**Announcing Our Spring 1999 Workshop Schedule**

AFFORDABLE ENERGY ALTERNATIVES FOR THE YEAR 2000... AND BEYOND

One-Day Workshops With Daniel Drasin -- media producer, writer, former "Off the Grid!" columnist for Growing Community Newsletter, designer of small Renewable Energy systems, and webmaster of www.y2kcentral.org.

This workshop explores the joy of energy independence and fun ways to make do without the grid. It introduces individuals, families ad businesses to affordable options for maintaining at least minimal electric power, heat, and household or business functions through the kinds of outages that may occur in the wake of natural disasters, solar flares, accidents or Y2K-related failures of the power grid.

TUITION IS $30 PER PERSON ADMISSION IS BY PRE-REGISTRATION ONLY PAYMENT IS BY CASH OR CHECK ONLY, AT THE DOOR.

LOCATION FOR MAY & JUNE WORKSHOPS: Mill Valley Sculpture Gardens, located in southern Marin County at Tam Junction, opposite the Dipsea Cafe. See driving directions below.

DATES: Sunday, May 23 Sunday, June 6

HOURS: 9:30 AM to 6PM

**TO PRE-REGISTER** Please call our voicemail at 415-339-7820 and leave all of the following information: - Your full name - Your address, including city and zipcode - Your area code and phone number - IMPORTANT: Your first, second and third choices of workshop dates

We'll phone you back with a confirmation within 24 hours. Any workshop cancellations or other timely announcements will be posted on our voicemail system, so please check in the day before your workshop.

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: From Highway 101 in southern Marin County, take the Stinson Beach exit and proceed north, toward Mill Valley. As you cross the creek you'll see the Dipsea Cafe on your right. Just past the Dipsea, turn left into the large parking lot. The Mill Valley Sculpture Gardens are at the far left corner of the lot.

MORNING SCHEDULE (9:30AM-1PM)

- The meaning of sustainability and the security of energy independence - How Y2K may impact the availability of electricity and fossil fuels - Introduction to Alternative Energy options - The electrical needs of children, the elderly and the disabled - Why not candles and flashlights? - Generators, pro and con - Wind and hydropower options - How to Choose "Micro-Power" options ($50-$1000): Inexpensive, safe, simple, off-the-shelf systems that can power small lights, communications, entertainment, small appliances and laptop computers - The best-kept secret of affordable emergency power backup

AFTERNOON SCHEDULE (2PM-6PM)

- How to Choose "Mini-Power" options ($1,000 to $5,000): Packaged solar-electric and backup systems which can provide moderate amounts of power for a household or office - Solar water pumping - Non-electric options for heating, cooking, pumping, food preparation, laundry, etc. - Refrigeration: Affordable, low-power-use options - How to find an Alternative Energy dealer in your area - Electric Bikes: Affordable, solar-powered local transportation - Building a back-packable solar electric system - Turning your car into a solar-boosted mini-powerplant - The ten worst Alternative-Energy mistakes, and how to avoid making them

We hope you enjoy the workshop. Please tell your friends about it!

-Dan Drasin

-- Daniel Drasin (ddrasin@aol.com), May 18, 1999