This month's featured organization, the Local Institute for Self Reliance suggests that it is time to adopt new rules for governance because the old ones aren't working. They focus on communities and neighborhoods as units of self reliance, where the results of governance directly affect those making the decisions. A strong community has a voice. This month our newsletter is working to build the UAS community and offers lots of ways to collaborate. Read about our union with Green Home, the return of the Green Movie Night and Forum, a message from Melissa Plotkin about UAS Volunteer opportunities, and an article from the San Francisco Chronicle about ally Kevin Bayuk's vision of building community by Farming in the City. (meet Kevin on the Daily Acts tour listed in our events section) Help build the UAS community and Unite!

UAS Green Movie Night and Forum - The Power of Community

Join us for the Spring Return of the UAS Green Movie Night and Forum!

Once every month in 2007 UAS hosted a Green Movie Night and Forum where we challenge ourselves to present inspirational (solution-oriented) content, provide a platform for local organizations and engage the community in a group discussion about the UAS monthly theme. We took a short hiatus for the winter and now we are back and bigger than ever - we've moved from a 50 seat venue to a 450 seat venue and we've got a full year of rare, amazing films, so please spread the word and bring your friends! The UAS Green Movie Night and Forum is a great place to meet allies and forge community through exploring solutions together!

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UAS Community Connect!

Sophia Healing CenterMeet UAS for our monthly Community Connect - an evening of socializing and networking. Meet with like-minded locals – new and old - to share respective visions of a sustainable future, discuss collaborations, and inspire each other to action.

If you are with a local organization or green business that wants to share the work you’re doing or meet potential volunteers or staff, this is a great casual space to make those connections.

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Shop Green Home and Support UAS

By Urban Alliance for Sustainability

UAS has recently partnered with Greenhome.com, the most comprehensive marketplace on the Web for everything eco. And now, every time you buy a product from the UAS Green Home store, Green Home will share a portion of the revenue with our organization.

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Farming in the CIty

By Matthew Green- San Francisco Chronicle

A Message from Melissa Plotkin on UAS Volunteer Opportunities

Melissa Plotkin: UAS Volunteer CoordinatorGreetings Fellow Sustainability Seekers,

I'd like to take a moment to introduce myself along with the exciting positions that UAS currently has to offer. My name is Melissa Plotkin, although many know me as 'Sweet Melissa' since I recently spent a month on tour with the Allman Brothers representing Rock the Earth, an environmental advocacy nonprofit that partners with the music community. Studying abroad in the beautiful country of Belize helped me realize how strong my passion was for the field of sustainability. I co-founded an Environmental/ Sustainable Development organization at the University in Belize and I became the Recycling Coordinator for the only student environmental organization at Florida State University.

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Volunteer With UAS!

To sign up to become a UAS Team member just complete the introduction form.

At the beginning of the each year UAS’ core team comes together for multiple strategy sessions for realignment and refocusing. One of the outcomes for 2008 was a rearrangement of the main teams that UAS consists of. They are now the Development Team, the Outreach Team (made up of Membership, Website, Newsletter and Events Sub-Teams) and the Mapping the Ecology of the Movement (MEM) Team (see the following for details). It’s obvious that there is much energy surrounding UAS and the momentum is picking up at a rapid pace, but Urban Alliance for Sustainability is counting on dedicated sustainability seekers such as yourself to help integrate and inspire the movement like never before!

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Institute for Local Self Reliance