SUSTAINABILITY ANNOUNCEMENTS SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK, Lawrence Kansas
31 August 2010
Local Solutions for Transition to a Sustainable Economy
ECO RADIO KC ¤ WEEKLY ECOLOGICAL ISSUES RADIO SHOW On Eco-Radio KC this week, host Richard Mabion will visit with guests
Tuesday, 31 August 2010, 12:00noon ¤ on Kansas City Community Radio
Listen at KKFI-FM 90.1, or on web-streaming at http://www.kkfi.org/
Stay tuned at 12:30 when the Bioneers radio series presents "Reinhabit, Rehydrate, Regenerate: Permaculture Designs for an Enduring Planet ". Half of U.S. citizens cannot name one component of the water cycle upon which all life depends. Yet water is at the root of every human endeavor – from manufacturing to agriculture, energy production and waste management. No water, no life. Join master permaculture designers Darren J. Doherty and Brock Dolman for both practical and poetic ways to re-educate earthlings in soil and water literacy. Their practical vision for regenerating ecological integrity and social resiliency prepares us for the challenges of climate change and environmental stress. But above all, they illuminate inspired pathways for restoring nature and people in the re-enchantment of Earth. For more info on them both, go to Keyline Farming with Darren J. Doherty, and Brock Dolman interview – Know Your Lifeboat.
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2010 BIONEERS CONFERENCE ¤ DISCOUNT REGISTRATION DEADLINE
Wednesdays, 1 September 2010 ¤ TODAY
(see full conference details below)
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FOOD NOT LAWNS ¤ COMMUNIVERSITY CLASS #2210 A
Wednesdays, 1 September 2010, last session, 7:00-9:00pm
UMKC School of Medicine, Theatre C, 24th & Charlotte Streets, KC MO
Grow food not lawns! Increase local food security, improve your diet, beautify your surroundings, build community, reduce pollution and energy use (It takes 87 calories of fuel to transport one calorie of perishable fresh fruit from west coast to east coast). As supporters of the Food Not Lawns national movement, we will hold five sessions dealing with topics that include whole system design, garden preparation, permaculture, water-wise gardening, seed saving, planting, and free resources. Presenters include master and highly-qualified gardeners. Class fee is $16, plus $5 for materials. Register at UMKC Communiversity. Bring a picture ID. Limit 40. More info at Food Not Lawns KC, or <steve@prairietrading.com>.
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COTTIN’S FARMERS’ MARKET ¤ EVERY THURSDAY, AUGUST & SEPTEMBER
Thursday, 2 September 2010, 4:00-6:00pm
Cottin’s Hardware rear parking lot, 1832 Massachusetts St., Lawrence KS
This newest Lawrence farmers’ market evolved from the Mellowfields Urban Farm CSA holding their weekly food distribution out of Cottins Hardware & Rental. Because Cottin’s is committed to promoting local exchange in any form, they decided to expand to a farmers’ market for a trial period of two months. And it includes live music every week. Presently, there are about 8-10 vendors, and if enough people support local foods in this venue, it may become an ongoing event.
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HOW TO BUILD A BETTER CLIMATE POLICY ¤ from "TRIPLE CRISIS"
"Congress has, once again, considered a new climate and energy bill, and then blinked, instead of passing it. It’s a good thing there’s not much at stake – aside from the fate of the earth’s climate, the disastrous dependence on oil, and the costs to the American taxpayers to clean up this mess."
A recent study, by the group Triple Crisis, has concluded there are two basic principles for designing a fair and effective climate policy. First, we need to put a price on carbon dioxide emissions, to send a clear market signal. And second, we should use the revenues wisely, with carbon revenues refunded to households in amounts larger than the amount households pay for carbon emissions. All of the bills proposed in Congress this year contain some useful elements, but none would do enough, either for the climate or for the taxpayer. The Cantwell-Collins bill comes closest to our recommendation, with a 75-percent refund, but according to our model, even that is not quite enough. To read more go to How to Build a Better Climate Policy.
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LAWRENCE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD
Wednesday, 8 September 2010, 5:30pm
Recycling and Resource Recovery Annex, 320 N.E. Industrial Lane, Lawrence KS
The September agenda will be available soon. The S.A.B. meets monthly to discuss any and all aspects of furthering sustainability policies and practices by the City of Lawrence government and private persons. The public is welcome. Minutes are finalized in about a month after each meeting http://www.lawrenceks.org/wrr/envadvisoryboard
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KANSAS CITY ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Wednesday, 8 September 2010, 4:00-6:00pm
Mid America Regional Council, Rivergate Center 2nd floor, 600 Broadway, KC MO
The Environmental Management Commission promotes environmental awareness and resource efficiency to the City’s leader and staff, to assist the progress of Kansas City toward sustainability. Members of the general public are encouraged to attend and observe meetings and to join and participate in its efforts. More information and the EMC April 2009 minutes are available at http://www.kcmo.org/manager.nsf/web/emc
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ARE WE ABOUT TO HIT PEAK COAL?
"The prevailing conventional wisdom is that the U.S. has a ’200-year supply’ of coal — sometimes jacked up to ’400-year’ by industry enthusiasts. But according to a report in the scientific journal Energy, estimates of coal reserves do not present a reliable picture of recoverable coal." The Study Concludes Peak Coal Will Occur Close to 2011. Using a multi-cyclic Hubbert curve analysis, the physical model of historical and future production of coal worldwide demonstrates that, despite enormous coal deposits globally, coal production rates will decline because the deposits show increasing inaccessibility and decreasing coal seam thickness.
"Just to avoid a frequent misunderstanding: This doesn’t mean the world is going to ‘run out of coal.’ It simply means that most of the easily reachable coal has already been reached. Going forward, supplies will be more difficult to reach, lower in quality, and/or more expensive to transport. The combination of those factors means that new supply won’t be able to keep up with the drop-off in old supply; overall production will peak and decline. As it does, prices will rise sharply. If our fossil-fuel reserves are running low, we urgently need to spend every penny of that energy wisely [such as] toward building post-fossil infrastructure."
For more info, read the article here – What if there’s much less coal than we think? | Grist, and read the technical research here – A global coal production forecast with multi-Hubbert cycle analysis. And for another perspective read Blackout: Heinberg on dwindling coal reserves and the siren song of “clean coal”.
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LAWRENCE PEAK OIL TASK FORCE
Thursday, 9 September 2010, 4:00pm
City Manager’s Conference Rm., City Hall 4th Floor, 6th & Massachusetts St.
The draft Peak Oil Plan is going through some substantial revisions to reach a final format. The public is welcome at the meetings to provide input. Meetings are open to the public, and the public is encouraged to attend. And the Peak Oil Task Force web page has developed an extensive list of resources (click on "resources") including other cities’ action plans such as San Francisco and Portland, videos, advocacy groups like Post Carbon Institute and Transition Boulder County, and key data and reports.
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LAWRENCE ENERGY CONSERVATION FAIR & SUSTAINABLE HOMES TOUR
Saturday, 11 September 2009 - FREE
Fair from 10:00am-4:00pm, Home Tours at 10:00am & 1:00pm
Community Building, 115 West 11th St. (Vermont at 11th St), Lawrence KS
The tenth annual Energy Conservation Fair will feature a wide range of energy conservation organizations and companies. There will be an expert line-up of speakers and presenters. The venue is downtown, centrally located, and the Lawrence Transit System will give free rides to the event and on all fixed routes. The Sustainable Homes Tour is part of the American Solar Energy Society’s National Solar Tour, showcasing homes that feature efficient design and appliances and green building materials. For updates on the fair, visit 2010 Lawrence Energy Conservation Fair. ___________________________________________________
SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK – MONTHLY MEETING
Sunday, 19 September 2010, 11:00am
Aimee’s Coffee House, 1025 Massachusetts St., Lawrence KS
Local Solutions for Transition to a Sustainable Economy
S.A.N. organizes societal scale action for ecological sustainability both in our personal lives, and through public policy changes. "Be the change you want to see". The S.A.N. meeting agenda will include:
- 350.org "10-10-10 Challenge" event planning
- Transition Kaw Valley power point trial run
- Kansas Permaculture Institute possible merger
- community workshops: solar food dehydrator, cold frames, rain barrels, etc.
- S.A.N.web site developments
- Lawrence Peak Oil Plan, draft review
Please join us
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DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOD POLICY COUNCIL
Monday, 20 September 2010, 7:00pm
Fire Station #5, Iowa & 19th Streets, Lawrence, KS 66046
In existence for almost one year now, the Food Policy Council seeks to identify the benefits, challenges and opportunities for a successful, sustainable local food system. By advising the Douglas County Commission on public policies that will support local producers, preserve local agricultural resources and land, and create more local jobs, the F.P.C. hopes to improve the community’s access to a local food supply and distribution networks. For more info go to Douglas County Food Policy Council.
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INTRO TO PERMACULTURE ETHICS, PRINCIPLES & DESIGN ¤ LECTURE SERIES
Weekly on Thursdays, 23 Sept. – 18 Nov. 2010, 6:00-9:00pm - $$$
Matt Ross Community Center, 8101 Marty St., Overland Park KS
This nine-session course is being offered by Steve Moring of the Kaw Permaculture Collaborative. If the registrant chooses, it can be combined with more extensive training leading to a Permaculture Design Certificate from the Kansas Permaculture Institute. The course consists of 48 hours of lecture, video and field work covering topics including food security, permaculture ethics, ecological principles, system design, sustainable soils, food production, earth works and construction of human habitats.
The first session is "Food Security and Energy Depletion" with a video "The Power of Community". The full course costs $240, or a $30.00 admission fee will be requested at the door. The fees will support both the K.P.C. and it’s parent organization, Sustainability Action Network. For more information contact Steve Moring at 785-691-7305 or <smoring@grasshoppernet.com>
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PERMACULTURE DESIGN COURSE ¤ BY PATRICIA ALLISON
Saturday-Saturday, 25 September-9 October 2010 - $$$$
Wildscape Acres, Bonham TX 75418, (828)669-7632
Patricia Allison is the lead instructor, along with Dylan Ryals-Hamilton and Mateo Ryall. Ms. Allison is a member of Earthhaven Ecovillage in North Carolina, and has taught permaculture design courses since 1994. Information on the Permaculture Design Course, including an extensive curriculum can be viewed at Permaculture Design Course – Allison. A Dallas-Fort Worth internet radio station, Enlumnia Radio, has an hour-long interview with Ms. Allison – Patricia Allison interview on Sustainable Planet. At about 14 minutes into it, she begins describing permaculture design.
The course will be held at Wildscape Acres which has it’s own permaculture design in process. Completion of the course will result in a Permaculture Design Certificate. To register, call Melissa at (828)669-7632, or e-mail <melissathurmond@gmail.com>.
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KAW VALLEY FARM TOUR ¤ LOCAL-REGIONAL FOOD SUPPLIERS
Saturday-Sunday, 2-3 October 2010, 10:00am-6:00pm
self-guided tour of 22 participating farms
This annual tour of sustainably run farms covers a broad range from a bee apiary to a bison ranch to school-based CSA/gardens to orchards to wineries to market farms and goat dairies. The common thread is that these operations all are local-regional food suppliers, are as ecologically sustainable as farms can get, and acre-for-acre their specialty crops contribute more significantly to the local economy than do commodity mono-culture crops. More info at Kaw Valley Farm Tour 2009
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10/10/10 ¤ COMMUNITY ACTION CLIMATE SOLUTIONS
Sunday, 10 October 2010
your community
350.org, the inspiration of Bill McKibben, has launched 10/10/10, a major campaign of grassroots action on climate disruption. On 10 October 2010, they are asking communities world wide to plan some tangible and real action locally that will contribute to reversing CO2 emissions, global temperature rises, and the 480ppm atmospheric concentration of CO2. These solutions could be planting trees or community gardens, installing solar collectors or wind turbines, holding bicycle workshops, etc. They have some suggested Ideas For Your 10/10 Work Party, and once you have something organized, they are asking you to Register an Event For 10/10/10. Then with a hopefully long list of global civic actions, they plan ask world leaders: “We’re getting to work–what about you?” One of their targeted actions is called Put Solar On It, so individuals can directly e-mail world leaders.
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FORESTS AND OCEANS LOSING THEIR CAPACITY AS CARBON SINKS
Consider for a moment the top two carbon sinks of our planet. Oceans absorb more than 25 percent of the CO2 humans put in the air, and forests absorb almost the same amount. By doing so, our forests and oceans together make living possible on this earth for life as we know it now. All of that is changing rapidly and for the worse, as they are becoming carbon sources.
Photographer, author, and climate activist, Subhankar Banerjee, takes us from the micro to the macro in this article depicting the local and global effects of climate disruption – US Climate Bill Is Dead While So Much Life on Our Earth Continues to Perish. His focus is the unprecedented and widespread deaths of huge swaths of forests in many countries.
"In March, Jim Robbins reported in Yale Environment 360 that global warming is killing forests across the American West as well as in many parts of the world. Forests are dying simultaneously in many places around the world in all forest types, and the intensity and rapidity with which they are dying in some places is of epic proportions. In 2004, Michelle Nijhuis reported in High Country News that several species of bark beetles were ravaging forests all across the American West. In Spain, at the Mediterranean coast, the picudo rojo (red palm weevil) is attacking and killing tens of thousands of palm trees. In the sal forest in north-central India, there has been wide spread destruction and felling of infected sal trees, from the attack of a pest beetle called the sal borer.
"The Siberian taiga is the largest continuous stretch of forested land on earth. The fir sawyer beetle, larch bark beetle, and Siberian moth have also damaged large areas of the taiga. Boreal forests of eastern Siberia are ablaze with intense fires. Scientists have recently detected a poisonous ring around the planet created by an enormous cloud of pollutants that are being released by raging forest fires in central Russia, Siberia, and Canada."
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BIONEERS ¤ CELEBRATING 21 YEARS OF BREAKTHROUGH SOLUTIONS
conference discount registration through 1 September 2010, (sorry for the late notice)
conference dates, 15-17 October 2010, San Rafael CA
If you listen to the KKFI Bioneers Radio Show, you know the range on inspirational and informative speakers who present at their annual conferences. The Bioneers are social and scientific innovators who develop solutions that mimic nature’s operating systems. They are visionaries who, in their own communities, are creating a healthy, diverse, equitable and beautiful world.
With phenomenal effectiveness, the Bioneers reach tens-of-thousands of people at their conference and simultaneous satellite conferences, through their year-round radio show, by their professional intensive seminars, in their Eco Schools program, and by their Democracy School training.
The conference brochure just arrived, and the lineup matches prior years quality. Noteworthy names are: Jane Goodall, Peter Warshall, Jessy Tolkan, James Hansen, Mallika Dutt, John A Powell, and more. For conference info, schedule, and registration go to the 2010 Bioneers Conference.
Revolution From the Heart of Nature
It’s all alive; it’s all connected; it’s all intelligent; it’s all relatives
The SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK, Inc. is a Kansas not-for-profit organization. DONATIONS ARE APPRECIATED, and checks can be mailed to P.O.Box 1064, Lawrence KS 66044. 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 Transition Town movement occurring in many other communities. To join the Sustainability Action Network please contact us at <paradigm@ixks.com>
Our current projects include:
1) Transition Kaw Valley – initiating transition to a relocalized post-carbon economy, and municipal level Peak Oil response planning.
2) Kaw Permaculture Collaborative – developing skills and resources for poly-cropping sustainable food production.
3) Energy Conservation & Renewables – advancing a green economy through decentralized technologies and regulations, for conservation and renewable energy.
4) Land Consortium – organizing interested stakeholders to acquire prime farmland in the urban fringe for land-based economic development and regional food security.
5) Water Rights and Watersheds – protecting the water commons, the source of all life, from privatization and contamination, and restoring our watersheds.
6) Electric & Human Powered Vehicles – promoting neighborhood electric vehicles and utility tricycles, including infrastructure and pro-active regulations.
7) Weekly Sustainability Announcements – informing and encouraging others to become active in the Sustainability Action Network, or other action driven groups.
Collaboration with sister organizations – such as: The Light Center eco-village; Kaw 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 and the All Species Project, etc.
We welcome suggestions for items to be included. Please send items to <paradigm@ixks.com>
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