Sustainable Clifton Thrives on Your Participation

The Sustainable Clifton initiative continues to thrive.

Started as a Clifton Neighborhood partnership with Adena Institute and a sponsorship grant from Gaia Education, Sustainable Clifton has evolved into an integral, long term effort of the Clifton Community Council to create a more sustainable neighborhood. Ongoing efforts offer opportunities to explore ecological, economic, social and worldview dimensions for sustainability design, living and learning in Clifton.

To learn more about sustainability in Clifton, take a look at the annual activities summaries and the earlier posts in these sites:

Sustainable Clifton 2013

Sustainable Clifton 2012

Sustainable Clifton 2011

Sustainable Clifton Archives 2007-2009

If you would like to join or learn more about Sustainable Clifton, contact John Baker 

( Click here for email ).

Living and Learning for Sustainability, a sustainability education collaborative coordinated by  Adena Institute, which continues to offer innovative sustainability, communications and transformational change research, learning and action programming along with related consultative, media and design services.

To learn more, contact David Silverman ( email ).

Gaia Education and Ecovillage Design Education programmes continue to grow world wide. To learn more about Gaia or locate an EDE programme near you or online, go to http://www.gaiaeducation.net/

Sustainable Clifton Committee

Sustainable Clifton was established as a pilot collaboration for the Sustainability Education projects of the Open Living and Learning Network and Sustainable Neighborhoods collaborations such as Beargrass Neighbors.

Worldview Creation Spirituality Class

Meister Eckhart said, "Every creature is a word of God and a book about God," capturing the essence of what contemporary theologian Matthew Fox has termed, "Creation Spirituality”.

Beginning Wednesday September 17, 2008, Sustainable Clifton and partner community organizations will offer a free five week course exploring the Creation Spirituality tradition and its fourfold path. The class will be facilitated each Wednesday evening, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, by Rev. Todd F. Eklof, the minister at Clifton Universalist Unitarian Church. Rev. Eklof studied three years under Matthew Fox at the University of Creation Spirituality in Oakland, CA, is the Worldview chair on the Sustainable Clifton Committee, and a local environmental activist.

The class is free and open to anyone in the Louisville area, but its size may become limited, so if you're interested in attending, please contact Rev. Eklof at 895-3189 or office@cliftonuu.org to register. The class will take place at Clifton UU Church, located at 2231 Payne Street. It's recommended, though not necessary, that you read "Original Blessing" and/or "Creation Spirituality" by Matthew Fox before the course begins.

Community Sustainability & Ecovillage Design Education credits are available. If you are interested in receiving Community Sustainability credit towards the UN Sustainable Settlements Design Certificate, please take a look at the Program in Community Sustainability page of the Adena Center at Webster University.

Please contact adena.center AT gmail.com or ask Rev Eklof for more information.

Ecovillage Design and Social Dimension Books Available for the Neighborhood

One of the main ways that the Sustainable Clifton Neighborhood  Ecovillage in Louisville, KY, USA is getting organized is through the Ecovillage Design Education (EDE) curriculum.  You can now download the basic EDE curriculum from this online group at  http://sustainabilityeducation.googlegroups.com/web/EDE_V3.pdf  The EDE curriculum is an accessible overview of what it takes to move  as a community towards sustainability. EDE was developed by leading  ecovillage educators based in the lived experience of existing  sustainable communities world -  wide.  In May, the first class of North American students graduated from the associated year long training program of the Albequerque based Ecovillage Design Southwest program in association with the University of New Mexico.  In Louisville, community members and local and international students can study and take action for a more sustainable community through the Sustainable Clifton initiative ( www.sustainableclifton.blogspot.com )  and the Sustainability Studies program of the Adena Center at Webster University.  (www.adenacenter.blogspot.com ) along with  the associated community based Sustainability Living and Learning network ( www.sustainabilityeducation.blogspot.com ).  To download the basic EDE curriculum, go to:  http://sustainabilityeducation.googlegroups.com/web/EDE_V3.pdf

Social Clifton   There are also more in-depth readings for any one of the aspects (social, economic, worldview, ecological) we're working on. The readings in the hefty Social book are actually several short essays talking about everything from integrating age groups to having more  fulfilling meetings, and nearly all of it comes from people's firsthand experiences in ecovillages. I've been going through them, and anyone interested in reading/studying them together can e-mail  socialclifton AT gmail.com It's really helpful, insightful stuff we can use in our neighborhood now and in the future.  Download the Gaia Education 4 Keys book on Social Design- Beyond You and Me- Inspiration and Wisdom for Building Community

Community Garden Planning Meetings

Clifton Community Garden
At Sacred Heart Village (Payne Street)
Please join us in developing and writing our master plan for the Clifton Community Garden. Your Clifton Community Council sponsors this Gaia Education, Sustainable Clifton project.

We will be meeting at the Clifton Center (2117 Payne Street) on the following dates. Everyone is welcome, bring a friend.

Tuesday, August 12th at 6pm
Sunday, August 17th at 4pm
Tuesday, August 26th at 6pm
Sunday. August 31st at 4pm

For more information call: 533-4794

Learning and Sharing Opportunity

This class is being offered right here in Clifton. It's a great opportunity to expand our awareness and knowledge of the Gaia Education, Worldview Domain. Scholarships and a stipend are available. Contact: johnbaker@bellsouth.net to sign-up. Participants in this study group will be awarded 24 Continuing Education Units toward certification in Ecovillage Design Education.

Powers of the Universe Study Group

The Powers of the Universe with Brian Swimme
An exploration of the powers coursing through the Universe
and each of us

This 11 week study/process group based on Brian Swimme’s expansive teachings exploring the magnificent creativity of the universe and our opportunity to carry that creativity forward as we work to build a sustainable society.

Seamlessness, Centration,
Allurement, Emergence,
Homeostasis, Cataclysm,
Synergy, Transmutation,
Transformation, Interrelatedness,
Radiance

We will spend one evening exploring each of these amazing powers first through viewing Brian’s video presentation and then in a variety of processes ranging from reflection to ritual, from discussion to music, from art to journaling.

Facilitated by Marilyn Stoner and Mark Steiner

these sessions will be held at
James Lees Presbyterian Church
(1741 Frankfort Avenue at the corner of William Street)

Tuesday evenings from 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm
beginning August 19 (Sessions will meet on the following Tuesdays: 8/19, 8/26, 9/2, 9/9, 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, and 10/28.

Suggested Donation $10 per session (Sustainable Clifton scholarships and stipend available)

To register or for more information contact marilynstoner@fastmail.fm (502) 456-1502 or mark@interfaithrelations.org (502) 583-3100

Sponsored by The Center for Interfaith Relations, Cultivating Connections and James Lees Presbyterian Church

Brian Swimme is a mathematical cosmologist on the graduate faculty of the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. His published work includes The Universe is a Green Dragon, The Universe Story (with Fr. Thomas Berry), and the Hidden Heart of the Cosmos. His other video series are Canticle to the Cosmos and Earth’s Imagination. His views on the human’s role in shaping the future of life on planet earth are featured on the website global-mindshift.org.

Hugelkultur

When Ray was mowing, "I noticed a 'trench' already in place that might be suitable for this process, and could utilize some of the sticks etc. from the cleared off place, as well as some of the chipped debris."


Left: Janie watering the Hugul - kultur










The Sunday work group on the garden held a group class in Hugelkultur and all twelve of us were amazed at what we learned. We hope to get pics up soon. Anybody out there know how to do a google photo album? Until then, check out this link

http://www.richsoil.com/hugelkultur/.


Landmarks staff toured Clifton Community Arts and Gardens at Sacred Heart Village with community members from the Clifton Council Sustainable Clifton and Beautification Committees, and gave advice on complying with the Landmarks Ordinance as part of permaculture master planning for the site.







Planting has begun at the Clifton Community Arts and Gardens site at Sacred Heart Village. One of the first crops to be planted is Amaranth, This beautiful high protein cereal was the principle grain crop of the Americas before the Spanish bans enforced colonial control of food and culture. Renowned for it's hearty flavor, full complement protein seeds and edible leaves and beautiful purple/magenta flowers often used for dye, amaranth is making a comeback as an important crop throughout the world -- and in Louisville.

We're fortunate to have in Louisville Drs. Jan and Joy Carew, who wrote the UN Handbook on Amaranth and have chronicled the history of colonialism and indigenous plants in the Americas in classic works of scholarship such as Fulcrums of Change and The Rape of Paradise. The picture of Amaranth to the right was taken in the Carew's Old Louisville yard in 2007.

Living and Learning Work Day

Calling all Cliftonites and any who want to help with the Community Garden @ Sacred Heart Village! This Sunday, July 13th @ 3pm we will be building compost bins and chipping brush @ SHV. There will be a large hungry chipper there that needs to be fed! We will also be building bins @ that time. Karen and I will pick up pallets in the a.m. & have them there. I'm attaching pics of the bins the garden comm. built @ my house. If anyone has other ideas on a design please let us know. If not, this is what we'll do. They worked over here. We will need; cordless screwdrivers, screws, wheelbarrow, shovels, garden rake, any 2x4's and 2x6's you can spare, all you're skill and knowledge, and Edgar....that's o.k., I'll bring him. Knock on your neighbor's door and bring them along! The more the merrier. I'll bring water, you bring your cup. If you have kids bring them. It's a big field with room to run. (Kites seem to work also:) Pura Vida! janie

Community Garden - Raised Bed Class

The class on how to construct raised garden beds was a great success! On Saturday, July 5 ten participants constructed two raised handicapped accessible garden beds at the Sacred Heart Village site. Much was learned about construction and materials for the first to 4'X8' foot beds. Options for other styles of beds were discussed. For example, Edgar proposed obtaining tree material (6"-8" diameter logs) from DPW and John advocated for using urbanite and curb stones. We are working on posting a photo album of the garden's development and process.

Sustainability Events

Community Garden
With the signing of the agreement with Sacred Heart Village, the Community Garden is a reality. A meeting to plan and implement the garden will be held on Sunday, June 22, from 4:00p.m. to 6:00p.m. at UCHM (SW corner of Frankfort & State). Please join us!

Road Building & Roads
This class has been canceled. We hope it will be rescheduled soon.
On Thursday, July 3, 5:00p.m. to 7:00p.m. at the Crescent Hill Library, Sam Kaviar will conduct a Louisville Freeschool class on the Ecological Effects of Road Building & Roads. Everyone is welcome!

Social Working Group Update

Hello Social Cliftonites!

Feel free to share this info, especially with friends and neighbors who don't use the internet much.

Planned Projects – Something for the youth, table at Sustainability fair
Possible Project – Clifton History
Potluck!

Planned Project
At last month's potluck, we talked about an even that could reach out to more – and more diverse – people in the neighborhood, especially youth.

So, how about a 3-on-3 basketball tournament? About 8 of us at the last potluck thought that'd be a swell idea, especially if we included some vendors and other activities between games. Everyone thought it best reach out to other neighborhood groups on this one, ones that already work with youth, businesses that might like to sponsor prizes, things like that. We've identified some potential partners.

There will be several opportunities for anyone looking to help strengthen the sense of community in Clifton. First and foremost, a couple of people willing to take a stroll and have a chat with some of those potential partners would be great.

ALSO, the Clifton Unitarian Sustainability Fair is June 14, and Sustainable Clifton has been invited to table. Woo hoo! Do you have an hour or two hang out that day? Sure you do.

To learn more, email socialclifton@gmail.com or better yet, come to the potluck.

2. Possible Project – Clifton History
Somebody has a very strong interest in chronicling Clifton History, possibly even publishing the results. What a great excuse to talk to your neighbors! It's also an opportunity to tap into the wisdom of older and long-time Clifton residents, really learn about this community's diversity, and produce something as a group for future generations – and for us today.

So if history, research, interviewing, web or print publication, natural history, nosiness or general neighborly-ness are among your interests, do email socialclifton@gmail.com, or better yet, com to the potluck.


3. Potluck!
Tired of communicating by computer? Come to a Social Clifton potluck. The next one will be this The potluck is this Saturday, June 7 at 6:00pm at Sycamore Manor. That's 2305 Sycamore, big white house at the corner of Sycamore and N. Jane, just one block North of Frankfort.
It's a pretty laid back time to just hang out with some neighbors. We'll also talk about the aforementioned projects between bites.

We'll be glad to see you there.

Jennifer

Straw Bale and Hotter Times Workshops

•  Straw Bale Building Workshop (finishing) May 17-18
  
• Planting for Hotter Times: Planting in Anticipation Thursday, May 15 6:30 pm 

World Fair Trade Day, May 10: Local-Global Learning and Action in the Neighborhood

• 

World Fair Trade Day, Saturday May 10: Artisan Visit@ Just Creations and Learning Opportunities through Adena at Webster and Open Learning for Sustainable Clifton and Sister Neighborhoods Participants.

Whole Hog or Half?

STIMULUS OR SUSTAINABLITY?

We do have a choice

In Clifton, many are shaking their heads in amazement. We are faced with the combined consequences of unbridled corporate greed and our federal governments ignorant quest for empire. As rising food and energy costs put the pinch on our more vulnerable residents, many of us look forward to receiving our “economic stimulus” checks from the IRS.

“No to trying to resolve from above the problems of our nation, but yes to building from below and for below. We don’t believe the ends justify the means. Finally we think the means are the end. We construct our objective at the same time we construct the means by which we go on struggling. In that sense, the value we give to the spoken word, to honesty and sincerity, is great, even though at times we may err ingenuously.” Zapatista message.

You are invited to join with many of your neighbors and donate all or a portion of your “economic stimulus” check to your Clifton Community Council’s “Sustainable Clifton” fund. Your donation is also tax-deductible. The satisfaction that you will experience will only be exceeded by your happiness in seeing your neighborhood –

v Establish a community garden

v Promote positive relationships

v Provide training in sustainability

v Established a neighborhood currency for the exchange of goods and services

v Celebrate a neighborhood that is safe, welcoming, diverse, and attractive

v Support locally owned businesses

v Respect our ecology and bioregion

Send your tax-deductible donation to the Clifton Community Council, Box 333, 2337, Louisville, KY 40206. For more information contact: John Baker, 893-0477, johnbaker@bellsouth.net. (Reprinted from the Clifton Quarterly, Summer, 2008)

Pot Luck - Sunday, April 26

Hello Social Cliftonites!


The potluck is this Saturday, April 26 at 5:30 at Sycamore Manor
That's 2305 Sycamore, big white house at the corner of Sycamore and N. Jane, just one block North of Frankfort.

If you haven't already, please do take a moment to reply and let us know you're coming. And don't forget your place settings so that we can keep the waste low! Bring friends and neighbors.

Cheers,
Jennifer

Social Working Group Events

Hello Social Cliftonites!

I thought I sent this e-mail out a week ago, but technology bested me. So, we'll try again. Please note the potluck DATE CHANGE if you did get the first. And please take special note of an event this coming TUESDAY. RSVP to socialclifton@gmail.com.

Check it:

1) How about another potluck, Saturday April 26 at 5:30, location TBA. We'll dig a little deeper in the ecovillage curriculum the neighborhood council has adopted, and also go over ideas shared at the last potluck and talk about an event/project/hullabaloo we could plan for the summer or fall.
-RSVP to this address (socialclifton@gmail.com)
so we'll know how many will be there. Beverages will be provided this time.
-In the interest of reducing waste, we'll each bring our own place settings. We can wash them up before we go home.
-Invite a friend or neighbor.
-Consider walking over if can!


2) Do you have one or two hours April 22 (Earth Day!) to hang out? We've been asked by the folks at the Center for Faith and Action James Lees Presbyterian on Frankfort to participate in one of their upcoming events with music, food, the works. And if you help, you get in for freeeeee!

We'll have a table where we can give out information about getting social in Clifton (still fresh in your mind from the potluck on the 20th), plus the community gardens. It'll also be excuse to sit with a neighbor and get to know each other better. Details of the event are below. Come on out!

Earth Day: Center for Faith and Action Activities

Earth Day: Center for Faith and Action Activities
On April 22, Earth Day, there will be a fundraiser concert for The
Center for Faith and Action at James Lees Presbyterian Church. The
wonderful Four Shillings Short, a husband-wife duo who sing Celtic and
world music and play up to thirty instruments, will be performing.

The Clifton Green Fair (THAT'S US, CLIFTONITES!) will include booths/tables of information and
demonstrations from a number of local Green groups. There is no
charge for any group that wants to participate with an exhibit.

Clifton Unitarian Church is providing food for sale for the event.

Participating groups would set up at 5 p.m. in order that those
attending can wander and learn prior to the start of the concert at
seven.

*****

Cheers,

Jennifer

Earth Day: Center for Faith and Action Activities

Earth Day: Center for Faith and Action Activities 
On April 22, Earth Day, there will be a fundraiser concert for The 
Center for Faith and Action at James Lees Presbyterian Church.  The 
wonderful Four Shillings Short, a husband-wife duo who sing Celtic and 
world music and play up to thirty instruments, will be performing. 

The Clifton Green Fair will include booths/tables of information and 
demonstrations from a number of local Green groups.  There is no 
charge for any group that wants to participate with an exhibit. 

Clifton Unitarian Church is providing food for sale for the event. 

Participating groups would set up at 5 p.m. in order that those 
attending can wander and learn prior to the start of the concert at 
seven. 

Groups that might want to participate can  contact by phone at 
741-1129.

Straw Bale and Natural Building Training in March and April: Scholarship Opportunities for Sustainable Clifton participants and others

Green Go Construction:

Straw Bale Building Workshop

Who should attend?

Anyone interested in learning more about Green Housing & Building options:

Architects, builders, sustainability educators, and green enthusiasts in general.

Attendees with participate in all aspects of construction, but workload is designated around physical ability. Scholarships are available - see details below.

Did you know? The first straw bale building to be built in Jefferson County is scheduled to be built in Clifton in 2008. Neighbors are invited to participate in the training and in learning how to do cooperative, low-cost high quality natural building.

Session Activity Weekend Schedule:

Preview Luncheon: Thursday, March 27 12-2 pm Lunch & Learn

Adena Center at Webster University, Louisville: Galen Bldg, Zorn @ River Road Open to the Public, $5 Lunch / Donation requested. Please RSVP: 502 410 2786 or http://www.webster.edu/louisville/CERegister.html

Course Sessions:

One: March 29-30 Foundation and drainage

Two: April 5-6 Wall construction, door and window detail

Three: April 12-13 Roof construction and assembly

Four: April 19-20 Earth plaster and stucco

Cost $400 per person/ $500 per couple for entire workshop

$125 per single weekend/ $200 per couple

Foxhollow workshop upcoming in 2008

Scholarship Discounts of 50% available- see below.

Location:

2700 Hillside Terrace

Louisville, KY 40206

*Spring follow up-" Design and interior finishing" to be announced

For more information and to sign up:

http://www.enpoweredhome.com/Events.html

(502) 608-9145

This Workshop qualifies for CEU credit for the Program in Sustainability Studies of the Adena Center at Webster

University.

Half price discounts available:

Students
participating in the Adena Sustainability Studies Program and partner community projects such as Sustainable Clifton, Sustainable Business Networks, Sustainable Louisville and others are eligible for scholarship support for a 50% discount on the course cost.

If you would like to apply for CEU credit for this course, the Certificate in Sustainability, or scholarship support please contact 502 410 2786 or adena@webster.edu

More Information: www.adenacenter.blogspot.com

Ecological Working Group: Clifton Gardens Action Days Pics

Compost Bin Building Days

Planning Meeting for Sustainable Clifton Arts & Gardens at Sacred Heart Village site:

Changing Transportation: The Keystone Issue for Sustainability And Economic Justice

from http://www.faith-action.org/classes.htm

Changing Transportation: The Keystone Issue for Sustainability And Economic Justice

JAMES LEES MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Center for Faith and Action
1741 Frankfort Avenue (Frankfort Avenue at William Street)

Transportation infrastructure and lack of public transportation options are prime factors in our oil dependence, loss of agricultural lands, poverty and economic difficulties. reordering our transportation priorities will save lives, drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, serve the underserved and protect our economy.

David Coyte is a social and environmental activist who is on the boards of the Knob Valley Audubon Society, Protect Our Woods (Indiana) and the Coalition for Advancement of Regional Transportation.

Thursday, April 1, 7-8:30 p.m.
Donations welcome

David is also the Economic Dimension Working Group Co-chair for the Sustainable Clifton project www.sustainableclifton.blogspot.com

JAMES LEES MEMORIAL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
1741 Frankfort Avenue (Frankfort Avenue at William Street)

To register, call us at 896-0172, write us at 1741 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40206, or eMail us at directorfaithaction@yahoo.com

Sustainable Clifton Ecological Working Group: Clifton Gardens Update 3/22/08

Sustainable Clifton Ecological Working Group: Clifton Gardens Update 3/22/08

First: The weekly Clifton Gardens/Ecological Working Group meeting will be cancelled this Sunday, Mar 23 since it is Easter and the Clifton Center will be closed.

We will meet again the following Sunday, Mar 30, 4 pm at Clifton Center, 2117 Payn Street, Louisville, KY 40206. Come all and bring any design ideas you may have, since we now have permission to use a parcel of the land at SHV! ( Whit, Sam, and Matt will be in Austin Texas for an ecological learning opportunity at the Rhizome Collective, and therefore will not be present, but the rest of the Garden group will be at the Clifton Center - and new faces are very welcome! ).

Update on Sustainable Clifton - Sacred Heart Arts and Gardens Site:

On that note: Matt Edwards, Whit Forrester, Sam Kaviar, Mike O'Leary, John Eberman, Emily, Boone, Jarrod Orange, John Baker and David Silverman met with Martha Workman from Sacred Heart Village this Thursday to receive formal permission to use a parcel of the land adjacent to the Sacred Heart Village campus.

Not only did we receive verbal permission to go ahead with the construction of the garden, but our permission is for use of a piece of land which is much more suitable in every way: it is larger, flatter, receives more sunlight, is at a lower elevation than the SHV campus (so rainwater collection should require no pumping), is more accessible to the SHV residents, less intrusive to neighbors, and is in full view of a main road. Attached is an aerial photo showing the two sites. The one that we have permission for is the larger rectangular outline adjacent to Payne St. Note that it is roughly 4 times the size of the smaller, earlier proposed site.

Next Sacred Heart planning meeting: Thursday, March 27 at 4 p.m.
We will be meeting again with SHV to discuss more detailed plans for the layout and interfacing of the garden with SHV this coming Thursday, March 27 at 4 p.m. Feel free to offer up any design ideas you might have to present at that meeting. Just give Matt a call at (502) 649-6104. Perhaps we can arrange an open brainstorming session prior to the Thursday meeting.

Next Workdays:

Sunday, April 6th 11 AM - 4pm at the Sacred Heart Site, followed by Ecological Working Group Arts and Gardens planning meeting, 4 - 6 p.m. across the street from the Clifton Center, 2117 Payne Street, Louisville, KY 40206.

I'm ready for some workdays! How 'bout you folks? I (Matt) would like to propose a compost system construction day as a learning and community-building opportunity for anyone who would like to get involved. Whit, Sam, and I will surely have some good ideas form our visit
to the Rhizome Collective in Austin by then. I'm thinking Sunday, Apr. 6th starting at 11 AM and running up to the usual meeting time at 4PM-- perhaps we could have the meeting there on site? As I said, bring all of your ideas! This is a process of co-creation and mutual learning!

Matt

Blogged with Flock

Social Working Group March Meeting

Hello Social Cliftonites!

The first Social Working Group meeting was great: it didn't involve any working at all!

About 20 people attended the potluck, where we shared good food and great ideas for spreading a sense of community. Several group members shared the sentiment that a strong social fabric not only makes for a more pleasant place to live, but a good base for addressing serious ecological and other issues.

Here are ideas for neighborhood activities people shared:

1. participating in community gardens
2. beautifying vacant lots as a group (a.k.a guerrilla gardening)
3. putting together a street fair
4. organizing card playing groups (hey, how about a tournament?)
5. planting fruit trees to improve neighborhood snackability
6. community canning of fresh foods
7. throwing an apple cider festival
8. finding a "sister" neighborhood, like a sister city
9. highlighting opportunities to treat the neighborhood as a living
and learing campus
10. attending community events - movie screenings, etc - as a group
11. meeting neighbors through coffee invites
12. walking groups (with or without our pets)
13. a neighborhood book club
14. more potlucks

Anything sound like fun? Thought so. Share your ideas, join in. Write to
socialclif...@gmail.com.

Next potluck, we'll see what sorts of resources we each have as community members to make some or all of these things happen for our burgeoning ecovillage.

Here's the initial potluck invitation:

Our potluck will be 6-7:30 pm this Sunday March 16 at the Clifton Center (right after the ecological group meeting in the same place). It's on Clifton between Payne and Frankfort, behind Caffe Classico. We'll chat and eat and discuss some of our ideas for creating a more social neighborhood.

Please bring any and all ideas, and some friends and family, too, enough food for your party + three. We'll talk about what we like, what we'd like to change, and what groups of people you feel like you want to connect with but don't know how.

We'll finish at 7:30 on the dot.

For those who can't make it, it would be great if you sent along your ideas by e-mail so we can make sure they're not left out. We'll move the meeting days and times around so that everyone has a chance to participate.

PLEASE RSVP to jenniferola@wildmail.com

Okay. See you then.

Sustainable Clifton: Economic Working Group - Action/Learning Update

OVERVIEW:

Growing Wealth in Clifton: Producing and Adding value to natural and raw materials is the real source of wealth. Agriculture is a basic wealth producer. Canning would be adding value. Metal collection and  resource recycling is the urban form of mining. Cleaning, repairing, and marketing would be the value adding. We send lots of valuable resources  out of our neighborhood in the waste stream. Let's stop that and create jobs instead. As far as meeting to discuss these things, when is the next Garden meeting. We could piggy back on that.

Clifton Farm and Market - definitely a garden project. Focus on Marketing, Advertising, and Funding.

Clifton Kitchen: Commercial Kitchen for canning operation for Gardenand neighborhood produce. Can sponsor such events as the Clifton Cider Festival, which utilizes neighborhood fruit trees, and Coordinate canning and drying of Garden produce.

Clifton Currency: This idea has growing appeal for me. I envision a Clifton "Fort Knox" where we back up our currency with a stockpile of copper, aluminum, lead and other real resources that can be gleaned from the neighborhood. We can issue paper money - Clifnotes - or even mint our own coins. Storage of bales of metal can be incorporated into neighborhood structures like the community garden or even sculptures. THis could be fun and creative. Clifnotes could be exchanged for services in the neighborhood, neighborhood produce or services provided by other sustainability projects.

Clifton Home Services: A gutter cleaning, lawn care, and handyman service utilizing neighborhood youth in a job training scenario. Should be grant money available.

Clifton Car Coop: A local, membership based, vehicle rental for those that don't want to own a vehicle but need a car or truck occasionally. Need a location, maintenance/management staff and 4 vehicles. I envision one pick-up, one van, and two small efficient vehicles: This one will
take research on other systems, insurance, and work withan existing auto service company in neighborhood. A parallel issue would be making Clifton side streets legal for golf carts and "wheel chair" vehicles. We have an aging population that lacks mobility options.

Clifton Energy Production: There are a number of ways to go here: Rooftop photovoltaics and hot water, investing in renewable energy production somewhere in Kentucky, or even drilling to the large natural gas deposits that underly the region. (This last one would really piss off LG&E.) Getting LG&E support of improving HH efficiency is possible with new legislation, but would take negotiations and grant writing.

Clifton Farm: We can do alot with local land and greenhouses, but investing in agricultural property within an hour of Louisville should be considered. Someplace that could also serve as a vacation spot for investors is an added value. Swimming lake or river would be a great plus. THis could be created as a relationshiip with an existing CSA farmer.

Clifton Recycling and Repair: Mining the waste stream for metals and usable goods. Need a facility for storage, sorting and repair.

I am sure there are other ideas that deserve attention, but this will give us a place to start discussions.

David
893-5172

I have spent some time thinking about this and have come up with the above ideas. There might be lots of additional interest if they attached to, and developed around the Community Garden project. They work well with the garden and others can remain in the pipeline until we have someone show interest in them.

This, slightly edited, report from David Coyte, co-coordinator of the Economic Dimension Working Group of the Sustainable Clifton Ecological Design Education project. His email is dcoyte@juno.com. If you would like to comment or make suggestions on this report, please click the "comments" link below. If you would like to get regular updates or participate in this Working Group, please subscribe to sustainabilityeducation@googlegroups.com and contact David at the abbove address or phone number. Thanks!

Ecological Working Group: Compost Day

hey everyone so we're having a compost bin construction work day!!! Just so everybody knows, we have officially been collecting compost from several businesses in clifton over the past few weeks. Building the bins at janies will let us have a depository for our compost which means we'll be able to build up some bed filler/amendments over the next few months.

ALSO, there is a workday at a community garden at the earth and spirit center off of newburg road, at 1pm. Perhaps we could bust a move at janies on saturday and then folks who wanted to network with other community gardeners and get a sense of what they're up to could do so over there?

so come to the compost day if you can!!!
bring food if you want!!

Where and When it is:
11am
this saturday, march 1
157 n jane st.
Its between Sycamore and Brownsboro.
There is ample parking in front. Just come up the steps on the left of the bright yellow house. I have a dog named Jackson. Or maybe walk up to the right side of 155. It's a vacant house and that's actually the yard we'll be working in. Also I have a neighbor a few houses down. He has a garden and compost bins we might want to look at.
My # is 897-2088 if there are any questions. (that's janie's number)

Thoughts on Materials:
We could use alot of pallets and other things necessary for construction. Here's the latest correspondence from the scavenger work group:
I can get some pallets today. I have some fencing. There are some metal fence posts on sight. I have screws, but not a battery operated drill. I'm not sure what my nail situation is. I think I have some, but I need to check. I do have a circular saw. I also have tie wire. rusty but usable.
People with construction skills and materials they think would be good should stone soup it up and everyone bring some stuff!

SEE YALL ON SATURDAY!!!

Ecological Working Group: Community Garden Update 3/1

Next Sunday's meeting (03/02, 4p.m.-6p.m.):

--We decided to take a field trip next Sunday(meet at the Clifton Center) to see some other gardens nearby. We will meet again at the Clifton Center and leave from there. Some people offered car seats to carpool. Noel Rueff will be arranging for us to visit the St. Joseph's garden site. We may also see the garden near Field Elementary and at the Masonic Home. The Masonic Home garden in particular may be a good example for us since it was designed with the elderly in mind.

--As always, all are welcome!

Issues:

Land use permission:

--Mike reported back about negotiations with SHV concerning use of the vacant lot on Quarry St. They will be able to meet with us early next month

--We decided that in addition to the proposal already written, there should be another document to present at the meeting with SHV which would suggest ways in which we could involve SHV residents in this project. Proposed were: raised beds in the garden which would be more accessible to the elderly; and edible landscaping projects around the SHV buildings.

Neighbor concern:

--Neighbors around the site expressed concern last Sunday over issues of privacy and parking, among others

--It's been proposed that we organize a meeting with the neighbors to address these concerns. Any meeting with them should stress that gardeners will be from the neighborhood. Also suggested was stressing that this is a sort of pilot project or demonstration site for larger projects elsewhere.

Insurance/liability issues:

--Mike researched insurance for the garden and found that it would be $1500 a year, too high for us now

--John proposed the elegant solution of having SHV formally lease the land to Clifton Community Council for 1 year, so that their insurance would cover it

Moving forward:

Raised bed resource and building group:

--Matt, Sam, Gabe, Shane, and Rob have commited to work on sourcing materials and building raised beds on site when we have permission to use the plot

Site design group:

--Shane, Sam, Matt, and Jarrod have committed to working on drawing out a site design plan, a necessary first step for any construction efforts

Compost collection:

--Matt reported on the status of compost collection at local businesses. There are now several Clifton-area restaurants helping us with this.

--It requires regular pick-up, for which there is now a detailed schedule. Janie and Matt are doing most of the collection now, but anyone else who wants to help may email cliftongarden@gmail.com. Feel free also to solicit anywhere that may have fresh green waste to donate.

Resources:

Materials:

--Noel suggested Wallitsch's nursery and Boone Gardiner Garden Center for cash donations

--Rob worked at a winery where he thinks he can get us some free metal and plastic 55-gallon drums for rainwater catchment and compost tumblers

--The new construction site on the SHV campus may be a great source of building materials generated from the waste stream there. Useful materials that may be obtainable include: cinder blocks, bricks, rebar (good for greenhouse construction)

Other gardens that we should check out and research:

--St. Joseph's (next sunday)

--Field Elementary

--Masonic Home

--Crescent Hill Presbyterian

--California garden

--Brightside gardens, now managed by Cooperative Extension Service (there are lots of these!) See http://www.louisvilleky.gov/Brightside/Beautification/Community+Gardens/

Greening Our Neighborhoods & Businesses: From Design to Community. A Lunch and Learn event.

What: Greening Our Neighborhoods & Businesses: From Design to Community. A Lunch and Learn event.

When: Thursday, February 28, Noon to 2 PM.

Who:

• Joan Pauly, National LEED- Neighborhood Design Committee: "Neighborhoods Taking the LEED: Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - Neighborhood Design Standards"
• John Baker, Co-Chair, Clifton Community Council and members of the Sustainable Clifton working group: "Weaving Neighborhood Living and Learning: Sustainability Design and Ecovillage Education"

Where: Adena Center at Webster University Louisville, KY Campus
Directions: I-71 Exit 2, Zorn Ave. @ River Rd behind BP to the Galen Buiding, Second Floor. (Map)

Cost: Free and open to the public. Donations welcome. $10 requested for a light lunch buffet.

Please RSVP: To 502 410-2786 or communitybiz@yahoo.com

• How can neighborhood residents and businesses go green?
  
• How can local business associations and neighborhoods coalitions get ahead of the curve to take advantage of the new standards and opportunities in sustainability?
• How do we plan for successful green futures?
  
• What can individuals do in our own backyard and with our neighbors and local retailers, to create green neighborhoods now?

LEED - ND is the primary green neighborhood planning standard of the US Green Building Council. The Gaia Education Ecovillage Design program is the principal learning curriculum of the UN Institute for Training and Research. In Louisville, the Clifton neighborhood has committed to exploring these approaches to moving towards sustainability, and other neighborhoods are discussing similar strategies. Join us in a discussion with LEED and neighborhood leaders in discussing opportunities for neighbors and businesses to "go green."

Links:

LEED-ND/ Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - Neighborhood Design
Sustainable Clifton
Joan Pauly
Gaia Education: Ecovillage Design Education
Sustainable Business Networks
Adena Center

Interested in learning more about local sustainability? Join the conversation! Go to http://groups.google.com/group/sustainabilityeducation
and sign up for regular news and discussion on how to "go green" in Louisville and beyond.

This Workshop qualifies for CEU credit for the Program in Sustainability Studies of the Adena Center at Webster University. If you would like to apply for CEU credit for this course or for the Certificate in Sustainability, please contact adena@webster.edu
More Information: www.sustainabilityeducation.blogspot.com

About the Living and Learning for Sustainability series

This event is sponsored by the Sustainable Business Networks project, helping to build the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies. Join us for Earth Week with Judy Wicks and the Second Annual Green and Local Business Conference, April 20 and 21, 2008!

Ecological Work Group

For those who were there, thanks for coming to the first open meeting for the Clifton Community Garden project! This post is intended as a follow-up to that meeting and as an informative introduction to those who have expressed interest but were unable to attend the meeting.

The next meeting:

Sunday, Feb 17 from 4 to 6 PM in the Community Room of the Clifton Center. Hopefully by then we should know whether we have permission from Sacred Heart Vilage to use the land, so it would be nice to see some planning and work crew organization happen. Perhaps a walk to the site would be helpful to discuss ideas for layout and design?

Soil testing:

A few of the people who organized the meeting would like to go to the site together within the next couple of days as their schedules permit, in order to take some soil samples to send to the Cooperative Extension Service. If anyone would like to be present for this in order to learn/teach about soil testing, please call Matt (649-6104) or reply at this address (cliftongarden@gmail.com) and let us know what times are good for you. Soil testing will be the first monetary expense of the garden project, and since there is no official Clifton Garden bank account presently, the present organizers will personally incur the cost. We will bring documentation of the cost to the next meeting at which donations will be welcome, not exceeding the said cost in total.

A call for Organizers:

We, the present organizing group of the Clifton Garden, would like to let you all know that any time is a good time to step up as a key organizer on any particular aspect of the creation or management of the garden. The five of us (Jennifer, Jarrod, Matt, Sam, and Whit) have been proactive on organizing this project up to its present point of development, but we would like to see this group expand. Any aspect of the garden may be organized by more than one person, and any one person may be proactive in organizing more than one aspect, but an clearly identifiable group of proactive leaders could really move this project forward quickly to planting in the spring. Some (but certainly not all) of the key areas that will need organizing are:

• Compost: On site system construction, identification of and collection from sources
• Water: Catchment systems, on-site storage, organizing with city to get free water
• Tool/resource aquisition: Searching for donors, checking on Freecycle, etc.
• Treasurer: organizing and management of a Clifton Garden bank account
• Grants/Cash donations: seeking donations from local businesses and other organizations for necessary funds
• Site planning & design: plot allocation system and rational placement of infrastructure
• Construction: The site will need a tool shed, gathering space, bulletin board, and small greenhouse
• Outreach: informing the community about the garden--an ongoing task
• Education: organizing educational workshops and visits from educators to teach relevant topics
• Art: organizing artistic initiatives in the garden and an artistic element to garden construction and design projects

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Feel free to inform us of anything we haven't mentioned that you feel needs attention. What are your talents, interests, knowledge, and passions? Just send an email to cliftongarden@gmail.com or tell us at the next meeting if you'd like organize or get involved in a project--we're wide open. You are the Clifton community garden!

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