6:30 Introduction to Transition slide show
7:00-9:30 Potluck and Main Gathering
@ Quaker Meetinghouse, 225 Rooney, Santa Cruz
Off Morrissey exit of Hwy. 1 (map)

Towards a Resilient Water Supply—Potluck, Discussion and Connecting Time

With all the rains lately, it might seem hard to put our minds on the fragility of our precious local water supply. And yet, this might be the best time to think about it, before the next drought or the probable drying effects of climate change take hold. With salt water threatening wells from Pajaro to Live Oak, the Santa Cruz County water supply is not currently resilient, and a desalination plant, if built, is not likely to solve all our problems. Yet here, as in other areas, we have barely begun to tap the great creativity of our community. Rick Longinotti will lead a discussion on how our community can sustain the water commons and lower our dependency on fossil fuels at the same time.

10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Eastside Santa Cruz
$25-$75 sliding scale

Transition Santa Cruz is co-sponsoring a Greywater Community workshop with Golden Love, a local environmental landscaper.

This hands on demonstration workshop will show you what you'll need to know about how to hook up your laundry machine so that the water will irrigate your yard. Installing simple systems such as these will help us all save on water bills once the warm weather hits; and hopefully, reduce the need for costly community water alternatives like a desalination plant.

Housing Within Reach:  Of Our Pocketbooks;  Of Our Workplaces, Schools, & Stores

United Methodist Church

250 California St. 7-9pm

Jan 14:   Overview of Housing Economics      Why we're losing ground on affordability and what we can do about it.   With Bruce Van Allen, former mayor & affordable housing project manager  and Paul Wagner, jounalist; former chair, City of Santa Cruz Housing Advisory Committee

Jan 28:  Programs for  Affordability      A primer on existing city programs: What's working? What can be improved?  With Carol Berg, Santa Cruz Housing & Community Development Manager

Generating more funding for affordability   With Jan Lindenthal, VP, Mid-Peninsula Housing

♦ Good for adults and kids! ♦

6:30 Introduction to Transition slide show
7:00-9:30 Potluck and Main Gathering
@ Quaker Meetinghouse, 225 Rooney
Santa Cruz Off Morrissey exit of Hwy. 1
(map)

The theme of this month's Gathering is "How the Potato People Can Save Us!"

In this family-friendly evening, Michael Levy will guide us through a hands-on activity designed to unlock creativity, a crucial task for Transition. Don't be scared, adults, this will be fun for you too, and not really all that messy. In the guise of an art project, we will be looking at how we envision a resilient, post-fossil-fuel dependent Santa Cruz to function.

If you are coming with children, the hands-on activity will happen between 7:30 and 8:30.

You will also hear reports from working groups and find out how you can plug in. And, plenty of time to connect and chat. Come, and enjoy!

Transition Santa Cruz is ramping up its outreach efforts to Santa Cruz City officials. This is timely, as the General Plan revision heads into its home stretch, and the relatively well-funded Redevelopment Agency prepares its 5-year plan. Two reports follow:

Transition SC Influences City Redevelopment Plan, by Rick Longinotti