• Paper is so 20th century… How about sending your loved ones e-cards that will appear in their inbox on Valentine’s day?  JibJab has a great selection of everything from sweet to hilarious, and features video cards that you can insert your own face in!  Use Facebook to become a member so you can easily share and pick photos directly from your albums.
• Forget the bouquet!  Get your honey a potted plant instead – not only does it feel like spring in the middle of winter, it also lasts way longer than cut flowers (as long as one of you remembers to water it…)  Plan on gardening when it warms up?  Find a tote and fill it up with gardening gloves, tools and lots of seeds for a springtime date in the dirt!
• Did we say forget the bouquet?  If your sweetheart loves flowers, make them and the planet happy by purchasing Fair Trade and Organic arrangements – check out One World Flowers and Organic Bouquet for many beautiful, eco-friendly styles.  If you’re feeling creative try to  make a paper bouquet!  Get some plain or colored paper, markers, glue and a pair of scissors to create your own paper flowers that will last a lifetime.
  

  Photo by flickr user &ersand - used under a Creative Commons license.

• For the chocolate lover… Did you know that Fair Trade Certification is not only good for people but the planet, too?  Fair Trade chocolate must meet both ethical and ecological standards of sustainability before receiving certification.  Check out The Earth Natural Foods (309 S. Flood) and Native Roots Market (132 W. Main) for a great selection of Fair Trade and Organic chocolates…
• Looking for ethically sourced goods, or Oklahoma-made gifts?  Downtown Norman is full of locally owned businesses selling just that, including STASH (412 E. Main), MerryBelle’s Gifts (230 E. Main) and local  jewelry by Lindsey Martin at Elusive (209 W. Main).  Don’t forget Campus Corner, where you can find an array of sustainable gifts and flowers at Birdie (566 Buchanan St.)

We will be discussing our current projects, which include working with Norman Music Fest on their green intiatives and recycling, as well as helping form a volunteer recycling program at a local music venue, with the intention of showcasing the viability of widespread commerical recycling in the city of Norman.  Following up on this endeavour, our future initiatives include circulating a petition among local business to gauge their interest in a commerical recycling program run by the City of Norman.

As always, the meeting will be open to any and all discussions of projects NSN should pursue, as well as information on other programs and upcoming events.  See you there!

As the local foods movement has sprouted nationwide, Oklahoma has seen increasing numbers of retailers selling locally produced food.

With exciting enterprises like Native Roots Market, Urban Agrarian, increasing numbers of farmers markets and local restaurants like Ludivine, local food is available in more venues and delivered to the customer in more innovative and creative ways than ever before.

The upcoming forum will be on Thursday, March 10th, 6:30–8:30 p.m, at the First Presbyterian Church in Norman, 555 S. University Blvd. Like the previous forums, it will include a panel discussion featuring individuals closely involved in the Oklahoma local food industry including Matt Runkle of Native Roots Market and Chris Le of Coriander Cafe. This will be followed by a breakout session, where attendees select the “resident expert” they want to speak with in more depth.

The first events took place in the fall with local producers representing a variety of agriculture types and distributors who bring the products to market.

To RSVP, text or call (405) 396-6470 or e-mail info@normansustainability.org. An RSVP is appreciated but not required to attend.

When it comes to local foods, many people are familiar with the farmers who produce it and the restaurants and grocery stores that sell it.  Lesser known are the distributors which provide a crucial link between them.

Distribution will be the subject of the second event in “Farm to Fork: The Oklahoma Food Chain,” a series of community dialogues on local foods sponsored by the Norman Sustainability Network and the Xenia Institute.

While the local foods movement has sprouted nationwide, Oklahoma in particular has been a leader in creating new models for distribution.

Without access to distributors, “Oklahoma farmers were on their way to becoming extinct,” said Kara Joy McKee, general manager of the Oklahoma Food Co-op. “They couldn’t afford to compete for shelf space at super-sized grocery stores. Farmers market stands were often their only option.”

Today, groups like Urban Agrarian and the Food Co-op are finding innovative ways to connect local farmers with restaurants, retailers, and consumers. Their success has led to these models being emulated across the United States and internationally.

The upcoming forum will be on Tuesday, November 9, 6:30–8:30 p.m, at the First Presbyterian Church in Norman, 555 S. University Blvd.  Like the previous forum, it will include a panel discussion featuring individuals closely involved in the Oklahoma local food industry. This will be followed by a breakout session, where attendees select the “resident expert” they want to speak with in more depth.

The first event took place in October with local producers representing a variety of agriculture types.  Subsequent forums on retailers and regulators will be held February 8 and March 10.

To RSVP, text or call (405)309-9119 or e-mail info@normansustainability.org.  An RSVP is appreciated but not required to attend.

With increasing concerns about industrial farming practices, many Oklahomans are turning to local foods. They want to know where our food comes from – that it is fresh, safe, and produced with care for the environment and animals.

In response to this need, a flowering of community gardens, small farms, and innovative businesses have sought to reimagine our food system.

Beginning this month, a series of community dialogues will examine this growing movement. “Farm to Fork: The Oklahoma Food Chain” is hosted by the Norman Sustainability Network in partnership with the Xenia Institute.

The partnership will host four dialogues over the next six months, focusing on four aspects of our food system: producers, distributors, retailers, and regulators.

“If you eat, you should come,” said Isaiah McCaslin, a member of the NSN steering committee. “NSN is excited about opening a forum for people of all backgrounds to learn more about their local food system, how they can support it, and how they will benefit from participating.”

Each event will include a panel discussion with individuals closely involved in the Oklahoma local food industry. This will be followed by a breakout session, where attendees select the “resident expert” they want to speak with in more depth.

“We’re very excited to bring Xenia’s public deliberation format to such an important topic,” said Clint Williams, executive director of the Xenia Institute. “Attendees will leave our four events feeling listened to, informed, and empowered.”

The first dialogue features local producers, with a panel representing a variety of agriculture types, from vegetable farming to ranching and value-added processing.

The first forum will be held on Thursday, October 7, 6:30–8:30 p.m, at the First Presbyterian Church in Norman, 555 S. University Blvd. To RSVP, text (405) 396-6470 or e-mail info@normansustainability.org.

Subsequent forums will be held on November 9, February 8, and March 10.

The status quo in the Porter corridor is not sustainable. Since the street was first designed, traffic has increased enormously. In many areas sidewalks are non-existent or poorly maintained, and the overall streetscape is not walkable or aesthetically appealing.

The plan being voted on today does not force any businesses or residents to make changes, but it ensures that any changes that are made will follow a clear plan for the overall area. This plan is designed to foster a vibrant, community-focused center of commerce that is friendly to bicycles and pedestrians, much like we have seen with Main Street in recent years.

While no city funds have yet been allocated to improve the streetscape, passing the Porter Corridor Plan is the necessary first step. We need a plan on the books to be eligible for federal grants and to form the basis for public-private partnerships to redevelop the area. Change will continue no matter what the Council does, but we have an opportunity to point that change in the right direction.

We urge all Norman residents, especially those living in or near the Porter Corridor, to attend the City Council meeting today, 6:30pm, at 201 W Gray St, and speak about why it is good for Norman. If you cannot attend, please contact your city councilperson before the vote. You can find their contact information at http://www.ci.norman.ok.us/content/city-council.

Thank you for supporting Norman and efforts toward a more sustainable future.

Bokoshe-In the Air We Breathe from Jar of Grasshoppers on Vimeo.

Register here: http://www.oksustainability.org/2010-form-confreg.php

Our Friday keynote speakers include Michael Patton, well known as the head of The Metropolitan Environmental Trust and a champion of OSN’s efforts in Tulsa and throughout the State, and some citizens from Bokoshe, Oklahoma whose resiliency and perseverance in fighting a coal ash dump that is poisoning their town will be an inspiration for all.

Saturday’s keynote speaker is Katharine Hayhoe. She is a researcher from Texas Tech and will bring insight on the research on climate change and how to communicate the science behind it to everyday Oklahomans.

Paul James, the Gardener Guy, is also speaking on Saturday on the benefits of and the ability to do organic gardening.

Our tracks at this year’s conference include a sustainable business track on Friday featuring panels and speakers on the ECO tourism program, sustainable planning for small businesses and manufacturers, and energy independence for business. Friday also includes a green buildings track that will feature the team coordinating OSN’s stimulus grant. This will be the first opportunity for you to hear about the work plan for the grant and how you can help the team make a very powerful impact on Oklahoma buildings. This opportunity will be buttressed by Sustainable Tulsa’s Craig Immel and his green buildings taskforce, which has designed a very exciting track that will provide the tools you need to ensure the construction of green buildings and neighborhoods in your community.

Saturday features a two hour homeowners’ workshop where those supplying the essential services for greening the home will be connected with homeowners looking to build or create a sustainable home. It will be a one stop shop for information. We’ve also lined up a really exciting tour of the Homestead School in Edmond. They’ve done some incredible stuff to get off the grid and will demonstrate some practical ways for you to do the same. Saturday also includes a first of its kind personal and organization action track specifically for chapters and OSN members. The purpose of the track is to engage chapter members and supply knowledge and skills needed to run an even more effective chapter and make the sustainable changes we want to see in our communities.

We hope to see you all there!

We will collect bottles and cans from our bins on Main Street and at the food court on Gray and Crawford. Work gloves will be provided. We will work in shifts from 12pm-8pm, Sunday, April 25th.

We want to have at least 2 volunteers for each of the following shifts.  Many hands make light work!  Please contact kjoymc@gmail.com to sign up:

noon-2 main street
noon-2 food court
noon-2 sorting

2-4 main street
2-4 food court
2-4 sorting

4-6 main street
4-6 food court
4-6 sorting

6-8 main street
6-8 food court
6-8 sorting

Contact Kara Joy at kjoymc@gmail.com right away if you can help.

Thanks so much!

When: 7pm, Tuesday, April 6
Where: Norman High School Auditorium, 911 West Main St.

Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right, or a commodity that should be bought and sold like any other article of commerce? From the producers of Who Killed the Electric Car and I.O.U.S.A., this timely documentary is a behind-the-scenes look into the unregulated and unseen world of an industry that aims to privatize and sell back the one resource that ought never to become a commodity: our water.

Tapped’s Producer Sarah Olson and Director Stephanie Soechtig have taken their mobile showroom on the road, collecting pledges from people to reduce their bottled water use and trading empty plastic water bottles for reusable stainless steel Klean Kanteens.  This mobile translucent recycling container began the “Get Off The (h20) Bottle” tour in Los Angeles with an empty cabin that will be filled with the public’s empty water bottles by the time the team ends up in New York City on Earth Day (April 22nd, 2010).

You can download a flier for this event here.