The Power Of Community

SHARE and the KARMA Marketplace present 'The Power Of Community'

'When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, Cuba's economy went into a tailspin. With imports of oil cut by more than half – and food by 80 percent – people were desperate. This film tells of the hardships and struggles as well as the community and creativity of the Cuban people during this difficult time. Cubans share how they transitioned from a highly mechanized, industrial agricultural system to one using organic methods of farming and local, urban gardens. It is an unusual look into the Cuban culture during this economic crisis, which they call "The Special Period." The film opens with a short history of Peak Oil, a term for the time in our history when world oil production will reach its all-time peak and begin to decline forever. Cuba, the only country that has faced such a crisis – the massive reduction of fossil fuels – is an example of options and hope.'

 http://www.powerofcommunity.org/cm/index.php

  May 30, 2013, 6:45 p.m., Midland Public Library--Bring your own mug!--Please RSVP to Susan at 705-527-0922 or s.hirst [at] rogers [dot] com

Renewable Energy Wind project in Simcoe County

S.H.A.R.E. & Share the Sun Solar Co-op

+Please join us for an informational meeting on April 22nd at 7:00pm to discuss a

“Community-Owned”

Renewable Energy Wind project in Simcoe County

Share the Sun Solar Cooperative directors have been working with IPC Energy, a reputable renewable energy project development and management firm that specializes in community projects on a proposal for a community owned (co-op) renewable energy project.

The Simcoe community renewable energy co-op brings many financial benefits to you and our community. Some of these benefits include:

• Establishment of a community fund
• Supplemental income opportunity
• View Shed fund paid to any property owner living within 1km of the turbine
• Project locally owned and keeps the profits local – where they belong
• Additional revenues and economic development to our community

The Co-op membership fee is $500 (which can be accepted on the night of this meeting), and gives you the ability to participate further in the FIT program without the hassle. Once our Co-op’s offering statement has been approved by the financial services commission of Ontario (FSCO) we will reach out to the members regarding share investment opportunities.

Come learn about the proposal and hear about the benefit of being part of the first 50.

You are under no obligation to join. Come out and have all your questions addressed.

Location: Midland Public Library,(assembly room)

Time: 7:00pm

Date: April 22nd

Meeting hosted by Share the Sun Solar Co-op and IPC Energy

RSVP to panzerv1@csolve.net, or call Dave Mattison at 705-528-1112

Help contribute to a cleaner environment

and contribute to our communities’ economic well being!!

Switch: to a cleaner energy future

What does the future of energy really hold? Join energy visionary Dr. Scott Tinker on a spectacular global adventure to find out. Dr. Tinker explores the world’s leading energy sites, from coal to solar, oil to biofuels, many highly restricted and never before seen on film. He gets straight answers from the people driving energy today, international leaders of government, industry and academia. In the end, he cuts through the confusion to discover a path to our future that is surprising and remarkably pragmatic.

Switch is the first truly balanced energy film, embraced and supported by people all along the energy spectrum – fossil and renewable, academic and environmental.

http://www.switchenergyproject.com/

 April 25, 2013, 6:45 p.m., Midland Public Library--Bring your own mug!--Please RSVP to Susan at 705-527-0922

Ontario’s green energy future

Your voice is needed!
Once again, Ontario’s green energy future is under attack.

The switch to cleaner and safer renewable energy in Ontario has left polluters feeling threatened. This week, some are attempting to drag Ontario backward by attacking renewable energy.
Show your support for Ontario’s green energy future now

While breaking new ground can often create challenges, Ontario’s plan to become a world leader in renewable energy is working. Ontario’s FIT program has created tens of thousands of high quality jobs across Ontario. The province has already installed enough clean, safe wind and solar energy to replace several huge power plants, and is on track to build even more. And the closing of Ontario’s dirty coal plants is almost complete –representing the single largest action to fight global warming in North America to date.

Support for green energy in Ontario remains strong. A recent poll shows that 83% of Ontarians support more renewable power.  In addition to many large scale projects, over 60,000 farms, churches, schools, businesses, and home owners have applied to put small solar projects on their rooftops as well.

Call or send a letter to your elected representative showing your support

Thanks in-part to Ontario’s leadership on green energy, the cost of these technologies continues to fall rapidly. Continued investment in affordable green energy will pay us dividends in new jobs, cleaner air and a safer climate for generations to come. 

Take action Now!

Queen Street Solar

From the newsletter:

Queen Street Solar has submitted applications for five projects in Simcoe County in partnership with two different developer partners, Ontario Solar Provider and Moose Power. In each project, Queen Street Solar will own 51% of the project with an option to purchase 100% in some cases. The building on which the systems are to be located include the Midland Arena, a private school in Alliston, as well as two marinas and a boat dealership in Ramara. The total size of the five projects is 1,130 MW (AC) of which the co-op could own up to 930 kW.

The Ontario Power Authority has set a imeline of 120 days to review the 4,000 applications representing some 825 MW it received during the small FIT window. According to the OPA timeline, the contract offers should be forthcoming in late May. Once the contracts have been offered, the successful applicants will have 18 months to complete the installations. If the Options co-operatives are successful in receiving contracts, a capital campaign will be launched, likely in early fall, to sell community bonds to the members of each co-operative. In each case, the minimum bond purchase will be $5,000. The bonds will be RRSP and TFSA eligible. We will organize a series of information sessions for members to attend to learn more about how this works. For more details on the FIT 2.1 application totals, you can visit the Feed In Tariff website: http://fit.powerauthority.on.ca/newsroom/january-28-summary-of-small-FIT-applications

Radiant City

Radiant City is a feature-length NFB film by Gary Burns, Canada's king of surreal comedy, who 'joins journalist Jim Brown on an outing to the suburbs. Venturing into territory both familiar and foreign, they turn the documentary genre inside out, crafting a vivid account of life in The Late Suburban Age.'

http://www.nfb.ca/film/radiant_city

  March 28, 2013, 6:45 p.m., Midland Public Library

To Make A Farm

Named one of the ten most popular Canadian films at the Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF), To Make A Farm asks: what might the future of local food and farming look like? This beautifully photographed documentary explores of the lives of five young people who have decided to become small-scale farmers. VIFF calls To Make A Farm “exceptionally hopeful, giving us a close-range view of humanity along with a detailed portrayal of the nuts and bolts of agriculture.”

http://tomakeafarm.ca/

(see the Links page!)

  February 28, 2013, 6:45 p.m., Midland Public Library