SUSTAINABLE MORAGA: MINTUES OF JULY 5, 2007 GENERAL MEETING, MORAGA LIBRARY

SUSTAINABLE MORAGA – Minutes of July 5, 2007 General Meeting

1. Meeting called to order 7:00 pm.

2. Approval of last month’s minutes: approved

3. Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer not able to attend this meeting, no report.

4. Approval of Current Agenda

5. Announcements:

  • Ewaste Presentation: Electronic Waste Management presented how their company educates and services communities in Ewaste disposal by coordinating free drop off events, using their own drop-off facility in San Leandro, or free pick up for businesses. They dispose of TVs, monitors, computers and their components, printers, faxes, telephone equipment, audio/visual equipment, all ferrous and non-ferrous metals – see www.noewaste.com for more info.
  • Website Management Position: SM needs two volunteers to oversee the website; screen and update information. For a period of 6 months.
  • Project Priorities: Discussed further honing of SM key projects. An assessment of the July 4 event revealed that it required a lot more resources than we had participating, and that the high temperatures, placement of the tables away from the main areas, and possibly seasonal travel were causes for low attendance.  In the future, prior to approving a project, each project should be evaluated based on if and how it meets  SM’s objectives, if we have the human (volunteer) resources to effectively execute it, and the  cost/benefit of doing it.
  • Suggestions for current and future projects:
  • Plan public events at times when community is in town and when weather is good – i.e., fall, spring
  • Marketing is essential for all events. Plan specific marketing strategy and implementation for all events
  • Out of the list of SM’s ideal projects (voted on by membership), we focused on the following:
  • Fall event, perhaps in concert with St. Mary’s Project Green club:  Alternative Energy Panel presentation.  Initiate discussions with St. Mary’s.
  • Fall/Spring: High School recycle project: Work with both high schools via administration and environmental science classes to educate students, provide better opportunities for recycling (SWA), and improve recycling practices.
  • Summer: Swim Meet Opportunities: Suggestion to attend largest multiclub swim meet (Soda Center) to educate and implement recycling. Judy and Bill to research. Possible Boy Scout volunteers.
  • Ongoing political advocacy: Town Council, Planning Commission, Design Review Board meetings require public attendance and specifically, SM attendance and comment. To best prepare, we need to be notified in advance of meetings. Volunteers are needed to focus on town policies specifically. SM to attend the July 11 Town Council meeting where they will review and approve Design Review guidelines. SM will present Green Building language.

6. Committee Reports:

  • CFL Bulbs: The president wrote draft grant proposal; needs to be reviewed by ClifBar and submitted.
  • Sponsorship and Weblink guidelines: tabled for next meeting
  • Membership (Judy): Added members from July 4 sign up. Discussed methods to welcome new members, encourage attending meetings, introduce ourselves at meetings, with short statement of who we are/what we do/what we are interested in related to SM, etc.; how to facilitate integration and cohesion in SM. Discussed opportunities for social events to get to know each other.
  • Green Bag Sales: Orinda Farmer’s Market approved our selling there. They will also sell bags in the future. Need volunteers to staff table there.
  • Yahoo News Group: Our SM member is setting up sustainablemoraga@yahoogroups.com so we can use that to share resources, post minutes, and get current news. People will have to sign up to access it.  Invitation to wider distribution to offer opportunity to access it.
  • Realtor Bags:  SM and a local realtor are in the process of putting bags together: green bags, green merchandise from Moraga Hardware, with discount opportunities inside Valuable recycling & sustainable information and SM sheet of facts and who we are.
  • Events: July 4, discussed above.
  • St. Mary’s College (ICEI, high school recycling, green movies):  Secured student for ICEI data management. Recycling help discussed above. Green movies – need update from Project Green; will initiate discussions with them for co-sponsoring an Alternative Energy Panel.
  • Battery Update Letter regarding the low battery collection was sent letter to Solid Waste Authority (SWA); their response was to put the issue on their July 26 agenda. Need SM representation at this meeting.
  • Green Landscape Project (Susan):  This issue was tabled, as the presenter was not available.

7. Events: West Coast Green Event (in SF Moscone Ctr): September 20-22, 2007

Next Meeting: Wednesday, August 1, 2007, Moraga Library, 7:00 p.m.