Read the Latest Local Scoop!

4/15/08 E-Newsletter

4/4/08 E-Newsletter
3/25/08 E-Newsletter
1/31/08 E-Newsletter
12/13/07 E-Newsletter
11/21/07 E-Newsletter
10/30/07 E-Newsletter
8/21/07 E-Newsletter
7/1/07   E-Newsletter
5/30/07 E-Newsletter
4/27/07 E-Newsletter
4/13/07 E-Newsletter
3/26/07 E-Newsletter
3/5/07   E-Newsletter
2/9/07   E-Newsletter
1/25/07 E-Update
1/23/07 E-Newsletter

Ventura's Town Hall
List of Suggestions

This is the list of ideas typed onto the screen during the open mic. Each speaker got three minutes to fire off ideas of what the greater Ventura community needs to do to curb global warming. More ideas will be added once we review the video and add the panelists ideas. (Note: the first list is for city and county, the second is for individuals).

The List

Archive
A little VCCool History

2007 City Council Candidate Green Questionnaire

September 2007 Bicycle Summit

Welcome to Ventura's new community website for actions related to curbing global warming. This site is designed to support the actions kicked off by the Ventura's Oct 24th, 2006 Town Hall Meeting on Global Warming.

2008 Kids' Bicycle Rodeo
How Big is Your Footprint?
Earth Day News Letter
Ventura Cloth Bag Project
Low Carbon Diet
Two Hot Bills, Still Cool

May 31st - Kids' Bike Rodeo

Saturday, May 31
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
VCCool Kids' bike rodeo - in conjunction with Summerfest
255 W. Stanley Ave., Ventura

Download the Flyer (Spanish/English)
Help us get the word out!

What fights global warming, get’s you to school or soccer, and helps keep you strong and fit – all at the same time? The answer – a bicycle! VCCool is putting on a kid’s bike rodeo in conjunction with Summerfest 2008.

It’s for kids K-12, so there are lots of different stations and two sponsored rides (a 3 mile and an 8.5 mile ride). There will be a bike check and free repair, helmet check and free helmet if you need one, arm signal training, a skill course, two bike rides on the river bike path – with prizes for all youth participants (parents encouraged to ride too), learn to fix a flat with free toolkit to all participants, get your helmet stenciled, and to start it all off - brief small-group introductions with comments by local bicyclists and police officers. English and Spanish speakers both welcome and supported.

So what do kids and families need to remember? Bring your bike!! (If possible) There will be free bike valet parking. We’ll have loaner bikes for kids without one. The bike rodeo will be at the entrance of Summerfest, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and is a free VCCool event, with help from Channel Islands Bike Club, Bike Depot, the Ventura Police, and many others.

Know How Big Your Footprint Is?

Do you know how long it takes to get to work - know how much a dozen eggs cost - know about how much you weigh? Sure you do! Because in our culture, we're all about numbers.

Know how many pounds of carbon dioxide your household emits per year - know what your biggest emitter is - know how many pounds of CO2 emissions it takes to get to the farmer's market? If you do - then you're definitely ahead of the curve, and you probably already know which things you need to work on to really lower you carbon foot print. If you don't know the answers to the questions - try our updated, and VCCool approved, Carbon Calculator. What you see may surprise you! (Note: We hope to add food to the calculator within the next few months.)

Download the Carbon Calculator
(Estimated time to complete: about 1.5 hours. Get out your bills and records. It's the real item.)

A majority of the figures we use come from the Empowerment Institute

VCCool's Earth Day 2008 Newsletter Issue

Click here to read VCCool's Earth Day newsletter - full of fantastic local events, plus other important climate care news.

Where Can I Get My Ventura Cloth Bag?

Our very cool re-usable cloth bags, made of 100% recycled soda bottles, made in the USA, and certified sweatshop-free, are in locally owned businesses across Ventura. Pick on up today, and just say "No Thank You." to "Paper or Plastic?"

Real Cheap Sports – sport clothing and gear
Weaver Wines – fine wine, gifts, and baskets, on California
Green Thumb – plants and Christmas trees, Victoria Avenue
K.B. Roberts – cards and gifts, in mid-town on Main
Sassy Sally’s – local Indi fashion, (next to Zoey’s on Main)
Ionia Design Studio and IDS Hosting – at Bell Arts Factory on Ventura Avenue
ArchiTexture Salon – on Ventura Avenue south of Main, downtown
Juice on Chestnut - hot drinks and fresh juice, downtown Ventura
Ventura Swimwear - in Ventura Harbor on Spinnaker

If you own your own business, and want to order the bags wholesale - just download this order form and drop us a note. We'll deliver a bundle or two to your door COD.

On the Ventura Cloth Bag flip side are the logos of our local business sponsors, without which, we would not have been able to purchase bags and go to print.

Ventura Cloth Bag Project Q&A

*Our definition of locally owned business:
Your heart is here.
You got your start here.
And you're a real part of the community.

(We figure within 100 mile radius is safe to call local, since many of our farmers fit that description.)

A Big thank you to our sponsors:

Lower Your Carbon Footprint with a
Free "Low Carbon Diet" workbook!

Thanks to Ventura City Manager Rick Cole, and city staff Jenise Wager, and Kelly Flanders, VCCool received 250 "Low Carbon Diet" workbooks to give away free, to interested "dieters." The catch? To get a a free workbook, you have to promise to go on the "diet" and then tell us how much carbon emissions your household or group lost.

These workbooks show you how to calculate the carbon emissions that your household gives off annually, and how to lower your "carbon footprint." This is about making a REAL difference. And the more people that join up, the cooler our community will be.

VCCool can help you get started! We can give you a workbook (while they last), show you how to calculate your carbon footprint (it's not hard!), and share how we did our diets.

Contact VCCool if you'd like to sign up. There is no fee; just bring your interest, and even a friend or two.

Visit our helpful "Low Carbon Diet" section

Bills in House and Senate, Cut Carbon 80% by 2050

Senate: Global Warming Pollution Reduction Act - S 309
House: Safe Climate Act - H.R. 1590

The United States House and Senate, are still holding two bills that support the scientific community's understanding of climate change crisis. They both seek to cut carbon emissions to 80% BELOW 1990 levels by 2050, nationally. These bills don't just stall till it's someone else's watch. They are effective immediately (after a two year review), with milestones every five years.

Support Both Global Warming Bills

Let's join many of the nations around the world in staving off climate change crisis! Please consider voicing your support for these powerful bills, on-line.

Sign-on to support both bills!

Webmistress