Evolve / Issue 06 / Basic Needs by The Ecology Center

A QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF OBTAINABLE & SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS curated by THE ECOLOGY CENTER

In this issue:

BASIC NEEDS Summer Speaker Series

FEATURE

Mark Plotkin and The Amazon Conservation Team compile an ethnobotanical database in Suriname. P.04

Evolve

PROFILES

Darrin Nordahl talks truly local food. Greg MacGillivray harnesses filmmaking for positive environmental change. P.06 + 08

INSIDE THE BOX

Container gardens for small spaces. P.14

ISSUE #6 / SUMMER 2012

Masthead BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONTENTS

June 2012 Issue #6

Harry H elling Chairman, Crystal Cove Alliance Jamie Welsh Co-Chairman, 10% Solution

03. Director’s Notes

Dale Howe Treasurer, CPA

04. P ROFILES: DR. MARK PLOTKIN

Maxwell Isles Secretary, Transition Laguna Beach

Christian Beamish

06. P ROFILES: DARRIN NORDAHL 07. E ARTH DAY FESTIVAL IN PHOTOS 08. P ROFILES: GREG MACGILLIVRAY 10. SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT: DR. SANDRA STEINGRABER 11. BOOK REVIEWS: “THE URBAN HOMESTEAD”, “VOYAGE OF THE CORMORANT” 12. B ASIC NEEDS SPEAKER RECAP 2009-2011 14. B ACKYARD SKILLS: CONTAINER GARDEN BOX

Cristina Cherpas Changing Lanes Kimberly Krantz The Boeing Company Shaheen Sadeghi LAB Holding, LLC Evan Marks Executive Director FOUNDING MEMBERS

Kris Linn & David Bronner Mary Cook & Jerry Elliott The Joseph Hoyt Foundation Donna & Ken Friess Marjorie Lesovsky Sylvia Marks Vicki & David Marks Jan & Warren Siegel Sambazon The Segerstrom Foundation Quiksilver Foundation Volcom TRANSFORMATIVE

Anonymous The Boeing Company Hurley International SDG&E VISIONARY CONTRIBUTORS Hexberg Family Foundation Evan Marks Swayne Family Foundation WRITER/EDITOR Carl & Dotty Hagmier Anton & Jennifer Christian Beamish Segerstrom WRITER/EDITOR Jamie Welsh and Sabrina Ericastilla

15. SUMMER CALENDAR

David Rager

ART DIRECTOR

GUARDIAN

Cox Communications Farmers & Merchants Bank Jessica Watkins James Tyler Guitars WRITER/EDITOR New Belgium Brewing Volcom Roger & Helen Abramson Chuck & Terri Benson MISSION Erin H. Brown The Ecology Center seeks to educate, Cristina Cherpas inspire and involve people in practical Bill & Shannon Cook environmental solutions and stewardship Brian Dunn of Southern California’s environment. Dale & Rita Howe Marcy Pattinson Kate & Buz Roberts Celina & Steve Stratton

SUSTAINER

Six Degrees LA Anne Bowlus Martin & Karen Diedrich Bryon Freeze Roy & Holly Heine Norm & Theola Kirschenbaum Thelma Machlin Bruce & Barbara Matsui Stephanie Ray Jim Riley Linda & Marty Weiss The Winkler Family STEWARD

San Clemente Junior Woman's Club Shirley Abbott Brad & Joanne Allen Lora Allison John & Donna Amette Edie Barvin Christopher Blank Stacey Blaschke Mike & Debbie Bosse Barry Campbell Randy & Sandy Davis Stevette Del Col Elaine Deutsch Mariah Doyle Andrea Drexelius Marty Enniss Marissa Floyd Sheryl Gillett Dick & Nancy Gray Tom & Nancy Hawkins Harry & Kathy Helling Douglas Hibbard Charlene Huddlestox Maxwell Isles Evette Jaeger Michael & Trudy Joyce Jeff & Jennifer Kirschenbaum Larry & Christine Kramer Kimberly Krantz Mark & Vickie Kruhmin Maria Lanigan Jeanne Congdon Leonard Francoise Levine Barbara Lorenz Greg & Barbara MacGillivray Shaun & Katie MacGillivray Manuella Melchert Jon & Danielle Morris Christiana Nibbe & Richard Rook John Nikelsky & Jeannie Blilie Lisa & Russell Parks John Paul Isobel Pelham Scott Pringle Amy Rasmussen Ken & Judy Ravitz Robert & Vicki Redding DeAnna Reposa Debby Rightmire The Rothman Family Shaheen & Linda Sadeghi Adelia Sandoval Joe Sands Dani Sellers Stuart & Cheryl Shapiro Andrew Sieger & Lori Marmolejo Robert & Marina Sindik

Elisa Slee Graham & Bahara Stapelberg Lisa Stevens Kathy Tanaka Dylan & Kimberly Taylor Connie Terranova Andrew & Jessica Watkins Natalie Weiss John & Dee White Jean & Tom Wilson Dolores & Gary Wright Kelley & Heidi York

Olivia Surrena Marianne Susong Linda S. Thomas Shannon Thurston Mary Tilton Carol Tuch Janice Turner Judy Tyler Laura Waite Sue Winterhoff Jamie Wood

ADVOCATE

Alexandra Antonopoulos Alex Balazs Deborah Christensen Sandi Hambric Solstice B. Hurst Leah Jolly Kristin Kerrigan Andrew Klimkowski Scott McGregor Samantha McIntosh Riley & Jessica Pratt Erica Rubin Megan Schley

John K. Adams Marjorie Austin Adrian Barry Kate Bartholomew Ingrid Beaty Brian Black Janette & Stan Braden Jennifer Bradshaw Charles Buck Anne Caringella Corrainne Carroll Steve Carter Kerry & Dean Cassill Glenn Clarke Jean Connelly Pam Drever Teri Eichenauer Mary Engstrom Daniel & Elizabeth Evans Heidi Figge Brett Flaherty John Frink Tammy Glossip Ed Gonzales Greg Goran Neil Clemmons Harrison Craig & Teresa Heberer Becky Heinzen Teresa Howe Barbara Hoyt Eric Huber Sue Jackson Susana Jones Betty Lou Kelly Joyce Kiel Nia Kiel Jessica Koenen Charles Lenz Christine Maclean Soo Malchow The Manfredi Family Welton & Beata Mansfield Sean Matsler Janet Miscione Cristie Montgomery Noël More Carlene Myers Leslie Nelson Mayra Noveron Jean Oppliger Dale Palas Debbee & Steve Pezman John & Jody Pike Dick & Shar Pulice Pamela Quigley Lisa Rosen Arne & Lynn Rosencrantz Jane Ryan Pat Ryan Derek & Sibley Sabori Tirzah Schmaltz Alice Schreiner Scott Sporleder Tupper Spring Therese B. Sullivan

COMMUNITY/STUDENT

IN-KIND SUPPORT

118 Degrees 370 Common Andrei's Conscious Cuisine AoSA, LLC Armstrong Growers Beach Blossom Honey Bonterra Vineyards The Cellar Carlsbad Aquafarm Chomp Chomp Nation Food Truck City of San Juan Capistrano CR&R Creekside Apple Ranch Crow Bar & Kitchen Doheny Plumbing Drake Family Farms Element Skateboards Five Crowns/Sidedoor Restaurant Flow Foods Chocolatl Ganahl Lumber Co. Guayaki Yerba Mate Hidden Haven Farms I Love Bagels Kangan Green Kéan Coffee Klean Kanteen La Sirena Grill Meridian Graphics MM Livestock Montage Resort Native Grow Nursery New Belgium Brewing New Leaf Paper Pascal Restaurant Portola Coffee PCH Sheet Metal Primal Alchemy Sage Restaurant Sambazon Santa Monica Seafood Edward Sellers Vineyard and Wines Sierra Soil Products, Inc. Simply Straws Soledad Goats Goat Cheese South Bay Salt Works South Coast Farms Tablas Creek Vineyard

Tamarind London Tierra Verde Industries Tree of Life Nursery True Foods Kitchen Tubular Technology Plumbing Vine Restaurant Vita Coco Weiser Family Farms What a Dish Café & Catering Whole Foods Market Wildflower Floral San Clemente YogaWorks Laguna Beach Jeremy Black VOLUNTEERS

Laura Aubuchon Nisreen Azar Stacey Blashke Jennifer Bradshaw Marek Cantor Shannon, John & Hannah Clarke Colleen Cowell George& Inez Cuzakis Dolores Dang Alyssa Duhe Jane Edelman Ashley Eichenauer Don Eslick Rebecca Gates Heather Hart Kathy & Harry Helling Doug Hibbard Katie Hibbard Kirsty Hibbard Dominique Hieb Rita Howe Jeffrey Kirschenbaum Kim Krantz Bridget Lanigan Jackson Lanigan Shannon Latting Christine Maclean Barbara Matsui Teddy McKay Giusi Meili Irene & Steve Messerli Rama Nayeri Scott & Fe Nemeth Alan Oswald Gillian Poe Kimberli Portillo Alena Powersdavis Jessica & Riley Pratt Aaron Priceman Anna & David Rager Laila & Nessa Riazi Lauren Robinson Richard Rook Elliott Schwartz Georgina Seek Jen & Casey Senften Sara Smith Elizabeth Stephens Celina Stratton Shannon Swan Jill Thomas Mary Tilton Sammy Tookey Jamie Welsh Diane Wyzga

LET TER FROM THE DIRECTOR

Basic Needs

No matter where you live, food, water and shelter are the key criteria for sustainable settlement. In the language of international development, the words “basic needs” reference the three core criteria for healthy human life: food, water, shelter. In creating peak ecological systems around the world, ecological designers always start with defining and understanding access and connection to water, food, and shelter. And, believe it or not, the same starting points are true when redefining ecological systems for Orange County. While we are privileged to have easy access to water, food, and shelter, the health of these systems needs work. During my own years living/working in international ecological development throughout Latin America and West Africa, the idea of developing healthy human settlements, communities, and farms always revolved around these basic needs. Arriving to a new project or site, the first thing to do was to familiarize myself with the landscape, understanding climate/weather patterns, soil, and, of course, where water and food comes from. What is the health of the water source? What is upstream from from our homes, our community? What is downstream that we affect? Where does our food come from? What is the condition of our soil? What are the native or indigenous foods of the area? No matter where you live, food, water and shelter are the key criteria for sustainable human settlement. Day in and day out, The Ecology Center provides programming that seeks to create greater awareness of these basic needs in a sustainable manner in both the local and global contexts. Our ultimate goal is to create sustainable permaculture—a regionally contextual ecological design system for sustainability that integrates all the interconnections between humans and the environment. To be a student of permaculture, one learns how to build natural homes, grow our own food, restore diminished landscapes and ecosystems, catch rainwater, build communities and much more.

To advance our permaculture education, each summer we host our summer speaker series, Basic Needs, with the intention to inspire each other and our communities. In the three previous years, we have been able to bring renowned global thought leaders on sustainability to this series (see pages 12-13)—and this year is no exception. In our fourth year of Basic Needs, we are thrilled to welcome three individuals who are truly changing the world around us: · Mark Plotkin- ethnobotanist, conservationist, and author- reveals cultural and indigenous wisdom of the tropics, most importantly of the Amazon Basin. · Darrin Nordahl- urban designer, educator, and author- redesigns our relationship to our communities by inspiring practical ideas like edible urban landscaping and sensible forms of transportation. · Greg MacGillivray- filmmaker, surfer and activist- opens our eyes both literally and figuratively to the intelligence of the oceans, and raises the collective voice for the obvious need to protect them. With these three global sustainability leaders, we'll analyze our relationship to culture, ecosystems, communities, neighbors, art, education and the oceans. It is my hope that this series creates tangible connections to how we are connected to our own basic needs. Read about them on the following pages, join us for these special events, participate in the conversation, and deepen your hunger for creating sustainable permaculture in Orange County and beyond. I look forward to seeing you this summer!

Evan Marks, Executive Director

PROFILES

A Rainforest Perspective Seeking relevance in a distant land For more than twenty years, ethnobotanist Mark Plotkin has worked with indigenous people in the forests of Northeast South America, in the country of Suriname, to gain an understanding of traditional uses of plants for medical and spiritual healing. The challenges of this work are many and varied: the distance from his home in the United States, cross-cultural misunderstandings and suspicions, and the pervasiveness of Western popular culture and its impact upon native practices. This last point – the importation of social constructs from the “developed” world to indigenous populations – is perhaps the most problematic of the challenges that Dr. Plotkin faces. With media comes the suggestion of economic opportunity and the idea of another, more exciting kind of life, and the effect is particularly great on youth. The idea of remaining in the jungle and going through the arduous process of a shaman’s apprenticeship, and then continuing to live in an

The Amazon Conservation Team, led by ethnobotonist Dr. Mark Plotkin, records the work of indigenous societies who are mapping their physical and cultural worlds in the rainforests of Suriname, preserving ancient wisdom.

ancient mode, when the rest of the world seems to be soaring in jet planes and working on computers, becomes a hard sell. Yet the knowledge of the ancient ways is of vital importance, not only for the cultures that have cultivated this knowledge, but also for the rest of humanity because of the raw potential for medical and industrial discoveries in the myriad plant communities of the Amazon. One might say we need only deploy a battalion of botanists to survey every plant and tree, catalogue their chemical compounds, and in this way extract the knowledge of the forest. But Dr. Plotkin points out that it is the cultural interaction that the indigenous people have had with their immediate environment for tens of thousands of years, that gives the most complete and nuanced picture of how the disparate parts of the forest work together. Yet in this fast-paced world, the painstaking work of the ethnobotanist – the true human relationships that must be forged and maintained – seems so gradual as to be of little value. On the one hand, the people Dr. Plotkin works with face cultural extinction when

The forests of Suriname hold limitless potential for pharmaceutical and industrial base-products.

any of their traditional healers die, because each shaman represents a deep repository of very specific, very local knowledge that vanishes in orally based societies if a successor, or an “apprentice” has not been trained. On the other hand, within the tribes themselves there can be reluctance to embrace and continue the old ways in

the face of globalized, popular culture and the promise of economic opportunity. Indeed, the pleasures of western culture, its music and fashion, appeal to youth everywhere, equally – geography is all that separates “tweens” at South Coast Plaza and Paramaribo, the coastal capital of Suriname. But even deep in the interior, where tribal societies still function in their forest setting, the allure of television, film, and music draws what might otherwise be the next generation of shamans away from the hard and slow work of acquiring knowledge of traditional practices. However, Dr. Plotkin is quick to point out that it is not the place of someone from outside these traditional cultures to “decide what people get and what they don’t get” [from what the modern world has to offer], adding, “None of these shamans can cure or prevent polio as far as I know. I don’t think we have the right to deny them polio vaccine.” But the crisis facing these tribes, and by extension, the world beyond the rainforest, is that all knowledge, be it “indigenous” or “scientific,” is significant for its potential service to humanity.

Indigenous knowledge, honed over centuries, is key to learning how the forest provides for its human inhabitants.

Working with shamans in traditional communities, Dr. Plotkin has established “The Shaman’s Apprentice Program,” to document the uses of plant medicine, not only for western science, but as a cultural resource

for indigenous people of the region as well. His efforts are well received by the people he works with, as he has longestablished relationships within the tribal communities he focuses on. The success of the Apprentice Program in a volatile area of Colombia gives him great hope for the project in the peaceful, lightly populated nation of Suriname. While the world’s appetite for timber, food, gold, and oil presents a massive challenge for the sustainable management of the country’s resources, Dr. Plotkin believes that the benefits of preserving traditional knowledge is crucial to the survival of Suriname’s indigenous cultures, and holds the potential for fantastic discoveries for the wider world as well. “Malaria’s killed more people than cancer and AIDS combined,” he notes. “The front-line treatment for malaria is quinine, which was taught to us by South American Indians… some of the hottest leads in the laboratory come from nature, right now.”

The differences between the experience of a family living in, say, Mission Viejo and one in a remote village in the rainforest of Suriname, may seem greater even than the thousands of miles that separate the two. But at this time, as perhaps never before in history, the opportunity to learn something from traditions that are radically different from our own is not only available to us, but also of tremendous importance. As the developed world hurtles along its technological trajectory, it risks losing its own myths and defining stories to ever-more “immediate” bits of information. Perhaps the role of shaman – that mediator between human and nonhuman (that is to say, plant and animal) worlds – becomes increasingly necessary in a digitized society. This says nothing of religious faith, which, no matter the specific tradition, functions as a foundation to the believer’s world. Yet what we in the developed world do “religiously” (in the sense of daily practice), is drive cars and live and work

mostly indoors, at a significant remove from the elements that have formed us as a species. The people of the forest retain a connection to a long memory of human experience and development – a radically different experience than what most of us have known for the past five generations. There is the risk, of course, of idealizing the forest dweller, pulling Rousseau’s “noble savage” (though he never used that exact term). But a subtler mind finds that the work of people like Dr. Plotkin offers a window to new interpretations of the relation between ourselves and the natural world – a relationship that for all its alterations, remains essentially unchanged. Our challenge is to examine that relationship with all the ways of knowing that are available to us.

The Amazon Rainforest provides the essential environmental world service of continuously recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen. More than 20 percent of the world oxygen is produced in the Amazon Rainforest.

In partnership with local populations, Dr. Plotkin has been documenting and helping to preserve the hard won wisdom of shamen from the Suriname Amazon.

PROFILES

Tasteful Design

Urban Agriculture with Darrin Nordahl

Christian: You’re coming home to California? Darrin: I grew up in Berkeley, and about six-years ago there was an interesting opportunity in Davenport, Iowa. It was amazing… I knew a lot about the West Coast and the East Coast, but I didn’t know much about the Midwest. I was an urban designer for the municipality of Davenport. But now I’m going to focus more on my writing. Are you working on a book? Yes, and I think it’s something The Ecology Center would be interested in. It’s called, “Eating Deluth”. It’s about foods that are native to cities and regions of America. I’m arguing that our definition of American Cuisine is not a good reflection of the word, “cuisine,” because although it may involved local ingredients in their cultural tradition, almost everything that we consider “local” food here [in America] is an immigrant, brought in by European settlers. In writing “Public Produce” [Nordahl’s previous book], I discovered what city officials were doing to increase what I call “food literacy,” was planting fruit trees that native Iowans had never heard of. It was ironic because they were trees and plants that were actually native to Iowa – we’ve forgotten so much of what used to be our landscape. I began thinking about what foods tell stories that are actually native to their region… that if you’re eating a meal in, say, Portland, Oregon it’s very different from one in Portland, Maine. Not because the conditions are different, but because of the conditions in and around the communities.

From food to transit, city designer and urban agriculture advocate Darrin Nordahl approaches community building in a holistic way.

So that’s making food really local, in all senses. Everyone loves a local tomato. But there are many areas of our country where it takes a lot of effort to grow a decent tomato. They just don’t thrive in certain environments. They take a lot of human care, they take a lot of supplemental water; at times they might even need pesticides and herbicides – organic or otherwise. Whereas, if you’re using ingredients that are local to your community, they thrive with minimal effort. It’s sounds as if you’re bringing a fundamental element of design thinking to cuisine. I’ve always urged for companion planting… design your gardens and small farms not like you would typical agriculture – big patches of crops without much thought to the overall design of it. Every plant has a role: some ward off insects and critters, others help adjacent plants grow (we’ve learned this from Native Americans with their “three sisters” planting). When we begin to understand composition and more about the plants themselves, beyond the fact that we might happen to love, say, cucumbers, then we make better informed decisions on our gardens. As space becomes an evermore precious commodity in urban and suburban areas, it’s thinking like this that will enable greater yields. One of the arguments I’ve heard about turning over your yard, or turning over public space to food production, is that it looks un-kept. What I’m trying to get people to think about – especially municipalities and city officials – is to looks at trees and plants in their overall characteristics. You begin to plant and organize amazingly beautiful and entirely edible gardens – not just landscapes where you say,

“oh you can eat this if you want to,” but edible plants that everyone recognizes.

surveillance, and it’s just actually a more pleasing and more humane way of living.

It requires one to look at things like an artist – looking in terms of shape, color, texture… like a palette. How does this thinking play out in your work in urban design? I have a degree in Landscape Architecture and a Master’s in Urban Design. What I do is one part planning, one part architecture, one part landscape architecture, a little bit of sociology, with transit and traffic engineering mixed in. We’ve found that even in housing projects with high rates of crime, if you go back to the way people used to live, where instead of putting everybody in one big building, by putting up smaller buildings and giving them a little bit of land where they have to go outside a little more, by increasing the lighting, lowering the height of shrubbery so that people can see into and out of property, and you provide sidewalks for people from outside the neighborhood to walk by, you drastically reduce crime. Now there are more eyes on the street, more

Even aside from a “Law and Order” standpoint, design impacts the way culture unfolds. My last book, “Making Transit Fun,” [reflects my interest in] transit and cities. I’m really into cities, and if you’re really into cities you have to be into density and public transit. My argument is that you can browbeat people – tell them mass transit is better for the environment, will save them money, is safer than driving (by far) – but unless we make the transit environment (the bicycle lanes, the bus stop, and the bus itself ) better, people won’t use it. You’re not going to change people’s behavior until you design environments that are comfortable and appealing. An example is [to build] a better bus stop. A better bus stop involves a shelter. You have to provide plenty of places for people to sit or stand, provide great lighting – inevitably people take the bus at night, after work. People don’t mind train stations because there’s a lot of other things to do while

you’re waiting. [For bus stops] you don’t have to provide retail for each one, but you do have to provide people the opportunity for conversation, or to read a book. These are the sorts of things that you ordinarily do while you’re lounging at home, only this time you’re waiting for the bus. The bus itself has to be redesigned. In Davenport, the whole ceiling of the bus is glass. Just the addition of natural light is unreal. People ride downtown just to look at the skyscrapers. They would pay just to ride that bus, just to check it out.

We are Earth Day AT THE ECOLOGY CENTER April 14 marked our annual earth day festival and seedling sale for 2012. This year’s theme was (and is!) “We Are Earth Day!” to recognize our communities’ combined actions to make earth day everyday. Hundred s gathered to learn, play, and pledge simple ways to make a difference. The Ecology Center loved welcoming so many friends - old and new - and we hope you will be sure to join us next year!

1. Cheerful sandwich boards proclaimed “We Are Earth Day!”

This year’s festival would not have been possible without the kind support from Hurley International, Hobie Surf Shops, La Sirena Grill, YogaWorks, Guayaki Yerba Mate, Vita Coco, Flow Foods Chocolatl, Sambazon, along with all of our members, volunteers, and friends.

5 . E van welcomes pro surfer Pat O’Connell and friend Janet outside the Tools for Change exhibition and general store.

Photos © Scott Sporleder 2012

2. G uests pinned their pledges to the clothesline that meandered through the various activity stations in the Eco-Labs. 3. This girl knows that gardens are for all ages! 4. S miling volunteers were making magic around every corner and under every tree.

6. T he Eco-Hunt got kids scavenging through the Eco-Labs; at this stop, everyone learned about ecosystem cycles by dissecting owl pellets. 7. S et in front of our Bucky Dome greenhouse, bluegrass group Moonsville Collective got us toe-tapping & hand-clapping in the gardens.

PROFILES

Entertainment Complex

Greg MacGillivray of MacGillivray Freeman Films creates environmental awareness on a massive scale MacGillivray Freeman Films, the Laguna Beach-based production company behind the acclaimed Imax movies The Living Sea, Dolphins, To Fly!, Everest, and most recently, Into The Arctic (along with many others), is an almost perfect expression of its founder’s earliest inspirations. Greg MacGillivray began shooting 8mm films at Newport Harbor High School in the early 1960s, focusing on the burgeoning West Coast surfing scene. By 1972 he had directed and produced one of the sport’s most cherished films, Five Summer Stories, and from there his filmmaking took on a broader scope with the films, To Fly! (1976) and Speed (1984), both documentaries that explore the human quest to utilize technology to go beyond our physical limitations.

Of course, it is the human quest to utilize technology to go beyond our physical limitations that is devastating ecosystems across the planet, and in the interest of countering these effects, MacGillivray Freeman Films has created One World One Ocean – “a multiplatform campaign using the power of film, television and new media to inspire, educate and connect millions of people worldwide in a common purpose: protect and restore the health of the ocean.” Advocating sustainable seafood harvesting, a reduction in plastic pollution, and a greater number of ocean protected areas internationally, One World One Ocean asks 3 pragmatic (as well as sobering) questions: “Why is this important to me; Is this goal realistic; and, How will One World One Ocean help achieve this goal?” A synthesis of the documentaries MacGillivray has made about the natural world, and his own commitment to marine preservation, One World One Ocean is a natural outgrowth from 5-decades of full immersion filmmaking in the most pristine, as well as fragile environments on earth. The campaign asks its members to participate in sparking “a global movement to protect

the ocean,” by examining daily practices on a personal level, and by becoming involved locally in clean up and advocacy efforts. The success of MacGillivary Freeman Films’ IMAX movies provides an ideal platform for promoting ocean conservation on a massive, consumer-based level – not

in a confrontational sense, but through entertainment. As MFF’s Director of Photography, Brad Ohlund notes, “We approach all of our films with three goals in mind: we want to educate, inspire, and entertain. But we don’t always do it in that order.”

Confrontational or not, the statistics from the current state of the world’s oceans are grim. From the One World One Ocean website: “90% of the big fish are gone. Tuna, swordfish, halibut, cod, and flounder populations have been devastated by overfishing. The average size of the remaining big fish

has been cut in half or less in the last 50 years. The average weight of a swordfish caught today is 90 lbs., down from 266 lbs. in 1960. Discarded plastic bags and other trash have formed a toxic "plastic soup" that is gathering in five massive ocean gyres around the world. There are a reported 405 ocean "dead zones" – areas where there is little to no oxygen due to fertilizer run-off and nitrogen pollution, and dead zones are doubling every ten years. Our oceans account for 71% of the planet, but less than 2% of our oceans are protected.”

Yet we who are concerned, who choose not to throw up our hands, who have decided that what we do as individuals matters – we have multiple avenues of influence, as well as the means of effecting real-world change. It might not take a lifetime spent filming the sea for a person to feel the impetus to ecological action, but fortunately Greg MacGillivray, having spent his life precisely this way and having enjoyed great success in so doing, is utilizing the resources of film and media to show the wonders of the world and create that spark in audiences to make a difference, one viewer at a time. 01: Greg MacGillivray on location. 02: MacGillivray’s early passion for surfing and filmmaking produced one of the surf-world’s most cherished movies, Five Summer Stories, and laid the foundation for (03) the major IMAX features he went on to produce. 04, 05: On location for Into the Arctic. Multiple trips to the far North led to the central story for the film. 06: MacGillivray honing his filming technique, circa 1965. 07, 08: Extreme locations are a perennial aspect of the MacGillivray Freeman Films experience, which, at its core, is about ocean conservation. 07

SPEAKER SPOTLIGHT

Dr. Sandra Steingraber

“The environmental crisis is a human rights crisis...” Dr. Sandra Steingraber is an ecologist, author, and cancer survivor. An enthusiastic and sought-after public speaker on human health and the environment, Sandra has been invited to lecture and keynote at many universities, medical schools, and hospitals throughout the United States and Canada. A mother, wife, and avid activist, Sandra enjoys serving as a translator b etween activists and scientists and has testified before and briefed a variety of heads of state around the world on the critical effects of environmental toxins on the human condition.

a social problem and the execution of a meaningful solution. Just as abolitionist writing played a role in ending slavery, I believe environmental writing can play a role in ending unsustainable economic practices.

Her many books include Living Downstream: An Ecologist’s Personal Investigation of Cancer and the Environment (released and updated and also turned documentary film), Having Faith: An Ecologist’s Journey to Motherhood - a memoir of her own pregnancy and an investigation of fetal toxicology; and most recently, Raising Elijah: Protecting Our Children in an Age of Environmental Crisis.

My own shady yard is dedicated to tree houses, sandbox play, and soccer games. I'm a fulltime breadwinner; I travel at least 100 days of the year, give dozens of interviews, and I'm forever on deadline for one writing project or another. I'm also cancer survivor who spends a lot of time in hospitals and radiology waiting rooms. I run four miles a day. I'm not out there harvesting rainwater. I'm analyzing data on drinking water contamination by pesticide run-off and drycleaning establishments.

She is married to the artist Jeff de Castro, lives in rural New York in a 1000-square-foot house with a push mower, a clothesline, a vegetable garden, and two beloved children. Her current plight surrounds the issue of hydrofracking - a practice she calls “the environmental issue of our time” and she has been very active in the fight to stop the practice and save the shale deposits in central New York state. Prior to her basic needs talk in 2010, Dr. Steingraber sat down with The Ecology Center for a Q&A: TEC: Here at The Ecology Center, we encourage people to be part of the environmental solution by taking individual actions that build into systemic change. How are you “Part of the Solution”? As an environmental author, I see writing and art as part of the intermediary between recognition of

TEC: Are you directly responsible for any of your basic needs? How? (i.e. food production, rainwater harvesting, building, etc.) I leave food production to the experts. Happily, my CSA--the organic farm in which I am a shareholder-- is located only a half mile from my house. I ride my bicycle to the barn and pick up my weekly food share every Friday.

I take an upstream approach to envi-

ronmental problems: I'm focused on public health policy and changing the rules of the game so that sustainable solutions to housing and food become available and affordable to all people. I'm not interested in trying to create a non-toxic bubble around my kids. You can't live safely in a toxic world. That's a myth. TEC: What does sustainability mean to you? Ending our century-long dependency on fossil fuels for both energy and as a feedstock for making things (plastics, pesticides, anhydrous ammo nia, and so on). TEC: What’s worth fighting for? The above. I follow California environmental attorney Joe Guth who said, in an article in The Vermont Law Review, that “nothing is more important to human beings than an ecologically functioning, life sustaining biosphere on the Earth. . . . We cannot live long or well without a functioning biosphere, and so it is worth everything we have.” The environmental crisis is a human rights crisis. It is the struggle of our age, in the same way, for previous generations, abolishing slavery, women's suffrage, and defeating global fascism were defining strug-

gles. In this, I don't want to be a Good German. I want to be a member of the French Resistance. Borrowing a line from Audrey Schulman, I often tell my readers and my audiences, "If you want to be a hero, here's your chance. This is our moment." I believe that our grandchildren will look back on us and marvel that our economy was once dependent on chemicals that were killing the planet and killing ourselves... if we win. (If we don't, they won't be marveling at much of anything.) TEC: If you could ask the President one favor, what would it be? I don't ask for favors. I make human rights arguments, I lay out the scientific evidence for harm, and I propose alternative visions for the future. I met with White House staff in May 2010 to discuss the results of the President's Cancer Panel's new report that finds that the environmental contribution to human cancers is more significant than previously appreciated. The Panel called on the President to use the power of his office to remove carcinogens from air, food, and water. That's an approach already underway in the EU. I came away from that meeting

REVIEWS

By Land or By Sea The Urban Homestead and Voyage of the Cormorant very discouraged and convinced that speaking truth to power--as noble as it sounds--is sometimes a waste of time and an exercise in vanity. Sometimes the more crucial activity is speaking truth to powerless: to take the scientific evidence for harm into communities located at the tailpipe end of the production, use, and disposal of toxic chemicals. When scientists partner with communities, we can create cultures of resistance. TEC: What’s the most exciting happening in your community? Here in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, the most exciting human rights struggle is taking shape in the form of organized, local resistance to the most powerful corporate powers in the world: namely, the oil and gas industries that are poised to shatter the shale bedrock of upstate New York with chemical-laced water in order to extract natural gas. If hydrofracking for shale gas goes forward--and right now, thanks to citizen activism, there is a fragile moratorium in New York state--it will represent the massive industrialization of a rural landscape and foodshed here in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Shale gas extraction has already devastated the ecology of northern Pennsylvania, added carcinogens to the air in the form of soot, released radioactivity from geological strata, and destroyed drinking water. It's totally unregulated by the federal government. We are trying to draw the line here in New York. The most powerful forces are arrayed against us, and much of the land is already leased to the frackers. But my feeling from traveling through rural communities and meeting with with people in various forums is that there are folks willing to lay down on the roads, if necessary, to stop this obscenity. TEC: Who/what are you inspired by? Rachel Carson, who, like me, was a wildlife biologist turned writer and who also struggled with cancer. She had no patience with scientists who knew the evidence for harm (about pesticides) and refused to speak out. She liked say, "To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards out of men."

Urban Homestead

Voyage of the Cormorant

Oftentimes the idea of becoming more sustainable seems so unattainable, too hard, even costly. I buy organic vegetables, I make my own cleaning supplies, I carry a reusable water bottle and I always (okay, almost always) have my reusable grocery bags in hand. But let’s be serious, becoming an urban homesteader seems completely out of my realm and certainly not something I could convince my family members to take part in. Sure, raising my own chickens or harvesting my own vegetables sounds great in theory, but considering carpool, working part-time, volunteering for talent show decorations and just trying to keep up with life, I don’t exactly see where there is time to start vermicomposting or building rain barrels.

Whitecaps were running all across the bay at dawn, and Cormorant rocked even more heavily with an added diagonal roll. The sky was dark all the way across, with charcoal-bellied clouds piling up from the horizon and stretching northward. The air smelled of rain. I took the boat tent down and stowed the battens, moving quickly now, having decided that I needed to get ashore. Pulling the anchor line in handover-hand, I piled the line, chain and anchor haphazardly in the bow. Once the hook let go of the bottom, the wind drew us quickly across the bay, blowing us towards the corner where the surf converged on the rocks.

by Sarah Fisher - Community Programming

Obviously skeptical when asked to do a book review on the The Urban Homestead, written by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen, I internally cringed at yet another how-to book in which I would find myself somehow disappointed in my lack of consciousness or so-called “Urban Homesteadiness.” To my surprise, the book is more than just a How-to guide. Erik and Kelly somehow gently hold your hand and seamlessly guide you through endless ways to success. There is no hand-slapping, no sense of self-righteousness. It is just a collection of simple attainable ways to get you started. This book is not just a How-to, but a Go-to. Everyone needs a copy - a copy with folded corners, fruit splattered on page 184 from canning cherries for holiday gifts, perhaps a pressed leaf between pages 120-121 from your first venture in foraging, and of course page 202 marked with a craft beer label you gently peeled off to remind you that you are a brewmaster in the making. My final thought to share…everyone needs to start somewhere. The Urban Homestead gives its readers a solid starting point for all walks in sustainability. For myself, I am going to start a compost bin, and it will not be something that cuts into my carpool time. I am, one day, going to fill the empty raised beds in my garden with organic soil and actually commit to growing my own. And on another day, maybe further in the future, I will harvest rainwater. (As for keeping chickens, that may take a sequel to convince me...) Join us for our free special engagement,Tools of the Trade, Book Signing and Discussion with both Erik Knutzen and Kelly Coyne on June 30th, 4-6pm. The Urban Homestead is available in our Tools for Change shop as well as their second book, Making It- Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World. You can also follow their blog: Rootsimple.com

An exerpt from the book by Christian Beamish

The waves were a disorganized smear along the whole stretch of beach, and I held myself off, back-pedaling with the oars outside the farthest breakers and surveyed a landing spot amid the chaos of the rising storm. I glanced over to the surfers’ camp and saw the men scurrying about, taking down their tents, stowing armfuls of gear in the backs of their trucks. Three fishermen stood on the berm of the beach straight in from where I sat aboard my boat. One of them waved his arms overhead, then brought them down in a sweeping motion before him, indicating that I should run ashore right there. With no perceptible break in the frequency of the waves, I brought Cormorant around and started in. A slightly bigger wave stood outside of me and I back-paddled to crash through the top of it and let it pass. I then pulled hard on the oars to move forward again, chopping with short, hard strokes to ride the whitewater wake just behind, where the other waves could not reach me. But Cormorant cut too swiftly through the water and the wave drew us tumbling over it, the boat plunging down on her bows then swinging hard over, broadside to the crashing whitewash. I had no control over any of this, but Cormorant seemed to take over, and we rode sideways into shore, rolling back on her rounded sides until the keel met the wet sand of the beach. To be published mid-July, by Patagonia Books. The story of Christian Beamish’s vision for a traditional sailing voyage in the mode of John Muir by sea in the 18-foot Shetland Isle beach boat the author built in his garage in San Clemente. Chronicling three years of trips to the Santa Barbara Channel Islands, and down the Pacific coast of Baja, “The Voyage of the Cormorant,” is a tale of old time adventure in the modern era.

BASIC NEEDS 2009-2011

A look back at three years of Basic Needs

Now in its fourth year, Basic Needs brings powerful thinkers and activists to speak and inspire in Orange County. Our past speakers have made tremendous contributions in food, water and shelter, and The Ecology Center is dedicated to supporting their ongoing work. Find out more about each one below.

Catching up with our past speakers Food for Thought

Prime Time Humanity

Michael Besançon, ‘09: Entrepreneur, Environmentalist, Godfather of natural foods

Emily Pilloton, ‘09: Designer, Educator, Co-founder of Project H Design Since speaking at TEC, Emily has appeared as a speaker on humanitarian design and about Studio H at TED Global 2010 and The Colbert Report. And, most recently, as UC Berkeley’s commencement speaker on May 13, 2012, she challenged new design graduates to “start now!” and not wait for circumstances to seem perfect or opportunity to come to them.

Michael has been in natural foods since 1970 when he built, owned, and operated Follow Your Heart Natural Foods in Canoga Park, CA through rising to the position of Senior Global Vice President of Purchasing, Distribution and Communications for the Whole Foods Market, Inc. in 2008. Since he spoke at TEC, Michael has retired and directs his energy as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Earth University Foundation in Costa Rica.

It’s Elementary Johnny Schillereff, ‘09: Skateboarder, Dreamer, Founder & President – Element Skateboards

Making Waves Derek Sabori, ‘09: Surfer, Children’s book author, Sustainability guru – Volcom

Community Powered Matthew Miller, 09: Architect, Fabricator, Co-founder of Project H Design Partnered with Emily Pilloton, Matt has been hard at work as a professor of humanitarian design and as project architect for Project H’s Studio H campus in Bertie County, North Carolina - the poorest county in the state. Since speaking at TEC, Studio H launched in late summer 2010, providing a high school design/build curriculum for rural community benefit empowering underpriviledged youth to learn critical life skills while building up their communities.

As part of our panel on sustainability in the surf industry, Johnny Schillereff represented skater culture through the evolution of Element Skateboards. In October 2008, he led Element’s Power to the Planet initiative to “make a positive different in the world” through social and environmental awareness. Through the Elemental Awareness Foundation’s international camps and workshops, Element continues to educate and inspire young people to develop self-esteem, social and environmental awareness and the tools to lead successful lives.

As Senior Director for Sustainability, Derek manages Volcom’s piece in the sustainability revolution that is taking place within the surf industry. Since the Speaker Series, Volcom has had Sustainability awareness rise to the board level, including commitments to comprehensive annual Environmental Reports and completing an Environmental Profit & Loss statement by 2015. Derek and his team focus on the reduction of CO2, waste and water, sourcing of raw materials, hazardous chemicals and materials, paper and packaging, and tuning up Volcom’s supply chain. You can follow their progress at Volcom.com/newfuture and/or at facebook.com/ volcomnewfuture.

The Great Outdoorsman Roian Atwood, ‘09: Sportsman, Businessman, Senior Consultant - Pure Strategies It could seem unusual that an avid snowboarder and Maine native has made his career out of greening up boardrooms and company plants, but Roian found perfect balance by engaging both. Since speaking at TEC, Roian engages even more companies in the corporate dialogue surrounding environmental and social stewardship through his work with consultant group Pure Strategies.

Fracking Down Sandra Steingraber, Ph.D., ‘10: Ecologist, Survivor, Author - “Living Downstream: An Ecologist Looks at Cancer and the Environment” After developing cancer in her 20s, Sandra has dedicated the rest of her life to education and awareness of environmental pollution and toxins and their possible tie to cancer. A prolific and celebrated author, Sandra has written four books and countless articles that have appeared internationally. Since speaking at TEC, the film documentary adaptation of her book was released in Fall 2010. In 2011, she released “Raising Elijah: Protecting Children in an Age of Environmental Crisis” and, most recently,

When It Rains... Brad Lancaster, ‘10:Permaculturist, Harvester, Author - “Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond” Brad knows water - how it falls, how it runs, how it pools, and how best not to waste it. As a leading expert in permaculture practices and rainwater harvesting, Brad brings value as an educator, author, speaker, community member, consultant, and environmental advocate. Along with a robust international speaking schedule, Brad is currently working on Volume 3 of his book focusing on Roof Catchments and Cistern Systems (tentatively to be published in 2012).

she has been avidly active in the battle surrounding hydro-fracking for natural gas deposits in the United States.

Living Green Chris Prelitz, ‘10: Environmentalist, Advocate, Author - “Green Made Easy: The Everyday Guide for Transitioning to a Green Lifestyle” A Laguna Beach resident, Chris is a pioneer of the green movement through his early involvement in strawbale construction, solar power, and other eco-savvy construction practices. Currently, Chris heads a successful design-build firm with projects ranging from off-grid solar ranches to the first solar-powered restaurant and solar auto dealership in the U.S. Since speaking at TEC, Chris has been active in his local community, spearheading the Transition Laguna movement.

Slingshot to Success Tyler Valiquette, ‘11: Engineer, Changemaker, Co-founder - Catapult Design Catapult Design is a non-profit, human-centered design firm that develops and delivers technology solutions to basic needs issues of low-income and impoverished communities. Projects in 2011 covered off-grid lighting, sanitary birthing kits, locally made sporting goods, and handicarts in Africa and India. What sets Catapult apart is their dedication to testing, analyzation, altering, and auditing their projects for greatest impact. Since speaking at TEC, Tyler and Catapult Design has partnered with World Bank to further explore clean energy solutions.

Fair Trade

Sailor Made Christian Beamish, ‘11: Waterman, Pilgrim, Author - “By Sail and Oar - The Cormorant Journeys”

Shaheen Sadeghi, ‘10: Designer, Visionary, Developer & CEO - LAB Holding, LLC

Since speaking about his solo sailing expeditions at The Ecology Center last August, Christian has been involved in the great adventure of caring for his baby girl, Josephine (born October 2011), with his wife Natasha Elliott-Beamish. Christian has plans to build a larger open boat for family camp cruising once a few more seasons pass for the new arrival.

A designer to the core, Shaheen has found major success from high fashion to surf lifestyle apparel to mixed-use commercial development. A revolutionary thinker and green building advocate, he has changed the retail culture of Orange County through his recognition of the current Great Cultural Shift and actualization of “anti-malls” The Camp and The LAB in Costa Mesa. Following his talk at TEC, Shaheen was a featured speaker at TED talks and TEDx Fullerton and is currently overseeing the revitalization of the historic Anaheim Citrus Packing House into a new “anti-mall” food and music center for Orange County.

Getting A Leg Up Mark Smith, ‘11: Artist, Innovator, Global Creative Director at Jordan/Nike, Inc. Mark Smith uses his creativity beyond footwear design and applies it to footwear construction and sustainability as well. Finding creative material and production solutions will continue to affect and improve the apparel industry’s ecological impact.

SEASONAL SKILLS

Contain yourself.

Even the smallest patio or porch can boast a crop of vegetables or a garden of flowers in containers. A container garden is limited only by your imagination. Planter boxes, wooden barrels, hanging baskets and large flowerpots are just some of the containers that can be used. Here we show you how to build your own Veggie Box:

1. Cut the 1”x4” planks into 12 planks each 16” long 2. Cut the 2”x2” into 4 legs, each 23 ¾” long 3. Now start construction. Work on a firm, flat surface such as a good work bench. Use the 1 5/8” screws when securing the planks to the legs. Place 2 legs on the bench and place one of the 16” planks over them. Using the square, line up one plank with one leg. (Don’t worry about the other leg for now, it’s just to support the plank.)

Drill and screw the 2nd plank to the leg. 6. Line up and offset the 3rd plank like the 1st plank. Drill and screw it in place. One side of your box is now complete. 7. Repeat steps 3 thru 6 to construct a second side exactly like the first side. 8. Ask a friend to hold both sides up, legs posts on the inside. Take another 16” plank and place it between the two sides, adjusting the distance between the two sides until the plank fits just right. Check that everything is fairly square. Have your friend hold steady while you drill and screw. Tip: consider where your screws are positioned so they don’t bump into the ones already screwed into the leg. If this happens just back the screw out and try again with a little angle as you screw it in.

9. Repeat with the other two planks so you have 3 sides all attached together.

5. Now attach the next plank, keeping it up close to the 1st plank but stagger the ends so it sticks out past the edge of the first leg. The amount it sticks out should be equal to the thickness of the planks. Use the scrap bit to measure.

10. Now repeat on the opposite end to form 4 sides - you will have a box with no top or bottom. Tip- Check your right angles before you drill and screw. You can push and pull the box a bit here to get it a bit more square if needed. However, don’t worry about it being perfect. This is not fine furniture! 11. You now have a box with legs but no base. Flip the box upside down so the legs are sticking up in the air. Measure across the middle of the base. The distance should be close to 15 ¼”. Now cut a plank to to fit across the span of your box. This will be the support for the base planks. 12. Position the support plank in place, using your scrap bit to recess the supports. Drill and screw the supports in position. 13. Measure for the base planks and cut them. They should be about 15 ¼” long. ¼” or so short is fine as this allows the wood to swell a bit. Place the base planks perpendicular across the support plank. Space the base planks evenly. Small gaps are fine since they aid drainage. Drill and screw.

14. Flip it over, fill it with a mix of soil and compost, and get growing.

MATERIALS NEEDED: · tape measure · carpenter's square · pencil · saw · power drill · ⅛” size drill bit · screwdriver · 1 5/8” outdoor deck screws · 2 1/2" outdoor deck screws · work gloves and eye protection

Make sure the edge of the plank is flush with the top of the leg post and the end of the plank is flush with the edge of the leg. Be certain they are square. Have someone hold them or clamp them while you drill and screw them together.

4. Line up the other leg at the opposite end of the plank, so the end sticks out past the edge of the leg. The amount it sticks out should be equal to the thickness of the planks. Use a piece of scrap wood to measure. Be certain they are square. Drill and screw the plank to the leg.

Watch the instructional video online: http://youtu.be/7nHgAMei8Bw

WOOD CUT LIST: Wood you will need to build a 16” square box: 1” x 4” Redwood, Cedar or salvaged pallets, cut into: · 12 planks @ 16” – keep a bit of scrap/off-cut it, will come in handy · 5 planks @ 15 1/4” approx – wait until step 13 to cut these. 2” x 2'' Redwood or Cedar cut into: · 4 planks @ 23 3/4''

SELECT CONTAINER GARDEN WINNERS: Herbs: Always a good choice for beginning gardeners; they require little attention and can be grown year round. LETTUCE/CHARD: The gift that keeps on giving! By eating the outside leaves and trimming flowers, you can keep eating for quite some time. Also, lettuce grows fairly quick. TOMATOES/PEPPERS: Nothing tastes better than a homegrown tomato! NASTURTIUM: These colorful flowers require very little attention, pests will leave them alone and you can even eat them!

AGENDA 07 Elemental Awareness Camp (4 days) -13 Ages 8-13 / 10am-2pm / $160 Learn important survival skills and positive ways to interact with and affect JUNE our natural environment. 01 Green Feast Ticket Pre-Sale for Members begins / $180 21 Backyard Skills / Pickling / 1-3pm Members $10, Non-members $15, 02 Farm To Fork / Ages 6-12 / 10:30am-12pm +$5 materials fee Members $15, Non-members $20 26 Basic Needs Speaker Series: Darrin Nordahl Backyard Skills at Center for Living Peace 6:30-8:30pm / Members $10, Irvine / Lantern Making / 1-3pm / $12 Non-members $20 Sign-up at goodhappens.org 28 Tools of the Trade: 15 Green Feast Grow Your Own Mushrooms Ticket Sale to general pulic begins 1-3pm/ Free Members $180, Non-members $225 AUGUST 16 Backyard Skills: Cheese Making / 1-3pm / Members $10, Non-members $15, 04 Farm to Fork / Ages 6-12 / 10:30am-12 / +$5 materials fee Members $15, Non-members $20 Backyard Skills at Center for Living Peace 22 Basic Needs Speaker Series: Mark Plotkin Irvine / Terrarium Making / 1-3pm / $12 / 6:30-8:30pm / Members $10, Sign-up at goodhappens.org Non-members $20 06 Eco-Labs Camp (5 days) 30 Tools of the Trade “The Urban Home -10 Ages 7-12 / 10am-2pm / $185 stead” book Signing with Kelly Coyne Engage in hands-on ecological solutions and Erik Knutzen / 4-6pm / Free including rainwater harvesting, gardenJULY ing, fort building, and solar cooking. 07 Farm To Fork / Ages 6-12 / 10:30am-12pm 18 Backyard Skills: Worm Bin Construction Members $15, Non-members $20 1-3pm / Members $10, Non-member $15, +$17.50 materials fee. Backyard Skills at Center for Living Peace Irvine/ Handmade Flower Pressing 1-3pm 23 Basic Needs Speaker Series: $12 / Sign-up at goodhappens.org Greg MacGillivray / 6:30-8:30pm/ Mem

The Calendar

Be part of the solution

bers $10, Non-members $20 25 Tools of the Trade: Exploring Community- Scale Edible Landscaping / 1-3pm / Free

SEPTEMBER

01 Farm To Fork / Ages 6-12 / 10:30am-12pm Members $15, Non-members $20 Backyard Skills at Center for Living Peace Irvine / Build a Solar Oven / 1-3pm / $12 sign-up at goodhappens.org 08 Green Feast Members $180, Non-members $225 22 Tools of the Trade: Acai Bowls with Sambazon / 1-3pm / Free ONGOING EVENTS:

Tools for Change / General Store Hours: Saturdays + Sundays 11am to 3pm House and Garden Tours First Saturdays of each month, 1pm. Weekend Happenings Activities for children and adults including tastings, storytelling, small crafts and much more! Tools of the Trade In collaboration with our new exhibition Tools for Change, Tools of the Trade is a FREE roundtable series in which local experts in a variety of fields will share useful skills and unique insights related to sustainable living. Join us one Saturday a month to learn about topics such as beekeeping, backyard chickens, greywater systems, sustainable stimulants and more. Dates and times vary each month; please check TheEcologyCenter.org for more details.

The Ecology Center is founded on the principle that people can make a difference. We believe that individual actions can transform the community, elevating the health of our environment for future generations. Become a member today and enjoy the benefits all year long. COMMUNITY (STUDENT) $25 One-year subscription to Evolve, The Ecology Center’s Quarterly publication Discounted pricing on programs and classes ADVOCATE (INDIVIDUAL) $50 Latest edition of The Ecology Center tote bag STEWARD (FAMILY) $100 10% off purchases at Tools for Change SUSTAINER $250 2 free tickets to our Summer Speaker Series “Backyard Skills”, The Ecology Center’s first publication featuring recipes for sustainable living such as worm bin, rain barrel and solar oven construction, and sprouting, terrarium design and non-toxic, homemade cleaning tips. GUARDIAN $500 10% off purchases at South Coast Farmstand VISIONARY $2500 Year-end private event at The Ecology Center The Ecology Center is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

The Ecology Center

EcoCenter Inc. 32701 Alipaz St. San Juan Capistrano CA 92675

SAVE THE DATE SEPT 8

NONPROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE PAID MISSION VIEJO, CA PERMIT NO. 1418

GREEN FEAST Join us as well as notable chefs and purveyors to celebrate local sustainable food at the much-anticipated Green Feast 2012. Tickets on sale now.

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