Sacramento Post-carbon Action Network (SPAN)

NOTE: SPAN HAS A NEW COORDINATOR! You can contact our new coordinator Steve Saffold at mailto:saff@cwnet.com 

Why Get Involved?  Find Out!  To Go Directly to Highly Recommended Reading and Viewing, Scroll to the Bottom of the Page.

PLEASE JOIN S.P.A.N.! Membership numbers signal our relevance, commitment and strength to those whom we hope to influence. Let's grow those numbers! Click "Create a New Account" under "Log In" in the right-hand column.
IMPORTANT: please check the "Personal Contact Form" box under "Contact Settings" so that the group manager and other members can contact you directly, rather than using the broadcasting feature. After filling out the registration form, select "Sacramento Post-carbon Action Network" from the list in the second box from the bottom. It's that easy! And it's free! As a member, you will be kept abreast of breaking developments in relocalization and Peak Preparedness in the Sacramento Bioregion. You will meet others in your community who share your values and vision. You will have a chance to contribute your valuable ideas and use your talents to help shape a sustainable, livable, humane and fulfilling future for Sacramento.

MISSION STATEMENT The function of SPAN is to create a true network that: 1. Includes numerous, already-existing, progressive groups and individuals as its signatory members. 2. Acts as a clearinghouse for information among member groups. 3. Facilitates collaboration among groups that are working on post-carbon related issues in Sacramento. 4. Invites new members to join either the SPAN core group or assists them in deciding which member group might better meet their needs, based on their interests and skills. SPAN's core group will also initiate specific actions and campaigns, for which we will solicit participation from members of the network.

GOALS

1. Raise awareness of Peak Oil, its implications, and survival strategies.
2. Develop, organize and promote activities that move our community toward sustainability and relocalization. The nature of these activities will be such that all participants will experience immediate and positive benefit from their association with SPAN.
3.  Network!  Provide a means of sharing information and pooling resources for local and regional groups that are working on sustainability, relocalization and other related issues.
4. Lobby and influence local government policy and planning to promote or enable sustainable principles and action in transportation, housing, business, food production and public utilities.

PHILOSOPHY No start is too small. No goal is too large. SPAN welcomes, and will develop activities for, all interested parties--regardless of how much time, energy, money or (perceived) talent they can contribute at any given time. We will help people discover their talents! All are welcome. All are valued.

CONTACT INFORMATION For more information about Sacramento Post-carbon Action Network (SPAN), please contact the former Outpost Coordinator at denise4peace@hotmail.com.  Denise is currently relocating to Eugene, Oregon.  She will be joining the Post Carbon team there.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED READING AND VIEWING:

ONLINE READING:

The Peak Oil Primer  Quickly covers the basics.  http://www.energybulletin.net/primer.php
National Geographic Cover Story: "The End of Cheap Oil" (June 2004)  http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0406/feature5/
http://www.energybulletin.net  Current news and analysis

ONLINE VIEWING:

Peak Moment T.V. Show   A locally produced series of half-hour programs reveals how West Coast groups and individuals are taking positive and effective action on energy decline and climate change through community action!  http://www.peakmoment.tv/conversations/index.html

BOOKS:

The Party's Over: Oil Depletion, War and the Fate of Industrial Societies (Richard Heinberg)  Easty-to-read and fascinating!
 The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the 21st Century (James H. Kunstler)  Dense reading.  Covers a number of issues including Peak Oil
SACRAMENTO COUNTY LIBRARY has both of these books, plus OUTSTANDING ONLINE SERVICES. Please visit this sustainable community treasure at: www.saclib.org

DOCUMENTARIES:

The End of Suburbia:  Oil Depletion and the End of the American Dream  http://endofsuburbia.com/
The Power of Community:  How Cuba Survived Peak Oil  http://www.communitysolution.org/cuba.html  With the fall of the Soviet Union, Cuba experienced it's own peak oil experience.  See how they responded to the challenges and survived.