Training for Transition Mini-Open Space Event

1. Training for Transition Mini-Open Space Event

2. Open Space: All Topics generated • How to support local farmers to prevent developers from inflating another housing bubble? • Transportation in a rural community in the face of fuel scarcity • If Transition involves infrastructure collapse is it even possible to consider a viable population in Morongo Basin without access to outside water? • Connecting in an emergency. We are all so spread out, some of us way back on dirt roads, some of us alone. Who checks to see if we are okay? • Knowledge base, practical skills, sharing and training • How to create a re-skilled employment base. • Federally prescribed fluoride in the water • Why? The meaning in our lives • Who decides what the future of Joshua Tree looks like? • The unfortunate conversion of the earth’s biomass and biodiversity into a human over-population that has exceeded carrying capacity. • In transition of towns, changing the educational system. The present system doesn’t align. • How do we repair our culture of disconnect? • Off-grid: no transmission lines, no city sanitation • Community food gardens, sharing, swapping in rural areas

3. Open Space Selected Topics • Connections/Diversity • Resource Sharing • Security • Growing & Sharing Food in Rural Communities • Traffic Lights • Engaging with Government (Fluoride) • Water • Rural Local Transportation • Zero Waste

4. Rural Local Transportation • Being spread out-inconvenient without a car • Must accept less convenience • Resource map for rideshare • Urge cooperation • Artery Coordination: focus on routes and start a small carpool or bike club • Transportation schedule: Monday-Post Office, Tuesday-Farmer’s Market, Wednesday-Bank. • Internet coordination • Move closer • Bike lanes. Where are they? • Slow down on Highway 62. • Clean quads-greasy 4-wheelers • Electric dirtbikes

5. Zero Waste • be aware of product packaging • greywater systems • human waste to compost • reduce, re-use, recycle • fix appliances, don’t replace • buy 100% recyclable products if possible • easy ways to recycle of any hazardous materials (batteries, etc.) • landfill methane powers incinerator. Its emissions get passed thru blue-green algae & creates fuel to run trash trucks • create a plan (step1, step 2, step 3) • identify easy & hard things • educate community • incentives for people? • zero waste awareness events • incentivize zero waste businesses

6. Connections/diversity Common denominator-to bring communities together Different ethnicities into Transition Local communities Gathering Spot (abandoned house) Cross Cultural Commonalities: • Nature • Food • Music • Dance • Art • Sharing Cultural Skills • Cooking • Self care (herbal) • Neutral Meeting Center • Open invitation • Get to know your community • How we can relate and help each other • start small-organic evolution

7. Growing & Sharing Food in Rural Setting (1 OF 2) • Neighborhood groups for food exchange • exchange, not purchase • anyone that contributes can take items • land/garden sharing/cooperative gardening • caring for gardens/garden support for absent neighbors • pairing young people with elders that have land they cannot work themselves • neighborhood block parties; potlucks • revolving parties • garden party and tours • garden book exchange/dvds • garden supply swap • swap across micro climates • fairs, cook-offs, canning preserving • regional seed production for seed library • mapping community produce • permaculture! applying showing sharing • garden planting parties • composting • small livestock; growing feed; ancient grains; community grain exchange & mill • seed and starts swapping

8. Growing & Sharing Food in Rural Setting (2 of 2) Seed Library • access to variety-free seeds • participation • possible locations (book library) • requirements: cabinet, cataloguing of seeds, envelopes, date, agreement of taking 7 donating seeds, basic rules for collection/propagation (seed collection) • classes & talks value of heirlooms etc. &101 collection • encourage & develop local seeds & acclimated to this area • recipe exchange/potluck dishes came from library • picture of plant on packet • invite schools to learn about seeds-starting propagation, collecting, preserving-have them plan on site

9. Security • Discussion of securing our selves, property and community in the face of emergency scenarios. • 11 people attended • 1. What is the most ethical way of approaching this issue? • 2. Broad consensus that we needed more discussion/scenario planning • 3. Strategies for organizing within our immediate area. • 4. Moral dilemma: you’re prepared; your neighbor isn’t. • 5. Communications are essential (ham radio operators? CBs?) We need a system for passing information along. • 6. Develop surpluses, stockpiles. • 7. Information sharing: military/fire dept/water/police

10. Traffic Lights • Are we blind? • Switching systems such as Siemens owned by oil companies • Cost to install one pole with two heads and switching controls: 200k x 4 = 800k. • Average maintenance costs, electricity, bulbs, switches, labor = 56 to 85k per year • Cars starting and stopping = • poor fuel economy • CO2 output wears out tires, brakes and your auto faster • Feeling of wasting time (everyone loves that!) • Poor traffic flow (freeways would be less busy if street traffic moved.) • Safety from green zone traffic systems using timed lights, lower speed limits but you keep moving • Less road rage It’s all in the timing!

11. Water – 1 of 6 Issues: • Is our watershed sustainable? • Infrastructure collapse – no fuel to pump city water • Where are wells and springs? • Water quality - nitrate problem • Will rain harvesting work here? Cost return? • Need highly functional water board. • How to reach general public? • Priorities • Water emergency drums – 55 gallons or larger • Personal filter • Water saving devices installed • Pee on your trees! • “Run” for JBWD (Transition Member)

12. Water -- 2 of 6 • Issues we discussed: • How to protect continual water source • Is life here possible if the infrastructure was to collapse or compromised in any way? • The local aquifer: they’re about to start recharging it: what will future water quality be? • A water management plan? •  We discussed that the water issue (running out/having trouble getting clean water if major catastrophe) is not only a desert issue – an entire Southwest issue. Especially with climate change, water quality is going to also be in question. • Jill: • each community would be responsible for their own watershed through permaculture methods • don’t rely on neighbors’ water source(s) • JT water source/table is decreasing by 1foot a year • JT septics – nitrates in about 10 yrs will hit our water table; nitrates are from urine going into the septic systems (USGS Survey)

13. Water – 3 of 6 •  How about outreach and educating the local public and schools about proper water use? • Low use shower heads • Perhaps integrate it into their math class – for the kids to figure out how much water their households uses daily • Teaching the kids is a great way to reach the parents, grandparents, etc •  What we can do as individuals to help with nitrates? Collect urine and pour onto trees, plants • Smart public campaigns – is “urinate on your trees, not in your toilet” something that we could really promote? Are there city codes against this (public health)? • Grey Water – Brown (CA) just signed into legislature for grey water systems in Riverside • we should find out regulations for our area • Resource: Art Ludwig – grey water. Company called Oasis • Talks about leaching greywater to soil rather than directly to plants • Discussed the different between biodegradable & biocompatible soaps • - biocompatible soaps have less salts and is much better for plants

14. Water -- 4 of 6 •  Water Board: there are 5 directors on the current Water Board for this district -> as a group they are highly dysfunctional and not at all effective or efficient • Elections are coming up – we should get a member of Transitions on the new Board!! • Do we want to become incorporated (JT)? • Some people have wells -> which are expensive; whereas some others have catchment tanks • Everyone should have a 55 gallon drum for their own personal water source in preparation for major disasters •  Can we map out the town’s wells? Don’t think who has wells on their property can be public knowledge. So what about mapping out those of the Transitions Team that have wells? • Wells run on electricity. And generators run on oil. How could we power any wells if electricity was to run out/not be available? •   There are solar-powered pumps that we could acquire – to have on hand when we need to pump from wells

15. Water – 5 of 6 • For rainwater collected off roofs: you want to filter this water right away before it goes into a catchment tank (because of tar, shingle, other residue) • We as a group need to determine what our priorities should be – what we can do RIGHT NOW • 1 – vote someone to Water Board • 2 – write grant to get solar pump for JT • First priority – and easiest – is for everyone to get a 55 gallon drum for water storage •  Just got a 420 gallon tank from an Australian company for about $200 – highest grade tank • Overall – we DON’T know if we could survive here in the desert/SW if infrastructure were to fail • BUT work on preparing, building our resource base and knowledge • Research! • Experience • Greenhouses

16. Water – 6 of 6 Action Points • Solar powered pumping to back-up city water • Maps to available wells and springs • Educate people on proper septic and waste recycling (fertilzer) • Research/Permaculture • Transition person on Board • Outreach • Priorities • Water emergency drums – 55 gallons or larger • Personal filter

17. Resource sharing system/skills database • Data Base of Skills • Connection • Sharing • Green Pages • Local Professionals • Training • Skill Set • Local • Apprenticeships • Resource sharing system • Knowledge base • How to re-skill employment base • Skills sharing & training • Function • Connecting need; supply & demand • Compensation Issues/Questions • Barer ? • Joshua Tree $ • Morongo Basin $ • Point system • Time bankruptcy

18. How to progressively engage government (Fluoride in Water) • How to Engage progressively – Government (Fluoride in Water) • Finding points of connection- good and bad results • Dr. Mercola – medical issues • Trust – reports • Favors – easy permits • Sweet water – system analysis for filters • Networking with neighbors connected to Gov • Chamber of Commerce relationships •  Other notes: •  Protection • From Annexation • Aquifers •  Benefit / Determent of Municipality v. Unincorp ? rated

19. Rural Local Transportation • Being spread out-inconvenient without a car • Must accept less convenience • Resource map for rideshare • Urge cooperation • Artery Coordination: focus on routes and start a small carpool or bike club • Transportation schedule: Monday-Post Office, Tuesday-Farmer’s Market, Wednesday-Bank. • Internet coordination • Move closer • Bike lanes. Where are they? • Slow down on Highway 62. • Clean quads-greasy 4-wheelers • Electric dirt bikes

20. Zero Waste • be aware of product packaging • greywater systems • human waste to compost • reduce, re-use, recycle • fix appliances, don’t replace • buy 100% recyclable products if possible • easy ways to recycle of any hazardous materials (batteries, etc.) • landfill methane powers incinerator. Its emissions get passed thru blue-green algae & creates fuel to run trash trucks • create a plan (step1, step 2, step 3) • identify easy & hard things • educate community • incentives for people? • zero waste awareness events • incentivize zero waste businesses