Stories of Sustainability - Forum - SCOCO Network2024-03-28T23:17:50Zhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/feed/category/Stories+of+SustainabilityResidential wind turbineshttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/residential-wind-turbines2019-06-17T14:52:30.000Z2019-06-17T14:52:30.000ZJulie Haas-Wajdowiczhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/JulieHaasWajdowicz<div><p>I have wanted to add a wind turbine to my house since I first saw a residential sized double helix designed one at the Green Festival in 2005.</p><p>Has anyone installed one? Does anyone know a contractor that can do it? I have called around before and struck out. </p><p>thanks,</p><p> Julie</p><p></p></div>Rainwater Collection Workshop: A Second Chance With New Date!https://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/rainwater-collection-workshop-a-second-chance-with-new-date2017-10-18T23:37:40.000Z2017-10-18T23:37:40.000ZAlison Claryhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/AlisonClary<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8095750671,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}8095750671,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="750" class="align-full" alt="8095750671?profile=original" /></a></p><p>There are so many reasons to harvest rainwater. The obvious one is that water is more precious than ever, especially in California during drought, and rain is a freebie! The trick is to learn how to harness and store rain so you can use it as needed. Rainwater catchment systems are the answer! They can be simple or complex and generally involve a fairly low-tech system of pipes that diverts water from roof gutters to storage containers, ranging from large plastic garbage cans to recycled food storage barrels to underground cisterns.</p><p>If you’d like to install one like a pro, sign up now for the hands-on “Rainwater Collection Workshop,” co-hosted by Sustainable Contra Costa and Contra Costa Water District. Learn how to construct a home rain barrel system in time for the rainy season ahead! This workshop costs $20 per person and takes place on Sunday, November 5, 10am to 12pm, at DVC’s Horticulture Department, Room H101, 321 Golf Club Rd., Pleasant Hill. You can register <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rainwater-collection-workshop-registration-39057179074" target="_blank">HERE</a><u><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/rainwater-collection-workshop-registration-37889680053?internal_ref=login"><br /></a></u></p><p>Amazingly enough, if you have a one thousand square foot roof, you can harvest approximately 600 gallons of rainwater after one inch of rainfall. This is not only a strategic and environmental thing to do, but if tap water via your public utility is overly “soft” or “hard,” it may contains salts and minerals like calcium, magnesium or chlorine that can alter the pH level of your soil, which can affect plant growth. Generally, rainwater is much better for your plants, and rain catchment systems even contain filters that flush out contaminants from the roof’s first run-off. Drinking stored rainwater is a separate discussion, however, there are extra filters you can add to your catchment system for potability purposes. Use your stored rainwater for irrigating landscapes, getting seedlings started, cultivating mushrooms, and more!</p><p>To read more about DIY rain catchment systems, here are a couple of links:</p><p><a href="https://morningchores.com/rainwater-harvesting/">https://morningchores.com/rainwater-harvesting/</a></p><p><a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Rainwater-Collection-System">http://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Rainwater-Collection-System</a></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div>Announcing the 2017 Sustainability Award Winners!https://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/announcing-the-2017-sustainability-award-winners2017-08-31T20:13:00.000Z2017-08-31T20:13:00.000ZTyler Snortum-Phelpshttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/TylerSnortumPhelps<div><p>Sustainable Contra Costa is pleased to announce the 2017 Leadership in Sustainability Award winners! <span>The award winners were honored at the <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/leadership-in-sustainability-and-green-building-awards-2017-infor">9th Annual Contra Costa Leadership In Sustainability Awards Gala</a></span> on September 20th.</span><span> </span></p>
<p>The Contra Costa Leadership In Sustainability Award is given to those demonstrate outstanding commitment and leadership in building healthy, beautiful and resilient communities for all generations to enjoy.</p>
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<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/131871591@N05/albums/72157688848477796" target="_blank">PHOTOS FROM THE AWARDS GALA</a></span></strong></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong><a href="http://sustainablecoco.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/2017-Gala-Booklet-low-res.pdf" target="_blank">2017 PROGRAM BOOKLET</a></strong></span></p>
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<div style="left:62.4px;top:333.569px;font-size:14.7333px;font-family:sans-serif;text-align:center;"><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><span style="font-family:arial, helvetica, sans-serif;" class="font-size-2"> </span></span></div>
<p xml:lang="en" style="text-align:left;" lang="en"><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><strong><font>2017 Award Winners</font></strong></span></p>
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<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><strong><font>Category: Leadership in Sustainable Communities</font></strong></p>
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<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><strong>Julie Haas-Wajdowicz</strong></p>
<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><span>Julie Haas-Wajdowicz, Environmental Resource Coordinator for the City of Antioch, works tirelessly to promote a variety of causes that promote sustainable practices, environmental stewardship and community engagement. For nearly 15 years, Julie has managed and developed programs that reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions, conserve water, and eliminate water pollution.</span></p>
<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><strong>New Leaf Collaborative</strong></p>
<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><span>New Leaf Collaborative (NLC) is a California Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation </span><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" color="#000000">whose mission is to provide </font><span>hands-on, experiential learning and leadership opportunities, in areas of science, nature and ecological literacy in order to nurture the social and emotional health of K-14 students, </span><span>educators</span><span> and community partners. </span><span>NLC does this through several programs in and out of schools throughout Contra Costa County where program </span><span>outcomes are guided by social and emotional learning standards and create connection to place, community, and civic engagement. NLC strives <font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" color="#000000">to cultivate healthy communities and individuals, intellectually curious learners, and responsible, ecologically literate citizens. </font></span></p>
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<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><strong><font>Category: Leadership in Sustainable Resource Management</font></strong></p>
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<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><strong><font>Daily Digital Imaging</font></strong></p>
<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><font>In 2004, Daily Digital Imaging moved to Pleasant Hill and installed the first all-digital, full color printing press that uses no chemicals, solvents, or water in its process. No special air or sewage handling, noise control, or personal protective equipment is needed. Waste is sent to Xerox for reuse. In 2006, Daily Digital completed the Bay Area Green Business certification, making them one of the longest certified green businesses in Contra Costa County! Daily Digital has been a member of Green America, a national green business organization, since 2009. They conscientiously focus on the highest rung of the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot" hierarchy by significantly reducing their waste and in turn, protecting their workers, community, and environment.</font></p>
<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><strong>Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority</strong></p>
<p xml:lang="en" lang="en">Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority (ECCTA), also known as Tri Delta Transit, has been a member of the Contra Costa Green Business Program for over ten years. ECCTA provides fixed route and paratransit public transport services to almost 315,000 residents in eastern Contra Costa County. More than 80% of transit-dependent passengers are from low income households. ECCTA received its first Sustainable Contra Costa award in 2011. Since then it has made even greater strides in promoting sustainability and community development. CCTA’s safe, reliable, and inexpensive public transport is beneficial to the environment, the community, saves on highway wear and tear, and is a greener option to driving. ECCTA is proud of their steps to reduce its overall impact on the environment. </p>
<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><strong>Rising Sun Energy</strong></p>
<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><span>Rising Sun Energy Center is a sustainability leader whose innovative green job training programs and community advocacy efforts tackle head on the challenges of social and economic inequity and climate change. Their programs make investments in underserved communities, while creating immediate, tangible benefits for local people and the planet. Rising Sun program participants gain meaningful employment, valuable career training, empowerment to take practical, immediate action in response to climate change, and universal skills in professionalism, teamwork and project planning.</span></p>
<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><br /> <strong>Category: Rising Star</strong></p>
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<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><strong>Girl Scout Troop 33333, Martinez</strong></p>
<p xml:lang="en" lang="en">A commitment to sustainability, their community, and pursuit of the Bronze Award -- the highest honor for Scouts their age -- motivated Girl Scout Troop 33333 from Hidden Valley Elementary to launch a program to improve access to recycling and start a compost program on their campus. Troop members worked after school for two months to write, stage, and deliver skits during Earth Day assemblies educating classmates on recycling and composting. They provided original content ideas, performed multiple rehearsals, and took ownership of the numerous props, upcycled costumes, and media needs. The Girl Scouts also served as the lead lunchroom monitors of trash/recycling/composting, providing on-the-spot education to students and helping train new Green Team members on how to recycle and compost. Their troop caught the attention of the City of Martinez, where Mayor Rob Schroder and the City Councilmembers honored them. Most of the girls are moving on to Valley View Middle School where they are excited to start the program there. </p>
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<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><strong>Category: Lifetime Achievement</strong></p>
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<p xml:lang="en" lang="en"><strong>Kathryn Lyddan</strong></p>
<p>As Director of the Land Resource Protection Division at the California Department of conservation since 2016, Kathryn Lyddan works with state and local governments, land trusts, landowners, farmers, researchers, nonprofits and local governments to conserve our farmland, natural resources and open spaces, promote local agriculture, and build a sustainable California food system. From 2003 through 2016 Kathryn served as the Executive Director of the Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust, a nonprofit established to permanently protect Contra Costa productive farmland and build a vibrant local agricultural economy on the urban edge of the Bay Area. In addition to a farmland conservation program, Kathryn oversaw a wide range of projects promoting food and farming through agricultural enterprise zoning and regional marketing, such as the Contra Costa Buy Fresh Buy Local marketing campaign and the Brentwood-Richmond Farm-2-Table Community Supported Agriculture. She coauthored Sustaining Our Bounty (2011) and Triple Harvest: Farmland conservation for climate protection, smart growth and food security in California (2013).</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><span>The gala is a</span> <span>fun and festive event recognizing and celebrating individuals and organizations</span> <span>throughout the region</span> <span>for their outstanding contributions and commitment to creating a healthy environment, economy, and community. It</span> <span>draws 250 dynamic and engaged Bay Area sustainability leaders and activists from the business, educational, government and nonprofit sectors. </span><span>Tickets</span> <span>included</span> <span>food, dessert, wine and beer</span> from <span>our sustainable partners such as <strong>True Food Kitchen, Sunrise Bistro, Chef Lauren Mahlke, DVC Culinary Arts, Captain & Viano Vineyards, and Calicraft Brewing.</strong> </span></p>
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<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:left;">In addition to the Leadership in Sustainability awards, Central San presented their Pollution Prevention Awards, and Contra Costa County's Green Business Program showcased certified green businesses.</p>
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<p dir="ltr"><span>This year our</span> <span>event theme</span> wa<span>s</span> <span>"Our Choices, Our Impact"</span><span>, focusing on the choices we make as consumers and how these choices affect the environment around us.</span> <span>Sustainable Contra Costa has committed to using the 10 One Planet Living Principles as a framework for all programs; to highlight this commitment there will be an exhibit at the gala demonstrating each principle.</span></p></div>Leadership in Sustainability Awards Galahttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/leadership-in-sustainability-and-green-building-awards-2017-infor2017-04-12T23:04:24.000Z2017-04-12T23:04:24.000ZTyler Snortum-Phelpshttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/TylerSnortumPhelps<div><p><font color="#4F3D13"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font><strong>On September 20th</strong>, our community will come together at the</font></font></font> <font color="#4F3D13"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font>9th Annual Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability & Green Building Awards Gala to celebrat</font></font></font><font color="#4F3D13"><font face="Arial, sans-serif"><font>e and honor those who demonstrate outstanding commitment and leadership in making Contra Costa communities healthy, beautiful, clean, and resilient - for the long run.</font></font></font></p>
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<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8095740855,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="300" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8095740855,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-right" alt="8095740855?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong style="font-size:14pt;"><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/9th-annual-sustainability-green-building-awards-gala-registration-33795721914" target="_blank">Register here</a></span></strong></p>
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<p><span>Join us for a wonderful night of inspiration and celebration! </span>This fun and inspiring event supports and celebrates local individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions and commitment to a healthy environment, economy, and society - so that Contra Costa remains a wonderful place for generations to come.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><strong><span style="color:#888888;" class="font-size-4"><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/announcing-the-2017-sustainability-award-winners">Full list of winners here</a></span><br /></span></strong></p>
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<p>This year our theme is "Our Choices, Our Impact", <span>focusing on the </span><span class="il">choices </span><span>we make as consumers and how these </span><span class="il">choices</span><span> affect the environment around us.</span></p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8095741071,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="350" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8095741071,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" alt="8095741071?profile=original" /></a><br /> The Awards event is also the annual fundraiser for Sustainable Contra Costa.The awards will be presented by Supervisors John Gioia and Diane Burgis.</p>
<p><span>The awards program will also feature our Visionary Partner </span><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.centralsan.org" target="_blank">Central Contra Costa Sanitary District</a></span><span> presenting their </span><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.centralsan.org/index.cfm?navid=281" target="_blank">Pollution Prevention Awards</a></span><span>. New this year is our Benefactor Partner, the </span><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.greenbiz.ca.gov/AboutUsCCC.html" target="_blank">Contra Costa Green Business Program</a></span><span> presenting new and re-certified green businesses. </span></p>
<div><p><span>The event will begin with a reception on the Hilton Concord's beautiful patio where guests will e<span>njoy food, wine and beer from our local, sustainable Partners such as <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.truefoodkitchen.com/walnutcreek" target="_blank">True Food Kitchen</a></span><span><strong>,</strong> <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="https://www.sunrisebistrocatering.com/" target="_blank">Sunrise Bistro</a></span>, <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="https://cheflaurenmahlke.com/" target="_blank">Chef Lauren Mahlke</a></span>, <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.dvc.edu/events/food-service/weeklymenus.html" target="_blank">DVC Culinary Arts</a></span>, <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="https://www.bowlbrazil.com/" target="_blank">Bowl Brazil Superfoods Cafe</a></span>, <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.captainvineyards.com" target="_blank">Captain</a></span> and <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.vianovineyards.com/" target="_blank">Viano Vineyards</a></span> and <span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://www.calicraft.com/" target="_blank">Calicraft Brewing</a></span></span>, </span>live music and a silent auction featuring <em>local goods and services.</em> The reception is followed by dessert from <a href="https://www.sunrisebistrocatering.com/" target="_blank">Sunrise Bistro</a> and the presentation of awards in the grand ballroom. Cocktail attire.</span></p>
<p>Sustainable Contra Costa is grateful for the generosity of our sponsors whose support makes our programs possible.</p>
</div></div>The Sustainability Movement's Big Night: 8th Annual Awards Galahttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/the-sustainability-movement-s-big-night-8th-annual-awards-gala2016-09-28T23:10:06.000Z2016-09-28T23:10:06.000ZTyler Snortum-Phelpshttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/TylerSnortumPhelps<div><p>The sustainability movement in Contra Costa had its big night on September 21<sup>st,</sup> at the eighth annual Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability & Green Building Awards, presented by Sustainable Contra Costa (SCOCO). About 240 people gathered at the Hilton Concord for this award, fundraising, and community event. Guests strolled through the Hilton’s atrium to the Caribbean strains of steel drummer Benjamin Glasgow, sipped drinks poured by Captain Vineyards, Hannah Nicole Winery, Viano Vineyards, and CaliCraft Brewing, and noshed on delectable fare from the kitchens of Corners Tavern, Plate and Vine, Prima Ristorante, and the DVC Culinary Arts Department. The evening's theme was “Inspired By Nature”, celebrating parks and open space, in honor of the 100<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the National Park system. A variety of open space advocate organizations, like Save Mt. Diablo & East Bay Parks, set up tables to showcase their efforts.</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8095752492,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="300" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8095753093,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-right" alt="8095753093?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p>After the reception, guests moved into the ballroom, decorated with fragrant herb planters at each table, and enjoyed coffee and gourmet cupcakes. Lafayette Vice-Mayor Mike Anderson and SCOCO President Tina Neuhausel made opening remarks. Tina told the audience that 30,000 sustainable actions have been taken since East Bay residents started the Community Resilience Challenge in 2012, including daily acts that save water, conserve energy, grow food, reduce waste, and build community. She also introduced this year’s Certified Sustainability Advisors, a corps of leaders and activists who are trained in air quality, water and energy conservation, waste reduction, and sustainable living.</p>
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<p>SCOCO’s Visionary Partner, Central Contra Costa Sanitary District (CCCSD), also known as Central San, presented their Recycled Water Champions and Pollution Prevention Awards to a variety of local businesses, agencies and individuals. CCCSD also recognized community partners who maintain full compliance with their sewer discharge permit to prevent pollution and protect water quality, with Contra Costa Mosquito & Vector control District reaching an impressive 16 years of compliance. Barrelista Coffee House & Café, Kee’s Auto Body, Mike’s Auto Body, and Walnut Creek Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, & Ram took home Pollution Prevention Awards.</p>
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<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8095753660,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="300" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8095753660,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-left" alt="8095753660?profile=original" /></a>Contra Costa County Supervisors John Gioia and Candace Andersen then presented leadership awards in five categories: Sustainable Communities, Food System Innovation, Resource Management, Rising Star, Lifetime Achievement, and Green Building.</p>
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<p>The winners in the Sustainable Communities category were Pittsburg middle school teachers Thomas Edwards and Jennifer Foster, who implemented the East Bay Community Resilience Challenge in their schools, reached the Gold Level in the Green Ribbon Schools program, and facilitate many other sustainable projects with their students.</p>
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<p>The winner in Food System Innovation was Mt. Diablo Unified Sschool District's Farm to School Program, led by Anna Fisher, Tamara Helfer, and Jennifer Sachs. A grant from the USDA brought new pilot programs into the schools, though a partnership with California Alliance for Family Farmers, to evaluate the source of produce served in the district and educate students on nutrition, gardening and cooking.</p>
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<p>There were two winners won in the Sustainable Resource Management category: Ken <font color="#000000">Sturm</font> & John Larsen, and Recycle Smart. John Larsen, previously the president of the Newcastle Homeowners Association, was successful in proposing landscape renovation and redesign. Through EBMUD and a local company, lawns were replaced with drought tolerant plants and a play structure was contructed, serving 414 homes. Recycle Smart (Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority) is a local government agency that promotes home composting and commercial and school food waste recycling. In 2015, its organics Diversion Programs diverted around 57,501 tons of organics from landfill, which is equal to 8943 metric tons of CO2 emissions diverted.</p>
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<p>The Rising Star (under 18) award went to Sierra Warshawsky, a junior at Campolindo High School in Moraga. Sierra actively volunteers in various charity events and organizations, including Rotary and the organization One Million Lights, which provides solar power to third-world countries without electricity.</p>
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<p><a></a>The Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Larry Sly, executive director for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, which serves one in eights residents in those counties. Twenty million pounds of food, half of which is fresh fruits and vegetables, is distributed every year and would otherwise go to waste. Under Sly’s leadership, the food bank recycles all paper, plastic, aluminum, cardboard and plastic bags and has installed solar panels on its warehouse in Concord.</p>
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<p>The Green Building category honored architects, builders, and owners of green buildings in Contra Costa County whose actions fulfilled green criteria in areas such as energy conservation and efficiency, indoor air quality, water conservation, and drought-tolerant landscaping. The honorees were Arboleda (Walnut Creek), Richmond City Center Apartments, and Korematsu Middle School (El Cerrito). Korematsu was converted from an elementary school into a sustainable and environmental middle school. The facility practices energy and water conservation and reduction, uses sustainable materials, and has a green roof.</p>
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<p>For general information on Sustainable Contra Costa, its sustainable workshop series, the Sustainable Enterprise Conference, the Certified Sustainability Advisors Program, and other work, please visit <font color="#0000FF"><span lang="zxx" xml:lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.sustainablecoco.org/">www.sustainablecoco.org</a></u></span></font>.</p></div>Seeds of Change Contest - Your project could be awarded $500https://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/seeds-of-change-contest-your-project-could-be-awarded-5002016-09-12T23:00:19.000Z2016-09-12T23:00:19.000ZTyler Snortum-Phelpshttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/TylerSnortumPhelps<div><p>Leadership In Sustainability Fair</p>
<p>This year, we're expanding last year's very successful Seeds of Change Contest to include a larger number of organizations. And, we're morphing the concept to be a showcase ... an expo ... of local organizations that are doing cool things in Sustainabilty. We're calling this segment of the Gala the "Leadership in Sustainability Fair".</p>
<p>The Gala draws a diverse audience of business and civic leaders, educators, activists, practitioners, and people who care about Sustainability. It's an excellent audience for sharing all the great things that you're doing! We provide the table (no charge), you provide a tabletop display and at least one volunteer to interact with Gala attendees (we will comp 1 volunteer per organization).</p>
<p>Eligibility Requirements - Individuals and teams, all ages - Non-profit community organizations (need not be 501c3) - Schools, all levels Note: The primary submitter must be a resident of Contra Costa County</p>
<p>Space is limited so please apply or contact us as soon as possible.</p>
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<p>Seeds Of Change Contest</p>
<p>Becoming a truly sustainable society presents many challenges in the ways we live, work and play. The changes we need to make toward a sustainable future will be leveraged by creativity and innovation. SCOCO encourages creativity and supports innovation. The 3rd Annual Seeds of Change Innovation Contest is intended to showcase great ideas, fund innovative projects and recognize creative thinkers in our community.</p>
<p>We're looking for creative projects and innovative ideas that have the potential for broad use and wide impact. We're planting seeds for the future! Your Organization Could Win $500!</p>
<p>Contest Guidelines Your project or innovation should:</p>
<p>- Address some aspect of social, environmental and/or economic sustainability</p>
<p>- Be a new project that needs funds for start-up OR an existing project that needs funds to expand or replicate</p>
<p>- Be suitable for broad use or application AND replicable by others</p>
<p>Examples - Creative application of technology</p>
<p>- Innovative approach to education</p>
<p>- Demonstration installation of a new product/solution</p>
<p>- Research, study or experiment</p>
<p>- Creative use of media to engage a target audience</p>
<p>- Impactful event, performance or art project.</p>
<div><span>Gala Participation Required</span></div>
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<div>- Selected organizations will be invited to partcipate at the 2016 Gala on September 21st. </div>
<div>- <span>ONE comp ticket will be provided - additional tickets must be purchased.</span></div>
<div>- Participants will be assigned a table to use to present/display/pitch their organization and project. </div>
<div>- During the reception segment of the Gala, participants will interact with Gala attendees to pitch their project/idea. </div>
<div>- Attendees will vote for their favorite project/idea. </div>
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<div><span>Judging</span></div>
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<div>All submissions will be reviewed by the Sustainability Fair committee to select participants. </div>
<div>The Contest winner will be selected based on total votes received from Gala attendees.</div>
<div>The winner will be announced during the awards segment of the Gala. </div>
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<div>Good luck and have fun!!</div>
<div> </div>
<div><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="https://www.tfaforms.com/436736" target="_blank">APPLY HERE</a></span></div></div>How to Cut Your Water Consumption in Half!https://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/how-to-cut-your-water-consumption-in-half2015-05-19T22:28:22.000Z2015-05-19T22:28:22.000ZMike Vandemanhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/MikeVandeman<div><p>By simply peeing in the back yard, instead of using the toilet, I cut my water consumption in half! I also put 5-gallon buckets in the kitchen & shower to collect graywater, which I give to my fruit trees. They have never been happier!</p></div>How Did Toby Hemenway Inspire You to Take Action?https://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/how-did-toby-hemenway-inspire-you-to-take-action2014-04-16T21:14:58.000Z2014-04-16T21:14:58.000ZJulianna Oldroydhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/JuliannaOldroyd<div><p>Please share with the SCOCO team how the Toby Hemenway presentation inspired you to take action. <strong>What new action(s) are you planning on doing this year?</strong> Did you learn more about permaculture, sustainability, or yourself? We would love to hear your thoughts!</p><p></p><p>Kind regards,</p><p>The SCOCO Team</p><p class="attachment"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8095733483,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank">th5.JPG</a></p><p class="attachment"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8095734058,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank">th10.JPG</a></p><p class="attachment"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8095733859,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank">th14.JPG</a></p></div>Leadership in Sustainability & Green Building Awards 2013https://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/leadership-in-sustainability-green-building-awards-20132013-11-19T22:20:24.000Z2013-11-19T22:20:24.000ZTina King Neuhauselhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/TinaKingNeuhausel<div><p><span class="s1">Two hundred and twenty sustainability advocates, including business and government leaders, students, teachers, and nonprofit founders filled the beautiful Concord Hilton at the annual Sustainability Awards Gala on October 30</span><span class="s2"><sup>th</sup></span><span class="s1">. <img alt="" src="http://69.89.31.211/~sustaja6/sites/default/files/Screen%20shot%202013-11-12%20at%2011.51.12%20AM.png" style="float:right;margin:5px;" height="259" width="249" /></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The venue was elegantly decorated with wood centerpieces, fire pits, betta fish swimming in glass vases, floating candles, and orange lights lining the white linens of tables. Four wineries and a brewery kept the wine and beer flowing, and the small plates from our three caterers, including red snapper ceviche, winter squash risotto, dungenous crab mac and cheese, filled everyone’s appetite. Most guests wandered the silent auction, keeping an eye on their favorite items, which led to a few bidding wars and created a fun, competitive flavor to the event. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">After the guests entered the ballroom, they were served coffee, tea and homemade cookies and watched County Supervisor John Gioia and California State Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla hand out awards to the finalist winners for their commendable sustainable services and practices. Overall, the night was abundant with great conversation, cheerful company, and inspiration to continue to make Contra Costa a greener, healthier, and more sustainable county.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="color:#ff6600;"><a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/114088735204338004465/SCOCOGala?authuser=0&feat=directlink"><span style="color:#ff6600;" class="s1">Gala Photos</span></a> </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="color:#ff6600;"><a href="http://www.sustainablecoco.org/greenbuildingawards"><span style="color:#ff6600;"><span> </span>2013 Green Building Award Winners</span></a></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="color:#ff6600;"><a href="http://www.sustainablecoco.org/2013awardwinners"><span style="color:#ff6600;">Sustainability Award Winners</span></a></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span style="color:#ff6600;"><a href="http://vimeo.com/78688253"><span style="color:#ff6600;" class="s1">Check out our video "SCOCO Awards - First Five Years"</span></a></span></p>
<p class="p1">Lamorinda Sun Article</p>
<p class="p1"><u><strong><span class="s1">An Environmental Group that is Proving to be Sustainable</span></strong></u> <br /> Participation in SCOCO gains steam as outreach grows</p>
<p><span class="s1"><b>By Lou Fancher</b><i>,</i></span> <span class="s1"><i>Correspondent</i></span></p>
<p>Sustainable Contra Costa began in 2007 as a way to fight the destructive forces of big-footprint consumerism. Six years later, the 2013 Sustainability and Green Building Award celebration at the Concord Hilton signaled the Walnut Creek-based nonprofit's growing stature.</p>
<p>More than 200 people, including dignitaries from all over Contra Costa County, gathered Oct. 30 in an outdoor atrium to feast on local fare before honoring this years 10 award winners.</p>
<p>SCOCO President and Founder Tina Neuhausel began the program, saying the idea she and four co-founders had to ensure their children would enjoy a sustainable future planet and had come full circle. Dedicating the evening to longtime Concord school teacher Mary Lou Laubscher, who worked tirelessly to educate the community before her death in 2012, Neuhausel asked the audience to continue actively supporting efforts to protect and preserve the wellbeing of East Bay citizens and the planet.</p>
<p>In an interview, Neuhausel said SCOCO’S biggest accomplishments are greater awareness of the problems and solutions relating to sustainability have come through cooperative partnerships between SCOCO and various individuals and groups. We take a positive, collaborative approach by walking hand-in-hand with other organizations rather than seeing them as competitors, she said. This open-arms approach helps us progress faster.</p>
<p>Just this past year, SCOCO has gathered more than 3,000 action pledges from individuals and families who commit to projects aimed at growing food or saving resources. With the help of local libraries and schools, more than 800 youths have participated in hands-on Operation-Green: Mission Possible projects. And from the living room of five green-minded friends, the organization has built a stable of 60 urban gardeners, educators and activists who discussed urban food production and food justice issues in the first Growing Together symposium in August.</p>
<p>As a local nonprofit with an expansive cause, Neuhausel said raising money is difficult. But money used to help save the planet, she said, is money well spent.</p>
<p>How much cost (to us) is involved if we sacrifice the earth in the name of profitability? Claiming she doesn’t like getting political, Neuhausel nonetheless did so in describing some of the big jobs she sees as lying ahead. People need to stand up to the huge polluting companies that have hijacked our government, she said. Monsanto’s genetically modified crops are destroying the chain of our natural ecosystem and our health. Access to healthy food sources remains limited, and Neuhausel suggested the best recourse may be legislation to stop enabling those who are making a profit from replacing our natural food sources with their genetically modified food crops.</p>
<p>Internally, SCOCO’s best tool to fight nonrenewable energy’s proliferating threat to the environment is its team spirit, she said. With volunteers, a tiny staff and longtime allies like Cindy Gershen (through her Sunrise Bistro and Mt. Diablo High School Sustainable Hospitality students), Sustainable Lafayette, East Bay government representatives and average citizens who use less gasoline, Neuhausel likened the team to a rising tide lifting all boats.</p>
<p>The groups first-ever Green Building honors handed out by County Supervisor John Gioia and California State Assemblywoman Susan Bonilla went to an El Sobrante residential remodel, Villa Sobrante; Canyon Constructions commercial remodel of the Moraga Barn in Moraga; and commercial/ government/new construction at San Pablos’ West County Health Center. The three winners salvaged materials for reuse, maximized rainwater capture, followed stringent green building practices and demonstrated respect for their surrounding communities.</p>
<p>The fifth annual Leadership in Sustainability winners were selected from a pool of 35 nominees by a team of 11 judges.</p></div>California’s new solar program SB 43 nears the finish line! Keep your finger's crossed..https://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/california-s-new-solar-program-sb-43-nears-the-finish-line-keep2013-09-10T22:22:47.000Z2013-09-10T22:22:47.000ZMichael Esverhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/MichaelEsver<div><p>Solar is growing by leaps and bounds in California, but many residents and businesses in the state still can’t go solar today. The traditional panels-on-your-roof approach to solar simply doesn’t work for renters, tenants of multi-unit buildings, property owners with shaded roofs and plenty of others.</p><p>SB 43, authored by Lois Wolk (Davis), would change all that. It would create an innovative green power program that allows any customer of our state’s largest utilities – PG&E, SCE, and SDG&E – to purchase up to 100% renewable electricity for their home or business.</p><p><a href="http://votesolar.org/2013/09/05/californias-new-solar-program-sb-43-nears-the-finish-line/" target="_blank">http://votesolar.org/2013/09/05/californias-new-solar-program-sb-43-nears-the-finish-line/</a></p></div>Permaculture Kids: Building Myths for the Future by Jessica Cox, openmythsource.comhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/permaculture-kids-building-myths-for-the-future-by-jessica-cox2013-06-17T17:22:11.000Z2013-06-17T17:22:11.000ZWilli Paulhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/WilliPaul<div><p></p><p><a href="http://openmythsource.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/final2.jpg" style="font-size:1.17em;"><img class="size-full wp-image-3262 alignleft align-center" alt="final2" src="http://openmythsource.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/final2.jpg?w=640" /></a></p><h2><b>Permaculture Kids: Building Myths for the Future by Jessica Cox, openmythsource.com</b></h2><h3><span><em>“<a href="http://www.theopinionatedartist.com/2013/06/the-new-mythology-of-life.html" target="_blank">Just before his death</a> Joseph Campbell was interviewed by Bill Moyers and that interview was later turned into the documentary, “The Power Of Myth.” In this interview he postulated the idea that humanity was in need of new mythologies. Ones that were not rooted in the ancient world as all our current ones are. But myth’s that would help us navigate this new and strange world we are creating.”</em></span></h3><p></p><h3>When I was eight years old I would meander through our suburban backyard, my long brown hair in two braids, my feet bare against the prickly grass. Oblivious to the freeway roar on the other side of the sound wall I wove through ankle-high flowers, my steps flat-footed, like a hunter approaching her prey. But it wasn’t food I was after. I wanted simply to become a Native American by pretending to be one. It was a potent game of make-believe. Imagination plays a crucial role in the development of morals, as do the stories our children are brought up with.</h3><h3>Children have an acute sensitivity to nature, a world-view that is created around their play-yard, their pets, the wild animals in the neighborhood. A mischievous frog or disgruntled badger are often subjects of children’s books, where the animal kingdom comes alive in a shared language, shared character flaws, shared journeys. As we grow older, the magic and mystery of nature tends to fade as our paths intersect with school, work, our first car, moving away from home. For some, the call to nature remains. For others, it is consumed by material desires, reserved as a place to visit but not to live in.</h3><h3>There is a pervasive sense in today’s culture that nature-consciousness requires a look backwards. It hearkens to Native American folklore and culture, a time when working the land by hand was necessary because machines hadn’t been invented yet, and companies hadn’t taken over food production. Because (in a very global sense) we have moved out of tribes, out of shared geographic communities, a tribal communal living has been archived as a thing of the past. The myths that shaped Native American cultures are like the Greek and Roman myths, sensed peripherally but subsumed into other stories, the stories of mass cinema. Disney. Standing in the sun with my hand on a tree trunk, whispering sweet nothings to the bark – my conception of what the “Indians” were like had largely been formed by watching Peter Pan, Pocahontas and some cartoon version of Sacajawea.</h3><h3>Though at the basis myths are “just stories,” they hold awesome power. Their stories, characters, and values permeate the minds of a social collectivity. Like culture itself, myths are created, revised, and re-created in response to society’s political, economic, social, or environmental needs. Its symbols, as Joseph Campbell notes, “ touch and release the deepest centers of motivation.” Yet we have lost touch with many of the genuinely mythic symbols as the proliferation of consumerism and media images have manipulated ancient meanings. Like Disney’s overpowering influence over ancient stories and histories, myth no longer plays in the same ball park. Campbell notices the folly of trying to “preach to children who will be riding rockets to the moon a morality and cosmology based on concepts of the Good Society and of man’s place in nature that were coined before harnessing the horse!” So where can our revisions and creations of myths come from in a world culture so varied and so shaped by external powers? Where do we begin?</h3><h3><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permaculture" target="_blank">Permaculture</a> address the issues of dispersed globalized living, failing economic structures, and a struggling planet. It integrates the modernized world with old-world values of land and nature stewardship, community, and new visions of finance methods and economics, technology and tools, spiritual health and well being, and culture and education. Its aim is to establish a methods for establishing and maintaining efforts that will thwart eco-destruction and build stronger communities, all working towards a sustainable future. To accomplish this, permaculture offers <a href="http://permacultureprinciples.com/ethics/" target="_blank">ethics</a>, or <a href="http://permacultureprinciples.com/principles/" target="_blank">principles</a>. Building upon permaculture’s tenets, it is possible to create new myths for the modern world.</h3><h3>Although idea that one can create one’s own mythology is antithetical to the definition of mythology, in today’s world of revised world stories, a counter to the destruction of myth is to reinvent mythology’s definition. Carl Jung created a personal mythology to describe underlying elements in his own psyche. We create our own myths daily by interpreting and unpacking symbols, collecting a store-house of meanings that are unique to our selves. Myths generate models for reality, so why not work to create the reality you want to live in?</h3><h3>What are the myths for our children who will inherit our world, who live in the land of tomorrow, and for whom life has a promise of change? In trying to talk to trees, I inherently believed that I could change the facts of the world if I wanted it badly enough. The imaginative power of childhood can be the location of global shifts in consciousness. Encouraging children to develop their own stories and uncover their own mythologies can develop an almost magical transformation from imagination to reality. In building hero’s quests, children can embark upon new adventures in a world they are familiar with, and work to save it.</h3><h3><strong>Related Links and Activities:</strong></h3><h3><a title="Myth Lab" href="http://openmythsource.com/myth-lab/" target="_blank">MythLab</a></h3><h3><a href="http://communityalchemy.com/mythlab/MythLabWilliPaul.pdf" target="_blank">A Transition Workshop Primer for Imprinting the New Mythology</a></h3><h3><a href="http://openmythsource.com/2013/01/05/new-animation-model-case-study-for-transition-children-by-willi-paul-newmythologist-com/" target="_blank">New Animation Model for Transition Children</a></h3><h3><a href="http://planetshifter.com/node/1890" target="_blank">Permaculture Unification Model</a></h3><h3>Permaculture Principle 1:<b> </b><b>Observe and Interact</b></h3><h3>Go into the backyard, or park, or any patch of grass with some plants and observe it. How many different plants can you spot? Are there bugs or animals? How do you want to interact? Even simply observing is an interaction. You can later draw a picture of something you saw, write a story about the scene, or come up with your own way of interacting.</h3><h3>Permaculture Principle 12: <b>Creatively Use and Respond to Change</b></h3><h3>Symbols are potent tools for remembering and for the imagination. Permaculture uses the butterfly as a symbol for the 12<span>th</span> principle, and accompanies the image with a proverb: “Vision is not seeing things as they are, but as they will be.” What does this mean to you? How is this related to a butterfly’s transformation from a caterpillar. Are there ways that transformations affect your life? What have you done about them? What could you do about a future transformation?</h3><p>* * * * * * *</p><h3><span><strong>Jessica Cox</strong> is Founder of </span><a title="“Permaculture Kids: Building Myths for the Future” by Jessica Cox, openmythsource.com" href="http://conservatoryofmagic.com/" target="_blank">ConservatoryofMagic.com</a>. Please see her <a title="Interview with New Mythology's Willi Paul by Jessica Cox" href="http://www.planetshifter.com/node/2113" target="_blank">recent interview</a> with New Mythology’s Willi Paul.</h3></div>Are mushrooms the new plastic? 9-Minute TED Talk will answer this questionhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/are-mushrooms-the-new-plastic-9-minute-ted-talk-will-answer-this-2013-03-07T02:17:30.000Z2013-03-07T02:17:30.000ZJackie Lorenzhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/JackieLorenz<div><p></p><p><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/eben_bayer_are_mushrooms_the_new_plastic.html" target="_blank">To view TED Talk</a></p></div>Lose a Lawn and Gain a Gardenhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/lose-a-lawn-and-gain-a-garden2013-03-04T02:49:01.000Z2013-03-04T02:49:01.000ZIlene Linssenhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/IleneLinssen<div><p>Lose a lawn and get a garden</p><p>Homeowners throughout California are realizing the benefits of replacing water-thirsty lawns with water-efficient gardens. Some are replacing small sections of lawn over a period of time, while others are replacing their entire lawn all at once. Either way, the benefits are substantial.</p><p>So what are the benefits?</p><p><span>4</span><span>Save water and money:</span> Homeowners can reduce their water use by more than fifty percent by converting their lawns to water-efficient landscaping. For a 30x30-ft lawn, the savings are more than 25,000 gallons per year! Savings can be even greater when sprinklers are replaced with drip irriga- tion. And saving water means saving on your water bill, which is always a good thing.</p><p><span>4</span><span>Improve aesthetics:</span> In a recent evalu- ation by Contra Costa Water District, 100% of the customers participating in their Landscape Rebate Program loved the new look of their garden compared to their old lawn. Their new front yards are beautiful, eye-catching gardens that include a variety of colors and tex- tures.</p><p><span>4</span> <span>Save</span> means that weekly commitment to mowing is gone. No longer do you need to mow, aerate, and fertilize. De- pending on the design and plants cho-</p><p>sen, a water-efficient garden can be very low maintenance.</p><p><span>4</span><span>Get cash back and save:</span> For a limited time, CCWD is of- fering rebates to help customers re- place their water-thirsty front lawns with water-efficient landscaping. Sin- gle-family residential customers can receive up to $500, and commercial, HOA, and municipal customers can re- ceive up to $5,000. The program is not retroactive, and properties must be pre-approved by CCWD before any work is started. Complete program de- tails can be obtained by visiting <a href="http://www.ccwater.com/conserve">www.ccwater.com/conserve</a> or by calling 688-8320.</p><p>Gardening ideas</p><p>Below are a few locations for great gardening ideas.</p><p><span>4</span><span>Gardening in Contra Costa County</span>: Contra Costa Water District developed this website to assist customers with garden and plant ideas. Visit</p><p><a href="http://www.ccwater.com/conserve">www.ccwater.com/conserve</a> and click on the link for “Gardening in Contra Costa County.”</p><p><span>4</span><span>Arboretum All-Stars:</span> The UC Da- vis Arboretum has tested and devel- oped a list of plants that flourish in dry hot summers. Visit their site at <a href="http://www.arboretum.ucdavis.edu">www.arboretum.ucdavis.edu</a>.</p><p><span>4</span><span>Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour:</span> The garden tour is on May 1, 2013 and includes many local resi- dential gardens as well as garden talks throughout the day. Gardens range from professionally designed and installed, to do-it-yourselfer gardens.</p><p>To get information and to sign up, visit <a href="http://www.bringingbackthenatives.net">www.bringingbackthenatives.net</a>. <span> </span></p></div>Pleasant Hill Recognizes Green Excellencehttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/pleasant-hill-recognizes-green-excellence2013-03-04T02:43:11.000Z2013-03-04T02:43:11.000ZIlene Linssenhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/IleneLinssen<div><p>Green Award awarded to two outstanding recipients</p><p>This year’s Community Awards Night, sponsored by the City of Pleasant Hill, the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce, and the Pleasant Hill Recreation & Park District, featured the return of the Green Award. This prestigious award acknowledges a business or organization for outstanding leadership in minimizing their impact on the environment and creating a sustainable future.</p><p>Out of six excellent nominees, two winners were selected—the Episcopal Church of the Resurrection and Sequoia Middle School’s EARTH Club.</p><p>Church of the Resurrection</p><p>“We’re honored to have been nominated for, let alone win, the award,” said Liz Fisher of the Care of the Earth Committee at the Church of the Resurrection. “We’re impressed that there were so many nominees and with the work they’ve done, too. We think there are probably a lot of things that other businesses and places of worship are doing out there to care for the earth—we just haven’t heard about them yet.”</p><p>In particular, Liz praised fellow Green Award nominee, Hillcrest Congregational Church, as well as Christ the King Church for joining together on some efforts and sharing information and ideas on sustainability.</p><p>The Church of the Resurrection’s green accomplishments include maintaining a fruit orchard, a comprehensive reuse area, and a recycling and composting program and educating the congregation about sustainability through various channels.</p><p>“It’s really just self respect to care for your own home and common decency to not destroy another’s,” Liz said. “And it’s usually pretty easy, cheaper, healthier, and more fun, being green.”</p><p>Sequoia Middle School EARTH Club</p><p>Bea Moore, retired Sequoia Middle School teacher and EARTH Club leader for many years, accepted the Green Award alongside Queenie Li, Sequoia Middle School EARTH Club President, and aspiring environmentalist.</p><p>“I’m honored to be recognized for all our hard work,” Bea said. “We’ve really</p><p>been doing a lot of good stuff and have never been recognized before.”</p><p>The EARTH Club manages the school’s recycling program, conducts campus and beach cleanups, maintains native gardens and a vegetable garden on campus, and educates other students and the community through Earth Day activities and a poster contest.</p><p>“I’m happy we got this award because I’ve never gotten something so important before,” Queenie said.</p><p>Other nominees for the Green Award included Cantrell’s Computer Sales and Service, 511 Contra Costa, and Plant Décor, all green certified businesses through the Green Business Program.</p><p>To reinforce the green message at the event, centerpieces at Community Awards Night were created from empty bottles gathered by Back Forty Texas BBQ and decorated by teens at the new Teen Center using old city newspapers and other salvaged decorations.</p><p>If you are interested in becoming a certified green business or working to promote sustainability in Pleasant Hill, please consider attending a Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce Green Business Committee meeting, held the last Monday of each month at 4pm at the Back Forty. <span> </span></p></div>Recycling clotheshttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/recycling-clothes2013-02-26T02:02:22.000Z2013-02-26T02:02:22.000ZFleurette Sevinhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/FleuretteSevin<div><p>Did you know that in addition to donating to Goodwill, Salvation Army and other charities, that H&M is now accepting clothes to recycle? </p><p></p><p>Some clothes are too far gone for donating for re-use. The clothes taken to H&M will be used in one of 4 ways. </p><p><b>Rewear </b>- Clothing that can be worn again is marketed worldwide as second-hand goods.<br /> <br /> <b>Reuse </b>-Textiles that are no longer suitable to wear are converted into other products, such as cleaning cloths.<br /> <br /> <b>Recycle </b>-Textiles that can’t be reused get a new chance as textile fibres, or are used to manufacture products such as damping and insulating materials for the auto industry.</p><p><b>Energy </b>-When rewear, reuse and recycle are not options, textiles are used to produce energy.</p><p></p><p><a href="http://about.hm.com/content/hm/AboutSection/en/About/Sustainability/Commitments/Reduce-Reuse-Recycle/Garment-Collecting.html">http://about.hm.com/content/hm/AboutSection/en/About/Sustainability/Commitments/Reduce-Reuse-Recycle/Garment-Collecting.html</a></p><p></p><p>I just took a bag in yesterday and got a 15% off coupon. </p></div>CoCo San Sustainable Farm -- Green Jobs Incubatorhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/coco-san-sustainable-farm-green-jobs-incubator2013-02-17T23:58:18.000Z2013-02-17T23:58:18.000ZCarolyn Phinneyhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/CarolynPhinney<div><p><font size="4"><b>ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TASK FORCE MEETINGS</b></font></p><p></p><p><font size="4"><b> February 20, 2013<br /></b></font></p><p><font size="4"><b> </b></font></p><p><font><br /><font>We will meet at</font> the offices of Brown & Caldwell at 201 North Civic Drive Walnut Creek, CA 94596. It is just north of Ygnacio Valley Blvd on Civic. There is lots of free parking in the building's lot. The meeting will be held from 8:15AM to 9:15AM.</font><br /><br />Mike McGill, who is on the board of the Central Sanitary District, will moderate the meeting.<br /><br />The focus of the meeting will be a presentation of the CoCo San Sustainable Farm proposed on up to 33 acres of the Keiwit Property, owned by the Central Sanitation District. The property is located in Concord north of Route 4, west of Solano Way, south of Imhoff Drive, and east of the Central San Facility. <br /> <br />This is a leading edge project, addressing a wide range of policies and issues from economic development, water reuse, agriculture, employment creation, education, science and technology, and environmental affairs. The project is aligned with several areas of competitive advantage that we enjoy in Contra Costa County.<br /> <br />The <b>speakers</b> at the meeting will be the team proposing the far. It will include <b>Carolyn Phinney</b>, project founder and executive director (phone <a target="_blank">925.788.7374</a>, email: <a href="mailto:mike.lemyre@ygrene.us" target="_blank">carolynphinney@comcast.net</a><b>), Bethallyn Black</b>, urban farming expert and project horticulturist and operations manager (phone <a target="_blank">925.899.8030</a>, email: <a href="mailto:bethallyn.black@gmail.com" target="_blank">bethallyn.black@gmail.com</a><a href="mailto:mike.lemyre@ygrene.us" target="_blank"></a><b>),</b> <b>Bahman Sheikh</b>, internationally known expert on water reclamation and reuse (phone <a target="_blank">415.990.9980</a>, email: <a href="mailto:bahmansheikh@gmail.com" target="_blank">bahmansheikh@gmail.com</a><a href="mailto:mike.lemyre@ygrene.us" target="_blank"></a><b>),</b> Don Berger, recycled water program manager, Central Sanitary District (phone <a target="_blank">925.229.7259</a>, email: <a href="mailto:DBerger@centralsan.org" target="_blank">DBerger@centralsan.org</a>)<b>,</b> and <b>Russell Leavitt</b>, environmental engineer, Central Sanitary District (phone <a target="_blank">925.229.7255</a>, email: <a href="mailto:rleavittr@centralsan.org" target="_blank">rleavittr@centralsan.org</a>)<b>,</b>. <br /><br />The team will give us a project overview with a history and goals (salads for schools/food bank, education, green jobs incubation), an outline of what the farm will be in specific (soil, irrigation, crops, high tunnel greenhouses), a summary of CCCSD's visionary mission and goals and implementation in general and use of recycled water specifically, a global and national view of trends in agricultural use of recycled water, a business overview with specifics on the business model, customers, budget, revenue and costs (5 min), a discussion of permits and SEQA, and a schedule and timeframe. <b><br /> <br /></b>This will be a joint meeting with the Land Use Task Force.<b><br /></b><br /><font><br /></font></p></div>Earth Day Festivities in Contra Costa?https://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/earth-day-festivities-in-contra-costa2013-02-01T19:11:47.000Z2013-02-01T19:11:47.000ZFleurette Sevinhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/FleuretteSevin<div><p>Hi there, </p><p>I've been looking around to see if there are any festivities planned for Earth Day this year. I haven't been able to find anything yet. Does anyone know what is being planned?</p><p></p><p>Thank you.</p></div>Homemade Peanut Butter Crackers - healthy kids recipehttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/homemade-peanut-butter-crackers-healthy-kids-recipe2013-01-14T18:03:40.000Z2013-01-14T18:03:40.000ZTina King Neuhauselhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/TinaKingNeuhausel<div><p>Looks great so I wanted to share!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.superhealthykids.com/blog/homemade-peanut-butter-crackers.php" target="_blank">Homemade Peanut Butter Crackers</a></p>
<p>-SuperHealthyKids.com</p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8095740266,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="300" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8095740266,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="8095740266?profile=original" /></a></p></div>A Message from Lifetime Achievement Award Winner John Chapmanhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/a-message-from-lifetime-achievement-award-winner-john-chapman2012-11-02T20:26:47.000Z2012-11-02T20:26:47.000ZTina King Neuhauselhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/TinaKingNeuhausel<div><p><a href="http://youtu.be/MlYAbCSBggY">http://youtu.be/MlYAbCSBggY</a></p>
<p></p></div>Genetically Modified Foods: Do you think they are safe?https://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/genetically-modified-foods-are-they-safe-pt-12012-10-22T17:46:12.000Z2012-10-22T17:46:12.000ZTina King Neuhauselhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/TinaKingNeuhausel<div><p>50% of people in CA voted to label GMOs. Prior to the recent efforts to spread the word about our <em>Right to Know,</em> most people didn't know or want to be bothered with the subject - so 50% is huge!</p>
<p></p>
<p>Dr. Oz hosts a debate about genetically modified foods. Do they cause cancer? Are there benefits to going GMO-free? Hear from both sides of this controversial issue. Plus, Dr. Oz explains how genetically modified food is made.</p>
<p>View Dr. Oz's videos here:</p>
<p><a href="http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/genetically-modified-foods-are-they-safe-pt-1http://" target="_blank">Genetically Modified Foods - Are they safe? Part 1</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/genetically-modified-foods-are-they-safe-pt-2http://" target="_blank">http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/genetically-modified-foods-are-they-safe-pt-2</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/how-avoid-genetically-modified-foods" target="_blank">http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/how-avoid-genetically-modified-foods</a></p></div>Spring of Sustainability 2012 - be inspired by great speakers!https://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/spring-of-sustainability-2012-be-inspired-by-great-speakers2012-03-26T17:44:18.000Z2012-03-26T17:44:18.000ZTina King Neuhauselhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/TinaKingNeuhausel<div><p>Do you...</p>
<ul>
<li>Care deeply about animals and nature?</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Worry about the state of the planet for our children and grandchildren?</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Want a world where everyone has their basic needs met?</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Wish there was MORE you could do to have a sustainable lifestyle?</li>
</ul>
<p><img class="ll" src="http://springofsustainability.com/sites/springofsustainability.com/images/frontpage/p1.jpg" alt="p1.jpg" /></p>
<p>Then you’ll want to sign up for the <a href="http://springofsustainability.com/" target="_blank">Spring of Sustainability</a>, a FREE series of live, online and teleseminar events where you can learn from and be inspired by more than 100 pioneers of sustainability.</p>
<p>This is a one-time chance to participate in an event of truly global proportions – with tens of thousands of people like you committed to bringing forth a thriving new world!</p>
<p><a href="http://springofsustainability.com/" target="_blank">Spring of Sustainability 2012</a></p></div>What's Your Packaging Pet Peeve?https://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/what-s-your-packaging-pet-peeve2012-02-28T06:27:39.000Z2012-02-28T06:27:39.000ZStefanie Pruegelhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/StefaniePruegel306<div><p>Have you recently come across bothersome packaging, like products sealed into the kind of clear molded plastic package that requires bolt cutters to open? Or the disposable coffee cup you were handed before you could even ask for a ceramic mug? Wasteful, unnecessary, non-recyclable or just plain annoying - please tell me about a specific packaging item that bugs you! We'll feature some in the next CCCSWA "Diversions" newsletter.</p></div>Lose Your Lawn the Bay-Friendly Wayhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/lose-your-lawn-the-bay-friendly-way2011-11-02T16:14:58.000Z2011-11-02T16:14:58.000ZTina King Neuhauselhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/TinaKingNeuhausel<div><p><strong><font color="#8B4513" size="4">Ready to lose your thirsty lawn?</font></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>Replace it with a healthy garden that works for you. By using Bay-Friendly practices, you can conserve water, natural resources and prevent pollution. And with sheet mulching, you can plant directly on top of the lawn, saving time and money.</em></strong></p>
<p><strong><em>How-to slideshows and steps from StopWaste.org:<br /></em></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=1153" target="_blank">http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=1153</a></p>
<p> </p></div>Contra Costa Leaders in Sustainability Honoredhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/contra-costa-leaders-in-sustainability-honored2011-10-22T00:49:06.000Z2011-10-22T00:49:06.000ZTina King Neuhauselhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/TinaKingNeuhausel<div><p align="center"><em><strong>Contra Costa Leadership in Sustainability</strong></em></p>
<p align="center"><strong>Award Winners Honored<br /></strong></p>
<p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}8095736461,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}8095736461,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="99" width="538" alt="8095736461?profile=original" /></a></p>
<p>Over 200 local leaders came together to celebrate the sustainability movement in Contra Costa at the 3rd Annual Sustainable Contra Costa Awards Gala. The Awards honor those who demonstrate outstanding commitment, leadership and contributions toward a more sustainable Contra Costa.</p>
<p>Winners were selected by a team of 16 judges on how well their actions contribute to environmental and social health, local economic prosperity. The winners also demonstrate community/organizational involvement, a wide impact in the community, uniqueness, being a model for others, and partnerships and collaboration with others.</p>
<p>We celebrated with wonderful local food and wine donated by our sponsors at the beautiful, <em>green</em> Lafayette Veterans Memorial Building.</p>
<p> </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><b>Congratulations 2011 Winners!</b></p>
<p><b>Small Business: Food Service Technology Center (FSTC)</b></p>
<p>FSTC is a sustainability program serving Contra Costa County. Focused on energy efficiency and water conservation, the FSTC’s mission is to provide practical, actionable, research-based guidance to the entire commercial food service industry.</p>
<p><b>Community:</b> <b>Sustainable Lafayette</b></p>
<p>Sustainable Lafayette is a non-profit organization with a mission to provide the community of Lafayette with the information, inspiration, tools and assistance needed to facilitate the adoption of sustainable practices.</p>
<p><b>Community: RYSE Center</b></p>
<p>The RYSE Center contributes to the Richmond/West Contra Costa County community by supporting the healthy development of youth through holistic approaches, engaging participants in programs grounded in youth leadership and social justice.</p>
<p><b>Individual: Cindy Egan</b></p>
<p>Ms. Egan is a true community champion, encouraging students to work in partnership with the Town of Danville on clean water, e-waste and other environmental projects that benefit the local community.</p>
<p><b>Large Business: Allied Waste Services (AWS)</b></p>
<p>AWS became a Certified Green Business in November 2009, the first solid waste company in Contra Costa County to earn this certification. AWS’s sustainability initiatives include: powering all of their route trucks with clean natural gas, the use of methane from the Keller Canyon Landfill to generate power, annually hosting 4th grade students from the Pittsburg Unified School District at the wetlands project at Keller Canyon Landfill, and partnering with the Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority and East Bay Municipal Utilities District’s (EBMUD) Commercial Food Waste-to-Energy Project, which collects approximately 30 tons of restaurant food waste for anaerobic digestion at EBMUD’s Oakland facility.</p>
<p><b>Government: Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority (ECCTA)</b></p>
<p>ECCTA was certified by Contra Costa County as a Green Business in April 2005 and has been recertified until April 2012. They have a policy forbidding engine idling, which reduces emissions and saves fuel.</p>
<p><b>School: The Meher Schools, Lafayette</b></p>
<p>The Meher School’s community garden program encourages experiential learning by offering classes in the garden during the regular school year and summer sessions, providing students with the opportunity to grow and prepare high quality, locally grown produce.</p>
<p><b>Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient: Mary Lou Laubscher</b></p>
<p>Retired teacher Mary Lou Laubscher has had a life-long passion of advocating for social justice, health and food security in the low-income, densely populated, largely immigrant Monument Corridor in Concord, California. Mary Lou has been a resident of the Monument Corridor for 55 years, and is a leader for engaging residents to create sustainable programs in the community.</p>
<p>Mary Lou founded and became Executive Director of the Cambridge Community Center to provide resources to the surrounding community, and collaborated with the Contra Costa/Solano Food Bank to start food distribution for hungry people in the Monument Corridor. This program first distributed food to 80 people a week, later becoming the Monument Crisis Center, which now distributes food to 7,000 people a month. Ms. Laubscher successfully lobbied the City of Concord to add a community garden to the Markham Nature Area, which is still in existence after 30 years. She created the Monument Community Partnership (MCP) Community Gardens Action Team, and worked with Cambridge Elementary School, UC Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardeners’ Program and local residents to install and run a raised-bed, bio-intensive garden behind Cambridge Elementary.</p>
<p>Diablo Magazine recently recognized Mary Lou as a “Threads of Hope” award recipient for the hope she instills in her community, and her amazing ability to bring people together to achieve a dream. She is a visionary who, upon seeing a need, does not ask whether a solution is possible, but, instead, brings people together to create one.</p>
<p style="text-align:center;"> </p>
<p style="text-align:center;"><a href="http://www.westintech.com/SCOCOWeb/docs/SCOCOAwardsProgram2011.pdf" target="_blank">See the 2011 Awards Booklet here</a><b><br /></b></p></div>Wanted: Your recycled product experience!https://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/wanted-your-recycled-product2011-06-01T00:42:33.000Z2011-06-01T00:42:33.000ZStefanie Pruegelhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/StefaniePruegel306<div><div>Have you recently purchased a product made from recycled materials, for example fleece clothing made from recycled soda bottles, or lawn furniture made from recycled plastic? Please share a brief description of the item you bought and what you've liked about it so far, either by commenting on this post, or by emailing <a href="mailto:stef@gigantic-idea.com">stef@gigantic-idea.com</a>. You and your product may be featured in the next "Diversions," the quarterly newsletter of the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority. <i>Note: If chosen, your testimonial will be used only for waste reduction purposes.</i></div></div>Greenpeace Names Groceries That Sell Sustainable Seafoodhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/greenpeace-names-groceries2011-05-14T00:04:19.000Z2011-05-14T00:04:19.000ZTina King Neuhauselhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/TinaKingNeuhausel<div><h1><span class="font-size-1">Article excerpt from justmeans.com April 12, 2011</span></h1>
<div class="dottedSeparator"></div>
<p class="editoText"><img src="http://usercontent.s3.amazonaws.com/editorial/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/fish-hands-150x139.jpg" alt="fish-hands" width="150" height="139" />Greenpeace has released their <a href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/media-center/reports/Carting-Away-the-Oceans-V/" target="_blank">2011 Carting Away the Oceans report</a>, which includes an updated Supermarket Score Card. This score card reveals which supermarkets are doing the most for the sustainable seafood market, and which ones are lagging behind.<br /><br /><strong>The Criteria</strong><br />Greenpeace first released the Carting Away the Oceans report in 2008 to bring awareness to the issue of sustainable seafood, and to encourage retailers to use their purchasing power to support seafood that is not over-fished or fished in ways that damage the environment. Greenpeace actively campaigned against supermarkets such as <a href="http://www.justmeans.com/Trader-Joe-s-Seafood-be-Sustainable-by-End-of-2012/43364.html" target="_blank">Trader Joe's</a> and <a href="http://www.justmeans.com/Costco-Commits-Sustainable-Seafood/45771.html" target="_blank">Costco</a>, and succeeded in convincing these grocers to change their sustainable seafood policies.<br /><br />Some of the primary issues considered in evaluating each supermarket's seafood sources include the use of destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling, conservation status of fish species and transparency of supply chain. Greenpeace is especially concerned with the sale of fish such as orange roughy, <a href="http://www.justmeans.com/California-Legislation-Takes-a-Bite-Out-of-Shark-Fin-Trade/45032.html" target="_blank">shark </a>and hoki, and all of the supermarkets that ranked highly on the 2011 Supermarket Score Card have eliminated the sale of these red-listed species.<br /><strong><br />Who Makes the Cut?</strong><br />Greenpeace's Supermarket Score Card is ranked numerically and is also color-coded, with "red" as the worst, "orange" as better and "green" as best. Although many grocers have been moving up in Greenpeace's rating system over the last few years, not a single one yet achieves a "green" rating. According to the organization, there is still a long way to go to save our oceans.<br /><br />At the top of the list is Safeway, followed closely by <a target="_blank" href="http://www.justmeans.com/top-global-1000-companies/target-corp/218938">Target</a> and Wegmans. Whole Foods and Ahold round out the top five. The top five groceries for sustainable seafood are the same as the 2010 report, but Safeway climbed from number four in 2010 to number one in 2011. Other big-name groceries in the top fifteen include HEB, Price Chopper, Costco, and Kroger, all of which moved from a "red" rating in 2010 to an "orange" rating in 2011. Supermarkets still marked "red" include Giant Eagle, Supervalu and Winn-Dixie.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.justmeans.com/justmeansclickstats?url=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5qdXN0bWVhbnMuY29tL0dyZWVucGVhY2UtTmFtZXMtR3JvY2VyaWVzLVRoYXQtU2VsbC1TdXN0YWluYWJsZS1TZWFmb29kLzQ4MzY2Lmh0bWw%3D&email=dGluYUBzdXN0YWluYWJsZWNvY28ub3Jn&enewsid=MTc1">Full article from justmeans.com</a></p>
<p class="editoText"><a href="http://www.justmeans.com/justmeansclickstats?url=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5qdXN0bWVhbnMuY29tL0dyZWVucGVhY2UtTmFtZXMtR3JvY2VyaWVzLVRoYXQtU2VsbC1TdXN0YWluYWJsZS1TZWFmb29kLzQ4MzY2Lmh0bWw%3D&email=dGluYUBzdXN0YWluYWJsZWNvY28ub3Jn&enewsid=MTc1"></a><br />Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/woodysworld1778/3452253552/" target="_blank">woody1778a</a></p></div>4Rs Assistance for Schools - FREEhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/4rs-assistance-for-schools2010-09-16T16:37:39.000Z2010-09-16T16:37:39.000ZLois Humphreyshttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/LoisHumphreys<div>I work with the Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority and offer free assistance to schools. I need parents, teachers, and others to get into the following schools: Alamo, John Baldwin, Los Cerros, Montair, Monte Vista, Stone Valley, Sycamore Valley, Tassajara Hills and Vista Grande. Reach me at lois@trgandassociates.com.</div>Great event last night at The Vinehttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/great-event-last-night-at-the2010-07-15T15:43:44.000Z2010-07-15T15:43:44.000ZNelda H Braverhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/NeldaHBraver<div>My daughter and I really enjoyed the event. Great wine and wonderful people.<br />Thank you to the organizers.<br />Nelda<br /></div>SCOCO Sustainability Centerhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/scoco-sustainability-center2010-05-14T07:13:53.000Z2010-05-14T07:13:53.000ZMark Westwindhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/MarkWestwind<div><div><br /></div><div>The first edition to the evolving SCOCO Sustainability Center:</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm creating "The Kate and Elmer Olsen Library of Sustainability" at the SCOCO office. I am contributing my collection of gardening and related books. I invite you to donate appropriate books, too. We have a set of bookshelves at the office to use (as a start). To donate, call me at 925-372-8486 or drop me a note at westwind@westwindassociates.com.</div><div><br /></div><div>Who'd like to inventory the books and set up a loan system? </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>The Urban Walnut Creek Gardenerhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/forum/topics/the-urban-walnut-creek2010-05-04T22:45:19.000Z2010-05-04T22:45:19.000ZAndrew Gardnerhttps://sustainablecoco.ning.com/members/AndrewGardner<div><p>Living in Walnut Creek gives us a tremendous opportunity to pursue a garden project in our own backyard. As I drive through the quiet neighborhoods I often wonder how much local food we could actually produce if each of us utilized the land for this purpose. It wasn't that long ago that the Diablo Valley produced much of the food for Oakland and San Francisco.</p><p> </p><p>Just on my little patch of rented land in South Walnut Creek, we have established an extensive garden that produces food year round. We have established a working compost area, nurtured 4 fruit trees back to health, built a low cost greenhouse and set up a very efficient drip irrigation system. We have consistent crops of salad and mustard greens, kale and chard, and unlimited herbs for cooking. Last year we produced enough food to spend every weekend and many week nights canning and preserving food. It is such a great bonding experience with my 2 year old son to harvest peppers and beans. Its a joy to try different recipes with my wife for tomato sauces, ketchup, pickles, salsa, chutney, etc. There is nothing better than sharing these foods with my family and friends all winter long. </p><p> </p><p>This Spring has been a busy one! Its been a lot of hard work (not to mention managing the rains) as we harvest some of the winter crops, cut down the cover crops, mulch and compost, build garden trellises and arbors, research seed varieties, and manage slugs and earwigs. Of course we extended our beds and are preparing for bigger harvests. We are planting new and different varieties of vegetables. We are growing many crops from seed such as sweet corn, beans, zuchini, squash, carrots, broccoli, pumpkins, and several varieties of melons. </p><p> </p><p>To me, establishing this garden is a chance to live holistically; in tune with nature. Earth provides us with the very basics of life and yet we continue to overlook them everyday. Soil, Water, Air. They get lost in our rearview mirrors and in our television screens. Gardening is a chance to work with the forces of nature instead of against them. A chance to utilize the basics of life to produce food. And personally, its a chance to share the Earth with my family in a constructive, sustainable way.</p><p> </p><p>I encourage you to find out what you could grow in your yards, what crops you could support. Seek out your neighbors who have similar ideas and share the resources like rototillers, mowers, or compost. There is nothing more satisfying than deciding which variety of self-produced pasta sauce you want to use for dinner tonight!</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p></div>