Was the disaster on Easter Island a microcosm of the problems we face today?
"When humans arrived there (Easter Island), probably in the 5th century AD, they found a fairly well endowed, fruitful, forested island home and did what people have always done on encountering a new ecological opportunity – consumed hungrily and bred. By 1550 the population had risen to about 7000 (some estimates put this as high as 30,000, but that is unlikely). But this rate of exploitation, even over a millennium, was unsustainable, and in the 16th century the Rapa Nuians found themselves facing a crisis which was partly economic (declining food resource and productivity); partly cultural (they had no institutional means of slowing growth); but fundamentally ecological (they had exceeded the long-term productive capacity of their island environment)."

Read the whole article

Read more about our grandkids' future

 There are good reasons why interest in commercial carbon management is on the rise.
Carbon management gives businesses a fresh perspective for understanding and tackling energy costs.
Despite five years of stagnant economic growth and with international climate change negotiations in disarray, interest in corporate carbon management continues to grow. The reason? Done properly, it simply makes business sense. Here are five ways corporate executives benefit from commercial carbon management.
Here are five.

Open to the Public!
General Meeting of the Redlands Sustainability Network
Join us for a presentation and conversation about sustainable living in Redlands!
Date: Thursday May 30, 2013
Time: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Location: Redlands United Church of Christ 168 Bellevue, Redlands, Ca 92373
Title: "Two's Company—Seven Billion's a Crowd"
Guest Speaker: Marilyn Hempel Marilyn is a native Southern Californian and the editor of the Pop!ulation Press, a national magazine that focuses on people and the planet.
There will be opportunities to sign up for Action Teams.
Refreshments will be served.
For more information, contact the Redlands Sustainability Network
sustainableredlands@gmail.com
Flyer

Heads up on an upcoming 2-hour program by the founder of O2Compost, Peter Moon, a licensed engineer in WA who is coming to Redlands to introduce his approach to aerated composting for horse manure and food waste management. We have a demo of this system at my house in Live Oak Canyon.  We invite horse ranch owners from the Emerald Necklace and beyond, also anyone who wants to reduce the expense of food waste disposal.
Joslyn Center from 5-7 pm Friday, June 7
More information at 02Comppost
Contact Sally Ann Maas about the local meeting

Mark has been a long time bike commuter and is passionate about active transportation as a way to revive blighted areas.  The study of one street in Memphis, TN is absolutely amazing.  His net flow of population maps really show the bankrupt nature of autocentric planning.  He is the guy behind the transformation of Times Square and has the data to back it up.  If you all have 57 minutes to invest in watching this presentation you will be inspired and equipped with actionable intelligence from the sort of transformation which is reviving (literally) American Cities.


Presentation: Mark Gordon Rethinking the Automobile

I've been appalled to see letters to the editor recently complaining about the City's new bike lanes.  What?  Get a life!  

I don't even ride a bike and I think they are great, as do my fellow Steering Committee members of the Redlands Sustainability Network.  The green lanes especially contribute to making our streets safer for bicyclers, tend to slow traffic, and in general heighten driver awareness about being considerate to all street users.  

Importantly, they also make a statement about our community's commitment to sustainability, meaning support for alternative transportation, thus reducing greenhouse gases modestly and aiding healtful life styles.  It is becoming more clear that we have designed our cities primarily for the almighty automobile, making walking and biking less convenient, thus contributing to more smog, more carbon, more obesity, less human contact with neighbors, and less naturally occurring exercise.  Bedroom suburbs are isolating, making driving even more dominant.  All of this means increased need for medical services and ultimately shorter life spans.  

Bike lanes obviously don't change all that, but they are a peddle in the right direction!  

So here's to more bike lanes, more trails and open spaces, more places to congregate near where we live (like Olive Ave Market) that help us get to know our fellow Redlanders, and require less reliance on cars.  Communities that encourage healthful outdoor activity, that create greenways and trails and bike facilities, that have farmers markets and vegetable gardens, are quite simply better, more attractive places to live.

And not to be overlooked, such communities attract good companies with employees that prefer such amenities (like ESRI), and this in turn contributes to a strong local economy and visitors who make Redlands a destination.  I think with the influence of the Conservancy, the bicycle classic, the Bowl, the Redlands Forum, more parks and outdoor sport fields, and so many other community events and facilities, Redlands is establishing itself as truly a great place to live.  

Bike lanes are just one more significant part of the congenial mix, the quality of life so many of us value here.  I say bravo to our City!   And don't stop there--let's have bike lanes throughout the City.

Roger Bell

It is a sign of our rapidly changing world that we can get daily updates on the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere via Twitter. @Keeling_Curve is the Twitter account of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and tweets daily readings from the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii, which has been measuring how much carbon dioxide is in the air since 1958. In what is a symbolically significant milestone, on May 9th NOAA reported CO2 levels of 400.03 parts per million (ppm), which is a level unseen for three million years.
Read the entire article:  CO2 levels

Join our webinar on Monday, May 20, 3:30pm EST to learn more about business opportunities in the federal government’s implementation of energy savings projects and performance-based contracting for energy savings.
 
Federal Energy Management Program & General Services Administration Webinar
Monday, May 20, 2013
3:30pm EST
To register for this webinar, please forward your name, company name, and email address to the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at: smallbusiness@hq.doe.gov
 
President Obama has mandated that the federal government shall enter into a minimum of $2 billion in performance-based contracts in federal building efficiency – by December 31, 2013. In order to meet this deadline, set by a Presidential Memorandum in December 2011, agencies have been asked to evaluate their facilities, identify potential savings, and appropriately leverage both private and public sector funding to invest in comprehensive projects.
 
This webinar will train agencies and small businesses on how to establish partnerships with their local utilities to help meet this challenge. The webinar is an overview for:
stakeholders interested in subcontracting with the 16 Super Energy Savings Company (ESCOs), and
stakeholders seeking the necessary steps to take to become DOE-ESCO Qualified and get on GSA Schedule 84, SIN 246-53.
Mark your calendar for this webinar today, and register by emailing smallbusiness@hq.doe.gov. You will receive instructions on how to join the webinar and audio for this training. Participants are encouraged to visit the FEMP website beforehand at http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/financing/espc_enable_esco.html
 
The Energy Department wants to engage small businesses in this work, and this webinar can provide additional information to small businesses looking to get engaged in subcontracting with ESCOs.

Reminder the next Core Group meeting is scheduled for Monday May 13th at 300 E. State Street, Redlands, California, 92373 in the 6th floor conference room at 6:00 pm.

FIRST – Our last “Trails at Ten” event for the spring is Saturday, May 11.  We’ll hike on Creekside Trail.  Come down Alessandro Road and turn left on Creekside before you cross the creek.  Go to the end of the road.  Get your hiking shoes ready!  Call 909-389-7810 to register.  Lunch for the first 50 to sign up!
SECOND – Hanger 24 Charities needs a few volunteers to work the Airfest on May 18.  H24 has selected the Redlands Conservancy’s “orange grove preservation” as one of their projects.  Help US help THEM, and we ALL win!  There are three shifts available, and a variety of tasks.  Volunteers receive free admission to the Airfest, food, a T-shirt, shuttle ride to the airport, and a volunteer appreciation party.  Call 909-389-7810 or email sleonard32@verizon.net to volunteer.
THIRD – Redlands Historic Preservation Fortnight is upon us!  Celebrate Redlands’ Sense of Place with a variety of events.  Presented by the Redlands Conservancy and the Redlands Area Historical Society.
·        May 16, Thursday, 5:30pm - Redlands: A Richer Place - Film, "The Greenest Building," and discussion about the values derived from old buildings - Redlands Forum at Esri - Free
·        May 20, Monday, 6pm - Reception for Club 125 - Celebrating the 125-year-old structures in Redlands - at the 125-year-old home built by Redlands' founder, JE Judson - Free
·        May 25, Saturday, 11:30am - 2pm - Guided walking tour of historic downtown Redlands, led by Michelle Nielsen and Shan McNaughton - destination, Rok N Fondue Bar and Restaurant - Meet at SRI, 21 W Stuart St - $10/tourist.
 More events being planned - call (909) 389-7810.
FOURTH – We are pleased to announce the GRAND OPENING of Redlands’ newest food center!  The COOKING BLOCK, 721 Nevada Street, Suite 407 will celebrate on Saturday, June 1, from 2:30 to 11:30 pm.  John Shrader, owner, will donate 20% of the ticket price to the Redlands Conservancy, so come play, eat, learn, and enjoy doing good for the Conservancy!  Go to http://bookeo.com/cookingblock and click Grand Opening Event to reserve your space.  While you are there, check out the other cooking classes offered.  In addition to the Grand Opening Event, Cooking Block will donate 10% of all regular cooking classes when you use Promotion Code “REDCONS” at time of booking!  Like them on Facebook to get news about new classes.
Saturday, June 1 – 2:30 to 11:30 pm at the Cooking Block!
 Live Music, Auctions
Live Cooking Demonstrations
-- and Great Food!
Seafood, Meat and Vegetarian Paellas
Atlantic Salmon with clam-based, piquillo pepper-vermouth-cream sauce
Fabulous Appetizers
Escalivada custards  --  Brandy Lamb Meatballs  --  Marinated Mushrooms -- Shrimp in Aoili Verde 
Assorted Banderillas --  Spanish Olive Bar Manchego/Membrillo  --  Spiced Almonds -- Spinach Salad
Beverages
Craft Beers and Spanish Wines -- Cava
Barista Coffee Station, Water
Liquid Nitrogen Bar
Dessert is by Sugarbird Desserts – a Key Lime Tartlet
Admission:  $49.00 per person, includes food and three drink tickets
And 20% goes to the Redlands Conservancy!
Book IT NOW