Job creator? One stop shop to push us over the climate edge? With all Americans in mind? Single fossil fuel interest?
Many differing perspectives surround the Keystone XL Pipeline project, but one thing is clear: it is taking on more significance than the pipeline itself. We are at a crossroads in our energy infrastructure and the “to build or not to build” question of Keystone is at the heart of it. Keystone is the physical and symbolic battleground for constructing our energy future.
But what exactly does this project entail? Why does President Obama need to approve the project? Below you will find the basics of the project, so that whether you will join 350.org, the Sierra Club, and the Hip Hop Caucus at the #ForwardOnClimate rally at DC on February 17th or are taking part in discussions at your work, home or elsewhere, you know the key points for Keystone. Continue reading Xplaining the Keystone XL pipeline battle
- What: The first public informational meeting of the Divest & Invest Campaign at the University of Michigan – to divest all university money from fossil fuel stocks, funds, and direct and indirect investments.
- Who: The Divest & Invest Campaign is a student/faculty/community coalition of: Ann Arbor 350, Students for Clean Energy, Student Sustainability Initiative & most importantly YOU
- When: Monday, February 4th at 6:30 PM
- Where: Room 1040 DANA Bldg, School of Natural Resources & Environment, Univ of Michigan Central Campus
Continue reading Cleaning Up UMich’s Endowment: Divest & Invest Campaign
Calling all current and soon-to-be seed enthusiasts!
Did you save more seeds than you could ever use? Did you perhaps go a bit mad at the end-of-year seed sales?
Then the Seed Swap is for you!
Come see what you can exchange your extras for with other gardeners! Bring your loot and your bargaining skills and see how many different varieties you can acquire. Who knows, perhaps you’ll find seeds for delicious corn variety you couldn’t buy enough of at the farmer’s market!
This event is open to the public, so you don’t need to be a Project Grow gardener to attend.
Our hosts do ask that seed swappers find street parking rather than taking spots in their parking lot that could be used by their customers.
Come on out Saturday, February 16th, 10-11:30 a.m., at Downtown Home and Garden, 210 South Ashley in Ann Arbor!
Be sure to come and take care of all your 2013 seed needs – anything you can’t find will certainly be for sale at Downtown Home and Garden!
Downtown Home & Garden
210 South Ashley Street Ann Arbor, MI 48104
Saturday, February 16 2013 10:00am – 11:30am
For more information, contact Monica Patel at 734-369-9277
Don’t know where to begin with seed saving, nonetheless swapping?
The Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa has a webinar coming up – conveniently this Tuesday – about starting your own seed bank.
Updated Friday, January 25, 2013
The biggest environmental rally EVER is happening in D.C. on President’s Day weekend. You definitely want to be there. Even though this kind of thing is physically exhausting, it’s inspiring and way-past-due. Travel and transportation are definitely big carbon guzzlers, but this is Important. So we decided to do some math to help you figure out what’s your best option for getting to the biggest, most important single event of the year. Here goes:
- Drive yourself: About $120 in gas and 895 pounds carbon (see picture below and multiple by 2 for round trip)
 This is assuming you drive a Ford Fiesta by yourself. Cost of boredom not included!
- NOT A FEASIBLE OPTION: Ride with us in a 15-passenger van: $45 per person, 115 pounds carbon per person
- Ride with us in a big old charter motorcoach: $100 per person, can’t find a calculator for such a large vehicle
What do you think? Get on the bus.
Now Playing at the Michigan Theater
 FROM ICE: PORTRAITS OF VANISHING GLACIERS, BY JAMES BALOG. © JAMES BALOG/EXTREME ICE SURVEY. Live organ music set the mood for a classic theater experience. Images deserving of art gallery walls come alive and dance before my eyes. And a story of a charming, passionate photographer, James Balog, devoted to his craft and making a better future for his daughters, captivates the audience.
I just left a very full house for the critically acclaimed documentary, Chasing Ice, at the Michigan Theater. I’m no movie critic, but honestly, it’s been a while since a film actually physically moved me. This one is special, folks. It presents compelling evidence of the magnitude and urgency of climate change with cinematography so captivating climate cynics won’t be able to look away. It may prove to be this decade’s Inconvenient Truth.
By the end of the film, I’d be surprised if anyone in the audience didn’t envy, or at least admire, the efforts of James Balog and his Extreme Ice Survey team. This is simply something I hope every American, nay every human being on the planet can see. Chasing Ice is playing now until Thursday, January 17th, at the Michigan Theater at these times.
 The holidays can evoke images of relaxing with family, giving of gifts, and gathering around the table for good food, however, the season can also be a consume-a-fest of intense proportions…
Especially if you do it with the planet in mind though, the holiday season can be the best opportunity to stretch those reuse, recycle, reduce legs. You can have a sustainable holiday AND eat your rugelach too!
Here at Ann Arbor 350, we’ve gathered some of the best (and let’s be honest…fall-off-the-yuletide-log easy) tips from around the internet for the most sustainable and joyful of seasons.
Continue reading Deck the Halls with Sustainable Practices… Fa la la la laaa… la la la laaa!
As an amateur watercolor painter and broke graduate school student, my family and friends are becoming used to my hand-painted cards and wall-worthy (my opinion) paintings as gifts. Plus at least for my nephews and niece, why try to compete against flashy-brightly-colored-Toy-Story-themed-remote-controlled-car with other flashy-brightly-colored-Dora-the-Explorer-themed-remote-controlled-car that is outside of my budget anyway? A pack of colored pencils and glitter, accompanied by some of their Aunt Jill’s works of art will be enjoyed in both the short and long term. This holiday season though, I’m taking my DIY gifts to the next level… and yep, I am completely willing to share some of my finds. (Lucky you!)
First, what’s the most accessible DIY gift?
Food! I am no wood craftsman, BUT I can mix some great ingredients to make a granola that would start your day off right. And I think most could do that. Homemade granola, infused olive oils, fudge, freezer jams…. the list goes on and on. Here’s what I’m cooking and baking this year:
”Kitchen Sink” Chocolate Bark
After 2 years of giving truffles to friends and family for the holidays, I am thinking I will aim for a healthier option with crunchy and delicious chocolate bark. This recipe calls for mixed nuts, dried fruit, and pretzels: you are only limited by your imagination for combinations here. I think I’ll try almonds and dried apricots….
I also am demolishing a canister of coffee beans this week (only three more exams left…) and I’m thinking that with a quick peel of the label, wash, and addition of ribbon, it will make a great container to hold the bark!
I thought I’d post the agenda and some discussion points from our meet-ups for people who attended to comment on and for those who didn’t to catch up. This is my first attempt to do so, so I welcome feedback (below in the comments would be great).
Date/Time: Dec 3, 5pm
Attending: Ginny, Larry, Ann, Carolyn, Mal, Ben, Rachel, Jill, Monica
Introductions: Two truths and a lie! Our intro tool. I (monica) did terrible — I accidentally did 1.25 lies, but everyone else was awesome. Some very intriguing facts came out that I want to know more about.
Hurricane Sandy: We watched a local news story about an Occupy Sandy flashmob documentary event and talked about the hurricane and relief efforts by Occupy Sandy. The 24-minute Josh Fox documentary is available here. We’d be happy to “screen” the film if folks would like to watch it together. Let us know below or email us and we’ll set something up. Continue reading Climate MeetUp – December 2012
 Buying local holiday gifts is the way to go. I don’t need to tell you why when there’s an awesome info-graphic that’ll do it for me. That info-graphic is posted at the bottom of this post, which is guaranteed to make you a gift-giving superhero. I’ll sort it by the following topic areas: Food, Household/Decorative/Art, Experiences, etc.
Ready, set…GO!
Continue reading Our $3.50: Local gift ideas that’ll earn you major points
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