Our growing membership and others have expressed interest in volunteering to achieve our sustainability goals. If you are such a person . . .
Please contact one of the Project Coordinators below. Thanks!
Transition Kaw Valley - Michael Morley, (785)843-7007
Kaw Permaculture Collaborative - Steve Moring, (785)691-7305
Eco Village Land Trust - Michael Morley, (785)843-7007
Growers' Land Trust - Michael Almon, (785)832-1300
Electric & Human Powered Vehicles - Michael Almon, (785)832-1300
Community Garden Project, North - Steve Moring, (785)691-7305
Community Garden Project, South - Brady Karlin, (785)593-4065
Volunteer Coordinator - Maryam Hjersted, (913)723-3636
DONATIONS TO SUSTAINABILITY ACTION ARE NOW TAX DEDUCTIBLE
please donate to our Annual Giving Campaign - (contact info at bottom of page)
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THIS WEEK'S ECOLOGICAL RADIO SHOWS ¤ KKFI COMMUNITY RADIO
Listen at KKFI-FM 90.1, or web-streaming at http://www.kkfi.org/
Tuesday, 22 February, 12:00-1:00pm ¤ locally produced Eco-Radio KC
Host, Richard Mabion will be talking to Jeff Humfeld coordinator if the Homeless Marathon that will be hosted by KKFI this Wednesday - http://kkfi.org/
Wednesday, 23 February, 6:00am ¤ Your Wednesday Morning Buzz
Mike Murphy will hold a phone interview with Brady Karlin about the Kaw Valley Seeds Project 2nd Annual Fair (more info below).
Friday, 25 February, 9:30am ¤ Bioneers Radio Series
"A Thing Unseen: The New Superpower of Global Popular Movements". Despite its apparent dominance, is globalization a house of cards? With world opinion against it rising, globalization appears to be unraveling. Maude Barlow describes her experience in Cancun at the WTO Summit; Tom Hayden marks the birth of the next global superpower; and Holly Near invokes the spirit of a rising in the world.
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LAWRENCE FRUIT TREE PROJECT ¤ PLANNING MEETING
Tuesday, 22 Febuary 2011, 6:30pm
Lawrence Percolator, 900 block alley behind the Lawrence Arts Center
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. Anyone is welcome who is interested in relocalized food security, environmental literacy, permaculture, fruit tree propagation, etc. Come to our meetings and help our grass roots organization grow!
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PEAK OIL & A CHANGING CLIMATE ¤ YOU-TUBE VIDEO SERIES
Wednesdays, up through 16 March 2011, on your computer
current video - Climate Change Is Our Most Urgent Challenge | #7 of 11 with Bill McKibben
Peak Oil is the point at which petroleum extraction reaches its greatest rate just before going into perpetual decline.
On Wednesday, 23 February, Greg Palast will appear in interview #8 of the Peak Oil and a Changing Climate | video series. Greg Palast is a U.S. citizen living in and reporting from Great Britain because the media there is less subject to corporate control. He has unearthed some of the most officially restricted material, and doesn't mince his words in his exposés. We can imagine that his focus in this series will be on Big Oil: Exxon, Shell, Occidental, Chevron-Texaco, BP and their malfeasance throughout the years.
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SAND STRIP MINE ON PRIME SOILS NEAR EUDORA ¤ AT PLANNING COMMISSION
Wednesday, 23 February 2011, 6:30pm
Lawrence City Hall, 6th & Massachusetts St., Lawrence KS 66044
A Kansas City company has filed for a Conditional Use Permit to operate an open pit sand mine just N.W. of Eudora, immediately adjacent to the Kansas River and to the Eudora water supply well field. Although the Kansas River Keepers advocate for sand operations on land rather than dredging directly from the rivers, prime agriculture land should not be an option. Our community's (not to distant) future food security will depend on these prime bottom-land soils.
The Kansas River Valley Growers in the East Bottoms between Lawrence and Eudora have banded together to oppose this proposal. One farmer even went so far at to put her land into a permanent conservation easement. Last year there was a sand pit proposal north of the Kaw River near Midland Junction; this year it is south of the river by Eudora. Until our Comprehensive Plan has strong and enforcible language that preserves our prime soils, we will be fighting "whack-a-mole" proposals over and over again. The public is welcome to speak at the meeting.
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PEAK COAL ¤ CHEAP, PLENTIFUL, & "CLEAN" COAL IS PURE PRETENSE
As energy companies and governments are scrambling for a fossil fuel to fill the void after peak oil, coal has been trumpeted as "clean" and plentiful for another 300+ years. Several new reports from the Post Carbon Institute belie that claim.
Peak Coal? Writing in the prestigious journal Nature, PCI Senior Fellow, Richard Heinberg, and PCI Fellow, David Fridley, project that peal coal will hit within a decade, with extraction growing ever-more expensive in short order. Links to summaries and video interviews are here (the full article is available to Nature subscribers only). "This prediction is based on two observations. First, several recent studies suggest that high-quality accessible coal reserves will run out much sooner than predicted by official forecasts from the main coal-producing countries, the U.S. and China. As with oil, it is the rate at which you can profitably extract it that counts - not the theoretical reserves. Second, global demand is growing rapidly, mainly driven by China. China is both the world’s biggest producer of coal and its biggest consumer. 'Its influence on future coal prices should not be underestimated,' say the authors."
Carbon Capture & Sequestration? The promise of "clean" coal has been based not only on pie-in-the-sky carbon capture technologies, but also on the long-term viability of storage techniques. Now in Weyburn, Saskatchewan, evidence is mounting that the world's largest carbon capture project is leaking. PCI Fellow David Hughes (formerly of the Geological Survey of Canada) recently appeared on Canadian television to debunk both of these false premises of "clean" coal - How Reliable Is Carbon Capture & Storage?.
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INTRO TO PERMACULTURE PRINCIPLES & ETHICS ¤ 2ND LECTURE
Friday, 25 February 2011, 6:00-9:00pm - $$$
Dreher 4-H Building, 2110 Harper St., Lawrence KS 66044
Steve Moring of Vajra Farm Permaculture Center will teach this Design Certification Course with assistance from Michael Almon and Michael Morley. It includes nine 3-hour class sessions, six field sessions and a student presentation up through June. In the summer, there will be four additional 6-hour practicum sessions, all totaling 72 hours of training, and culminating in certification through the Kansas Permaculture Institute.
The lecture will be followed by a group discussion of permaculture applications, resources, local organizations and community projects, and will close with a viewing of the 37 minute film "Farming With Nature" about Sepp Holzer. Preregistration is required, and a percentage of the fees will support the Kaw Permaculture Collaborative and it's parent organization, the Sustainability Action Network. For more info go to Kaw Permaculture Collaborative, or contact Steve Moring at (785)691-7305 or
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KAW VALLEY SEEDS PROJECT SECOND ANNUAL FAIR
Saturday, 26 February 2011, 10:00am-3:00pm - FREE
Douglas County Fairgrounds, Building 21, 2110 Harper St., Lawrence KS 66046
The fair will include a seed exchange, exhibits, local producers, speakers throughout the day and a children's activity center. The Kaw Valley Seeds Project is fostering a network of people who will create a Local Living Seed Reserve by growing, sharing and bartering, and buying and selling primary seed varieties of the Kansas River valley. For more information go to Kaw Valley Seeds Project 2nd Annual Fair and click on "see more".
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GROWING SEASON EXTENDING METHODS ¤ COMMUNIVERSITY CLASS #2307 A
Saturday, 26 February 2011, 1:00-5:00pm - $$
Rethink Energy, 2052 North 3rd St., Kansas City KS 66101
Get a head start on the gardening season. Learn how to extend food growing to all four seasons. We will learn to construct cold frames, hot beds, quarter tunnels, low tunnels, and high tunnels using low cost materials and methods. Bring $15 to class for materials. Class fee is $14, plus $15 for materials. Register at UMKC Communiversity. More info from
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"ECONOMICS OF HAPPINESS" ¤ A FILM OF SOLUTIONS FOR TRANSITION
This film brings a positive message about how a grassroots movement for localization is bubbling up from the cracks of a faltering global economy in every corner of the world. It is produced by by Helena Norberg-Hodge of the International Society for Ecology and Culture, a not-for-profit working for the strengthening of local communities and economies, emphasizing education for action, moving beyond single issues to look at the more fundamental influences that shape our lives. Preview it here - The Economics of Happiness trailer.
"This film presents the localization movement as a systemic alternative to corporate globalization, and a strategy that brings community and meaning to our lives." - Joanna Macy, author World as Lover, World as Self.
"A remarkable new documentary... Get a copy of this DVD. Then get the kids. Pull them away from their smartphones and video games... And show them this movie." - Russell Mokhiber, editor of The Corporate Crime Reporter ______________________________
TRANSITION KANSAS CITY ¤ KANSAS CITY GREENS
Monday, 28 February 2011, 7:00pm
Plaza Library large meeting room, 4801 Main St., Kansas City MO 64112
Transition Kansas City is partnering with The Kansas City Greens to show the BBC film "Can We Save Planet Earth" with Sir David Attenborough. This is the third part of a three-part series. Attenborough’s film lays out seven components of a sane response to global warming – strategies and targets from the household to big industries and government. But each one has implications, and many, like a growing reliance on nuclear power, are highly contentious. Afterward, Doug Greer and Mike Hoey will lead a discussion.
The Transition movement was begun by Rob Hopkins in Great Britain Transition Towns, and in the U.S. is coordinated by Transition US based in Sebastapol CA. They help local initiatives with resources and publications, and they have 22 trainers traveling to conduct local training sessions. For more info, or to get on the Kansas City e-mail list, call (816)767-8873, or contact them at
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BP FACES LARGEST FINES IN HISTORY FOR MACONDO PROSPECT NEGLIGENCE
For its huge oil gusher last summer in the Gulf of Mexico, BP is facing "the largest criminal fine ever paid in the United States," according to the man who worked for 17 years in the Environmental Crimes Section at the Justice Department. David Uhlmann recently authored an article - "After the Spill Is Gone: The Gulf Of Mexico, Environmental Crime, and the Criminal Law" - scheduled for publication this spring in the Michigan Law Review." In the article, Uhlmann says it's a sure thing that the Justice Department will bring criminal charges against BP, Transocean and in all likelihood, Halliburton.
In addition to criminal violations of the Clean Water Act and the Migratory Bird Act, Uhlmann predicts there'll be federal manslaughter charges for the deaths of the 11 workers who died when the Deepwater Horizon well exploded in April 2010. Uhlmann says "Under the Seaman's Manslaughter Statute, it is a crime if a worker dies aboard a vessel because of negligence or inattention to duties by the master of the vessel or the owner of the vessel." With criminal sanctions, the penalties facing BP would be far harsher, including possible jail time for individuals. Read the full article at - BP Faces Fines of Up to $10 Billion, Plus Jail Time.
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FOOD NOT LAWNS ¤ COMMUNIVERSITY CLASS #2310 A
Wednesdays, 2,9,16,23 March 2011, 4 sessions, 7:00-9:00pm - $$
UMKC School of Medicine, Theatre C, 24th & Charlotte Streets, KC MO
Grow food not lawns! Increase local food security, improve your diet, beautify your surroundings, build community, reduce pollution and energy use (It takes 87 calories of fuel to transport one calorie of perishable fresh fruit from west coast to east coast). As supporters of the Food Not Lawns national movement, we will hold four sessions dealing with topics that include whole system design, garden preparation, permaculture, water-wise gardening, seed saving, planting, and free resources. Presenters include master and highly-qualified gardeners. Class fee is $18, plus $5 for materials. Register at UMKC Communiversity. More info at Food Not Lawns KC, or
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DEFENDING THE WAKARUSA WETLANDS ¤ SIERRA CLUB SYMPOSIUM
Friday, 4 March 2011, 7:00pm
Ecumenical Christian Ministries, 1204 Oread Ave., Lawrence KS 66044
The Wakarusa Wetlands have been here for tens of thousands of years. The last remnant S.W. of 31st & Haskell Ave. (mistakenly called the Baker Wetlands) has been under threat of paving over by the South Lawrence Trafficway, and desecration of Native American sacred ground, for 25 years. That's the date when plans were drawn up in secret, by illegal meetings of the Lawrence City Commission and the Chamber of Commerce.
The road has been held at bay for 25 years through advocacy by citizens and Haskell University students, by challenges to the Environmental Impact Statements, and by two lawsuits. The Save The Wetlands attorney, Bob Eye, will present the legal context for their current lawsuit. And other panelists, Dan Wildcat, Patrick Freeland, Joe Collins, and Mike Caron, will speak about the spiritual, historical and environmental significance of these wetlands. For more info, contact Melissa Rogers, (785)764-0826 or
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LAWRENCE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD
Wednesday, 9 March 2011, 5:30pm
location TBA, Lawrence KS
The March agenda is unavailable to date. The S.A.B. meets monthly to discuss any and all aspects of furthering sustainability policies and practices by the City of Lawrence government and private persons. The public is welcome. Minutes are finalized in about a month after each meeting http://www.lawrenceks.org/wrr/
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KANSAS CITY ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Wednesday, 9 March 2011, 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. The general public is 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.
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BREAKING THE SILENCE ECOLOGICAL CONFERENCE
Friday-Saturday, 11-12 March 2011, $1 per day
Reardon Convention Center, 520 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City KS 66101
Sponsored by Building Sustainable Earth Community, the conference will feature keynote speakers, breakout session, youth projects, not-for-profit and vendor booths, and a luncheon of locally supplied food. The theme will be Ecological Literacy, in hopes that individuals will come to understand how major environmental occurrences impact us at the local level and how we can initiate personal and political efforts to correct damaging practices.
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SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK - MONTHLY MEETING
Sunday, 13 March 2011, 6:00pm
location TBA, Lawrence KS
Local Solutions for Transition to a Sustainable Economy
Organizing societal scale action in our personal lives, and through public policy changes.
The meeting agenda will include:
- Annual Giving Campaign
- Growers' Land Trust Community Garden
- Transition Kaw Valley presentations
- community workshops: super adobe, solar food dehydrator, cold frames, rain barrels, etc.
- S.A.N.web site: list-serve, auto-subscribe, content, pay pal, etc.
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CITY OF LAWRENCE COMPOST SALE
Thursday-Saturday, 17-19 March 2011, 8:00am-3:00pm (til 4:00 on Sat.)
1420 E 11th Street, Lawrence KS (east of 11th and Haskell, over the tracks)
The material is composted from leaves, grass clippings, and prunings collected by the City. Quantities are restricted to pick-ups and small trailers for residential use, not commercial use. Cost is $10 per load if loaded by tractor, or free if self-loaded by hand; dump truck quantities are not allowed. Cash only. For more info, contact the Waste Reduction and Recycling Division at 832-3030 or visit www.LawrenceRecycles.org
Note from S.A.N. - the compost is not free of lawn chemical residue, so it is not recommended for use on food crops. A particularly persistent herbicide, Clopyralid by DowAgrosciences, remains for years in minuscule parts per billion, and causes stunted growth in many garden crops - Clopyralid residue in compost.pdf. Lawrence spot checks and certifies their compost for Clopyralid presence, but not all parts of the piles can be reasonably checked.
The SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK, Inc. is a 501(C)(3) tax-exempt organization. DONATIONS ARE TAX DEDUCTIBLE. Mail checks 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 and Kansas Permaculture Institute - developing skills and resources for poly-cropping sustainable food production.
3) Eco Village Land Trust - Designing and developing a sustainable intentional community near Lawrence.
4) Growers' Land Trust - organizing interested stakeholders to acquire prime farmland in the urban fringe for land-based economic development and regional food security.
5) Weekly Sustainability Announcements - informing and encouraging others to become active in the Sustainability Action Network, or other action driven groups. -
6) Water Rights and Watersheds - protecting the water commons, the source of all life, from privatization and contamination, and restoring our watersheds.
7) Electric & Human Powered Vehicles - promoting neighborhood electric vehicles and utility tricycles, including infrastructure and pro-active regulations.
8) Energy Conservation & Renewables - advancing a green economy through decentralized technologies and regulations, for conservation and renewable energy.
9) Collaboration with sister organizations - such as: The Light Center eco-village; Kaw Valley Food System farm-based economic development; Citizens for Responsible Planning; Films for Action; Kansas River Valley Growers fighting for local water rights; national efforts by the Sustainable Energy Network; KC Metro groups like the Kansas City Food Circle and the All Species Project, etc.
We welcome suggestions for items to be included. Please send items to
To subscribe to this list, please send an e-mail to
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