Park(ing) Day

PARK(ING) Day

 Friday, September 19th

8:00 am- 7pm

364 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02139

 

In front of Dwelltime Cafe and Wildflower Montessori School

 

Join us to celebrate PARK(ing) Day and reimagine the possibilities of the urban landscape

 

8:00 am-Noon- Join us as we collectively plant themed raised beds for pollinators, medicinal & culinary use and clean air and install them in two parking spots.

 

Noon- 2-Bring your own lunch or dine at Dwelltime and listen to live music in the temporary parklet

 

2-4- Bring your bicycle by for a tune up from Broadway Bikes

 

4-7: Come hang out in the parlet

PARK(ing) Day is a annual open-source global event where citizens, artists and activists collaborate to temporarily transform metered parking spaces into “PARK(ing)” spaces: temporary public places.

 

The mission of PARK(ing) Day is to call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat

 

Sponsored by MIT Social Computing Lab, Wildflower Montessori School, Dwelltime Cafe

Permaculture FEAST Weekend Design Course

www.permaculturefeast.org

Permaculture is a vision, design system, and global movement that draws on patterns and principles found in nature to meet human needs, while regenerating the natural world and creating abundance we can share.

This weekend permaculture design course moves from principles and patterns to details in a supportive, respectful and collaborative atmosphere to promote rapid learning of whole systems design. The course is centered on experiential learning and hands-on skill building, including local field trips and reskilling where we will put theory into action. It goes above and beyond the standard 72-hour design course offering attendees over 80 hours of content with an additional focus on social permaculture and urban techniques.  The course concludes with a design practicum, where participants will work in small groups to develop a design for a real life design project.

Permablitz: Hugelkultur build at Solar Circle

Please join us for a hands-on permaculture workshop at Solar Circle, Haydenville, MA

on Sunday, May 4,

10am-3pm, facilitated by Mobile Design Lab. 

Sick of bagging and taking brush to the dump? Learn about “hugelkultur” – a permaculture method to manage the problem of overgrowth and turn it into a resource of building up soil and putting carbon back where it belongs. Help establish soil for a future forest garden, create paths, and plant trees. Bring gloves as well as any of the following that you have available: clippers, brush scythe, shovel, hoe, handsaw, pickax, rake, or wheelbarrow.

Suggested donation $20-30

cash or check made payable to Mobile Design Lab

Lunch will be provided.

About Solar Circle: Solar Circle is the first renewable-energy affordable residential development in Western Massachusetts. These homes, consume about one-third the energy of a conventional home over the course of a year. During summer months the photovoltaic arrays serve as a 30-kilowatt electricity generator feeding power to the electrical grid, helping nearby communities meet their peak load demands of the summer air conditioning season. exemplary of truly sustainable residential development.

DESIGN SOLUTIONS: The residences are arranged around a shared open lawn, and include a rear patio open to the surrounding woods. Each unit is oriented for maximum solar exposure, with calculated southern roof overhangs to provide optimal summer shading, induce passive ventilation, and maximize daylighting, particularly using bounce lighting from winter snow. Homes are sited to have unobstructed sunlight and views from the primary windows of the main living and bedroom spaces, as well as provide immediate access to the adjacent woods and the shared community lawn.

Permablitz: Paper Street Homestead

Gardeners and permaculture enthusiastics are invited to our second blitz of the season. What is a permablitz you ask? Here is a great answer from permablitz.net
Permablitz (noun): An informal gathering involving a day on which a group of at least two people come together to achieve the following:
*create or add to edible gardens
*share skills related to permaculture and sustainable living
*build community
*have fun

River Valley Market Free Permaculture Series

Permaculture 2014All Workshops are Free but a limited number of spots are available contact River Valley Market to register- Workshops start at 6:30 and end at 8 pm
April 16th
Permaculture Fundamentals
Permaculture uses ecology as a model for designing integrated systems for
community resilience. We’ll cover definitions, history and principles and
see examples of permaculture in action. You will walk away inspired with
techniques you can try at home.April 23rd
Eat Your Yard
Paw Paw’s, Persimmons, Currents, Rasberries, Figs oh my! Learn how to
garden like the forest and turn your yard into an edible paradise. In this
workshop you will learn about site prep, species selection and planting
methods to grow your own back (or front) yard food forest.
May 7th
Permablitz: Like a flash mob only tastier
Learn how to transform your yard into a permaculture paradise and build
community at the same time!

In this workshop we will learn tips on how to organize your very own
permablitz. A Permablitz is a one day permaculture flash mob where people
come together in the spirit of mutual aid to to transform house’s, school’s
or business’s into edible ecological paradises.

Socially Engaged Permaculture

The 2nd event of the Spring 2014 GCC Permaculture Workshop and Lecture Series will be next Tuesday, March 11 from 2:00-3:15pm in Sloan Theater. This event is free and open to the public. One-sentence description of the talk is below and the full Series flyer is attached.
“In Socially Engaged Permaculture, a presentation by designer and planner Lisa DePiano of Mobile Design Lab, we will explore social applications of permaculture principles and look at case studies for catalyzing change.”

Lisa Depiano was the Keynote Speaker for the 2012 Northeast Permaculture Convergence in Eastern Massachusetts! Check out Mobile Design Lab at:http://mobiledesignlab.org/

R.U.S.T – Regenerative Urban Sustainability Training

600_247231432Challenged with both environmental and economic crises’, humanity must work to create an ecologically sustainable society.

This process of transition will necessitate that we drastically reduce our consumption of Earth’s resources, as well as recycle our waste products back into natural systems.  This work is especially critical in urban environments, where currently more than 50% of the world’s population lives.  To those not familiar with the fundamentals of sustainable living, the task of working towards it can seem daunting and confusing.

In this class, Scott Kellogg and other sustainability experts give attendees a “toolbox” of techniques and knowledge usable by anyone wanting to create sustainable systems in their own communities. Through a combination of group hands-on activities and lectures, participants will learn how to build infrastructure for self-reliance that is simple, affordable, and replicable.  These systems can be applied in either urban or rural environments.

Permaculture for Regional Planning: Ecological Models of Economic Development

While permaculture design practices are typically applied to creating productive homes and agricultural land, permaculture design ethics and principles, when applied at the broader scales of community, regional, and urban planning, have a great impact on creating a human environment with ecological integrity. Starting with a clear understanding of the mistakes and challenges inherent in our present economy – including petroleum dependence and extreme weather — this course focuses on how to redirect our society and its infrastructure back into alignment with the earth’s natural cycles, one region at a time. Ideal for architects, regional and city planners, community organizers, land trusts, watershed groups and local food advocates, this course will provide participants with the vision and tools for coordinating and synthesizing efforts for improving regional economies and the quality of life for future generations.

RUST urban sustainability training

RUST – The Regenerative Urban Sustainability Training –

an intensive weekend workshop of skills for building ecologically resilient communities in today’s cities.

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Challenged with both environmental and economic crises’, humanity must work to create an ecologically sustainable society.

This process of transition will necessitate that we drastically reduce our consumption of Earth’s resources, as well as recycle our waste products back into natural systems.  This work is especially critical in urban environments, where currently more than 50% of the world’s population lives.  To those not familiar with the fundamentals of sustainable living, the task of working towards it can seem daunting and confusing.

In this class, Scott Kellogg and other sustainability experts give attendees a “toolbox” of techniques and knowledge usable by anyone wanting to create sustainable systems in their own communities. Through a combination of group hands-on activities and lectures, participants will learn how to build infrastructure for self-reliance that is simple, affordable, and replicable.  These systems can be applied in either urban or rural environments.

Typical topics & hands-on demonstrations

  • Aquaponics: fish &plant integration
  • Microlivestock: chickens and rabbits 
  • Waste to soil: composting food wastes with worms and microbes
  • Rainwater harvesting, greywater filtration, and urban hydrology
  • Low-intensity bioremediation: cleaning contaminated soils using plants, fungi and bacteria for brownfield restoration 
  • Edible mushroom cultivation
  • Beekeeping and silkworms
  • Microgreens production, raised bed gardening, and perennial food systems
  • Bioshelters, greenhouses, and season extension techniques
  • Kitchen culture: apartment-scale sustainability
  • Reconciliation ecology: promoting biodiversity in the city
  • Vertical and rooftop farming
  • Autonomous energy: veggie oil vehicles, methane digesters, and bicycle electric generators
  • Ecological micro-economies


Location

The class will be held at the Radix Center and the Albany Free School, a 40 year old inner city democratic school in Albany, NY. (www.albanyfreeschool.com) The numerous functioning examples of urban sustainability at the Radix Center and in the Free School neighborhood will be used as teaching demonstrations.


Cost

$150 to $350, sliding scale (pay what you can within this range). The cost includes meals for both days.

Limited worktrade positions are available for those who would not be able to attend the class otherwise.  The worktrade costs $90 and involves 6 hours of work the Friday before the class. You are welcome to volunteer with the worktrade participants if you would like the experience or have free time.  Please only apply for one of the worktrade slots if it is really needed, as they fill quick and then we are forced to turn people away.

We also offer scholarships for people of color.  Please contact us if you are interested in applying for a scholarship.

Lodging

Floor space at the Free School is available for Friday and Saturday for $5/night.

Food

Meals with non-dairy vegetarian options will be provided for lunch on both Saturday and Sunday, attendees will be reponsible for their breakfast and dinner.

Registration

Space is limited – we encourage early registration for all classes. Past classes have filled well in advance.

You can either register online

or send a non-refundable deposit of $90 to:

RUST

199 Circular St.

Saratoga Springs, NY

12866

**Please make checks and money orders payable to Radix Ecological Sustainability Center.

Canadian registrations – please send a money order in USD.

With your registration, please include the following information:

your name

email address

a paragraph about yourself – what are your interests and how did you come to hear about RUST?

any special needs

Recommended Reading

The book “Toolbox for Sustainable City Living: A Do-it-Ourselves Guide” (South End Press, 2008), by Scott Kellogg and Stacy Pettigrew, was written as a companion to the RUST workshop. It is highly recommended that course attendees read the book so that they may be more familiar with the systems described within it. Doing so will allow you the opportunity to ask questions, have diagrams to refer to, and will contribute to you having a more rewarding experience at RUST overall.

Teacher Bios

Below are the bios of the primary teachers of the course.  Guest presenters will be brought in as well.

Scott Kellogg

Scott Kellogg is the co-author of the book “Toolbox for Sustainable City Living: A Do-it-Ourselves Guide” (South End Press) and the primary teacher of R.U.S.T. – The Regenerative Urban Sustainability Training, an intensive weekend workshop in urban ecological living skills that has been attended by over 550 people since it was first taught in 2006.

Currently, Scott is the educational director of the Radix Ecological Sustainability Center.  Scott is also a co-founder of Austin, Texas’ Rhizome Collective, an urban sustainability education project, and worked as the director of its sustainability program from 2000-2009.  In 2004, the Rhizome Collective was donated a 10 acre brownfield property in Austin, as well as a $200,000 brownfield cleanup award form the EPA.  Scott worked as the site coordinator for the cleanup, and oversaw the removal and recycling of over 15 tons of debris from the site.

In 2005-2006, Scott worked with a team of environmental engineers to establish a community based bioremediation program in post-Katrina New Orleans.

He has extensive experience designing and building numerous sustainable systems and  has taught numerous workshops and multi-part sustainability courses in locations as diverse as Mexico, East Timor, Canada, the Bahamas and Norway.

He has been interviewed in numerous magazines, newspapers, radio and television programs and is regarded as an expert in the field of community based sustainability.

Scott has taught at numerous universities in the US, including Virginia Tech, Wesleyan, Evergreen, Washington College, University of New Orleans, Concordia University, and Michigan State University.  He holds a Masters in Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University.

Stacy Pettigrew

Stacy Pettigrew is the Executive Director of the Radix Ecological Sustainability Center and was a co-founder of the Rhizome Collective. She has participated in the construction of sustainable systems and organizational infrastructure. Stacy is also a journalist and producer with WINGS: The Women’s International News Gathering Service.  She is currently earning her Masters of Science in Epidemiology at the School of Public Health, University at Albany.