New - we have a growing interest in eating food that is grown locally. Click on the "Local Food " icon for details

Strawberry Creek Quaker Meeting in Berkeley, California has a project to show our growing concern about the destructive impact of our dependence on fossil fuels. It limits our ability to create conditions for a peaceful world, a just economy, and a healthy habitat for life on Earth.  We also recognize that most of us find it difficult, if not impossible, to extricate ourselves from the societal structures and systems that perpetuate our dependence on fossil fuels.  We want to witness in our personal lives and in our community those values that are hallmarks of our tradition--testimonies on peace, simplicity, integrity, equality and unity.  Many of us are seeking ways to begin resolving the contradictions between our behaviors that grow out of our society's dependence on fossil fuels and our values as contained in these testimonies.

We can begin to move toward greater alignment between our behavior and our values if we acknowledge that under current US energy policies we are not paying the full cost for our use of fossil fuels.  We would like to make more visible and "real" this discrepancy between what we pay for fossil fuels and the staggering costs to our society. Therefore, Strawberry Creek members and attenders are voluntarily imposing a "surcharge" on our personal use of oil at the rate of a dime per gallon.  The money is contributed to the "Dime-A-Gallon Fund" that is used to support projects that further our dream of a world that is more peaceful, more just and organized around caring for rather than destroying the very sources of life itself. For those who are unable to contribute at the dime per gallon rate we welcome contributions at a rate appropriate to your circumstances.

We provide information that enables participants to calculate the equivalent number of gallons for non-automobile energy use like airplane travel and home gas and electrical consumption. We have had several community meetings to plan what projects we will fund with the contributed money. We have found that this project has generated a new sense of committment to Quaker values in our community.

We view this project as similar to other Quaker projects which have lead to turning our dreams for a better world into real accomplishments.  We know that this Fund is only a small step, but it is a start.  We hope other Meetings and groups might take up this idea, thereby widening its reach and effectiveness.

We sponsored a retreat on "Holding Earth in the Light" at Sierra Friends Center near Grass Valley California from Sept 29 - October 1, 2006. A description of the retreat, the text of Keith Helmut's talk "First Light or Last Things" and pictures from the retreat are on the "What We Done Page". You can also go directly to "Earthcare Retreat".

Eating food that is grown locally has become a new interest. We have developed a portable display about why and how to eat locally grown food. In February we had a brunch after Sunday Quaker meeting were people brought food that had been prepared from food grown within 100 miles of Berkeley. It was a great success - people were excited to talk about the dishes they had made and how much fun it was to prepare the food. Recently ,we decided to have a "local eating" brunch once every season.