Community ideas are guiding our direction

Last fall, the OV Green Coalition held two lively gatherings of community members to share ideas for how we can achieve our vision to be “a resilient and ecologically healthy home for all human and non-human residents.”

More than fifty people attended each session, with the second session building on the first. Discussion focused on:

• Energy, creative housing and transportation
• Waste
• Open Space and Water
• Food and Agriculture.

Now the Green Coalition board is working to bring a portion of these ideas to fruition. Our focus is on creating programs and structures so our community can effectively come together around important issues and concerns. For ideas not included below, we welcome you to stay engaged and continue the conversation at our monthly Green Drinks gatherings (see below), a great opportunity to share thoughts and build on ideas.

Top contenders include:

• Strengthen connections among community members through monthly Green Drinks gatherings and topic-related programs such as a book club, film screenings, and speakers.

• Continue to build out our newsletter as a communication hub for our whole green-focused community and to be a source of valuable information on topics such as waste reduction, energy conservation, and climate resilience.

• Bring back the popular Recipe Swap & Tasting Socials to not only bring caring and friendly people together around healthy food, but also provide education and resources to benefit local food production.

• Develop a new resident "Welcome Wagon," offering information, products and coupons related to environmentally-oriented activities, services and purveyors throughout the Ojai Valley.

• Advocate for policy changes needed to achieve our mission to build and strengthen life-sustaining and regenerative ways of being.

Where are we with all these plans?

Bringing people together and generating ideas and priorities was the first step. The OV Green Coalition is here to foster change, but on our own we can only do so much. We need YOU – our community – to continue to help us make these ideas a reality.

One way we are moving forward is through discussing ideas at our monthly Green Drinks gatherings (see Calendar). Green Drinks offer  great venues to continue the conversation and to create what is needed together.

Please join us, and watch this space for further details. We’re working hard to  put together our plans and capacities to make a difference at this time when our work is very needed.

Stay tuned!