Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Weekly Sustainability Announcements, Lawrence Chapter, 10/November/2009

ECO RADIO KC ¤ WEEKLY ECOLOGICAL ISSUES RADIO SHOW
Tuesday, 10 November 2009, 12:00noon ¤ on Kansas City Community Radio
Listen at KKFI-FM 90.1, or on web-streaming at http://www.kkfi.org/

On this week's EcoRadio KC, host John Kurmann will be talking with Rich Heffern, staff writer for the National Catholic Reporter and author of "Adventures in Simple Living". They will be discussing the upcoming shopping season and consumerism.

Stay tuned at 12:30 when the Bioneers radio series airs "Wounds to Warriors: In the Wound Lies the Gift". Wounded warriors have walked through fire. They carry the scars forever, yet many have somehow managed to heal even the most horrific of their emotional wounds. In the wake of post traumatic stress syndrome playing itself out at Ft. Hood, this is a very timely show. Our war veterans and other survivors are on a transformational, moral, and spiritual journey. Aqeela Sherrills, Ed Tick, and Eve Ensler share their inspiring stories to help us discover how we might learn from looking respectfully at their wounds and to keep the peace.
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TRANSITION KANSAS CITY ¤ TOWARDS A POST-CARBON COMMUNITY
Tuesday, 10 November 2009, 6:00pm
Waldo Library, 201 E 75th St., Kansas City MO

The agenda for the Kansas City Transition Initiative meeting will include: reports on the Omaha Transition Training and the KC Communiversity Transition class, transition information handouts, outreach with Lawrence and others, and a transition KC web site. For more info, or to get on their e-mail list, call (816)767-8873, or contact them at
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LAWRENCE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD
Wednesday, 11 November 2009, 5:30pm
Recycling and Resource Recovery Annex, 320 N.E. Industrial Lane, Lawrence KS

The November agenda will include: S.A.B.'s recommendation for a Lawrence Curbside Recycling Pilot Program, Kansas five year Solid Waste Plan, S.A.B. brochure, and more.

The S.A.B. meets monthly to discuss any and all aspects of furthering sustainability policies and practices by the City of Lawrence government and the civil sector. The public is welcome. Minutes are finalized in about a month after each meeting http://www.lawrencerecycles.org/envadvisoryboard.shtml
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KANSAS CITY ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Wednesday, 11 November 2009, 4:00-6:00pm
Mid America Regional Council, Rivergate Center 2nd floor, 600 Broadway, KC MO

The Environmental Management Commission promotes environmental awareness and resource efficiency to the City's leader and staff, to assist the progress of Kansas City toward sustainability. Members of the general public are encouraged to attend and observe meetings and to join and participate in its efforts. More information and the EMC April 2009 minutes are available at http://www.kcmo.org/manager.nsf/web/emc
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"MEETING THE SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES OF THE NEXT HALF CENTURY"
Wednesday, 11 November 2009, 7:00pm - free
lecture by Wes Jackson
Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Johnson County Community College
College Blvd. and Quivira Rd., Overland Park KS

Wes Jackson, founder and President of the Land Institute in Salina KS will be giving this lecture. Working with a doctorate in genetics and degrees in biology and botany, Jackson has lead the Land Institute research of long range development of perennial grain crops based on prairie species. NPR recently ran a feature interview on Wes and the Land Institute Wes Jackson's Perennial Grain Research.

He has given hundreds of lectures, many focused on how climate destabilization will disrupt the long-stable agricultural growing zones. He often displays unique insights such as: "Living organisms always seek out the most energy dense carbon. And humans have accelerated our growth by tapping into the five major carbon pools: soil, forests, coal, oil, and natural gas." Demonstrating how we have depleted these carbon pools, he points out that "A child of ten today has witnessed 25% of all oil that has been burned, and a 22 year old, 54% of all oil." Of course, all that carbon has been pumped into the oceans and atmosphere!

For more information on the lecture call James Leiker at (913) 469-8500 x3673
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"COAL COUNTRY" DOCUMENTARY FILM
Wednesday, 11 November 2009, 7:00pm - free
#138 Stoffer Hall, Washburn University, 17th St. & Washburn Ave., Topeka KS

Coal Country is a gripping new film about mountain-top removal coal mining in Appalachia and the environmental cost of coal power. The film brings us inside the lives of Appalachian residents who are directly threatened by mountaintop-removal, a destructive mining practice where mountaintops are blasted away to expose the coal; the waste is then dumped in the waterways of nearby communities. There will be a discussion following the film. For details and background info on the campaign, go to Coal Country - Sierra Club.
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SAVE COAL RIVER MOUNTAIN ¤ WIND FARM SITE BEING BLASTED

Last week, Massey Energy began dynamiting Coal River Mountain in West Virginia — the site of a proposed 328-megawatt wind farm — to prepare for a massive mountaintop removal coal mining operation. Massey Energy is the nation’s fourth-largest coal company and the worst offender when it comes to mountaintop removal coal mining.

Coal River Mountain can be a wind farm that provides 85,000 households with electricity, creates 700 long-term green jobs, gives back $1.7 million in annual county taxes and stands as a model for clean energy across the region. Or, it can be a 6,000-acre dirty energy wasteland. This struggle is a mirror image of Kansas, but on the supply end of coal energy, in which clean wind energy jobs hold a greater economic potential than do dirty coal mining jobs - Save Coal River Mountain.

CREDO Action has stressed that the fate of Coal River Mountain is up to you, and to contact the Obama administration today. Ask them to immediately stop the blasting on Coal River Mountain and preserve our nation's clean energy resources.
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LAWRENCE FRUIT TREE PROJECT MEETING
Thursday, 12 November 2009, 6:30pm
Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave., Lawrence

The LFTP Lawrence Fruit Tree Project is a co-operative group of pomiculturists who have organized themselves to establish community orchards, and teach folks how to grow and care for fruiting trees and shrubs. They also are setting up a fruit tree register to list existing neighborhood trees that are underutilized, so they can be cared for and harvested. In addition to spreading trees around, they want to spread around knowledge and skills.

The meeting agenda will cover: Park Hill Neighborhood fruit tree planting, group fruit tree purchase, grant proposal, and more.
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"FOOD FIGHT" SCREENING
Thursday, 12 November 2009, 7:00-10:00pm - free
Liberty Hall, 644 Massachusetts St., Lawrence KS

"Food Fight" is a fascinating look at how American agricultural policy and food culture developed in the 20th century, and how the California food movement rebelled against big agribusiness to launch the local, seasonal, food movement. The host will be Alan Rhodes, an organic grower from Lawrence Food Fight: local culinary revolt.
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AMERICA RECYCLES DAY ¤ KU GAME ALUMINUM RECYCLING
Saturday, 14 November 2009, 2:30pm
KU Football Stadium, 11th & Mississippi St.

K.U. Environs and Cans for Community are coordinating volunteers to not only recycle as many cans possible, but recycle plastics too. How much we can recycle depends on how much help we have. We are hoping that a strong recycling effort at one of the games will encourage tailgaters to make it a common practice in the future. For info or to volunteer, call Ryan Callihan at Environs at 913-221-4611, or email him at rcalliha@ku.edu.
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SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK - MONTHLY MEETING
Sunday, 15 November 2009, 4:00pm
Mirth Cafe, 8th & New Hampshire St., Lawrence KS

Our speaker this month is Aron Cromwell, Lawrence City Commissioner and owner of Cromwell Environmental which specializes in renewable energy systems as well as healthy building services for indoor air quality, and testing and remediation of mold, asbestos, lead, etc. Aron's talk will focus on the technologies and policies of renewable energy in a state and local context. Q & A may get into the prospect of a Lawrence Sustainability Director and how that person will implement our Climate Protection Plan and the pending Peak Oil Response Plan.

Following the talk by Aron Cromwell, the S.A.N. meeting agenda will include:
  • planning of permaculture presentations
  • Transition Kaw Valley
  • Collaboration with Transition Kansas City
  • furthering bicycle lanes in Lawrence
  • Lawrence Peak Oil Plan, suggestions for input
  • fundraising; etc.
Please join us
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"FOOD, INC." SCREENING ¤ AT THE KU STUDENT UNION IN LAWRENCE
Wednesday, 18 November 2009, 7:00pm - free
Woodruff Auditorium, KU Union, 13th & Oread Blvd., Lawrence

Food Inc. describes how a handful of multi-national corporations dominate a toxic industrial food system, while portraying their industrial products as the benign agrarian foodstuffs of our grandparents. Sponsored by KU Environs, CCO EARTH, and SUA, with raffle prizes from The Merc, Louisburg Cider Mill, Greenability magazine, and Blooming Lotus, and free local popcorn and/or pecans from KU Dining Services. View the Food, Inc. 2 minute trailer and visit the Food, Inc. the movie site.
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KANSAS 5-YEAR SOLID WASTE PLAN & SURVEY
Friday, 20 November 2009 - survey deadline

Every five years, the KDHE Bureau of Waste Management updates the Kansas Solid Waste Management Plan. “KDHE values the opinions of solid waste stakeholders and the general public when updating the state plan,” KDHE Secretary Roderick L. Bremby, said. So they are conducting a survey to obtain input from interested stakeholders. Completed surveys must be submitted by November 20, 2009, and it is available at: https://www.dhe.state.ks.us/surveys/planupdate.htm.
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KANSAS CLIMATE & WATER CONFERENCE
Wednesday-Thursday, 9-10 December 2009, 8:30am-3:30pm
Wednesday at: Sedgwick Co. Extension, 7001 W. 21st St. N., Wichita KS
Thursday at: K-State Univ. Ag. Research Cntr, 1232 240th Ave, Hays KS

Experts in water supply, energy, agriculture, and biology will focus on the changing climate and it's affects on water quality, supply, and flooding, and food security. Topics will include: long term climate cycles, municipal climate mitigation, flooding, crop and livestock impacts, and carbon capture. This conference is sponsored by the Kansas Water Office and the Center for Agricultural Resources & the Environment. More info and registration at: Kansas Water Issues Forum 2009
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GLOBAL CLIMATE CAMPAIGN DAY OF ACTION
Saturday, 12 December 2009

Scheduled to coincide with the UN Climate Change Conference - Copenhagen 2009 taking place from 7-18 December, the intent is for synchronized demonstrations around the world, in as many places as possible, to call on world leaders to take urgent action on climate change. They call for a just solution to climate disruption, in which the industrialized nations responsible for the lion's share of CO2 already in the atmosphere undertake the greatest measures to lower CO2 levels. This will be the third year for a Climate Day of Action, and info and national contacts can be found at Global Climate Campaign.
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65% OF WORLD POPULATION SUPPORTS STRONG CLIMATE DEAL

According to a survey by the HSBC Climate Partnership, nearly two thirds (65 per cent) of people surveyed across the globe favor significant emission reduction targets. 79 per cent want to see a commitment to 'meet or significantly exceed' a 50-80 per cent cut in emissions by 2050. This demand for commitment to reduction targets is highest in Mexico (91 per cent), Brazil (90 per cent), Hong Kong (84 per cent) and China (82 per cent) and lowest in India (75 per cent), UK (71 per cent) and the US (66 per cent) - Global Consensus on Emission Reduction Targets



The SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK, Inc. is a Kansas not-for-profit organization. DONATIONS ARE APPRECIATED, and checks can be mailed to P.O.Box 1064, Lawrence KS 66044. Our mission is to advocate and organize societal scale action to address sustainability issues. The triple crises of Energy-Ecology-Economy are building so rapidly that large scale action is needed immediately and methodically to overcome institutional barriers and advance public policy that preserves ecological sustainability. Our focus is to build a relocalized economy-ecology in concert with the Transition Town movement occurring in many other communities. To join the Sustainability Action Network please contact us at

Our current projects include:
1) Transition Kaw Valley - initiating transition to a relocalized post-carbon economy, and municipal level Peak Oil response planning.
2) Kaw Permaculture Collaborative - developing skills and resources for poly-cropping sustainable food production.
3) Energy Conservation & Renewables - advancing a green economy through decentralized technologies and regulations, for conservation and renewable energy.
4) Land Consortium - organizing interested stakeholders to acquire prime farmland in the urban fringe for land-based economic development and regional food security.
5) Water Rights and Watersheds - protecting the water commons, the source of all life, from privatization and contamination, and restoring our watersheds.
6) Electric & Human Powered Vehicles - promoting neighborhood electric vehicles and utility tricycles, including infrastructure and pro-active regulations.
7) Weekly Sustainability Announcements - informing and encouraging others to become active in the Sustainability Action Network, or other action driven groups.
8) Collaboration with sister organizations - such as: The Light Center eco-village; Kaw Valley Food System farm-based economic development; Citizens for Responsible Planning; Films for Action; Kansas River Valley Growers fighting for local water rights; national efforts by the Sustainable Energy Network; KC Metro groups like the Kansas City Food Circle and the All Species Project, etc.


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