350 Home and Garden Garden Challenge

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2008, Living Mandala
creative services by: 360 Degrees

In Association With

Daily Acts

Share Exchange

iGROW Sonoma

Transition U.S.

350.org

* Additional Coalition Partners & Sponsors listed Below

* Plus 100’s of Participating Organizations, Businesses, & Citizens in Sonoma County, CA & Across the Country

350 Home & Garden Challenge 2011

On May 14th & 15th, 2011 thousands of people across the country will rise to the challenge to create more sustainable, resilient communities by participating in the 350 Home & Garden Challenge!

The 350 Garden Challenge was inspired in part by the 350.org's international campaign to find and implement solutions to climate change.

Coming off the incredible success of 628 garden actions in Sonoma County, California in a single weekend in the spring of 2010, this year the 350 Home & Garden Challenge is going national seeking to engage citizens, organizations, local businesses, media and civic leaders to grow food, save water & conserve energy to strengthen the resliliency of local communities across the country.

Being lead nationally by Tranition U.S., this exciting initiative has quickly brought on partners such as 350.org, Post-Carbon institute, Chelsea Green Publishing, Evolver, BALLE, and a growing number of transition initiatives, inspired citizens, and community activists from east to west.

350 Home & Garden Challenge 2010

On a single weekend in the spring of 2010, Daily Acts, iGROW Sonoma, GoLocal & Living Mandala collaborated with the Sonoma County Water Agency and dozens of community groups and local companies to create the 350 Garden Challenge. The goal was simple: 350 garden actions in a single weekend to transform Sonoma County landscapes into bountiful gardens which save water, and carbon emissions, grow food and habitat, and promote greywater and low-impact development, all while educating and empowering community and supporting local businesses. What happened was an amazing success that is now inspiring communities across the country: 628 garden actions in a single weekend! The 350 Garden Challenge in Sonoma County, CA engaged citizens, organizations, local businesses, media and civic leaders to save water and improve access to healthy, fresh local food while positioning Sonoma County as a national leader in the local food movement and water conservation. For more Info on the 350 Garden in 2010 Click Here.

Community Organizing for the 350 Home & Garden Challenge

What we learned last year is that success of the 350 Home & Garden Challenge at the community level really was due to the efforts of a local organizing team. The 350 Home & Garden Challenge has created Toolkits to assist local organizing teams to be successful in their initiatives. These Toolkits are available on the Transition US Website. Once you sign up as a community organizer, you will be invited to participate in informational webinars for the 350 Home & Garden Challenge hosted by Transition US, which will occur at 11 am PST for the next 4 weeks. Sign Up as a Community Organizer Today.

How your Group Can Get Involved

The 350 Home & Garden Challenge’s success is dependent on many organizations, groups and individuals getting involved. We hope you are as excited as we are about catalyzing this moment of interest in growing, conserving water, saving energy, and building community into one mass mobilization in Sonoma County, CA and across the country. We are looking for partners and have many ways your group can get involved.

1.Get Involved with Organizing an Action or Event - Take initiative in your community organize an action, a demonstration project, publicizing the event, recruit volunteers, and outreach to local groups.
2.Adopt a Project - Your group can take on a project at a public spot, an individual’s home, a business, or a church.
3.Publicize to Your Network - We hope to partner with as many groups as possible to get the word out. Send out information to your email list, write about it in your newsletter, put up information in your office.
4.Recruit volunteers - You have connections to hundreds of people we might not be able to reach, can you use your network to put out the word that we need volunteers to help both before and during the weekend.
5.Register an Action!
Stand up and be counted!
Register Your Action in Sonoma County via Daily Acts.

Register Your Action Nationally via Transition US.

Join the 350 Garden Challenge Community on Facebook

Join the 350 Garden Challenge on Facebook, find projects in your region, and invite friends!

Regional & National Contacts

Sonoma County California - Daily Acts:

http://dailyacts.org/350-challenge

phone: 707-789-9664

Register Your Action in Sonoma County

Nationally - Transition US

http://transitionus.org/action/350-challenge

Register Your Action Nationally via Transition US.

Choose Sunshine

Register Your Action in Sonoma County, CA via Daily Acts.

Register Your Action Nationally via Transition US.

So What Exactly is the 350 Home & Garden Challenge?

You as an individual in your community can identify a specific project or action in one or more of the four challenge areas: food, water, energy and community. All we ask is for you to stand up and be counted by registering your project or action so we can document the strength and impact of this movement and show the world just how powerful we are when we stand together as a national community taking responsibility for our future. Check out the 350 Home & Garden Challenge Actions Map to see who else is taking on Challenge.

Why 350?

For all of human history until about 200 years ago, our atmosphere contained 275 parts per million of carbon dioxide. 350 parts per million is the number that scientists, climate experts, and progressive national governments are now saying is the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere to avert drastic climate change. We are currently at 390 and climbing. Unless we are able to rapidly return to below 350 ppm this century, we risk reaching a tipping point of irreversible change on the ecological systems we know and are dependent upon that will effect all life as we know it.

We can turn this challenge into an opportunity to come together to create real solutions to the climate crisis, to strengthen our resiliency and self-reliance, and to build the world we have always dreamed to live in.

Get Involved!

Big challenges require an inspired vision and bold action. We are asking for your support to spread the word, engage your friends, neighbors, social groups, churches, co-workers, and civic leaders. The best way to make this country more food, water, and energy independent is to do it ourselves. It’s our community and WE make a difference... especially when we work together.

Grow Food...

* Transform your lawn into a food garden.
* Join or start a community garden.
* Grow a row for a local food bank
* Get educated! Attend a workshop.

Conserve Water...

* Switch to drip irrigation

* Install a greywater system or a rainwater garden
* Install a swale, rain chain, ground cover, or other stormwater management techniques
* Install water conserving appliances (toilet, shower heads, faucets)

Save Energy...

* Unplug energy zapping appliances, computers, games
* Conduct a home energy audit
* Weatherize your home, apartment or office
* Instal renewable energy technologies

Stand Up, Be Counted, Tell Your Friends, and Join the 350 Home & Garden Challenge Today!

Downloadable Links & Resources

* 350 Home & Garden Challenge Overview

* 350 Home & Garden Challenge Flier

* 350 Home & Garden Challenge Media Toolkit

* 350 Home & Garden Challenge Organizer Tool Kit

* 350 Home & Garden Challenge Action Map

* 350 Challenge Energy Tips

* Slow it, Spread it, Sink it Landowner's & Homeowner's Guide to Beneficial Stormwater Management

Sponsorship & Donations

We need your help to make the 350 Garden a success engaging citizens, organizations, local businesses, media and civic leaders to save water and improve access to healthy, fresh local food while positioning Sonoma County and the Transition Initiates across the country as national leaders in the local food movement and water conservation. Become a sponsor of the 350 Garden challenge by donating on the link below. Sponsors will be recognized on the Daily Acts website (Sonoma County) and Transition U.S. website, and Living Mandala. For more information on sponsorship opportunities email sponsorship@350challenge.net