The Fruits of Change In This Issue WELCOME BAGT NEWS ELECTION NEWS & LINKS - Special for this month! BAGT RECOMMENDATIONS & COMMUNITY NEWS EC

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The Fruits of Change

In This Issue

WELCOME
BAGT NEWS
ELECTION NEWS & LINKS - Special for this month!
BAGT RECOMMENDATIONS & COMMUNITY NEWS
ECO FUN Harvest Word Search

WELCOME

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Marissa

As we enter a season of change, progressing from the past dry weeks to the onset of the rainy season, we analyze our electoral prospects and devote energy to the very real choices we have at this time of year. This election season we have the opportunity to create a future from the fruits of the present - a chance to make our voices heard on the local, state, and national levels - choosing leaders and policies that will shape our lives for years and generations to come. While this is true every time we vote, this year is a pivotal election on many fronts. Our vote is a way to support our values, whether we display them publicly, enticing our friends, family, and neighbors to our cause, or hold them privately but no less fervently.

In the fall of 2008 the nation was ripe for a new vision and the seeds of change were planted as Barack Obama brought his unlikely campaign to victory. I often wonder what his Presidency could have accomplished had he not taken office as our financial system teetered on the edge of collapse. His optimistic heartfelt hope for bipartisan cooperation has crumbled as the country has become more polarized. His healthcare plan (modeled after Romney’s legacy plan in Massachusetts) is now in danger of being overturned - by Romney!

Four years ago this autumn was a very significant season for me - I launched the first Bay Area Green Tour in conjunction with the S.F. Green Festival in November, 2008. I’ve learned a lot since then, just as our President has: including that not everyone could appreciate BAGT's vision and that I wouldn't always receive the cooperation I had hoped for. We've both gained experience during these past four years, enabling us to not just adapt to changing circumstances but also to seize new avenues for success as we go. This year my remarkable team and I have grown BAGT into a new model - no longer focused on open to the public tours - but preserving our educational tours for school groups and supplementing them with private made-to-order experiences and events. I am thrilled to share our recent adventure regarding the private birthday event our customer describes so enthusiastically below.

After four years, I do feel a special kinship with the President. Perhaps, with "four more years" we can both bring our dreams to greater fruition!

With gratitude,

Marissa

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BAGT NEWS

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Rare Public Tour Opportunity!

A collaboration with the USGBC
Bay Area Green Tours is dedicated to supporting the revitalization and transformation of Richmond through our tours. We are pleased to announce a special tour of Richmond November 17th that coincides with the GREENBUILD Conference in San Francisco November 14-16th. BAGT was selected by The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to produce this tour in partnership to expose the exciting efforts that are in place to renovate and revitalize the City of Richmond. Please find a brief description and directions explaining how to order tickets below. We hope to see you there!

FD09: Innovation & Transition: Revitalizing a City with Sun & Fun
Richmond is a former ship-building industrial Bay Area community that has suffered from rough times in the past 60 years. But in recent years, amazing renewal has brewed, with the opening of new parks, community centers, and businesses. This tour will visit inspirational buildings in this transitional city. Highlights will include the renovated Ford Assembly Plant (a 2011 AIA Honor Award Winning historic renovation project), a house made from shipping containers, a community aquatic center powered by solar thermal, and a CA Department of Public Health EBOM-certified office that has heroically pushed the green envelope for over 10 years.

Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012
Location: San Francisco
Cost: $90

www.greenbuildexpo.org/education/green-building-tours.aspx
You can find this tour listed under the Full Day Tours section; all tours begin and end in San Francisco.

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Private Group: Birthday Party Event

By A Satisfied BAGT Customer

On a gorgeous sunny day last month, Bay Area Green Tours produced a private event to celebrate a birthday. The clients were looking for a fun, relaxing day with friends, that was something special and different from the usual picnic or wine-tasting experience.

The morning of the event, the group loaded onto a bus in San Francisco and headed to a farm in Guerneville, located in Sonoma County. Jorge Saldana - owner of Sabor Mexicano: the farm, three restaurants, and a line of fresh salsas - greeted the participants and took them on a beautiful walk, during which he shared the farm's history, the efforts that go into practicing sustainable farming, and his love for what he termed "real food".

Jorge went on to explain that his restaurants are supplied with organic produce from his farm, even though it ends up being more expensive than if he were to buy it on the market because he wants his guests to experience delicious, healthful, real food. The group then harvested tomatoes, peppers, herbs and squash blossoms, and the owner/chef taught them authentic salsa-making, utilizing what was picked as ingredients for a scrumptious lunch. For the main course, participants helped make quesadillas with squash blossoms, while Jorge grilled chicken Mexican-style. Set in a scenic spot surrounded by a redwood forest, the guests had a fabulous time -- enjoying each other's company, delicious libations, and delectable, fresh, local food.

 

Next stop was a mushroom farm with a gorgeous view of expansive golden fields. Here the owner told his story of how he got into growing mushrooms, as well as the earth structures displayed throughout his property -- benches and chairs made of straw, cob, willow and recycled mushroom blocks. At the mushroom hut, he explained about the different varieties of mushrooms, their life-cycles and growing techniques. After learning the signs which indicate when they are fully-grown, it was time to pick! This was a first-time experience for every one in the group, and it was fascinating to see the different stages of growth. Participants also got to make their own oyster mushroom kits to grow at home.

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The review from the happy birthday boy: "My partner planned the whole event with Bay Area Green Tours for my birthday, so I wasn't involved in deciding where to go and what to do. My, what a surprise!!! Everyone had a really fun and memorable time -- even my friends who weren't especially interested in sustainability and agriculture and were skeptical about the idea of going to a farm. The food was fabulous and the setting idyllic. Not only did we enjoy a fun and unusual day, but we also learned a lot from the hands-on experience, the information provided by the upbeat and knowledgeable BAGT tour guide, and the conversations we had with the farmers as we harvested food we then shared. As a very much appreciated bonus, our son loves to eat tomatoes now, after tasting the flavorful ones on the farm. Thank you very much, Bay Area Green Tours! :) "

Interested in arranging your own private occasion or tour? Contact Bay Area Green Tours!

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Green Pioneers Tour of Hotel Shattuck Plaza & Green Citizen

By Angelique Chan, BAGT high school intern

Have you ever wanted to be a hero? Or to make a big change in the world? Have you considered the reasons for these longings, and how you can fulfill them? There’s no need to ponder any longer! Recently Bay Area Green Tours shone the light on this path of making a positive difference by taking me and other participants on a peregrination to two of Berkeley’s model sustainable businesses, located in the heart of downtown.

Our first stop was a true treat for the eyes: the beautiful Hotel Shattuck Plaza which is known for the steps it has taken towards environmental and economical sustainability. We gazed at the chic vision of the front lobby, jaws dropping as we admired the exotic, blood red chandelier. Whoa! Next we exchanged introductions with members of the venue’s staff and learned about how the hotel took an eco-friendly path in a variety of ways, including implementing a keycard energy system for each room. The speakers highlighted how the hotel's restaurant, FIVE, reuses wine bottles to store spices in order to reduce waste. They also buy organic ingredients from local farms because they like to serve fresh food while supporting the community.

Our next stop was mind blowing: Green Citizen, which is a business focused on the safe and environmentally correct disposal of electronics. There we became absorbed in a powerful video and discussion about how many of our old electronics are dissembled until only the valuable components remain. Then companies sell the other parts to brokers who, in turn, sell them to dealers. When irresponsible recycling businesses aren’t able to dump unprofitable remains into local landfills, they ship these highly toxic remnants to less developed nations. The people of these poverty-stricken nations are taken advantage of, as they are paid low wages and the work they are engaged in risks their health and homes. It was important for our group to learn that we need be more cautious about how we dispose of our old electronics, and that Green Citizen is an ideal place to do so!

Bay Area Green Tours led us on the path to enlightenment by showcasing both the eco-friendly business Green Citizen, and the economically sustainable, green Hotel Shattuck Plaza, Analyzing how such pioneering businesses have taken the leap and prioritized helping, even in a small way, the earth’s dire circumstances is a first step towards making a big positive difference in the world. By taking such leaps and steps to help the earth, I believe that we are transformed into heroes. I am grateful to BAGT for this experience and inspiration!

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Green Drive Expo, Richmond

With the gorgeous view of the bay from Richmond’s Craneway Pavilion as the backdrop, BAGT participated in this year’s Green Drive Expo, devoted to showcasing all kinds of hybrid, plug-in, solar-powered, and other "alternative" vehicles. Attendees could test drive the newest models made by Toyota, Chevrolet, CODA and Nissan, and had the opportunity to meet and ask questions of alt-vehicle enthusiasts who had brought their rebuilt, eco-friendly wheels to display. Chelsea Sexton, noted electric vehicle advocate, gave the keynote address, and representatives of CalSol, UC Berkeley’s solar vehicle team, were also in attendance, showing off their award-winning creations. BAGT enjoyed reconnecting at the event with our friends at Pacific Alternative Vehicles, as well as meeting a wide range of environmental enthusiasts and new BAGT fans! Special thanks to superstar intern Christine Lindell for helping staff our table at Green Drive Expo, and to producer Eric Powers for inviting us to be featured there.

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Pleasanton Green Scene Fair

BAGT staff journeyed to Pleasanton in September to participate in the 3rd Annual Pleasanton Green Scene Fair. It was a lovely mix of small, local businesses based in Pleasanton, and global enterprises with a stake in the Bay Area, with a total of over 100 exhibitors featuring sustainable goods and services. We connected there with new potential partners in the fields of solar energy, transportation and agriculture, and also enjoyed catching up with longtime friends including our wonderful supporter, Give Something Back Office Supplies. Despite it happening on a weekday, we were impressed with the amount of people who attended the event. It was also encouraging to see so many businesses and people in a residential neighborhood being focused on sustainability. We had a great time spending an afternoon in the sun, interacting with the lovely people of Pleasanton!

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Homemade Food Act - Victory!

This is an update to our call-to-action last month. Congratulations, fellow food activists, on this important victory!

From the official press release of the legislator responsible for the bill:
Sacramento, CA – Assemblyman Mike Gatto’s (D-Los Angeles) Assembly Bill (AB) 1616, the California Homemade Food Act, was signed into law on September 21st. The California Homemade Food Act legalizes the sale of homemade, “non-potentially hazardous” foods by creating a two-tier system of “cottage food operations”, based upon the point of sale. Having captured the imagination of food lovers in California and beyond, AB 1616 was among the most anticipated bills to be considered by the Governor this year.

The Assemblyman made a commitment to helping aspiring micro-entrepreneurs start their businesses by improving access to locally produced, artisan foods after his constituent, Mark Stambler, had his business shut down by the Los Angeles Department of Environmental Health for selling his homemade, brick-oven breads to a neighborhood cheese shop. “I am proud to have delivered this victory to my constituents and to aspiring business owners throughout the state who are looking for ways to develop their businesses and purchase healthier, more locally produced foods for their families.” Read more here

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ELECTION NEWS & LINKS

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The Basics

Please feel free to share this section, which we offer as a public service in support of an informed and active local electorate. Happy voting!

The last day to register to vote in California is Monday October 22, 2012. Are you registered to vote? What about your friends and family, neighbors and colleagues? (You must re-register every time you move.) Check this out for more on CA voter registration!

If you live in Berkeley, Oakland, San Leandro, or San Francisco and are confused about Ranked-Choice Voting (RCV), look up your county elections page – the same place to go if you need to find your polling place, or for specific ballot information if your county materials went missing. Since many of our readers are in Alameda County, here’s the link for that county's RCV page.

Don’t forget to vote: Tuesday November 6, 2012 polls are open 7am – 8pm. Or vote by mail. The last day to apply for a vote-by-mail ballot by mail is Tuesday October 30, 2012; after that date you will need to apply in person.

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Need Advice? Some Endorsement Lists We Like

by Rachel Fessenden

Sometimes you know exactly how you personally want to vote on a given race or policy measure, but other times it can be rather confusing. You might support an issue or candidate but be concerned about the need for strategic voting, avoiding unintended consequences, or flawed but well-intentioned measures. This can be especially true at the state or local level, where unless you are routinely involved in politics, it is difficult to even know who or what the local candidates and issues are, much less form an opinion about them. For those of us too busy to do the research ourselves, but who wish to be informed, slate cards and written analyses are particularly useful. Here are some variously progressive slates that I like; non-East Bay residents will please pardon the focus on BAGT's home base.

The San Francisco Bay Chapter of the Sierra Club
Alameda County Green Party
East Bay Express – full endorsements are not up yet but there are some to start with
The SF Bay Guardian – this link is for the top-of-ticket but has state & local pages too
The Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club – the quick slate is in a blue link in the middle of the page, and full explanations are in the red PDF link
League of Women Voters of California – a non-partisan site of a respected non-profit; home of the wonderful Smart Voter and Easy Voter guides, both described and linked from the main page

Most of us rarely agree with one group or platform 100%, so we end up seeking different takes anyway, and ultimately rely on our own judgment about who’s making the recommendations as well. If nothing else, you can now wow your conversation partners with your depth of electoral understanding! We encourage you to search out other slates that are relevant to you -- it’s fun to share and if you would like to email us your favorites, we will continue the election conversation on our social media pages.

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YES on Prop 37 - “Bitter Seeds” Film Screening Review

by Leah Dockstader
Astute readers will recall that we presented our brief article in support of Proposition 37 in last month's newsletter.

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Trailer - "Bitter Seeds"

Low whispers filled Richmond’s East Bay Center for the Performing Arts as the fim, “Bitter Seeds,” came to an end. Once the lights came up, participants turned to each other and those whispers became urgent discussions that reflected the importance of this forum. Urban Tilth, Green For All, Live Real, and a collection of wonderful community partners hosted this dynamic gathering, which sparked provocative discussion and deep emotion. BAGTers Marissa, Silke, and I attended, and were thrilled to have this opportunity to connect with activists and concerned people from all over the Bay Area. Besides the screening of "Bitter Seeds", the event featured live Classical Indian vocals by Gautam Tejas Ganeshan, delicious Indian cuisine, and a deep and stimulating conversation on the future of food sovereignty, social justice, and political progress.

 
 

“Bitter Seeds” follows Ram Krishna, a cotton farmer in India, to illustrate the stark injustices overtaking our world today: the utter devastation of farmers' livelihoods and the destruction of healthy food systems. Every 30 minutes, we learned, a farmer in India commits suicide. As author and activist Vandana Shiva suggests in the film, this trend is a product of the corporate colonization of seed markets, coupled with severe droughts and floods and broken social and economic safety nets. Farmers have been propelled into a spiral of deep debt and depression. How can it be that the people who sustain and nourish our world are so maltreated and disempowered? As the group discussed after the film, corporate agendas have dictated policy and torn apart the foundations of food as a basic human right.

Even against this backdrop of despair, speakers were able to provide inspiring anecdotes of progress. They shared stories of projects that facilitate conventional seed saving, civil protest, and political change. Eric Holt-Gimenez, Executive Director of Food First, discussed how Prop 37 marks a huge potential for voters to reclaim their food systems and disempower companies like Monsanto. We also heard about successful battles against Monsanto and emerging farmer networks that facilitate intra-regional communication.

My take: What I find especially disconcerting are the increases in the frequency and severity of weather patterns that further accentuate farmers’ lack of adaptive capacity and resilience. The clock is ticking and action must be taken immediately to save the future of our farmers and our food.

For more information, please visit:

www.biowatch.org.za
http://teddybearfilms.fatcow.com/films/bitter-seeds-film
www.carighttoknow.org
www.navdanya.org

 
 
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BAGT RECOMMENDATIONS & COMMUNITY NEWS

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Books, Films, Articles & Events

Upcoming Events in the Bay Area

Zero-waste Green Friday Potluck, Sierra Club SF Bay Chapter, 2530 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley, Fri 10/12 6-8:30pm, $2 suggested donation + food to share

School Farm Weekend Work Party, 555 Portola Dr. San Francisco, Sat 10/13 12-4pm, FREE

Come support our friends at the Ecology Center for a fantastic car-free community celebration - this weekend!
Sunday Streets Berkeley
, Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, Sun 10/14 11am-4pm, FREE

The Truth about GMOs, 55 Cyril Magnin Street, San Francisco, Sun 10/14 1-4pm, $5-10 donation requested

Harvest Festival, Alameda Point Collaborative: Main Street at Singelton Avenue, Alameda, Sat 10/20 11am-3pm, FREE

Green Business Network of Contra Costa, 2410 San Ramon Valley Blvd
San Ramon, Tues 10/23 5-7pm, FREE, Beverages and food available for purchase.

Seed Collection and Saving at Common Ground Garden, 559 College Avenue, Palo Alto, Weds 10/31, 2-4pm, $31

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Participatory Event - From the Field to the Table

This is a new exciting project that the Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies is embarking on, in collaboration with the acclaimed Urban Bush Women community engagement Leadership Institute. Through a five-week long residency, led by Paloma McGregor (UBW company member and LI facilitator), Amara Tabor-Smith (TDPS Dance Faculty Member and former UBW company member/Associate Director) and Lisa Wymore (TDPS Dance Faculty Member). Utilizing the Urban Bush Women's process of community engagement and art making, participants will focus on issues of food justice, access, and policy making.

Dates:
October 12th, 8pm
October 13th, 8pm
October 14th, 2pm

Location: Zellerbach Playhouse Stage
101 Zellerbach Hall # 4800, Berkeley, CA 94720

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Book: That Used to Be Us

Authors Thomas L. Friedman & Michael Mandelbaum
Cost: $11.20
Order here

America is in trouble. We face four major challenges on which our future depends, and we are failing to meet them. If we delay any longer, soon it will be too late for us to pass along the American dream to future generations.

In That Used to Be Us, Thomas L. Friedman, one of our most influential columnists, and Michael Mandelbaum, one of our leading foreign policy thinkers, offer both a wake-up call and a call to collective action. They analyze the four challenges we face—globalization, the revolution in information technology, the nation’s chronic deficits, and our pattern of excessive energy consumption—and spell out what we need to do now in order to sustain the American dream and preserve American power in the world. They explain how the end of the Cold War blinded the nation to the need to address these issues seriously, and how China’s educational successes, industrial might, and technological prowess remind us of the ways in which “that used to be us.” They go on to explore how the paralysis of our political system and the erosion of key American values have made it impossible for us to carry out the policies the country urgently needs implemented.

Yet Friedman and Mandelbaum believe that the recovery of American greatness is within reach. They show how America’s history, when properly understood, offers a five-part formula for prosperity that will enable us to cope successfully with the challenges we face. They offer vivid profiles of individuals who have not lost sight of the American penchant for bold thought and dramatic action. They propose a clear way out of the trap into which the country has fallen, a way that includes the rediscovery of some of our most vital traditions and the creation of a new third party movement to galvanize the country.

That Used to Be Us is both a searching exploration of the American condition today and a rousing manifesto for American renewal.

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Video: WASTE: The Nuclear Nightmare

Looking at the cases of France, Germany, the United States and Russia, this scientific and political report explores the taboo subject of nuclear power, particularly its darkest aspects.

As the world wakes up to the dangers of the global warming, industrialists and some politicians are presenting nuclear power as the energy of the future – squeaky-clean, fully under control, and perfectly safe for human health and the environment. Sometimes, it is even described as sustainable!

But is nuclear power really as clean as they make it out to be? Proposals to relaunch nuclear power, after most European countries have opted to abandon it, have rekindled the debate between its supporters and opponents.

At the heart of the matter is everyone’s fear of radioactive waste. But what do we really know about nuclear waste? How can people have a clear vision of something that has always been shrouded in secrecy?

In seeking "the truth about waste", this film aims to provide the keys to understanding the powerful current choices which weigh heavily on the future of humanity.

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ECO FUN!

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Harvest Word Search

The following fruits and vegetables are in season for the October harvest. See if
you can find them all in the grid below!

Apple - - Beet - - Broccoli - - Cabbage - - Cauliflower - - Cranberry - - Fig - - Grape - - Lettuce - - Orange - - Pear - - Pepper - - Pumpkin - - Shallot - -Sweet Potato - - Turnip

Sources: About.com: “What’s In Season?—October Foods,” Discovery Education
Puzzlemaker

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PLEASE GIVE US YOUR INPUT ON THE BAGT NEWSLETTER!

Have you ever seen a newsletter that invites your participation? Please let us know what kind of topics you would like to see in our upcoming newsletters and we will incorporate popular requests!

Would you like to see more photos, news, fun diversions, event listings or recipes, or do you have questions on plant care or greening your own life which you would like our advice on?

ALSO NEW: we've made our newsletter table of contents clickable, so now you can go right to your favorite sections - some of which are new this month - enjoy!

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Thank you to our Supporters!

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