The reservoirs are full and we enjoyed heavy rains last winter. While the threat of drought isn’t currently as dire as it was before, climate change isn’t going away, and water isn’t a limitless resource. (By the way, when you heat water for your sho
Read more…The East Bay Community Resilience Challenge has gathered thousands of pledges since the April 15th kick-off. Contra Costa residents have stepped up to take on new challenges to build more vibrant and healthy communities, such as expanding their garde
Read more…Are you attending our upcoming workshop “Make It Don’t Buy It: DIY Condiments & Sauces”? If so, you’ll learn how to make mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, almond milk, barbeque sauce, and salad dressings. While you may have a few meals in mind to pair
Read more…Did you know roughly half of US Farmland will be changing ownership due to retirement of a whole generation of farmers over the next two decades?
First Generation Farmers (501c3 non-profit) runs a three-year program that offers land access, provides i
Can you imagine a BLT without mayonnaise or a hot dog without ketchup? Would salads be nearly as satisfying without that tangy vinaigrette? Our favorite condiments transform dishes from dull to delicious, from ordinary to original! When you take the
Read more…Have you ever thought about your water usage when doing laundry? Older agitator top-loading washing machines use over 40 gallons of water on an average size load of laundry. Wouldn’t it be great if you could divert that water directly to your outdoor
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Trying to figure out what Community Resilience Challenge pledge to make (and complete) to save energy? The perfect opportunity is coming up this month – Bike to Work Day! Not only will it build some exercise into your daily routine, it will help the
Life Scout Adds Permaculture to Pleasant Hill Middle School Garden
By Nikolo Vo
When I was a student at the Conserve School in Wisconsin last year, I first learned about permaculture from a presentation made by Bill Wilson, a founder of the Midwest Pe
Read more…Yes, we all recycle. Perhaps we have installed drip irrigation, or have even replaced our lawn. As Sustainable Contra Costa supporters, we share a passion for creating a more just, sustainable world. Is there anything else we could be doing?
Take the
Read more…Clean water and air, fuel efficiency standards, EPA funding, protecting open space, banning dangerous pesticides, CLIMATE CHANGE… if any of these issues are important to you, now is the time to speak up and let your representatives know.
What’s the f
Read more…The following is a process for grounding and natural renewal provided by Amy Erez of Sugi Health. Amy will be co-presenting a workshop with Sustainable Contra Costa "Living In Sync With Nature" on April 1st. More information and registration is here.
Read more…Nail polish remover, paint, kerosene, window cleaner… Sometimes we buy cleaners and other chemicals, use them a couple of times, and then retire them to the back of a bathroom cabinet or that dusty shelf in the garage. So what do you do with that st
Read more…Insecticides (which kill insects) and herbicides (which kill weeds), often grouped together collectively as “pesticides,” are used worldwide to the tune of 5 billion pounds per year. These poisons infiltrate our water, soil, air, and food, thereby af
Sustainable Contra Costa has teamed up with Central San to teach elementary and high school students about local water issues and protecting the local watershed. Through the Water Wizards program, we take elementary school kids on an interactive adve
Spring is on the horizon! Was this winter particularly ravaging on your landscaping? Did you add "replace dead plants or grass" to your to-do list?
Green hillsides, full reservoirs, and flowing creeks are signs that our drought woes may be subsiding (at least for now). Yet, the glorious downpours bring up another issue: stormwater runoff. Aside from what’s collected in rain barrels or absorbed
When we hear the term "permaculture," many of us don't now what that means. There's a lot to learn, and as a movement and philosophy, permaculture is still evolving and expanding. If you'd like to understand more about permaculture, don't forget that
