When we brought Richard Heinberg to introduce our community to Peak Oil late in 2005, we promised him an update on community responses.
It’s four years later, and I’m amazed and gratified at what’s happening in western Nevada County. Here are a few of the sprouts since then:
APPLE’s monthly public forums – films, presenters, networking
APPLE Sustainability Center: exhibits, resources, networking and events
Food
Local Food Coalition (with Come Home to Eat and Meet Your Farmers events)
A Local Foods guide (printed) of restaurants, growers, retailers, etc.
A Nevada County Grown label and support for farmstands
More CSAs (community-supported agriculture) and another grower’s market
Community gardens
Neighborhood Readiness Project for decentralized bulk food storage intended for you AND your neighbors
A local cow cooperative
A permaculture guild
A seed saving cooperative
Business and Trade
Think Local First awareness campaigns to support independent local businesses
Monthly CD, DVD and Book Swap
Energy
A Clean Energy cooperative
A Seed Saving cooperative
Nevada City working on a city government energy plan
Media
Biweekly Peak Moment TV Conversations
Local TV program “Getting through the economic recession together”
Plus classes and activities in gleaning, local wild edible foods, acorn processing, and more, I’m sure.
What else is happening in our community? Let me know. Maybe I’ll write an open letter to Richard on western Nevada County’s community local-reliance activities.