Next tuesday, the Grass Valley City Council will be discussing changing their domestic animal ordinance to allow urban chickens.  Please come to the meeting to express your support or concerns about such ordinance.  The meeting starts at 7pm at Grass Valley City Hall.  Tuesday the 10th of August.

FYI: The APPLE Center hosted a meeting with several GV, NC and County policy makers about this issue in early July.  We came up with these 8 guidelines:

1.  Adapt domestic animal ordinance to include backyard chickens.

2. Limit number of chickens based on number of inhabitants on the property to 2 per person or a total max of 10.

3. Exclude processing of broiler hens in city limits or in R1 zoned properties in the county. And provide resources for public processing in guidelines such as the mobile processor.

4. Eggs and chickens to be used for domestic use only (no commercial use)

5. Chicken manure must be disposed of properly (composted on site or at a central compost facility).

6. Neighbor complaints to be handled via mediation

7. Chickens must be kept in a structure or pen

8. Exclude roosters in city limits or on residentially zoned county properties.

Hope to see you there, if you have questions, contact the APPLE Center.

Can you believe it’s almost August?

Next week, the APPLE Center will be busy , join us at one or all of these great events, remember we’re on our Health theme though the end of August.

Wednesday Aug 4th 7-8:30 Movie Night: Sicko, at the APPLE Center.

Thursday Aug 5th 6-9pm Grass Valley Thursday Night Market, we’ll be there with a booth - stop by and say Hello.

Friday August 6th 6-7:30pm Mind-Body Medicine: what is the impact of STRESS? panel discussion and Q&A with local health experts. At Sierra Mountain Coffee Roasters, 671 Maltman Dr, Grass Valley.

Saturday 5-6:30pm Something Changed Everything, speaker and author Peter McGugan presents his new book and the new consciousness that’s shaping our new sustainable world.  Peter’s visiting from Canada, so don’t miss this one!  Sierra Mountain Coffee Roasters, 617 Maltman Drive, Grass Valley.

Whew - that’s a packed week!  For more information, email info@APPLECenter.org or call 530-478-1700.

SeThInk Media and A.P.P.L.E. Center for Sustainable Living present the
Seeds of Sustainability Education Series Volume I -
The Marche Sprouting Method & Living Oils July Workshops!

LEARN THE REVOLUTIONARY NO RINSE SPROUTING METHOD THAT WILL ALLOW YOU TO SPROUT HIGH VOLUME DELICIOUS AND NUTRITIOUS VEGETABLES IN A FEW DAYS & THE SECRET OF LIVING OILS! Due to many local requests SeThInk Media, in partnership with A.P.P.L.E. Center for Sustainable living and Sons Development & Green Building Supplies, will be offering each Saturday of July special 2 hour workshops that will teach you:

* How to sprout large or small volume vegetables using a revolutionary ╲NO RINSE╡ sprouting method (no gadgets either)
* How to make amazing ╢Living Oilsâ•˙ from nuts and seeds

There will be fresh food & oil samples and each participant will leave with their own copy of the Seeds of Sustainability Marche Sprouting Method DVD which retails online for $47.00! For just a few dollars over the cost of the DVD online, you can come and connect with fellow sprouting enthusiasts, as well as getting all of your immediate questions answered. You will also get a chance to see the Piteba oil press in action, and finish up the workshop by enjoying delicious samples of sprouted and living foods you can easily make using these simple methods.

*WORKSHOP OFFERED EVERY SATURDAY IN JULY*
JULY 3RD-10TH-17TH-24TH-31ST
2pm to 4pm

Location:
Sons Development & Green Building Supplies
(Alternative Building Center)
563 Idaho Maryland Road â•” Grass Valley

Special Local Price: $55.00

Very limited seating so sign up online now at:

http://www.seedsofsustainability.org/nclocalworkshop.htm

Or Reserve/purchase tickets at:

A.P.P.L.E Center for
Sustainable Living
412 Commercial Street,
Nevada City
Or
Sons Development &
Green Building Supplies
Alternative Building Center
563 Idaho Maryland Road
Grass Valley
Or call 530-470-0339 for more information

www.seedsofsustainability.org/nclocalworkshop.htm

Check out the two events APPLE’s hosting next week:
Monday night at the Unitarian Church in Grass Valley join us for a community forum, Breaking our oil addiction, the gulf crisis and peak oil. starting at 7pm.  See our calendar of events for more info.

Tuesday night at the APPLE Center, join us for a presentation titled Making power from water, old and new technology.  Once again, the talent and brainpower of this community is amazing.  7-8:30pm.

Just a week left to see the Green Building exhibit at the APPLE Center.  We’re open Wed-Sun 11-5. Drop on by!

Join us at the Stonehouse Hospitality Academy on Thursday, May 27th for the Land Use and Sustainability Summit hosted by the Sierra Nevada Alliance and APPLE.  The conference starts at 9am and ends 4:30pm.  Registration is $20 and includes lunch and snacks.  Pre-register at www.SierraNevadaAlliance.org/landsummit

FREE storm window demo with Kenn Carpenter of Castle Window Covers on Friday, May 14th, 1:30-2:30 pm at the APPLE Center, 412 Commercial St, Downtown Nevada City.

Today marks the beginning of the new exhibit at the APPLE Center on building science - 21st Century Home Improvement, Today’s building science applied to yesterday’s homes. The exhibit features information and displays on energy efficiency improvements such as insulation, lighting, and heating and cooling equipment.

Homeowners, contractors and architects alike will benefit from viewing this informative and at times, surprising exhibit. Like the Myth’s and Fact’s display - who knew that ceiling fan motors emit enough heat to counter the cooling effects of the fan!

The exhibit is open to the public for viewing Wednesday - Sunday 11am-5pm. Several special events related to the exhibit are scheduled during the months of May and June. See the Calendar of Events at APPLECenter.org for more information.

The exhibit is sponsored by Citizens Bank of Northern California.

Thursday April 1st, the APPLE Center presents, Soil Ecology with Ian Davidson. Join us for this informative mulitmedia presentation by a leading soil and compost expert.  Suggested $5 donation to the APPLE Center.

Tomorrow, 7-9pm - at the APPLE Center, 412 Commercial Street, Nevada City!

This presentation is part of our Just Grow It! theme at the APPLE Center for March and April - come see the exhibit, including a edible garden, bee box, soil samples and a chicken coop!  The exhibit is open to the public Wed - Sun 11-5 through May 2nd.

For more info check out our calendar of events at APPLECenter.org! or call 530-478-1700.

This wednesday, March 3rd, 7-9pm come to the APPLE Center for the new exhibit opening reception.  Browse the exhibit from 7-7:30, then a presentation by Tania Carlone, home gardener and garden coordinator for the Hennesy School Garden, will start at 7:30 with Q&A and additional information on the APPLE Center’s food security project to follow.

This is a free event!  Hope to see you here!  Refreshments provided.

the 6 pieces of every garden puzzle

WHAT: The APPLE Center for Sustainable Living presents What is Water Sustainability?—A panel presentation examining our water crisis and what we can do to move toward a more sustainable water future

DATE AND LOCATION: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at Nevada City, City Hall Council Chambers

ADMISSION: Suggested donation $5.00

INFORMATION: 530-478-1700 or via email: Info@APPLECenter.org

The APPLE Center for Sustainable Living announces an important community education program on February 9^th from 7-9 PM at City Hall in Nevada City examining the question, What is Water Sustainability?

The APPLE Center has assembled a panel of five local and regional water experts who will tackle the complex terrain of California water policy and management. While addressing the spectrum of statewide water issues of water quality and supply, agriculture, energy production and ecosystem collapse, the panelists will bring it home by exploring some possible solutions to this water crisis that may reside within the Yuba and Bear River watersheds of Western Nevada County. Ample time will be granted for audience Q&A.

Participating panelists include: Stephen Baker, hydrogeologist and groundwater expert; Carrie Monohan, hydrologist and science director with The Sierra Fund; Jason Rainey, executive director with The South Yuba River Citizens League (SYRCL); Steve Rothert, director of the California regional office for American Rivers; and Nick Wilcox, NID, Division V board member and former Chief of the Bay-Delta unit with the State Water Resources Control Board.  The panel will be moderated by Elizabeth Soderstrom, Senior Director of Conservation for American Rivers.

“There aren’t too many issues more complex and contentious than California’s water policy and management.  Solutions won’t come easily, but they do require making hard choices that break away from the failure of the status quo,” says Jason Rainey, executive director of the South Yuba River Citizens League.

Through February, an exhibit at The APPLE Center explores possible solutions to this water crisis and asserts that perhaps the most important way to achieve statewide “water sustainability,” is to work from the center, outward.  By working on the individual, home, municipal and watershed scales, we can demonstrate and implement the most effective water solutions, such as conservation, reclamation, and integrated water management practices. To learn more, attend the water panel on February 9th and visit the APPLE Center.