Happenings

THURSDAY 27

5-7-5 HAIKU GRANT AWARD CEREMONY Sen. Kirk Watson emcees this ceremony awarding $11,000 in grants to area nonprofits with the best haiku. 6:30-9pm. Bullock History Museum, 1800 Congress, 936-8746. $15. www.communitytech.net.

RESULTS EDUCATION & ACTION MEETING The local grassroots organization working to end poverty and hunger features John Hatch, founder of FINCA. 7-8:30pm. North Village Library, 2139 W. Anderson, 458-2239. www.results.org.

FRIDAY 28

WEIRDEST COMMUTE CONTEST This year's Commuter Challenge competition rewards the three people arriving in the weirdest forms of transportation. 11:30am. Wooldridge Square Park, Guadalupe between Ninth & 10th. www.commutesolutions.com.

SATURDAY 29

AUSTIN FIRE DEPARTMENT 150TH ANNIVERSARY Join Austin's firefighters at the site of the original Hook and Ladder Fire Company No. 1 station, now the Downtown Central Fire Station, for food, fire-truck tours, and more. 10am-2pm. 401 E. Fifth. Free.

GOOOH LAUNCH PARTY Join Tim Cox, author of Revolution! A New Plan for Selecting Representatives, at the launch of Get Out of Our House, a movement to replace all members of the current House of Rep­re­sentatives with everyday people. 7pm. Antonio's, 16912 I-35, Round Rock. www.goooh.com.

GREG PAHL & RENEWABLE ENERGY Journalist Pahl (Biodiesel: Growing a New Energy Economy, The Citizen-Powered Energy Handbook) talks about individual and community strategies for using renewable sources of energy. 2pm. Faulk Central Library, 810 Guadalupe, 974-7400. Free. www.gregpahl.com.

VALENTINE EBEN screens and discusses his documentary, Standing With the Students, about the student movement in Cameroon and the lasting impacts of colonialism in Africa. 7pm. MonkeyWrench Books, 110 E. North Loop. Free.

WALK FOR PEACE Join the Peace Alliance, and call for a cabinet-level U.S. Department of Peace and Nonviolence as you walk from the Capitol to City Hall. 1-4pm, Texas Capitol. www.thepeacealliance.org.

SUNDAY 30

LAST SUNDAY is back, with its mix of progressive politics, music, literature, and spirituality. Robert Jensen, Eliza Gilkyson, and the Rev. Jim Rigby host the monthly program. 6:30-11pm. Ruta Maya, 3601 S. Congress, 471-1990. $8 suggested donation. www.thirdcoastactivist.org.

PAPA DOMINGO Join the Political Asylum Project of Austin for Latin music, dance, food, and raffles in support of refugees and political-asylum hopefuls. (See Club Listings) 5-9pm. Jovita's, 1619 S. First, 447-7825. $20. www.main.org/papa.

MONDAY 01

AL GORE He's here to present the slide show on which his documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, is based. 7:30pm. Frank Erwin Center, 471-7744. $29.50-250. www.uterwincenter.com.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GANDHI UT's South Asia Institute screens two films by Sanjay Kak, to commemorate the Oct. 2 birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, which would've been his 138th. Kak will present and discuss. (See Special Screenings) 7pm. UT campus, ACES 2.302, Avaya Auditorium. Free.

BUTLER AWARD Nominate someone who's had a significant impact on the health or well-being of Central Texans for Community Action Network's 2007 Butler Award. Deadline: Oct. 1. www.caction.org/butlerawards.html.

TUESDAY 02

HAAM BENEFIT DAY Patronize the many restaurants, bars, or businesses donating 5% or more of their proceeds to the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians today only. See list at www.myhaam.org.

LEADERSHIP AUSTIN'S 2008 ENGAGE SPEAKER SERIES Gary Chapman of the LBJ School, Jim Walk­er of Central Texas Sustainability Indicators Project, and Council Member Brewster McCracken discuss the global economy. 7:30-9am. Chez Zee Bistro, 5406 Balcones, 454-2666. www.leadershipaustin.org.

WEDNESDAY 03

METROPOLITAN BREAKFAST CLUB Cathy Bonner presents Lobbying Texas (and Winning): Passage of a $3 Billion Cancer Initiative. 7-8:30am. UT Club, Royal Memorial Stadium, sixth floor. $15. www.mbcaustin.org.

MUSIC FOR LIFE TOUR Sara Hickman kicks off a yearlong concert tour of Texas cities to create dialogue about the death penalty, joined by Timbuk 3's Barbara K and several guest speakers. 7pm. First United Methodist Church, 1201 Lavaca. $15. www.tcadp.org/musictour.php.

THURSDAY 04

ONE STATE UNDER GOD? THE CURIOUS CASE OF HOUSE BILL 1034 Learn how "one state under God" wound up in the state pledge of allegiance at this Food for Thought lecture. 7pm. Old Quarry Branch Library, 7051 Village Center Dr., 919-4115. Free. www.centerforinquiry.net/austin.

TEXAS RENEWABLE ENERGY ROUNDUP & GREEN LIVING FAIR

Greg Pahl

This annual fair in Fredericksburg enters its eighth year with a few upgrades this weekend, boasting a fancier logo and website, a new mini film festival, and an impressive list of keynote speakers, including Rick Piltz, the former government official famed for blowing the whistle on the Bush administration's tampering with climate-research reports. Piltz also appears in (and hosts both screenings of) one of the film fest's documentaries, Everything's Cool, which explores the disconnect between the public's views on global warming and those of the scientific community – and with uncanny timing also captures the cultural moment when the climate-change issue moved from the fringe to the mainstream. As in the past, the fair's workshops and seminars cover everything from green gardening and rainwater harvesting to alternative transportation and off-the-grid living – plus there will be live music, various organic-food vendors, and a slide-show presentation of An Inconvenient Truth, in case someone still hasn't seen it. Of course, all of this is happening an hour and a half out of town, so if you can't walk, bike, or biodiesel your way there, check out the Rideshare/Roomshare Forum at the Roundup website. Or stay here and see keynote speaker Greg Pahl, who will be in town briefly to discuss – for free – his newest book (see Saturday listing).

Renewable Energy Roundup: Sept. 28-30. Market Square, Fredericksburg, 541/482-0848. $10, Friday & Sunday; $12, Saturday ($20, weekend; free, kids 12 & under). www.theroundup.org.