March 25th 7:00pm, Second Meeting

Suggested Agenda:

7:00 - 7:30: Socialize

7:30 - 8:00: Simple Changes Group
- Discuss any interesting new Simple Change Ideas.
- Discuss any Sustainability Research Issues.
- Discuss March results
- Select May change

8:00 - 9:00: Discuss Political Issues, Outreach, Visioning/New Ideas/Inspirations

Minutes:

Simple Changes Group:

Steve:

March Results:
- Evolve Shower head not compatible with hand-held shower head. Will order Evolve Shower head without head, so can attach hand head.

April Goals:
- Fix water leak in bathtup

Brenden:

April Goals:
- Use an Activity tracker, to encourage less driving, start biking more

Mark and JP

March Results:

- Set up a PV system for our Tool Shed, was done successfully.
- Set up a demo for Solar Hot water, was done successfully.
- Purchased locally produced chicken and beef(grass fed) from near Pittsburgh.

April Goal:

- Continue setting up solar hot water system
- Research ways around complications with putting hot water into tankless systems, they tend to overheat. May need tempering valves, difficulty working through tankless system, use a storage tank, run through tankless.
- Research more on locally produced Chicken/Beef, see about getting a bulk rate.

Lisa insulated walls, got a big rebate.

Karen and Ed:

March Results:

- Continue switch over to organic foods where ever possible.
- Ordered electric kettle.

April Goal:

- Use Kill-A-Watt meter to measure energy consumption between clean and not clean fridge.

Lisa:

April Goal:
- Lisa checked out Kill-A-Watt Meter

New Ideas

REC Solar - Renters PV system
Steve suggested Trader Joes Toilet Paper - 100% Recycled, 80% Post Consumer
Lisa Research Hemp Paper
Home Composting - Worm Composter, Homemade Composter

Start new category - Good Eats

Flea street cafe - Menlo Park all locally grown produce

Political Issues:

Sources of Positive News:
- Yes Magazine
- Christian Science Magazine
- Positive News, A newspaper with positive news from all around the world

Climate Control Bill - Call Senators to encourage, Research more about the Bill
Carbon Tax needed.

General Discussion Notes:

Focus on other topics besides Global Warming, such as deforestation combined with Ocean Acidification.
Why are there are so many extremist groups at present? - Fear of change, People under stress leading to extremist actions such as militia groups