaden and strengthen our growing collaborative. Bob Wetzel, formerly of the Stanislaus National Forest Service with extensive background in wilderness and volunteer management, is eager to learn more about how to make our FoCuS website an even more valuable tool in our region. Karin Lubin, a professional educator and leadership consultant is currently helping bring together health practitioners in our region but will along with Bob and other board members continue to bring fresh new ideas, inspirations and people to the whole collaborative effort. There are more board member slots available and people with fundraising and resource experience are especially needed at this stage in the collaborative's development.

First Local One Percent for the Planet Concert Fundraiser

A fun night was had by all at the recent Patrice Pike Band concert at the Black BartTheater in Murphys, Tuesday Sept 4. In an effort to kick off the One Percent for the Planet effort locally, Two Rivers, a retail mountain apparel store in Arnold will be presenting a check to FoCuS. Begun in 2001, One Percent has assisted organizations and individuals to commit one percent of their annual gross receipts to an environmental organization of their choice. FoCuS members and others made up the audience enjoying Patrice, just arrived from the Strawberry Music Festival and a guest appearance by young singer songwriter Megan Slankard, both members of One Percent. Big kudos go to Pride Wright and family of The Harbinger magazine for inviting FoCuS to participate in the evening venue he organized. Thanks Pride!

If you received this newsletter and are not yet a member of FoCuS, you can help keep it coming and the collaborative growing by joining atwww.foothillsustainability.org. encouraging others to do so as well. Click Membership.

Seed Group and Representative Updates

Calaveras County General and Community Plans (Sustainability doesn't just happen)

The Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on the subject of the update

of community plans on August 21 at the Town Hall in San Andreas. With

80-100 people in attendance, many comments were made in favor of updating

all community plans concurrently with the General Plan update. Thank you to

any of you who took the time to participate! As a result of the hearing,

the Board gave the following direction to the Community Development Agency:

Updates will proceed concurrently for the following communities -

Copperopolis, Valley Springs, San Andreas, West Point/Wilseyville, Railroad

Flat, Mountain Ranch, and Glencoe. If the process in these counties appears

to be delaying the General Plan process, they might be put on hold at a

later date. All other communities may begin their planning process with the

promise of limited resources from the county, primarily maps and GIS data

and some personnel. These updates will be completed at a later time. It

was not all we hoped for, but the communities that are in most need of plans

will get them. If you would like assistance in finding a group working on

the plan for your community or in forming such a group, please contact

Mickey Williamson, mickeyw@goldrush.com. Look for notices on the visioning

phase of the General Plan update in the coming months.

FoCuS has already provided this Board of Supervisors with a background report

on CA county sustainability components and concepts and will continue to be

a resource for government and community leaders and planning participants.

Co-housing Group

Co-housing: We took the summer months off and didn't meet. We have over 30 people on our Yahoo Motherlode Co-housing group, mostly locals but a few out of county as well.

The next meeting and potluck will be September 28 in Mountain Ranch and will be hosted by Dana & Gwen Nichol. Call Merlyn Storm for directions at 728-9866.

We are doing a land search, reminding members to buy and read the Co-housing books. Some members have visited the Nevada City cohousing project. We are exploring easy and affordable access to other co-housing communities for tours.

Health and Wellness Group

September 14 (Friday at 6pm) Health Practitioner Potluck-We will be meeting at the Inner Space office in Murphys, Ca next door to the post office.

We will enjoy a meal together and catch up. Over the last few months, several things have been suggested to help make this group more cohesive with its purpose to educate and provide support for those wishing to become more visible agents of change in the health and well-being of our communities. Our focus this time will be:

1) To establish levels of individual commitment to the group and guidelines for its effective continuity.

2) To discuss how we can best share our resources with those involved. (For example: a coupon gift booklet that can be printed and purchased to encourage awareness and sharing of our resources with the community that will also serve to strengthen our practices and education efforts.)

3) To discuss creation of a web site and paper directory for our tri-county area.

4) To organize an evening to simply share what we do: (For example: Highlight four people who would present what they do.... or begin a workshop series bringing in local experts on specific topics)

5) To resume and complete the creation of a practitioner philosophy that holds a holistic perspective for our community.

For more information, contact Karin Lubin at karinlubin@comcast.net

Additional Resource:

International folk dances are held at Kline's Fitness Club in Arnold on the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays 6:30 - 8:00. It's fun, it's easy and you don't need a partner. Beginners welcome. Free for Kline's members, $10 others. For more information contact Sandy or Jano, 795-2503 or arnoldtax@yahoo.com.

Solar and Energy Efficient Living/Education Group

FoCuS has recently applied for a grant with the Calaveras Community Foundation for a solar demonstration center and solar curriculum to be piloted at Mountain Oaks school. If awarded the grant, this would represent Calaveras county's first solar demonstration center and curriculum to be taught at a local school. The curriculum will be an 8 week course taught twice a week. The portable nature of the SolarDemonstration Center allows it to be used in workshop settings and Earth Day festivals, and while it is geared towards 7-12 graders, adults can gain a better understanding of solar principles as well.

PG&E just released their Fall schedule for free classes. There are more than 20 free sessions with PG&E ranging from solar hot water to green building retrofits, from energy audit techniques for commercial buildings to personal and professional solutions to climate change. Much more free info can be checked out at:http://pge.com/education_training/classes/energy_efficiency/index.jsp#classresults.

A few online classes that may interest you are:

1. Basics of Photovoltaic (PV) Systems for Grid-Tied Applications - September 19, Oct 3, 9-4:30

2.Personal, Professional and Political Climate Solutions - ...September 28: 9-4:30

3.Solar Hot water heating....Oct 11 9-4:30

4. Case studies of daylighting...Oct 16th 9:00-3:00

5. Design methods for daylighting...Nov 1 9-12

6. The end of oil...Nov 14th eve lecture 6:30-8:00

7. Led for homes...Nov 20th 9-1:00

8. Green Dreamers in the real world... Nov 28 eve lecture 6:30-8:00

Paid for by a portion of your PG&E bill, why not take advantage?

Many more classes taught in Stockton. Link above should give you class description and class registration.

" Most of the classes I've taken were well worth the time and I've paid $$$ for similar classes elsewhere...like solar hot water and PV basics." G. Inouye

FoCuS plans to bring PG&E workshops to the Amador, Tuolumne, Calaveras county region in future events like the one called Power Palooza in Nevada City, CA. For more info contact Glen Inouye ginouye@volcano.net

Sustainable Agriculture Group and Community Supported Agriculture

We hope that your summer has been a beautiful one. Labor Day has passed and school begins another year.... all signs that summer is sadly coming to an end. However, harvest time, in our opinion, is the most beautiful time of the year. The heat of the summer is passing, but the warmth and harvest continues to be abundant.

The Harvest in the garden is about to peak and will plateau for the next three weeks. During the peak of our season we have an incredible array of fruits and vegetables, displaying over 100 varieties, ten types of melons, twelve varieties and colors of tomatoes, four kinds of eggplant....to name just a few. The melon line-up this year is exceptional. We have been sampling Crane melon, a Sonoma Countyheirloom, which has been a hands-down winner every time....texture, smell, sweetness and flavor all in one melon. Heirloom tomatoes are all the rage because of their exceptional taste and thin skins. Sliced on a platter with a sprinkling of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and finely chopped lime basil makes an incredible appetizer for a party.

The new Farmers Market in Murphys in going great. We love the venue...on the crush pad of Vina Moda Winery at the intersection of French Gulch and Main Street in Murphys. We begin at 4pm and go until 7:30/8 pm. We would love to see you there. The Arnold Farmers Market will continue until Sunday, September 16th. . Some of you may know that we began selling at the Sonora Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. What a great venue, with lots to choose from and a large "sustainable" section.

* For those of you who cannot make it to the markets we continue to offer the option of ordering a bag of vegetables. Your choice of Deluxe ($35); Full ($25) or Half bags ($14). Our delivery is

Thursdays to Sonora, East Sonora, Sierra Waldorf School, Jamestown, Columbia and Angels Camp with Groveland on Fridays, and San Andreas on Mondays. Please email or call me

(209/663-6081 or 728-9*11*2) to order a bag by Thursday mornings at the latest.

* Outer Aisle FOODS, the distribution arm of our business will begin to surface in September. We will be bringing in Fiscalini Cheese, local grass fed beef, Alaskan salmon, bulk virgin olive oil, eggs and more. This will be available at Murphys Farmers Market in late September through to its closure in early

October. From then on we will switch to a bag delivery system and offer these items for order every two weeks continuing through the winter months. For more information and view a

sample order form check out www.outeraislefoods.com http://www.outeraislefoods.com/

Eric and Christine are also involved in helping schools develop on-site gardens.

Table Mountain Garden tablemountain@goldrush.com

Sustainable Forestry

SAVE THE SIERRA COMMUNITY MEETING

Since 2000, SPI has been clear cutting the Sierra Nevada at an alarming rate and they have plans to cut all 1.5 million acres of their holdings. Just this past week, SPI was approved for another clear-cut and is waiting for approval on several others. SPI can change their logging practices to become a more responsible business to this community, and to other communities around California, for both people and the environment, now and for the future. Come join us at the Save the Sierra Community Meeting and find out what is going on right now with SPI, how we are organizing around the state to stop the clearcutting, and how you can help get SPI to become a more responsible business. We have a lot of great things planned and many different ways to be involved. Wednesday September 12th at 6:30 PM at the new Ebbetts Pass Fire Station in the community room. For more information go tohttp://www.savethesierra.orgor email Susannah@greencorps.org.

Transportation Group

There is a great deal of effort going into planning of county wide trail systems as well as local bicycle and pedestrian pathways right now with money coming available. If you are interested in this aspect of transportation and have some time to help develop and organize around such projects as the Arnold Rim Trail and related projects, please contact Randy Crutcher at rama50@comcast.net

Ebbetts Pass Rides is an online ridesharing group for

people who occasionally want to share a ride between the

Highway 4 area from Murphys to Bear Valley and the central

valley or the bay area. Email Sandy Kasten at

arnoldtax@yahoo.com if you would like to join.

Upcoming events

Look for announcements of the FoCuS Fall Forums in conjunction with the Wild and Scenic Film Festival October 19,20,21 taking place in several venues in Calaveras andTuolumne counties.

Intention to Manifest List (Any help welcome)

-A growing membership/contributorship

-A paid coordinator

-A grant writer/resource consultant

-An office and resource center