Thanks, Les for the invitation. I feel in good company, having lived in Santa Cruz, CA for 20 years and Boulder, CO earlier for about 12 years, with degrees from University of Colorado. I've always felt there is a new life highway between these communities, and now it extends to SLO, where I've lived since 2000. We are excited to join the Transitions Intitiative here.

I am interested in working with neighbors and various groups in my county toward educating all of us for a transition to a new way of life that is happier, healthier, resilient, and not dependent on fossil fuels. I have been working toward ways to promote and use local and organic foods in a number of groups in the county, one of which, the Community Food System Project, I initiated in 2001. I served on the board of the Central Coast Ag Network, which works toward promoting the direct marketing of local food and fiber products through Central Coast Grown. I helped start the Farm-to-School movement in our county.

I have skills in facilitating activities, exercises and meetings which will contribute to change in people's attitudes and behavior toward the issues of climate change and the shift to renewable energy sources. I have been a consultant and researcher of change processes in societies and institutions for my entire career. I am engaged in personal change toward the Transition, and I have recently conducted a 10-session course in "Planting Possibilities for Creative Change." One of my specialties is in crafting creative and nature-centered community, and I have written a book for teachers on the subject. I am familiar and have implemented many of the processes described in the Transitions Handbook, including Open Space Process and World Cafe, as well as others I believe may be helpful. I am starting a Greenletter and Green8s groups in my spiritual community, and have developed a questionnaire to discover at what level of engagement members are currently so as to offer the most relevant assistance. I am also offering this method to members of the Environmental Justice team at the Central Coast Clergy and Laity for Justice. I have a monthly program of showing DVD films in my home, the most recent being "The Real Dirt About Farmer John," a film which for which I joined a CSA in advance to produce. I have grown my own food, have a worm bin, and also belong to a CSA from a local organic farm. In 1999 I attended Joanna Macy's Intensive for the Great Turning, and took Shambhala Warrior vows to work for the earth. I am open to learning more, and passing along what I learn.

Here's my list of favorite sites and books:
Center for Ecoliteracy website and list serve.
The Power of Sustainable Thinking: How to Create a Positive Future for the Climate, the Planet, Your Organization, and Your Life. by Bob Doppelt, Earthscan in the U.K. and U.S.A., 2008 (Source of my concepts and quotations for the questionnaire.)
Leading Change Toward Sustainability: A Change-Management Guide for Business, Government and Civil Society. by Bob Doppelt, Greenleaf Pub., 2003
Bioneers conferences, website, and publications: e.g. Nature's Operating Instructions: The True Biotechnologies, Ed. Kenny Ausubel, Sierra Club Books, 2004.
Blessed Unrest: How the Largest Movement in the World Came into Being and Why No One Saw It Coming, By Paul Hawken, Viking, 2007.
The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community. By David Korten, Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2006
(Our Cultural Creatives group held 11-sessions of dialogue on this one, using the guide on Korten's website.)
Yes! A Journal of Positive Futures, quarterly.
The Great Work: Our Way Into the Future. By Thomas Berry, Bell Tower, 1999.
The Dream of the Earth. By Thomas Berry, Sierra Club, 1988.
The Universe Story: Ïrom the Primordial Flaring Forth to the Ecozoic Era. By Brian Swimme & Thomas Berry, Harper SF, 1992
DVD Series by Brian Swimme: The Powers of the Universe. (Held a seminar of 11 sessions to see and discuss this series of lectures.)
Coming Home to Eat: The Pleasures and Politics of Local Foods. By Gay Paul Nabhan, Norton, 2002.
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. By Michael Pollan, Penguin, 2006
The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of The World. By Michael Pollan, Random House, 2001.
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. By Barbara Kingsolver, Harper-Collins, 2007.
HopeDance magazine, and Sustainability:Radical Solutions Inspiring Hope, Ed. Bob Banner, 2007