Automated Self-Watering Container PDF

http://petespoems.com/waterproject/PetesAutomaticWaterProject.pdf

Judge Sides With Monsanto: Ridicules Farmers' Right to Grow Food Without Fear, Contamination and Economic Harm

Genetic Engineering News List PRESS RELEASE  February 27, 2012 For Immediate Release Contact: Jim Gerritsen (207) 429-9765 press@woodprairie.com Wood Prairie Farm Bridgewater, Maine Judge Sides With Monsanto: Ridicules Farmers' Right to Grow Food Without Fear, Contamination and Economic Harm   New York, New York - On February 24, Judge Naomi Buchwald handed down her ruling on a motion to dismiss in the case of Organic Seed Growers and Trade Assn et al v. Monsanto after hearing oral argument on January 31st in Federal District Court in Manhattan.  Her ruling to dismiss the case brought against Monsanto on behalf of organic farmers, seed growers and agricultural organizations representing farmers and citizens was met with great disappointment by the plaintiffs. Plaintiff lead attorney Daniel Ravicher said, "While I have great respect for Judge Buchwald, her decision to deny farmers the right to seek legal protection from one of the world's foremost patent bullies is gravely disappointing.  Her belief that farmers are acting unreasonable when they stop growing certain crops to avoid being sued by Monsanto for patent infringement should their crops become contaminated maligns the intelligence and integrity of those farmers.  Her failure to address the purpose of the Declaratory Judgment Act and her characterization of binding Supreme Court precedent that supports the farmers' standing as 'wholly inapposite' constitute legal error.  In sum, her opinion is flawed on both the facts and the law.  Thankfully, the plaintiffs have the right to appeal to the Court of Appeals, which will review the matter without deference to her findings." Monsanto's history of aggressive investigations and lawsuits brought against farmers in America have been a source of concern for organic and non-GMO farmers since Monsanto's first lawsuit brought against a farmer in the mid-90's.  Since then, 144 farmers have had lawsuits brought against them by Monsanto for alleged violations of  their patented seed technology.  Monsanto has brought charges against more than 700 additional farmers who have settled out-of-court rather than face Monsanto's belligerent litigious actions.  Many of these farmers claim to not have had the intention to grow or save seeds that contain Monsanto's patented genes. Seed drift and pollen drift from genetically engineered crops often contaminate neighboring fields. If Monsanto's seed technology is found on a farmer's land without contract they can be found liable for patent infringement. "Family farmers need the protection of the court," said Maine organic seed farmer Jim Gerritsen, President of lead plaintiff OSGATA.  "We reject as naïve and undefendable the judge's assertion that Monsanto's vague public relations 'commitment' should be 'a source of comfort' to plaintiffs. The truth is we are under threat and we do not believe Monsanto.  The truth is that American farmers and the American people do not believe Monsanto. Family farmers deserve our day in court and this flawed ruling will not deter us from continuing to seek justice."    The plaintiffs brought this suit against Monsanto to seek judicial protection from such lawsuits and challenge the validity of Monsanto's patents on seeds. "As a citizen and property owner, I find the Order by the Federal Court to be obsequious to Monsanto," said plaintiff organic farmer Bryce Stephens of Kansas.  "The careless, inattentive, thoughtless and negligent advertisement Monsanto has published on their website to not exercise its patent rights for inadvertent trace contamination belies the fact that their policy is in reality a presumptuous admission of contamination by their vaunted product on my property, plants, seeds and animals." "Seeds are the memory of life," said Isaura Anduluz of plaintiff Cuatro Puertas and the Arid Crop Seed Cache in New Mexico.  "If planted and saved annually, cross pollination ensures the seeds continue to adapt. In the Southwest, selection over many, many generations has resulted in native drought tolerant corn.  Now that a patented drought tolerant corn has been released how do we protect our seeds from contamination and our right to farm?" A copy of  Judge Buchwald's ruling is located here.                 About Maine's Wood Prairie Farm (www.woodprairie.com; 800-829-9765) Wood Prairie Farm is located in Aroostook County, the largest county east of the Mississippi River and Maine's historic center of potato farming.  For over 35 years, Jim & Megan Gerritsen, and their family have used organic farming techniques on the fertile land of Wood Prairie Farm to grow the finest potatoes, seed, vegetables and grain nature will produce.  Wood Prairie Farm is MOFGA Certified Organic, and its organic seed potatoes, kitchen potatoes, vegetable and cover crop seeds and other products are available direct to the customer by mail order from its website and catalog.  Wood Prairie Farm is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/woodprairiefarm.  Additional information about OSGATA et al v. Monsanto is available at www.woodprairie.com/wpf_news.  The Genetic Engineering News is produced by Thomas Wittman and EcoFarm, and supported by a generous donation from the Newman's Own Foundation.  Please pass this vital information on.  If you would like to get on this list go to www.eco-farm.org and select Newsletters.

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Central Valley Solar Cookers: Earth Day April 14th 2012

     Our group has been invited to participate in Earth Day again this
year.  We have had one member express interest already, so this is a
call for volunteers to help put on a solar cooking demo, explain what
we're up to to interested people and help sigh up new members.
Please let us know right away if you think you can help that day -
Saturday April 14th. You can help an hour or two or all day.
     Our group is up to about 87 members.  This is always a good day
to promote solar cooking to people who might be interested.    We are
also looking for other ideas of what to do this year.  The lack of
snow in January thwarted our plans to cook in the snow this year.
Please let us know what you are interested in doing.

Ellen and Carl Peters

http://cvsolarcookers.org/

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CICLE: Upcoming Urban Ex Rides! Tweed + ArtNight + Earth Day's Lorax Ride

Upcoming Urban Expeditions Mark you calendars, we have some great upcoming rides for you! C.I.C.L.E.'s Urban Expedition rides provide a safe and enjoyable riding environment for beginning and experienced riders alike.  Urban Expeditions are a great way to increase your street riding exprience, while having a lot of fun. Tweed Moxie & Mustache Ride - February 25 ARTNight Ride - March 9th The Lorax Ride III - April 14th Tweed, Moxie & Mustache Ride! Ladies and Gents, dress in your finest tweed and ride along with other dashing, distinguished, and dapper bicyclists for C.I.C.L.E.'s Los Angeles Tweed Ride on Saturday, February 25th. Our Golden Age Hollywood tour will visit several historic and famous sites. Ride with us through the beautiful grand mansions of Hancock Park, as seen in the movie "The Artist," and stop to see the famous Los Angeles Tennis Club. Our scenic route will include the landmark Sunset Blvd. Cat and Fiddle Pub, where we can reminisce and enjoy some delicious appetizers and a refreshing beverage from New Belgium Brewing. You won't want to miss this refined and retro ride! As with all Urban Expeditions, this ride is under 8 miles, family-friendly, and leisurely paced. We're raffling off a New Belgium Cruiser and great gear from Trek!  Bring a few sterling pounds and support C.I.C.L.E.   When: Saturday, February 25th 2012 Where: Meet at Burns Park at Van Ness and Beverly Blvd (located about 2 miles from the Vermont/Beverly Metro Red Line Station) When: Meet at 1:00pm. Ride Leaves promptly at 1:30pm. Invite your friends with the Facebook event. What to bring: Bring water, snack and a bicycle in good working order. This ride is FREE and open to anyone, but all participants should be able to ride a bike safely with the ability to brake, change gears, and balance while stopping and starting. All participants under 18 MUST wear a helmet and be escorted by a parent or guardian. Children under age 8 should be on a tag-a-long, bike trailer, tandem, or other safe child-carrying device to participate in the ride. C.I.C.L.E.'s ArtNight Ride Join C.I.C.L.E. for its ArtNight Ride and enjoy the beauty of Pasadena at night.  Immerse yourself in this intriguing bike tour of Pasadena's vast collection of art galleries and museums which are open free to the public.  There is no better way to experience this relaxing evening than by bicycle.  The ride will be leisurely-paced, 6 miles long, and will allow participants a break at each stop to tour the exhibits. Highlights of this pedal-powered art tour include stops at the Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena Museum of California Art, Side Street Projects, Pasadena Museum of History, and the Armory for the Arts. Where: Meet at Memorial Park Pasadena (Raymond Ave. & Holly Street).  Memorial Park is a Metro Gold Line stop. When: Friday, March 9th, 2012 Time: Meet at 6:30pm.  Ride leaves promptly at 7:00pm. Price: Free Invite your friends with the Facebook event What to Bring: Your bicycle, in good running order, and plenty of night lights. All participants should be able to ride a bike safely with the ability to brake, change gears, and balance while stopping and starting. All participants under 18 must wear a helmet and be escorted by a parent or guardian. Children under age 8 should be on a tag-a-long, bike trailer, tandem, or other safe child-carrying device to participate in the ride. For more information about ArtNight visit their website.   The Lorax Ride III On Saturday, April 14th, the Lorax Ride returns to explore Pasadena's greenest, energy-leanest, and most sustainable sites. The third annual Lorax Ride is part of Pasadena's Earth & Arts Festival. Join us to celebrate Earth Day, art, the creative spirit and community. Date: Saturday, April 14th, 2012 Time: 11:00am (ride leaves promptly at 11:30am) Location: Pasadena Memorial Park (E. Holly St. and N. Raymond Ave.) Price: Free!! What to Bring: Your bicycle, in good running order. All participants should be able to ride a bike safely with the ability to brake, change gears, and balance while stopping and starting. All participants under 18 must wear a helmet and be escorted by a parent or guardian. Children under age 8 should be on a tag-a-long, bike trailer, tandem, or other safe child-carrying device to participate in the ride.    C.I.C.L.E. is a project of Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE), a non-profit public charity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501 (c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Visit www.saveourplanet.org for more information.

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"la accion es la madre de la esperanza."

-Pablo Neruda

Seed Swap, March 10, 10-1pm Ovitt Family Library, Ontario, CA

CSPI wars with other activists over petition to remove Michael Taylor from FDA

Genetic Engineering News List  CSPI wars with other activists over petition to remove Michael Taylor from FDA Monica Eng Chicago Tribune, February 17 2012 http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/food/stew/chi-cspi-urges-moveonorg-to-revise-michael-taylor-petition-20120217,0,7103288.story If you belong to any progressive mailing lists, chances are you've recently been urged to sign a petition calling for the removal of Michael Taylor as head of food safety at the Food and Drug Administration. Food activists take issue with the fact that the former chief lobbyist for Monsanto, the dominant maker of genetically modified seeds and pesticides, oversees the nation's food safety.  Here's a bit on the recent GMO kerfuffle. More than 413,000 have signed the petition (on signon.org, a tool launched by Moveon.org) urging President Barack Obama to fire the man who, to many, represents the epitome of the revolving door between industry lobbyists and regulatory agency executives.  In recent weeks, Moveon.org, Credo, Food Democracy and Eco Watch have all encouraged their followers to sign the petition, which was started by an Atlanta man named Frederick Ravid. With these recent high profile endorsements, the numbers of petition signers have jumped dramatically, leading some surprising Taylor supporters to jump into the fray today with an open letter to MoveOn. These included about eight academics, food safety advocates and the Center for Science in the Public Interest who have been impressed with Taylor's work in food safety. "Michael Taylor is a devoted public official and I thought it was outrageous that he was being attacked in this mindless petition, " said Michael Jacobson, the executive director of the CSPI, an organization normally known for holding government and industry feet to the fire. But while CSPI has been an aggressive watchdog on many food issues, it has notably diverged from most food watchdogs in its lack of criticism for genetically modified foods.     The letter called the petition a bald "character assassination" and questioned its assertion that several types of cancer may be connected to genetically modified foods.  While many studies have indicated adverse health outcomes connected to GMOs,  Jacobson notes that no governmental regulatory agencies have embraced these studies.     When asked how CSPI feels in general about former industry lobbyists becoming regulatory officials, he said, "We're suspicious but we don't take it to mean that anyone who has worked with any company is opposed to the public interest. You have to look at this on an individual basis. If you work for a big company it doesn't automatically mean you are  villain."  The open letter notes that the signatories hold "a diversity of views" on genetically engineered food, but "are unanimous in our belief that Taylor is a valued deputy commissioner and we regret that this factually untrue Internet smear campaign has attracted so much support."  The letter continues with the following statement. The comments in parentheses belong to the writers of the letter.  "Reasonable people can disagree about Monsanto's corporate policies (often bad), or the quality of government oversight of GE foods (inadequate) or the appropriateness of genetically modified crops in the first place. But all of us agree that there is no foundation for the outlandish statements made in the petition." While the letter asks Moveon.org to send an email to its members correcting what they see as errors in the petition, the director of Moveon's Signon.org Steven Biel sent the Tribune a note Friday saying only this:   "Michael Taylor is just another example of the revolving door between lobbyists and government that has made the American people so distrustful of Washington politics. Mr. Taylor went from working at the FDA to working at Monsanto and back to the FDA. Of course this back and forth raises questions about his ability to remain impartial regarding decisions that impact Monsanto's bottom line. "The American people deserve an unbiased approach to protecting our food. That's why the nearly 500,000 people who signed the petition on SignOn.org urge President Obama to seek a qualified replacement with no such conflicts of interest." In a USA Today post about the issue, Taylor says he does not involve himself GMO issues. Still, critics find that hard to believe as GM foods are now a central part of the American diet. Additionally the FDA oversees some of the most important decisions having to do with genetically modified foods. One of the biggest is the decision over whether or not GMOs should be labeled in the U.S. Like the Taylor petition, one urging the FDA to require labeling (from a campaing called Just Label It) has also attracted around a half a million petitioners. The Genetic Engineering Blog is produced by Thomas Wittman and EcoFarm, and supported by a generous donation from the Newman's Own Foundation.  Please pass this vital information on.  If you would like to get on this list go to www.eco-farm.org and select Blogs.

Forward email This email was sent to ivcaminos@gmail.com by info@eco-farm.org |   Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy. Ecological Farming Association | 406 Main Street, Suite 313 | Watsonvillle | CA | 95076

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Greywater Corps Workshop, March 10

Space is limited.


http://greywatercorps.com/whatwscurrent.html

--

"la accion es la madre de la esperanza."

-Pablo Neruda

3/3, Laundry to Landscape Greywater Workshop, Santa Monica

RSVP now for this FREE Laundry to Landscape Greywater Workshop – space is limited!

Learn how you can start saving 10 to 30,000 gallons of water each year and keep your garden healthy and happy.

What: Greywater Workshop for Santa Monica Homeowners

When: Saturday, March 3, 2012

Time: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM

Where: Santa Monica Main Library

RSVP: Kim O'Cain (310) 458-8459 or savewater@smgov.net

Visit: www.sustainablesm.org/water for more details.

Lunch and snacks will be provided. Free greywater kits provided - $100 value.

Participants must be able to pick up their kits on the day of workshop from the City's storage shed at Cloverfield and Michigan.

Best,

Kim O'Cain

Water Resources Specialist

City of Santa Monica   200 Santa Monica Pier, Suite C   Santa Monica, CA 90401-3126   

Direct Line (310) 458-8972 ext 1

www.sustainablesm.org/water

 

 

 

 

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Cuatro Caminos Collective

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ivcaminos.blogspot.com
562-448-2619

Sanger, CA USA

Gardens are a lesson in letting go of fear lessons in courage, and ultimately, love.  It takes some type of courage to look at some sandy lot, out in the middle of  b.f.e. and have the reserve in minerals to decide to do something about it.  Letting go of the Fear."There's no way it can work".  "The system is stacked against us."

We live in food deserts.  Half the family has diabetes, but we're all gonna get it.  So much poison has been sprayed on the fields that we don't trust the tap.  You have to look at that fear and acknowledge it, but still do otherwise.  Still plant the cilantro, still plant the ajo, the tong ho.  And most of the time the kale is ignored and the lettuce is stunted because it was not thinned.  But you do the work anyway, hoping that the papalo excites someone next year and the kids have never had real strawberries and will taste them from the gardens where they leave their boots to gather rain.

When the mortgage underwater it's time to move again.  You rub your eyes and dig your heels in again and do it all over again, spreading the compost and straw, maybe woodchips from the tree-trimmers.  You'll always do it again because there's nothing else you'd rather be doing.  That's love.

Workshops with Nance Klehm

http://spontaneousvegetation.net/bio/

URBANFORAGES
Saturday, Feb 25th 3-5pm Westside location TBA
Sunday, Feb 26th 3-5pm Silverlake location TBA
$20/person: maximum 25 people/urbanforage
to register: $10 to paypal account: nettlesting@yahoo.com

LECTURE - HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AND GARDENS
Tuesday, Feb 28th 7:30pm - FREE!
'Spontaneous (& Delicious!) Wild Edibles of L.A.'

LIVING KITCHEN CLASS - HUNTINGTON LIBRARY AND GARDENS
Saturday, March 03rd 9am - 1pm (see Huntington calendar for more details)
Forage The Ranch at the Huntington and then return to their kitchen to make a delicious wild lunch!

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562-448-2619

Free wood chipping mulch and firewood

Subject: OT: Free wood chipping mulch and firewood
To: WhittierTime Bank Google Group <whittiertimebank@googlegroups.com>


From member Francine Rippey:

Truckloads of wood chipping mulch and firewood available free at the Hathaway Ranch Museum in Santa Fe Springs.

Museum's public hours are 11:00AM-4:00PM Mon-Tue-Thur

Francine is there 1:30-2:00PM Fridays, and will be there this Saturday afternoon.  

To arrange other times with Francine:

Office: 562-696-8671

Cell: 562-900-8939

Home: 626-333-3614

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Cuatro Caminos Collective

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Community Yoga Class: Thursday, February 9, 6-7pm Whittier

Community Yoga Class
Thursday, February 9, 2011
6:00pm until 7:00pm

This class is a great introduction to yoga practice or an opportunity to reboot a neglected practice. Get yourself in gear and start experiencing the health and fitness benefits of hatha yoga! 

The Community Yoga Class is taught by Beate Brookfield, a German-trained physical therapist with a great knowledge of anatomy. Join us tomorrow, Thursday, February 9, from 6-7pm. Beginners welcome!

First United Methodist Church of Whittier
13222 Bailey Street, Whittier, CA 90601

Asbury Building (Friends Avenue entrance)

Look for yoga class sign

$5 suggested donation, or one Time Dollar (one hour of work).

**************************************************

A project of the Whittier Time Bank and First United Methodist Church of Whittier.

"Yoga is the fountain of youth. You're only as young as your spine is flexible."
Bob Harper (NBC's The Biggest Loser)

"I think yoga helped reduce the number and severity of injuries I suffered.
As preventative medicine, it's unequaled."
Kareem Abdul Jabbar (Center, World Champion Lakers)

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Cuatro Caminos Collective

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562-448-2619

Whittier Time Bank Workshop: Build A Potato Grow-Box

*Grow Your Own Backyard Potatoes!
Build a Potato Grow-Box
Saturday, February 25
$20 non-refundable prepaid registration required. *

RSVP:
Farmer David at (626) 825-4760 or
info@whittierbackyardfarms.com

Learn how to build a sturdy, low-cost potato grow-box at our potato box
building workshop on Saturday, February 25. You'll also learn how to
prepare your soil and seed potatoes for a successful backyard harvest of
organic potatoes. Join us for a fun learning experience, and go home with
everything you need to grow your own potatoes!

Full-Size Box (4') Workshop Price: $80 - or - *$60 Material Cost + 4 Time
Dollars*
Half-Box (2') Workshop Price: $55 - or - *$35 Material Cost + 4 Time Dollars
*

You go home with: A complete potato grow-box you can re-use every year to
grow your own crop of up to 100 lbs. of potatoes. PLUS: Seed potatoes,
straw and the right soil to get started.

*Details*:
Strub Avenue Farm
8826 Strub Ave., Whittier, California
Saturday, February 25
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

*Can't attend the workshop? Full kit with local delivery $160. The
workshop and the kit both make a great Valentine's Day gift!
*
This workshop is a project of the Whittier Time Bank and Whittier Backyard
Farms.

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Cuatro Caminos Collective

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*Wholesome Local Food,
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Cooperation

ivcaminos.blogspot.com
562-448-2619

Tree Planting Workshop, Feb 10th, 9am

Tree PLANTING Workshop
Friday, February 10, 2012
9:00am - Noon
At the new community garden in Pomona at Duran's place
1196 S. San Antonio, Pomona Ca
Please Bring:  Your own gloves and a shovel (round head)
Free of Charge

Many of you attended our tree pruning workshop in January and have been
looking forward to this upcoming hands-on event where we'll actually be
trained to plant a small-scale backyard orchard.

This Tree planting workshop is brought to us by Tom Spellman from Dave
Wilson Nursery.  At the last workshop we learned the importance of
proper pruning for small spaces and backyard orcharding & espaliered
structures.  At this hands-on, learn-as-you-do workshop Tom will show
us how to start our backyard orchard correctly.  Starting from the bare
root stage, we will learn how to dig a proper hole appropriate to the
tree, how to place the tree in the ground with proper back fill, and
finally how to execute our first and most important pruning cuts.





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Cuatro Caminos Collective

*Meaningful Work,
*Wholesome Local Food,
*Appropriate Technology,
*Intergenerational/Cross-Cultural Dialogue and 
 Cooperation

ivcaminos.blogspot.com
562-448-2619

Tweed Ride + Traffic Basics Class + Safety Tip + Azusa & South LA Update

February News IN THIS ISSUE Urban Expeditions: Tweed Moxie & Mustache Ride Bike Ed: Raise Your Bike Safety IQ C.I.C.L.E.'s Community Health Rides  Safety Tip of The Month Upcoming Events on Two Wheels Urban Ex: Tweed, Moxie & Mustache Ride! Ladies and Gents, dress in your finest tweed and ride along with other dashing, distinguished, and dapper bicyclists for C.I.C.L.E.'s Los Angeles Tweed Ride on Saturday, February 25th. Our Golden Age Hollywood tour will visit several historic and famous sites. Ride with us through the beautiful grand mansions of Hancock Park, as seen in the movie "The Artist," and stop to see the famous Los Angeles Tennis Club. Our scenic route will include the landmark Sunset Blvd. Cat and Fiddle Pub, where we can reminisce and enjoy some delicious appetizers and a refreshing beverage from New Belgium Brewing. You won't want to miss this refined and retro ride! As with all Urban Expeditions, this ride is under 8 miles, family-friendly, and leisurely paced. When: Saturday, February 25th 2012 Where: Meet at Burns Park at Van Ness and Beverly Blvd (located about 2 miles from the Vermont/Beverly Metro Red Line Station) When: Meet at 1:00pm. Ride Leaves promptly at 1:30pm. What to bring: Bring water, snack and a bicycle in good working order. This ride is FREE and open to anyone, but all participants should be able to ride a bike safely with the ability to brake, change gears, and balance while stopping and starting. All participants under 18 MUST wear a helmet and be escorted by a parent or guardian. Children under age 8 should be on a tag-a-long, bike trailer, tandem, or other safe child-carrying device to participate in the ride. Raise Your Bike Safety IQ with C.I.C.L.E.'s Traffic Safety Class Did you know that you can avoid many car-bicycle collisions just by knowing how to ride properly in the street? In the class, you'll learn basic principles of bicycle and traffic safety.  For the second part of the workshop, you'll need your bike, because we'll be hitting the road for an easy ride that will put what you learned into practice. When: Sunday, February 19th Time: 1:00pm -- 2:30pm Where: Caltech Y: 505 S. Wilson, ground-floor meeting room Price: Free! This class is being generously sponsored by Caltech's BikeLab. What to Bring: Your bicycle, in good running order and a helmet. RSVP to: bike@cicle.org.  Space is limited. To attend this class you must be able to: Start your bike with confidence and ease. Balance and steer your bike Bring your bike to a smooth and controlled stop. Use your gears effectively Remove one hand from your handlebar to signal without veering. Look over your shoulder without veering. . C.I.C.L.E.'s Community Health Rides In February, C.I.C.L.E. continued its project with the County of Public Health to encourage physical activity through bicycling.  C.I.C.L.E. led two community-specific rides.  In Azusa, we led 44 children and adults on a Hidden Gardens Tour.  We discovered thriving green spaces and community gardens all in reach by two wheels.  Our final stop was at the Dhammakaya International Meditation Center.  The riders were treated to snacks, a stroll through peaceful gardens and information about meditation.  It was a wonderful day  of bicycling, gardens and mindfulness in Azusa. In South L.A., C.I.C.L.E. has been working with T.R.U.S.T. South L.A. and the CicLAvia South L.A. Host Committee on their community-focused rides.  C.I.C.L.E. assisted with a Watts Towers Ride by planning the route and leading the tour.  About 60 bicyclists rode from Augustus Hawkins Nature Park to the Watts Towers.  Once at the Watts Towers, the East Side Riders Bike Club took the lead and rode us to the Watts Labor Community Action Committee where we learned about the community services, arts, and development at the WLCAC.   Safety Tip of the Month: Before you roll, check your bike and don't forget to check yourself We should all check our bikes for mechical safety before riding.  Pre-Ride checks should include inspection of the wheels, tires, breaks, cranks, chain, and handlebar,   Often we forget that we need to check ourselves and accessories.  What should we be looking for?  Do a check for the following: 1) Loose clothng that can get caught on your bike.  Pants can get tucked into socks or tied down with a reflective leg band. 2) Make sure your shoes are tied and your laces are not too long.  Double knot if needed. 3) Are you carrying a bag?  Make sure there are no dangling straps.  Make sure your bag is not covering your lights and reflectors.  Also make sure your bag doesn't hang low enough to get caught in your wheel while riding. 4) Do your lights shine brightly?  If not, change your batteries before you get caught in the dark with no lights.  Rechargable batteries help keep you green - they save money and reduce waste! Upcoming Events on Two Wheels Feb. 11th - February 11th - East Side Riders' Ride 4 Love - Join the East Side Riders bike club for a bike ride around the Watts Community.  Meet up at 10am at 10950 S. Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90059. Feb. 12th - Community Ride in Azusa - As part of our work with the  L.A. County Department of Public Health, C.I.C.L.E. has been conducting ongoing rides in neighborhoods that previously lacked a bicyle community. Feb. 19th - C.I.C.L.E.'s Traffic Basics Class Feb. 25th - C.I.C.L.E.'s Tweed, Moxie & Mustache Ride March 2nd - UCLA Complete Streets for California 2012 Conference March 9th - C.I.C.L.E.'s ArtNight Ride - Join us for a guided bicycle tour of Pasadena and its cultural institutions. April 14th - C.I.C.L.E.'s Lorax Ride -  Support alternative transportation by joining Pasadena's Earth and Arts Festival bike ride led by C.I.C.L.E. April 15th - CicLAvia - Car-free streets open for the people to enjoy by foot, bicycle, skateboard, jump-rope and other human-powered devices.  May 14-19th - Bike Week Pasadena - Mark your calendars and get ready to celebrate the 6th annual Bike Week Pasadena, May 14th-19th, 2012.  C.I.C.L.E. and the City of Pasadena have planned a delightful week-long array of pedal-powered fun for most skill levels and age groups to promote bicycling as a safe and sustainable mode of transportation.    C.I.C.L.E. is a project of Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE), a non-profit public charity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501 (c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Visit www.saveourplanet.org for more information.

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"la accion es la madre de la esperanza."

-Pablo Neruda