Co-ops's topics - tribe.net

Beware that Co-op Kitchen...

2009-03-14T20:38:23Z

Boy, does this bring back memories...

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/09/07/BAGF5L0U6V1.DTL

BERKELEY
Suspect sweets send 30 people to hospital
University students believe party treats contained marijuana
- Henry K. Lee, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, September 7, 2006

A group of UC Berkeley students were hospitalized late Wednesday for severe medical reactions after eating brownies or cookies that they believed contained marijuana, according to authorities.

More than 30 people, ages 18 to 25, at the Cloyne Court co-op residential building experienced negative reactions and called for help at about 8 p.m., said Alameda County Fire Capt. Tim Dillon.

Twelve of the people were taken to the hospital, and two were treated at the scene, Dillon said. He said police are investigating whether the brownies or cookies caused the students' illness.

Their symptoms included anxiety, rapid heart rate, chest pains, "and a feeling of doom,'' said Dillon.

He said crumbs found at the scene were taken for testing. "We believe it's beyond marijuana,'' he said.

A witness said that the students were having a social gathering after selecting their room assignments at the co-op building, 2600 Ridge Road. Classes started at UC Berkeley Aug. 28.

"I ate one and I feel fine," said a friend of one of the students. "There were people who ate a lot, and on top of that they were drinking. ... It looked like they got too high."

Cloyne Court houses 149 students. The university owns the property, but the residence is jointly run by occupants.

"What happened tonight was an isolated incident where adults didn't know their limits," said Nathan Danielsen, a house manager. "We do not officially condone any of their actions."

The incident adds to a rocky opening to the school year for UC Berkeley.

On Monday, 23-year-old Wayne Drummond Jr. died outside a UC Berkeley sorority house on Prospect Street. Police said Drummond, who was not a student at the university, had been shot and may have gone to the sorority in search of help.

posted in Co-ops - 4 replies

2008 Communities Conference at Twin Oaks Community

2008-02-19T18:03:12Z

My name is Suede and I live at Twin Oaks Community in Louisa, VA. This year I'm co-organizing the Communities Conference at Twin Oaks for my 2nd year, though the conference has been happening for many years now. Thought I'd post some basic info on the conference for those interested in learning about community, expanding knowledge or just meeting new people. Feel free to contact me with any questions about Twin Oaks or our conferences.

In Community,
Suede Machete

Here's the info:

The Communities Conference is a networking and learning opportunity for anyone interested or involved in co-operative or communal lifestyles. Join us for a weekend of sharing and celebration!

Friday August 15 through
Sunday August 17, 2008
$85 (sliding scale) includes
meals and camping

With workshops and events focused on
~ Intentional relationships
~ Group process
~Collective child raising
~ Creating culture
~ Forming communities
~ Sustainability
~ Appropriate technology
~ Community economics

Music
Dancing
Slide shows
Campfires
Swimming
Magic
More!

Respond to:
Twin Oaks Communities Conference
138 Twin Oaks Road, Louisa, Virginia 23093
540-894-5126

conference@twinoaks.org

For More Information, check out our website:

www.communitiesconference.org

Twin Oaks also hosts a Women's Gathering! Check that out at :

www.twinoaks.org/community...index.html

posted in Co-ops - 0 replies

Salt Lake City Co-ops?

2008-01-06T03:53:26Z

I'll be moving soon I hope. If I manage to get a job I have a phone interview for today. I am wondering if there are any co-ops in Salt Lake City? If there are could someone please let me know. Thanks

posted in Co-ops - 5 replies

Boulder Mandala co-op seeking volunteers!! check this out!

2007-12-24T21:55:06Z

Hello family! In these great times and transitions many projects are coming into the hands of the One love Consciousness Project. The first one is the Mandala center here in Boulder. The mandala center is a wonderful venue for the family to use for sacred ceremony, yoga, meditation, massage center, and open to embody other uses.. In this moment the Mandala center family is looking for volunteers in several different fields. At this time we are in desperate need for dedicated creators, promotors, musicians, healers, and light workers to come together to discuss the future of this great project.

A date has been discussed to be very soon, so if you are interested please contact me @ makayafox@gmail.com or check out the web site @ bouldermandala.com..

The Mandala center is getting a new building/warehouse, but the current building can be kept if able to reach the new rent, which is way more than can be afforded at this time, so time to move it seems.

This project is really awesome and worthy , for Eye feel this could be a beautiful portal for all of us to be apart of. Very exciting!!

Ahhh, Blessings family!! Much more to come, and soon also some of us will be in Tucson for the Gem show in Feb. to rock the SOul Mate Bar and Love lounge for the first time. If interested in being apart of that, Zoe is organizing that and can be reached by her profile on tribe and myspace.

Also, if you have a conscious music tribe and would like to be apart of the One love consciousness projects events in the future, we are looking forward to booking you in Boulder, for the family here is very strong and would love to get conscious with you and your tribe.

And lastly, you can of course donate funds towards these projects and would be greatly appreciated and well used to activate many. If you would like to donate to the Mandala center you can do so by going to the website, or you can contact myself on this account profile and leave your phone number to be personally reached. Thank you for your support and dedication to this unfoldment. We love you all very much.. ! Respectfully, Makaya

posted in Co-ops - 0 replies

Qumbya Co-ops in Chicago

2007-12-03T21:07:19Z

I was super excited when I found this tribe! I've been looking to network with other co-ops ever since attending NASCO Institute this year.

About our co-op: Qumbya Co-ops has 3 houses in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. Check out our website at qumbya.com.

posted in Co-ops - 0 replies

Info about Berkeley Co-ops?

2007-04-10T18:00:19Z

I'm a grad student in Berkeley hoping to live in a co-op in the area. Any helpful advice would be greatly appreciated.

Email me here on tribe!
Thanks!

posted in Co-ops - 11 replies

"Greening" your co-op

2007-03-26T22:03:14Z

A few like-minded people in our co-op have started a Sustainabilty Committee much to the chagrin of several members who believe we shouldn't have committee status. We are trying to educate our co-op population and influence policies as far as purchasing, renos etc. Does anyone have something like this in their housing co-op? Any suggestions on how to educate those dinosaurs who think that changing to compact flourescents is a HUGE step in saving the environment? We are in discussions with The Natural Step who are working with the Coop Housing Federation of Canada but it seems like almost everyone is starting from the bottom on these types of changes.

posted in Co-ops - 3 replies

6th Annual Sustainable Living Conference!

2006-10-30T04:37:32Z

Hello Everyone!
I am coordinating the 6th Annual Sustainable Living Conference here at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA.
This year's conference will be April 20-22, 2007.
Everyone is welcome!
To attend
To plan for it
To suggest and bring forth ideas
To contribute in any way that you please!
You can email synergy@evergreen.edu
Be a part of the change that you want to see!!!!
Thank you! Sincerely!

posted in Co-ops - 1 reply

co-ops in boulder / denver area

2006-03-17T00:47:40Z

hey, just wondering if anyone knows anything about co-ops in the denver / boulder area.....colorado...

give thanks and praises in the morning
bradley in boulder

posted in Co-ops - 5 replies

The Permaculture Army: we are a permaculture warrior society

2006-03-10T04:00:45Z

do you want to know more.
Do you want to train mind and body
we are a dedicated team making our world green

You can hire us
permaculture landscaping, design, consultation
natural building, mud
you can live with us, we train seriously
$300mo for everything

contact us a permaculturearmy@hotmail.com
leave your phone number. monday - friday we do call backs
*based in the EastBay (San Francisco Bay Area)

sincerely. Sgt. Squirrel

posted in Co-ops - 0 replies

What is a Co-op?

2006-02-27T04:57:28Z

What is a Co-op?

A cooperative is a business controlled by the people who use it. It is a democratic organization whose earnings and assets belong to its members. By patronizing and becoming an active member of a co-op, you invest yourself with the power to shape that business. You control the politics and economics of what is truly your organization.

This localized member control allows co-ops to be as varied as the people they serve. Thus, there are different types of co-ops including: food co-ops, housing co-ops, arts and crafts co-ops, book co-ops, bakery co-ops, bike co-ops, farm co-ops, rural electric co-ops, financial co-ops (credit unions), and insurance co-ops. And each of these has a flavor of its own, reflective of the desires of its individual memberships. Despite the diversity in type and tradition of co-ops, most have several things in common, particularly the ideals and principles from which they emerge.

From http://www.umich.edu/~nasco/

posted in Co-ops - 5 replies

Websites for cooperatives

2005-12-11T21:24:06Z

I just set up a website http://www.corlearshook.net for cooperators in my housing coop in NYC (East River Houses). I used Druapl/CivicSpace and hope that the site becomes a place for cooperators to share information and lobb the board to make changes. If anyone is interested in learning about drupal/civicspace check out drupal.org and civicspacelabs.org and I am happy to answer questions about how i set up my site.

posted in Co-ops - 0 replies

Seeking advise.

2005-10-31T03:57:35Z

I am thinking of starting a co-op, and people seem to be very supportive of the idea that I am considering, which is a café that would also serve as a place for people to have access for information by way of making the space available as a meeting hall, similar to a meet-up.

To give you insight on my limited knowledge, I have never worked in a co-operative, nor a cafe, although I have worked in retail and in the distant past, I have worked food. My exposer to collectives is also very limited. So you can see that I have a lot of work to do, but I very much want to get this going, and I am fully aware that this may take a lot of time.

Given what I have explained, what should I find out before I start seeking people to join me? Also, who should I talk to before all of this gets started?

posted in Co-ops - 5 replies

Burner hostels?

2005-10-24T06:20:48Z

Well I've had this ad up for about three weeks now: "House for rent on burner property". In that time I've had two couples come and look. Both dudes were DJs. Both said it didn't have enough space for all their gear.

So now I'm thinking about the idea of a "burner hostel". People running up and down the coast would have a place to stop-over in Portland, burn some wood and meet like-minded folk. I may have to buy some bunkbeds and lockers. I don't know. I'd like to do something creative. I have two houses on the same enclosed private property on the edge of Forest Park.

There's a thing called "the couch-exchange network"? that's sort of similar. What they do is you pay to be on a list and exchange you have free places to stay wherever you go in any city. If someone is a creep on either side they are removed. If I can't find the right tenant(s) I may just do something for good karma points.

If anyone likes the idea I'd be happy to hear feedback.

Swaz

posted in Co-ops - 0 replies

Ant Hill Co-op

2005-09-16T06:38:11Z

Hey, a friend of mine recently started a co-op in Rochester, New York. It's so awesome! :-)

Check out the good work over here:

http://rocwiki.org/Ant_Hill_Cooperative

posted in Co-ops - 0 replies

NoBAWC

2005-07-28T00:15:08Z

San Francisco Indymedia

Original article is at http://sf.indymedia.org/news/2002/06/135212.php Print comments.

Network of Bay Area Worker Collectives (NoBAWC) History
by NoBAWC Saturday, Jun. 29, 2002 at 11:49 AM

NoBAWC was founded in September 1994 when workers representing nine workplaces met to address the isolation of worker cooperatives and to build a worker cooperative movement. Strategically, this meant supporting existing worker cooperatives, establishing and strengthening bonds between worker co-ops and organizing new worker cooperatives.
Currently, NoBAWC is comprised of about 50 self-managed workplaces. By self-management, it is meant a workplace where the workers control the means of production, the resources of the organization and the work process. The unequal boss-worker conventional relationship is replaced by an egalitarian one where each worker (except those who are temporary or in probationary periods) has as much potential decision-making power as the next, and where ultimate authority lies with the workers as a whole. NoBAWC member workplaces include small and medium-sized workplaces employing from a few to over two hundred workers and include workplaces from diverse industries and sectors of the economy. There is also diversity among worker cooperatives regarding their organizational and legal structures. Most are for profit while some are non-profit, most earn a living from their respective cooperative while some are volunteer-run and some utilize direct democracy while others use both direct and representational structures. Most of these workplaces have been operating successfully for years, with some celebrating more than twenty years in business.

Since its beginning, NoBAWC has been a volunteer organization run by workers from participating cooperatives. However, it is currently in the process of formalizing its structure to include a budget and staff in order to better serve the needs of self-managed businesses and to promote worker's self management in the greater San Francisco Bay Area. General meetings occur every other month; facilitators and notetakers are rotated, and minutes are maintained by an elected archivist. Decisions affecting NoBAWC (i.e. using the name and/or resources of the organization) are decided upon or ratified by the organization as a whole. Committees/project groups are autonomous with regard to their organizing, but they remain accountable to the organization. Decisions are made by modified consensus.

Despite the difficulty of meeting its ambitious goals with a volunteer-run budgetless structure, NoBAWC has had some significant accomplishments. First, the existence of NoBAWC has helped create community among worker cooperatives. It has reduced their isolation and has facilitated communication and relationship-building. This occurs on many levels, from larger meetings--to work groups and committees--to interpersonal interactions. For example, NoBAWC roundtables have been very successful in reducing isolation and building community between worker co-ops because they allow time to discuss varied solutions to common problems. Roundtables focus on a particular common issue or concern, such as diversity, hiring and firing, leadership or initiative, conflict resolution, etc. In addition to these formal settings, NoBAWC has served as a catalyst for workers from different co-ops to meet on their own in order to address roundtable issues in more depth or to discuss other difficulties a workplace may be having. This communication reminds co-op workers that they are not alone in dealing with these issues and that a wealth of knowledge and experience exists in other workplaces.

Second, NoBAWC has organized concrete projects in an effort to provide practically tangible benefits to its members. For example, NoBAWC has had a successful discount card program for over five years. Discount cards are distributed to workers at participating NoBAWC workplaces and entitle the holder to a 10% discount off the regular price on all goods and services at participating NoBAWC workplaces. Not only does this have an obvious financial reward, but also serves to replace the isolation of co-ops with solidarity and a sense of collective identity. In addition, NoBAWC has placed a joint newspaper advertisement and is developing a Web site that also have this dual effect. On the one hand, they serve a marketing need for NoBAWC workplaces, and on the other hand, they build cohesion among worker-run businesses by linking them in the print media and on the Internet. Moreover, NoBAWC is currently working on a worker co-op poster for display and distribution. It will contain a map as well as a photo and a description of each co-op. Like the discount card, joint advertisement, and the website, this project serves the dual role of marketing and building community. Furthermore, co-ops use NoBAWC as a hiring resource; by announcing job openings at meetings, workplaces have access to potential applicants who have experience working in a democratic setting.

Third, NoBAWC has supported struggling co-ops as well as helped new ones get off the ground. For instance, roundtables focusing on individual workplaces have served as unique forums to discuss the most difficult issues a worker co-op may be facing. These roundtables often lead to the continued involvement of workers from other workplaces in the search for solutions. NoBAWC has also served as an intermediary to connect people with newly forming cooperatives by offering advice and technical expertise, such as in the cases of a diver's cooperative and a heating and air conditioning co-op.

Lastly, NoBAWC has filled an educational and larger political role by forging links between the community and cooperative workplaces. For example, presentations by representatives of the National Cooperative Bank and the Community Bank of the Bay have both opened doors for worker co-ops that may be in need of financial assistance and have made financial institutions more aware of the worker cooperative community in the Bay Area. In addition, presentations by people that have worked with co-ops in the U.S. and abroad, or have done organizing similar to NoBAWC, give a wider perspective and historical continuity that is needed to overcome isolation and help NoBAWC and worker cooperatives learn from others‚ experiences. Also, NoBAWC has been involved in many conferences and community events, such as: the annual worker cooperative conference in Breitenbush, Oregon, conferences organized by the University of California at Davis Center for Cooperatives, the Active Resistance Conference, Reclaiming May Day events in San Francisco and NoBAWC members have participated in classes at the University of California at Berkeley. Moreover, there has been some newspaper coverage of NoBAWC which has helped to educate the community and promote worker cooperatives as a realistic alternative for working people.

The challenges that NoBAWC has faced and is facing are based on its structural limitations. A budgetless, volunteer-run organization comprised of people who periodically meet after work is limited in what it can accomplish. The difficulty of NoBAWC to realistically meet some of the goals expressed in its mission statement, the limits of its ability to respond to requests for assistance by individuals and workplaces and the inability to execute some projects reflect the limitations of NoBAWC organized as it is. In order to address these problems and move to the next level, NoBAWC has begun the process toward a more formalized structure with a budget and paid staff. A steering committee has been elected and this body has hired a part-time organizer. The steering committee and organizer have raised $12,200.00 so far to fund this transition to a more formalized NoBAWC. In addition to administrative duties and working on NoBAWC projects, the focus of the organizer's time will go toward drafting, conducting and evaluating a comprehensive survey of NoBAWC's approximately fifty member businesses. This survey will 1) evaluate the educational and technical assistance needs of worker cooperatives, 2) help develop NoBAWC's future legal, membership and decision-making structures and 3) help develop NoBAWC's funding base, including assessing the willingness of co-ops to pay dues to a more formalized NoBAWC structure. The survey results and open discussion will guide NoBAWC to a more formalized and effective future.

For more information, contact NoBAWC at (510) 549-1514 or nobawc@igc.org

© 2000-2003 San Francisco Indymedia. Unless otherwise stated by the author, all content is free for non-commercial reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors and are not necessarily endorsed by the San Francisco Indymedia.

posted in Co-ops - 0 replies

Global Relocalization – A Call to Action

2005-01-14T01:31:09Z

Join this very important call to action!

"The imminent peaking of global oil production and the fact that natural gas production has already peaked in North America could be the catalyst for positive transformation of industrial society. It could also be a recipe for disaster...
"...seeking like-minded organizations, volunteers, and activists to create a coalition to support community relocalization projects and experiments, as well as online database access and community tools that can help streamline the relocalization process. We are also organizing conferences and creating a speakers bureau with energy, biosphere, and localization experts to help spread the word."

Check this link for full article and a list of ways you can get involved!
http://www.postcarbon.org/index.php?page=relocalization

posted in Co-ops - 2 replies

looking for zines

2004-11-10T23:41:35Z

i'm hoping to sell zines in my co op coffee shop, as well as start a zine library. i'd love to sell your zine. i'm interested in all types. please send a sample to:
anais schneider
533 quaker st. apt. 4
south haven, mi 49090

thanks!

posted in Co-ops - 0 replies

starting a co op...

2004-11-09T23:07:38Z

i was wondering if anyone had an resources on laws pertaining to co op... especially tax laws? i'm having tons of trouble finding ANYTHING! for the record, we do not want to be non-profit.

any websites, magazines, etc. that i should explore?

i'm part of a group in south haven, michigan looking to form a cooperative coffeshop/theatre in a reclaimed factory building. it may also include a gift shop and book store. any ideas?

posted in Co-ops - 2 replies

Eco-Comm Groups?

2004-11-09T02:26:58Z

What are good examples of groups that enhance community cohesion while simultaneously lowering levels of resource consumption through shared-use-type schemes? My name is Alex Goodman and I am a graduate student in the Department of Sociology at the University of Florida. I am trying to gather an extensive list of possible case studies for groups that exemplify this kind of eco-community scheme for a research paper I’m doing in my Environment and Society course, which will hopefully become part of my dissertation framework. I sure would appreciate any and all help with generating this list, as one person can only know so many people and ideas. Some examples I am currently using would be cohousing, community supported agriculture, and the local currency/bartering networks. I know there are tons more out there! Thanks, ALEX – alexevasion@yahoo.com

posted in Co-ops - 0 replies

Vegi-Burgers

2004-03-25T21:55:21Z

The Vegi-Burger Mix

Ethan's Item

Every other Sunday 3:00-6:00 or so

Dry Ingredients:
Add together in large bowl:

52 Cups Oats
2 boxes of total or 2 jars wheat germ
5 cups sunflower seeds
2 cups sesame seeds
3 heaping table spoons parsely flakes (or fresh finely chopped)
4 heaping table spoons ground Cumin
2 level table spooms Cayanne pepper
2 level table spoons fine black pepper
3 drained boxes of tofu (crumbled to the max)
2 table spoons salt
3 table spoons basil
2 tble spoons oregano

Add to this dry mixture the following finely chopped vegetables:

5 onions well chopped
2 large hand fulls of shredded carrots
5 stalks of finely chopped celery
1/2 of the large can of Pinto beans well drained

Combine above ingredients and mix well then add them to the pre-mixed wet ingredients described below:

30 cups water
5 cups olive oil or safflower oil
2 cups soy sauce

Mix well until you're out of breath

Pre heat oven (the convection ovens if Bob's in a good mood) to 300 and cook 20 minutes on each side or until firmmmm on the outside and soft on the inside. VEGIE BURGERS SHOULD NEVER, NEVER BE DRY SO KEEP AN EYE ON THEM. THE COOP OVENS CAN BE UNPREDICTABLE.

5 minutes prior to taking them out of the ovens put one thick slice of the swiss cheese on 3/4 of the burgers. This is important- the cheese ties the amino acids together and makes the burgers a complete protien!!!!!!

ALL BURGERS SHOULD IF POSSIBLE BE SERVED ON WHOLE WHEAT BUNS WITH SLICED ONIONS, TOMATOES, AND HUMMUS.

posted in Co-ops - 0 replies

UCHA represent

2004-01-08T05:39:16Z

Despite the tribe main pic, there's more to student life than USCA. My co-op experience was primarily in UCHA. (I stayed one summer in the infamous Barrington Hall.)

Most of my co-op friends are from my first stint at UCHA from '83-'86 or so. I moved back to UCHA in '87 or '88 and got to know a whole 'nother generation of co-opers.

Anyone have any good co-op stories? We have to get Cicada and Lisa to tell some. I know Cicada has lots. Although I didn't lose it to drugs, I have to say my memory's too hazy to tell entertaining stories. I just have fuzzy impressions.

posted in Co-ops - 0 replies