Moving to so much coal so quickly—without a clear plan in place first for renewable energy, energy efficiency, consumer protections, and standards for CO2 emissions, which the Supreme Court confirms is pollution—will seriously harm Michigan’s economy and the environment.

It will keep Michigan locked in the energy dark ages, hold back the development of the state’s clean energy industry and the good jobs that come with it, and add to global warming.

Please join a powerful, statewide push that propels Michigan into the 21^st century. The first step is simple: Sign the petition at www.nocoalrush.com right now, please.

We need 150,000 signatures in the next few days, so after you sign up (the ZIP code helps us route your message to your legislators).

Specifically, the petition asks state legislators to please Stop the Coal Rush by forbidding any new coal-burning permits until Michigan has an aggressive Clean Energy Plan that:

1. Requires energy providers to get 20 percent of their power from renewables by 2020.
2. Requires utility-funded energy efficiency programs to cut energy consumption by 1 percent per year.
3. Protects consumers from absorbing skyrocketing future coal-burning costs.
4. Develop new standards for regulating CO2 greenhouse gas emissions.

Time is of the essence. Please go to www.nocoalrush.com right now, sign on. THANKS!

Most Wednesdays this summer SEEDS and it’s collaborative partners are hosting Building a Village - Work Sessions. We are starting from the ground up and everyone is invited to come out and lend a hand!

Work Sessions start at 6:00pm next to Pleasanton Bakery. All sorts of surprises… you never know what musician or food sample might show up.

This past Wednesday Gerard and Nick of Pleasanton Bakery treated the crew with fresh brick oven pizza! We snacked on strawberries and fresh garlic scapes from Todd Springers Farm.

The evening was a complete success! We planted a little, weeded a lot and even had a little rain to help our thristy gardens.

Other Wednesday work sessions (later in the summer) will include a Village Flora Inventory and 500-year Tree Planning.

The party spilled over to a sound check with Ronnie Hernandez out on the loading dock of Building 58.

Marsha Minervini was all smiles as she prepares a pizza at the new Pleasanton Brick Oven Bakery at The Village at Grand Traverse Commons.

The Water Festival, an annual event organized by the Earthwork Music Collective, is a family-oriented event bringing together Michigan’s best in music and activism.

This traveling festival had it’s sophomore debut in Grand Rapids Riverside Park. The day alternated between sets of music from more than ten musical acts including Rachael Davis, Peter Madcat Ruth, Jen Sygit, and Steppin’ In It and informational speakers such as Mayor George Heartwell, Maureen Taylor, Terry Swier, and Cynthia Pryor.

It was a day of listening, dancing, networking, and organizing. It was a celebratory call to action. Thanks again Earthwork Music and major sponsors Clean Water Fund and Fox on a Hill.

Also speaking in support of the project was representatives from the Newberry Area Chamber of Commerce, Tahqaumenon Public School District, Helen Newberry Joy Hospital, Newberry Area Hockey Association, Luce County Economic Development Corporation.

What set it apart as a special occasion were the guests of honor: Nina Simons and Kenny Ausubel, founders and co-directors of Bioneers. They live in Santa Fe where the main Bioneers office is located. They were in Traverse City to attend a Kellogg Foundation sponsored conference, Food and Society, held this year at the Grand Traverse Resort.

After filling our plates and stomachs with an incredible array of amazing food (we do potlucks well), we settled in for a discussion with Kenny and Nina. What followed was a wide-ranging conversation about the ripples that Bioneers is making in this country and beyond. We heard from Nina about her work helping to train women in leadership skills and empowerment and how important it is in these challenging times to have women in places of power. She spoke with genuine admiration about the depth and richness of the Bioneers communities sprouting up at each satellite site. Kenny talked about how excited they are to be getting involved in their own community around local issues, now that there’s a satellite site in Santa Fe. This local organizing has spawned a state-wide initiative in New Mexico about local food.

The Bioneers community is very also excited about a film called The 11th Hour, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, that is based on interviews with over 70 people, most of who are past plenary speakers from previous Bioneers conferences. Kenny is in the film and he and Nina met with Leonardo and advised him about the film. It will be widely released in the fall of ‘07, right before the conference. We talked about the fact that many of the Bioneers principles and concepts are creeping into the mainstream and how this challenges us to redefine the “new normal”.

They raved about the line-up of the 2007 Bioneers plenary speakers for this year’s conference, giving us a sneak preview of some of the new voices to Bioneers (13 of the 15 speakers are first-time plenary speakers). The evening came to a close with a few moments of silence as we all soaked in the energy and deep connection in the room.

We were honored and pleased to have them as guests, and welcome them back anytime for one of the best potluck dinners out there. —Sally Van Vleck

The Earthwork Music Collective is one of Great Lakes Bioneers’ favorite partners and we’ve enjoyed their concerts, workshops, and stories.

Members of this collective spill enthusiasm and love for life and community. Seth Bernard and Daisy May Erlewine, cornerstones of Earthwork Music, will be featured on Praire Home Companion April 21.

This weekend marks the first annual People In their Twenties Talent Show on Praire Home Companion and this fabulous duo are one of six finalists chosen from among 740 entries.

You can vote online for your favorite artist Saturday night, April 21 at 7pm EST (show starts live at 6pm) by hitting the Prairie Home Companion homepage.

You can also watch the show with friends at Short’s Brewery in Bellaire, and then catch two more Earthworkers - Jen Sygit and Rachel Davis - live right after!

We’re proud that Michigan’s waters have fostered such amazing musicianship and so glad to know these musicians personally. Break a leg!!

This article explains why cooperative groceries and the Bioneers make a perfect match. And, don’t forget, one of our strongest supporters,the Oryana Natural Foods Cooperative is set to open its grand expansion this summer. Stop in and say thank you.

What else is coming up? Well, in no particular order:

Odom’s Fourth Annual Used Material Building Tour ~ April 14
Grand Traverse County
This tour features homes and businesses that have reused materials in their construction and renovation showing that used materials are affordable, can come to a professional finish, and are (of course) a great choice for the planet. It was started four years ago in partnership between SEEDS and Odom Reusable Building Materials through a Michigan State Energy Office Grant. This year’s tour features several homes - including the home bathrooms of our very own Pete Muñoz, which were renovated by our very own Tim Risk! Also on the tour this year will be Oryana Natural Foods Market where we will get to showcase many of the innovative material uses incorporated into this LEED-candidate building.

Tickets are on sale now, click the bird, email thehometour (at) gmail.com, or call 231.276.6330 for more information.

Oryana General Membership Meeting ~ March 22, 6-9pm
Traverse City
Speaking of Oryana, we wanted to let every member know that the annual General Membership Meeting will be taking place inside the newly built section of the store - the only party we will get to have in there before it fills with merchandise. Even if you can’t make the party, you can vote for new Board Members in the store the week before the meeting.

Steppininit + Rachel Davis = Shout Sister Shout ~ March 17
Traverse City
SEEDS is happy to partner with Grassroots Productions to network great music, great people, and great beer together under one roof. This show can keep you out of trouble during St. Patrick’s Day. Doors open at the Opera House at 6:30pm, show at 7:30pm. Tickets are $15 ahead and $20 at the door; proceeds from Short’s Beer sales go to a worthy nonprofit organization (I bet you know who!). Our friends at ISLAND will be helping out too!

The Second Annual Water Festival ~ June 16
Grand Rapids
SAVE THE DATE! The Water Festival, hosted by our beloved, the Earthwork Music Collective, will be held free and open to the public at the Riverside Park…..More information to come. If you are thirsty now, be sure to buy a copy of the newly released live recording of Greg Brown’s August 2005 performance to benefit the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It’s Greg’s debut release on the Earthwork label and it’s full of material you’ve never heard before.
NOWRA Water for All Life Conference ~ March 10-14
Maryland
This international program will concentrate on decentralized wastewater infrastructure technologies and practices. If you’ll be there too, look up SEEDS Engineer, Barton Kirk, and say hi.

Thanks for keeping tabs on us. Here’s to an amazing growing season!