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organotill just uploaded a video: See video garden calendar at organotill.org. Filmed 4/17/11. Shows PART 1 of the mycorrhizal fungi growing process to make inoculant for next year's garden plants. This is one of many videos that follows the gardening season chronologically in Kansas City and similar areas. We hope that people can follow along and work in their own gardens at organotill.org. Organotill.org features organic no-till methods used at Niles Home for Children's Garden, Tracy Garden & elsewhere. More | |
Watch (Local KC Grower) ORGANOTILL on YOUTUBE
GET GROWING, KC!
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We are setting up an ANNUAL GET GROWING KANSAS CITY MAP to keep track of how many new gardens and farms get started every year because we want to know HOW MANY OF YOU are growing and HOW MUCH LAND you are growing on and WHERE all this great activity is happening in our metro area.
We ask ALL gardeners, farmers, and anyone with a tomato in a pot on the porch to be counted in an annual survey to show the progress our city is making toward a stronger and healthier local food system. Haven’t started growing yet? This is your call to hoes! Get out in the dirt, plant some seeds, and get your growing counted!
This mapping project is part of a new initiative, called Get Growing Kansas City, led by the Kansas City Center for Urban Agriculture, Kansas City Community Gardens, and Lincoln University's Innovative Small Farmers Outreach Program. Over the next 2-3 years, the Get Growing KC Outreach Team will engage in a campaign to encourage and support our city to GET GROWING through:
If ever there was a time in history when we needed, as a society, to be taking more control over our food system and the food we put on our plates, it is now!
We hope you’ll pass this along to other growers you know – we want a true picture of what is growing in Kansas City!
Thank you for taking the time to fill out our survey and |
Do you grow veggies in your backyard? Has your neighborhood started a community garden that you grow in? Are you an urban farmer that goes to market? The number of people farming and gardening in our city has skyrocketed over the last few years in Kansas City, with more land than ever growing good food for individuals, their families, and the community.
EARTH DAY at JCCC - Friday, April 22, 2011
Friday, April 22nd: EARTH DAY!
EARTH DAY at JCCC!
GOING GREEN at Johnson County Community College!The Student Environmental Alliance (S.E.A.) at Johnson County Community College will host its fourth annual Earth Day event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, April 22, in the Commons Plaza on the JCCC campus.
Earth Day is
a campus and community educational and networking event revolving around issues of sustainability.
UMKC Food Fair! WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY!
- The UMKC Local Food Fair
on Volker Campus!
Pt.1
The fair will be held from 10am-2pm on Wednesday, April 20th, 2011 at the Volker Campus Quad.
This will be a showcase of local and organic food producers, restaurants, and student artists and musicians. Students, faculty, staff, and the community will be able to sample and purchase goods as well as receive education from local producers about their products. Student artists and musicians will be providing entertainment throughout the event.
If you or someone you know is interested in helping or being a part of the UMKC Local Food Fair!,
please contact Brett Shoffner:
- The UMKC Local Food Fair
on Volker Campus!
Pt.2The fair will be held from 10am-2pm on Friday, April 22, 2011 at the Volker Campus Quad.
This will be a showcase of local and organic food producers, restaurants, and student artists and musicians. Students, faculty, staff, and the community will be able to sample and purchase goods as well as receive education from local producers about their products. Student artists and musicians will be providing entertainment throughout the event.
If you or someone you know is interested in helping or being a part of the UMKC Local Food Fair!,
please contact Brett Shoffner:
Third Annual JoCo Go Green event (Olathe, KS) ~ Wednesday, May 25th, 2011
Go Green Johnson County 2011!
Join us for our third annual Go Green event!
Wednesday, May 25th from 11:00am - 1:30pm
NEW LOCATION: Johnson County Courtyard
between the Courthouse and Administration building
in downtown Olathe
(111 S. Cherry St.)
This event is free and open to the public.
In case of rain the event will be in the lower level of the Administration Building (111 S. Cherry)
Our Green Event features fun for the whole family and is specifically held during the lunch hours for working individuals. We will have dozens of tables featuring local environmental organizations and county "green" vendors. There will be door prizes and many eco-giveaways.
Stonelion Puppet Theater will be performing throughout the day with their larger than life puppets.
There will be an organic lunch available with chicken sausage dogs (YUMMY!) and fruit and desserts. All proceeds benefit Feed the Need.
Catch a performance by Eco Elvis, too!
More photos from 2010:
SAN - 2011-04-19 - Sustainability Action Network - Announcements - Greater KC via Kaw River Valley (Lawrence, KS ~ K.C.))
WEEKLY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Only 1 week left until you no longer will get these Weekly Announcements, unless you sign up for the "auto-send" system. We will completely switch over to the new mail system starting on the 3rd of May.
If you want to continue receiving the Sustainability Announcements, you will need to click here » Update your subscription to the Sustainability Announcements. Enter your name and e-mail address, and follow the instructions. The system will send you a confirmation message with a "Confirmation Link" which you MUST click in order to complete your subscription confirmation. If you don't get the confirmation message, check in your junk mail folder for blocked as spam.
In addition to last week's three after-shocks of 7.4, 7.1, and 6.4 Richter Scale, on Saturday, 16 April, there was another shock of 5.9. This editor is unsure of the total number of earthquakes (including the first 8.9 shock) because the corporate media is scaling back their information. Following Saturday's quake, levels of radioactivity rose sharply in seawater near the crippled nuclear plant, possibly signaling new leaks at the facility - Radioactivity rises in sea off Japanese nuclear plant. And again on Monday, 18 April, high radiation readings were taken in seawater of Iodine-131, strongly suggesting that fuel melting continues. Officials estimate it will take 6-9 months to gain control of the reactors, and nuclear giants Hitachi and Toshiba have made clean-up proposals ranging from 10-30 years - Nuclear Crisis in Japan - Updates.
The Nuclear Information and Resource Service has very extensive coverage, as well as action alerts, data interpretation, and commentary. If you agree that our climate solutions don't need nuclear energy, you might consider signing the following - A Simple Statement On Nuclear Power and Climate Change.
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OBAMA'S COZY RELATIONSHIP TO THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY
"President Barack Obama's support this week for the construction of more nuclear power plants in the United States, amid the ongoing nuclear power plant disaster in Japan, must be considered as among the most wrong-headed and irrational positions ever taken by a U.S. President". But on 7 December 2007 during his campaign, Obama said "I start of with the premise that nuclear energy is not optimal, so I am not a nuclear power proponent." But "read my lips" - just as he appointed Wall Street insiders to "solve" the financial crisis, he appointed three nuclear power insiders to advise him and run his Department of Energy.
When Dept. of Energy Chair, Steven Chu, was Director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, he minimized, even denied the impact of radioactivity. And his two top White House aides came from Exelon, the Chicago-based nuclear giant and owner of ten nuclear generating stations including Three Mile Island - Chief of Staff, Ram Emanuel (now Mayor of Chicago), and chief political strategist, David Axelrod. - Obama's Wrongheaded Stance on Nuclear Power and Exelon 93% nuclear. Exelon was one of Obama's largest campaign donors while he was Senator. And though he did not accept corporate cash from Exelon during his Presidential run, The Center for Responsive Politics found that Exelon employees were his sixth-largest corporate donor group (#1 was Goldman Sachs.) - Nuclear Illinois Helped Shape Obama View on Energy and Exelon.
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U.S. REP. ED MARKEY PROPOSES MORATORIUM ON ALL NUCLEAR POWER
While Pres. Obama is posturing on nuclear energy, Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) has proposed legislation to impose a moratorium on ALL new reactor licenses, reactor designs or license extensions until new safety requirements are in place. Six days ago, on 13 April, Rep. Markey submitted the Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act HR 1242.pdf. His accompanying statement said "A nuclear disaster could happen here in America just as it has in Japan, our technological equal. The meltdown did not occur primarily because of earthquake-related damage; rather, it occurred because of a prolonged loss of electricity [which] could be caused not just by earthquakes or tsunamis, but by severe storms, terrorist attacks or other events." He asked his colleagues to co-sponsor the bill, and you might encourage your U.S. Representative to do just that - Nuclear Power Plant Safety Act. Look up your Congress members here » Congressional Contact Directory.
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KKFI COMMUNITY RADIO ¤ ECOLOGICAL SHOWS THIS WEEK
Listen at KKFI-FM 90.1, or web-streaming at http://www.kkfi.org/
Thursday, 21 April, 9:30am ¤ Sprouts | Pacifica.org
>From Japan, we'll hear Youki Mikami and Tony Boys describe what its like living in proximity to the leaking Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Then Paul Gunter of Beyond Nuclear will talk about Connecticut Senate Bill 1176 that would charge more for electricity from the aging Millstone nuclear reactor than from other sources. Dominion Resources Inc., of Virginia, the company that operates the Millstone Nuclear Power plant, is portraying the controversy as a jobs-loss issue rather than a safety issue.
Friday, 22 April, 9:30am ¤ Bioneers Radio Series
Bioneers presents "Plants and People: Who is Cultivating Whom?" Award-winning journalist, Michael Pollan, author of "The Botany of Desire: A Plant's Eye View of the World" takes a fresh perspective on the co-evolution of people and plants. Ethnobotanist/artist Kathleen Harrison, who has been working with the Mazatec people of Oaxaca, delves into the human-sacred plant sacrament relationship.
Saturday, 23 April, 2:30pm ¤ Women's International News Gathering Service
Author, theorist and activist, Naomi Klein, addresses climate activists at the 2011 World Social Forum in Dakar, Senegal.
Monday, 25 April, 6:00pm ¤ locally produced Eco-Radio KC
Host Richard Mabion will talk with Mbaari Kinya, PhD, Founder/Executive Director of Women in Energy and Environmental Technology Institute WEET, & Bwosinde Hophine a local Chemist and Author about creating ways to involve Africa Environmental Concerns in future Breaking The Silence Conferences.
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Films For Action is about action rather than passive viewing. One of their new features is an events calendar that brings together listings of all activities by ecological and social justice groups in Lawrence. Think of it as a Lawrence.com for events dedicated to changing the world - film screenings, workshops, speaker presentations, demonstrations, direct actions, skill-shares, eco fairs, activist group meetings. If your group is about making the world better in one way or another, we encourage you to add your events to the calendar. To do so, you first create an account on the site, then you can add events from here, or via the events page.
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"ECONOMICS OF HAPPINESS" ¤ A FILM OF SOLUTIONS FOR TRANSITION
Wednesday, 20 April 2011, 7:00pm - $
Liberty Hall,
This film brings a positive message about how a grassroots movement for localization is bubbling up through the cracks of a faltering global economy in every corner of the world. It is produced by Helena Norberg-Hodge of the International Society for Ecology and Culture, a not-for-profit working for the strengthening of local communities and economies, emphasizing education for action, moving beyond single issues to look at the more fundamental influences that shape our lives. Preview it here - The Economics of Happiness trailer, presented by Films for Action.
Immediately following the screening will be a panel discussion by members of Transition Kaw Valley, a project of the Sustainability Action Network. Michael Almon, Steve Moring, and Michael Morley will describe how the world-wide Transition Network energizes open-source creativity in local communities for re-emergent local economies.
"This film presents the localization movement as a systemic alternative to corporate globalization, and a strategy that brings community and meaning to our lives." - Joanna Macy, author World as Lover, World as Self.
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PERMACULTURE EARTHWORKS: SWALES, TERRACES, WATER CATCHMENTS ¤ 8TH LECTURE
Friday, 22 April 2011, 6:00-9:00pm - $$$
Dreher 4-H Building,
This eighth session will cover a critical component of any site design, that of maximizing water absorption and minimizing run-off. Several techniques can be used to modify the terrain as needed, and they are best done at the outset before any planting takes place. Water catchments can be roofs with tank storage, or ground basins like ponds or water gardens. Swales and Key Lines are water channels that spread run-off horizontally by gravity. Terraces are on-level contours that slow the down-hill flow of water. The lecture will be followed by a viewing of the film "Water Harvesting" by Geoff Lawton.
Steve Moring of Vajra Farm Permaculture Center is teaching this Design Certification Course with assistance from
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"END/CIV" FILM SCREENING
Friday, 22 April 2011, 6:00pm - FREE
McCoy Meetin’ House,
If you've heard of this film, you will probably want to be there. If you haven't, you may want to learn about it. It features Derek Jensen, author of "A Culture of Make Believe", "A Language Older Than Words", and "End Game". The film presents the folly of industrial hubris and unsustainable growth, eco-centric indigenous resistance, and mainstream political indifference, and challenges the physical and spiritual viability of industrial civilization. Click here to watch the END:CIV trailer. After the screening there will be free refreshments, a discussion of the film and what community activities may be desirable.
The information is compelling, and the urgency for action is obvious. Jensen's solutions range from depriving the powerful of their ability to destroy the planet, to defending and rebuilding just and sustainable human communities nestled inside repaired and restored landbases. His strategy is laid out in his latest initiative and book, Deep Green Resistance, available May 1st. There will be a discussion and brainstorming meeting at the Lawrence Public Library Auditorium on May 7th, 2:30pm.
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INTRODUCTION TO PERMACULTURE ¤ ONE DAY INTENSIVE
Saturday, 23 April 2011, 9:00am-4:00pm - $$
This is a one day intensive on permaculture principles taught by Ben Stallings of the Kaw Permaculture Collaborative, and holder of a Permaculture Design Certificate. Students will be introduced to ecological principles and learn how to apply them to their garden, home or workplace, will create a design of their own, and will receive constructive feedback from the other students and the instructor. Fore more info go to Introduction to Permaculture Design - 23 April 2011.
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EUDORA PRIME AG LAND THREATENED BY SAND PIT ¤ PLANNING COMMISSION
Monday, 25 April 2011, 6:30pm
Lawrence City Hall, 6 East 6th St., Lawrence KS 66044
A Kansas City company has filed for a Conditional Use Permit to operate an open pit sand mine just N.W. of Eudora Kansas. It would remove 197 acres of prime agriculture land, be in the floodway of the Kansas River, and be immediately adjacent to the municipal well field that supplies Eudora's drinking water. Although the Kansas River Keepers advocate for sand operations on land rather than dredging directly from the rivers, prime agriculture land should not be an option. Our community's (not to distant) future food security will depend on these prime bottom-land soils. This link provides a map and good analysis by the Kansas River Keepers - Eudora Sand Pit Mine Analysis.
The Kansas River Valley Growers in the East Bottoms between Lawrence and Eudora have banded together to oppose this proposal. Last year there was a sand pit proposal north of the Kaw River near Midland Junction; this year it is south of the river by Eudora. Until our Comprehensive Plan has strong and enforcible language that preserves our prime soils, we will be fighting "whack-a-mole" proposals over and over again. The public is welcome to speak at the meeting.
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TRANSITION KANSAS CITY ¤ TOWARDS A LOWER-CARBON COMMUNITY
Monday, 25 April 2011, 7:00pm
Plaza Library,
The Transition movement was begun by Rob Hopkins in Great Britain Transition Towns, and in the U.S. is coordinated by Transition US based in Sebastapol CA. They help local initiatives with resources and publications, and they have 22 trainers traveling to conduct local training sessions. For more info, or to get on the Kansas City e-mail list, call (816)767-8873, or contact them at <bkjelshus@sbcglobal.net>
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PEAK OIL & A CHANGING CLIMATE ¤ YOU-TUBE VIDEO SERIES
on your computer
final video: How Climate Change Puts Globalization in Reverse | #14 with Rob Hopkins
Peak Oil is the point at which petroleum extraction reaches its greatest rate just before going into perpetual decline. This is the last in the series from On The Earth Productions. But all the videos are still available for your viewing at Peak Oil and a Changing Climate | video series.
Rob Hopkins is the founder of the Transition Movement, community-driven approach to relocalizing societies in response to peak oil and climate disruption. He has stated that "A relocalized future of diminished oil is preferable to the present society with diminished oil."
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PERMACULTURE DESIGN SERIES WITH
Saturday, 30 April 2011 - $$$
Warren Brush is returning to
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MYCORRHIZAL SOIL BIOREMEDIATION WORKSHOP
Saturday, 30 April 2011, 10:00am-1:00pm - $$
This hands-on workshop will address concerns of cleaning up contaminated soils in urban brownfields, specifically for urban food gardeners. With special guest speaker, Trish Jackson PhD. Mycelia are the filamentous organism present in all soils for which mushrooms are the fruiting body. Paul Stamets of Fungi Perfecti calls mycelia the "grand dissemblers of nature" because they break down complex substances into simpler components. And that's how mycelia remove contaminants from soil, including petroleum byproducts, plastic residues, PCBs and even dioxin. Come with appropriate gardening attire. Please RSVP at <12sthomestead@gmail.com>.
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NATIVE MEDICINAL GARDEN PLANTING AT K.U. SCHOOL OF PHARMACY
Tuesday, 3 May 2011, 3:00-5:00pm
School of Pharmacy patio (south side of building), 2010 Becker Dr., west campus, Lawrence KS
The faculty and staff of the Native Medicinal Plant Research Program at the University of Kansas will host this public planting of a medicinal plant garden. The garden will have five themed beds of medicinal plants, about 70 species total. The event will open with a short presentation about the new garden as well as KU’s first medicinal garden, planted by the School of Pharmacy in the 1920s. For more info contact Kirsten Bosnak, nativeplants@ku.edu or 864-6267
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COTTIN'S FARMERS' MARKET ¤ REAR PARKING LOT
Thursday, 5 May 2011, 4:00-6:00pm
Cottin's Hardware, 1832 Massachusetts St., Lawrence KS
In their second year, this weekly market on Thursdays typically has about a dozen vendors, as well as Indian tacos, bar-B-que, children's events, and live music (Bill Crahan this week). For bands to book a date, or just for more info, call (785)843-2981.
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Wednesday, 11 May 2011, 5:30pm
Recycling and Resource Recovery Annex,
The May agenda is unavailable to date. The S.A.B. meets monthly to discuss any and all aspects of furthering sustainability policies and practices by the City of
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Wednesday, 11 May 2011, 4:00-6:00pm
Mid America Regional Council,
The Environmental Management Commission promotes environmental awareness and resource efficiency to the City's leader and staff, to assist the progress of
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LAWRENCE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENT
Saturday, 14 May 2011, 9:00am to 1:00pm
Electronics devices typically contain toxic heavy metals like lead and mercury and cadmium, and precious metals like silver and gold. If recycled properly, these metals can be materials feed stock for new industrial processes, not to mention saving production costs, and keeping them out of the landfill.
This one day event will provide Lawrence residents and businesses a way to conveniently recycle old, unwanted electronics equipment. Items accepted for recycling are computer monitors, desktops, laptops, keyboards, printers and other peripherals, televisions, copiers, scanners, telephones, cell phones, pagers, fax machines, VHS/DVD drives, hand held devices, and small appliances like micro wave or toaster ovens. There is a recycling fee for computer monitors ($10.00) and televisions ($10.00-$20.00). There are no charges for other electronic equipment. Items not accepted are large appliances such as refrigerators and AC units. Fees may be paid by cash or check.
Electronic recycling will be provided by Extreme Recycling, Inc. http://www.extremerecyclinginc.com/ recycling the E-waste in accordance to Federal and Kansas Electronic Waste Processing Regulations. The event is sponsored by the City of Lawrence Waste Reduction & Recycling Division http://www.lawrencerecycles.org/
The SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK, Inc. is a 501(C)(3) tax-exempt organization. DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. Mail checks to
Our mission is to advocate and organize societal scale action to address sustainability issues. The triple crises of Energy-Ecology-Economy are building so rapidly that large scale action is needed immediately and methodically to overcome institutional barriers and advance public policy that preserves ecological sustainability. Our focus is to build a relocalized economy-ecology in concert with the
Our current projects include:
1)
2) Kaw Permaculture Collaborative and Kansas Permaculture Institute - developing skills and resources for polyculture sustainable food production.
3)
4) Growers' Land Trust - organizing interested stakeholders to acquire prime farmland in the urban fringe for land-based economic development and regional food security.
5) Weekly Sustainability Announcements - informing and encouraging others to become active in the Sustainability Action Network, or other action driven groups.
6) Water Rights and Watersheds - protecting the water commons, the source of all life, from privatization and contamination, and restoring our watersheds.
7) Electric & Human Powered Vehicles - promoting neighborhood electric vehicles and utility tricycles, including infrastructure and pro-active regulations.
8) Energy Conservation & Renewables - advancing a green economy through decentralized renewable energy and conservation.
9) Collaboration with sister organizations - such as: The Light Center eco-village; Kaw River Valley Food System farm-based economic development; Citizens for Responsible Planning; Films for Action; Kansas River Valley Growers fighting for local water rights; national efforts by the Sustainable Energy Network; KC Metro groups like the Kansas City Food Circle, Transition Kansas City, and the All Species Project, etc.
We welcome suggestions for items to be included. Please send items to <paradigm@ixks.com>
To subscribe to this list, please send an e-mail to <paradigm@ixks.com> with the subject line reading “subscribe to Sustainability Announcements”.
If you do not care to continue on this announcements list, please respond "unsubscribe to Sustainability Announcements" at <paradigm@ixks.com>
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