Green Tuesdays Films & Lectures

FREE - MONONA PUBLIC LIBRARY - 6:30 P.M. TO 8:00 P.M.

Next Tuesday, May 10: Blue Vinyl and Plastics--One through Seven

With humor, chutzpah, and a piece of vinyl siding firmly in hand, award-winning filmmaker Judith Helfand* and award-winning cinematographer Daniel B. Gold search for the truth about polyvinyl chloride (PVC), America's most popular plastic. From Long Island to Louisiana to Italy, they unearth the facts about PVC and its effects on human health and the environment. Back at the starter ranch, Helfand coaxes her terribly patient parents into replacing their vinyl siding on the condition that she can find a healthy, affordable alternative (and it has to look good!). A detective story, an eco-activism doc, and a rollicking comedy, Blue Vinyl shows the dangers posed by PVC at every stage, from factory to incinerator. Consumer consciousness and the "precautionary principle" have never been this much fun.

Also student short Plastics--One through Seven shows how one Wisconsin woman's idea changed an entire industry.

Can't make it to Monona? Catch these films in Oregon on May 17, Mt. Horeb on May 19, and Cross Plains on June 17. (Calendar here.)

*Helfand was an artist in residence as part of the UW-Madison's Arts Institute Interdisciplinary Arts Residency Program!

Green Tuesdays: Creating awareness, sparking conversation, empowering change.

Green Tuesdays Films & Lectures is a free series of films, presentations, and conversations that helps us become more aware of the resources we rely on and the actions we can take to better our world. Green Tuesdays start at 6:30 and run until 8:00. Sessions are on the second and fifth Tuesdays of the month, September through May. All are welcome. Whole Foods Market serves treats, so come early and stay late for food, drink, and conversation.

Green Tuesdays, a project of The Natural Step Monona and the Monona Public Library, now reaches four additional communities: Mt. Horeb, Middleton, Cross Plains, and Oregon.

Green Tuesdays is sponsored by The Natural Step Monona in collaboration with Oregon Working to Live Sustainably (OWLS), Mount Horeb Area Sustainability Network, RGPL Green Tuesdays (Cross Plains), the City of Middleton Sustainability Committee, Edgewood College, and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, and is supported by the Dane County Environmental Council.

Monona Public Library and the Komen Foundation

From Toni Streckert, Monona's most excellent Outreach Coordinator (at our very own 2010 WLA and SCLS Library of the Year):

For the second year in a row the Monona Public Library was a Komen for the Cure-Madison grantee recipient. Funds (described in detail below) went to support the continuing development of the Susan G. Komen special collection of the Monona Library, as well as to fund related outreach activities. This is a unique opportunity and honor for the library and it recognition of the wonderful work the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation does, we are again forming a library team to Race (or sleep in) for the Cure.




Website Info:

Support the Cure


Support the Monona Library's Susan G. Komen Special Collection

Monona Library has a team in the June 4th Race for the Cure, Madison. We are a 2011 grant recipient from Komen for the Cure - Madison.

http://madison.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/MSN_MadisonAffiliate/2063616982?pg=team&fr_id=2090&team_id=167611

Collection:

Monona Public Library

Monona Library Komen Collection

Monona Public Library will continue to build and enhance the core Susan G. Komen for the Cure special collection of breast health and breast cancer related materials at the Monona Public Library. This unique collection brings together in one place, a wide variety of current high quality materials in multiple formats. The collection includies bilingual materials, children's materials, patient guides, memoirs and autobiographies, cookbooks, nutrition and well-being/movement information, self-care and stress management, and creativity and self-expression materials, parenting (with a serious illness) guides, and CDs , DVDs and audiobooks. The collection is accessible at any SCLS member library (over 50 libraries throughout south central Wisconsin to anyone with a library card). Grant monies will also help to establish rotating satellite collections at the nonprofit cancer patient support organizations, Gilda's Club and Breast Cancer Recovery.

Northwest Photos

A few photos from my recent trip to Washington and Oregon.

Ferry trip from Mulkiteo to Whidbey Island. Container ship in the distance.

Lighthouse at Fort Casey, Whidbey Island

Coupeville, WA - A classic small town sign.

Coupeville, WA. Gull in flight

Deception Point

Tulip field near LaConnor, WA

Tulip field near LaConnor, WA

Tulip field near LaConnor, WA

Cascade Mountains viewed from Whidbey Island, WA

Cascade Mountains viewed from Whidbey Island, WA

Nalagiri (?)

Buddha



Rainbow in Portland, OR



The BOB Era Begins

The Monona City Council met tonight (May 2, 2011) for the first meeting in Bob Miller's term as mayor. (I can't resist the 'BOB' crack, but it will probably wear thin sooner than chicken jokes.)

The meeting was pretty uneventful and efficient. Let's hope they aren't all like that....zzzzzzzz.

The council adopted all of the following items by a 5-0 vote (Alder Speight was excused for a family illness.)


Consideration of Resolution 11-04-1774 A Final Resolution Authorizing Street Improvements and Levying Special Assessments Against Benefited Properties on Tecumseh Avenue, Neponset Trail, Nishishin Trail, Nishishin Trail NE, and Pocahontas Drive (Public Works Committee).

Consideration of Ordinance 4-11-623 Amending Section 6-1-12 of the Code of Ordinances Concerning Waterway Maintenance (Public Works Committee).

Consideration of Resolution 11-04-1777 Approving an Agreement Granting a Privilege in a Right of Way to Meriter Hospital, Inc. (City Attorney).

Consideration of Resolution 11-05-1778 Approval to Adopt Wisconsin Department of Transportation Equipment Rates (Public Works Director).

Consideration of Resolution No. 11-05-1779 Terminating Tax Increment District No. 3 and Authorizing the City Finance Director to Distribute Excess Increment to Overlying Taxing Districts (Finance Director).
 
The council also approved the following appointments:
 

1. To the Park and Recreation Board:

a. Jessica Ace (May 2011–May 2014).

b. Pat Howell (May 2011–May 2014).

c. Greg Anderson (May 2011–May 2014).

2. To the Public Works Committee:

a. Tom Stolper (May 2011–May 2014).

b. Leslie Busse (May 2011–May 2014).

c. Tim Turino (May 2011–May 2014).

3. Chris Homburg to the Plan Commission (May 2011–May 2014).

4. Robb Kahl, Chair, Community Development Authority (May 2011–May 2015).

5. Robb Kahl to the Ad-Hoc Monona Drive Advisory Committee.

6. Kathy Thomas to the Committee on Family Attraction, Retention, and City Promotion (May 2011–May 2014).
 
The appointments of Robb Kahl are interesting. I think it shows a good deal of confidence on Mayor Miller's part to appoint the former mayor to head CDA and serve on the Monona Drive Committee. I think it's good for the city, but not everyone would put the predecessor in such roles. Good for Bob - err, Mayor Miller.

Mum's the Word

Yes, mum appears to be the word for getting onself in dutch with Sunny's stormy view from the pier...Two weeks running I managed to make an appearance in her column for wehat I didn't say. First, was the non-Walker statement. And last week upon my return from the Great Northwest, I found her commenting upon my refusal to say the words 'so help me God' as part of my oath of office.

The former I regard as humorous in my intent and bemused in my reaction to the response in some quarters. The latter is more serious. In my opinion, the words 'so help me God' have no place in an oath of office for an elected official. One might refuse to say that phrase based on a belief in separation of church and state or a non-belief in a god. In my case, both are true.

I've never really made any bones about my nonbelief nor have I made a big issue of it. I don't care much for proselytizing on matters of personal conscience. So, now the issue was sort of forced into the public eye. I could have repeated the phrase and avoided any controversy, but of course, in my case that would have been a false oath. I really had no hesitation in declining to say the phrase.

More than enough said.

***

And I have no bone to pick with Sunny for reporting my omission of the God pharse in her column (she was sitting in the front row). I read something recently about the relationship between reporters and sources  about the great radical journalist Izzy Stone. Sources provide information; you can be friendly but not exactly friends. OK, before anyone keels over, I'm not comparing Sunny to Izzy Stone, but she does have the same independent streak.