Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Sustainability Action Network News, Lawrence Chapter, 25 Oct 2011

WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
25 October 2011

"It's too bad that everyone who has a solution for everything is at home commenting on the Internet." - Aaron Karo

This "4th Estate" alternate media doesn't come cheaply. PLEASE DONATE TODAY. Mail your 501(C)(3) tax deductible donations to:
Sustainability Action Network,P.O.Box 1064, Lawrence KS 66044.

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COMPLETE STREETS POLICY AT LAWRENCE CITY COMMISSION
Tuesday, 25 October 2011, 6:30pm
Lawrence City Hall, 6th & Massachusetts St., Lawrence KS 66044

What are complete streets you ask? Complete Streets enable equal and safe access for all user, pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Auto-centric streets would be redesigned to incorporate a range of features: bicycle lanes, pedestrian islands, bus shelters, traffic calming, sidewalks with curb cuts, etc.

The Lawrence Complete StreetsCommittee has been working with the City Planning Office for about a year to develop a policy that will guide city street design and construction to be complete streets. The Sustainability Action Network has a representative sitting on this committee. Many communities in Kansas and the nation have adopted such policies. But the devil is in the details, and our policy should be more than lip service. The public is encouraged to attend this meeting to comment to the Commission. Read the policy at - Complete Streets Policy_25Oct11.
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"FOOD PRODUCTION: FOOD FORESTS" ¤ KANSAS PERMACULTURE INSTITUTE
Wednesday, 26 October 2011, 6:00-9:00pm - $$
Dreher 4-H Building, Douglas County Co-op Extension, 2110 Harper St., Lawrence KS

This lecture is part of a nine lecture series offered weekly and taught by Steve Moring of Vajra Farm Permaculture Center. All lectures are open to the public. This session will describe the concept of polyculture forest garden systems. Food forests involve creating plant associations of trees, shrubs, and berries into "guilds", arranged by size, height, and sun-orientation, called "stacking". The emphasis will be on the development and maintenance of nut and fruit tree food forests. The lecture will be followed by a viewing of the film "Establishing a Food Forest" by Geoff Lawton. A percentage of the fees will support the Kaw Permaculture Collaborative and it's parent organization, the Sustainability Action Network. For more info contact Steve Moring at (785)691-7305 or <moringse@gmail.com>.
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FOOD NOT LAWNS COMMUNIVERSITY CLASS ¤ SECTION #2306A
4th session, Wednesday, 26 October 2011, 7:00-9:00pm - $$
UMKC School of Medicine, Theatre C, first floor, 24th & Charlotte, KCMO

Not just another gardening class, "Food Not Lawns" will help youturn your lawn into a garden and your neighborhood into a community. Our goals are to help increase local food security, improve your diet, beautify your surroundings, and reduce pollution and energy use. Topics include: whole system design, garden preparation, permaculture, and water wise gardening and planting and free resources (see Food Not Lawns KC). The Food Not Lawns KC Collaborative has been working to transform Kansas City into a paradise garden one lawn at a time since 2007. CONVENER: Steve Mann (816)352-9213. E-mail: steve@prairietrading.com. Enroll here: https://ecomm2.umkc.edu/commu/SearchDetail.aspx?id=852
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KKFI COMMUNITY RADIO ¤ ECOLOGICAL SHOWS THIS WEEK
Listen at KKFI-FM 90.1, or web-streaming at http://www.kkfi.org/

Tuesday, 25 October 2011, 9:00am ¤ If You Love This Planet
Dr. Helen Caldicott's program will feature Dr. Ian Fairlie, a radiobiologist from Great Britain. His area of expertise is the dosimetric impacts of nuclear reactor emissions. He has written extensively on epidemiology, studies of child leukemia's near nuclear facilities, and the hazards of tritium.

Wednesday, 26 October 2011, 9:00am ¤ Alternative Radio
Economist Richard Wolff examines the Systemic Crisis of Capitalism. "Today's economic crisis is the most severe since the Great Depression. What are its root causes? If we tinker with some reform measures, pass some legislation, a tax cut here, a little stimulus package there and everything will be hunky-dory. Will it? It's long past time to examine Capitalism itself."

Friday, 28 October 201, 9:30am ¤ Bioneers Radio Series
Bioneers presents "Taking Back the Country from the Nation: Finding the Light in the Shadows". Has "analysis paralysis" sapped our energy and determination to transform a failing world? Can we cut through the tangle to actually act to make a positive difference? Can we turn our vices into virtues? Though Hillman's approach may sound paradoxical, his destination is the deeper understanding that leads to real transformation--and to transformative action.

Monday, 31 October 201, 6:00pm ¤ locally produced Eco-Radio KC
Host, Richard Mabion will have his second installment of environmental issues for Blacks in the U.S. He'll have guests Shery Green, of Rethink Inc, and John Burris, a long time community activist.
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FUKUSHIMA DAI-ICHI NUCLEAR DISASTER ¤ DAY 221

We missed this last month, but the Japanese people are not buying their corporate government line about nuclear safety. The lessons of Hiroshima and now Fukushima are reverberating widely. On 19 September 2011, tens of thousands rallied in Tokyo for Japan's government to abandon atomic energy in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear accident. According to the AP article, one of the speakers from Fukushima Prefecture, "Reiko Muto, described herself as a 'hibakusha', an emotionally laden term for survivors of the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Before the disaster, this earthquake-prone country derived 30 percent of its electricity from nuclear power. An AP-GfK poll showed that 55 percent of Japanese want to reduce the number of nuclear reactors in the country." More at - Tens of Thousands March Against Nuclear Power in Tokyo.

We suggest readers avail themselves of reports from the following sources. Japan Focus - Japan Focus, Nuclear Information and Resource Service - Nuclear Crisis in Japan - Updates, Reader Supported News - Disaster In Japan - 11 March 2011, and Fairewinds Associates - Fukushima Updates.
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SOIL BIOLOGY AND COVER CROP SCHOOL
Thursday, 27 October 2011 - $$$
Green Cover Seeds, 932 Road X, Bladen, NE 68928
(1 mile south and 1 1/2 miles east of Bladen, NE)

This the fourth annual Cover Crop School will be taught by Dr. Jill Clapperton, a Rhizosphere Ecologist who operates Earthspirit Land Resource Consulting in western Montana. Her area of research studies soil food webs, nutrient cycling, soil fauna-plant disease interactions, rhizosphere interactions, and soil biodiversity. The course will also include demonstration plots of over 80 different cover crop species and mixes on various soil types, soil pit analysis, and no-till seeding equipment. Green Cover Seed is a family business that emphasizes building soil fertility through cover crops and no till methods. To register, go to Cover Crop School registration.
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"RAINFOREST ETIQUETTE IN A WORLD GONE MAD" ¤ SUPRABHA SESHAN
Thursday, 27 October 2011, 7:00pm
Lawrence Public Library Auditorium, 7th & Vermont St., Lawrence KS 66044

Much of India's Western Ghat Mountains along the Arabian sea coast have been destroyed by colonial policies, development schemes, and a growing population. The fragments that remain support precious habitats for indigenous life, but they are threatened by growing urbanization. Suprabha Seshan is an ecologist and educator at the Gurukula Botanical Sanctuary, a forest garden in the Western Ghat mountains of Kerala, India. Her talk explores the intertwined lives of the plants, animals, and people of northern Kerala and the two contrasting aspects of nature that ecosystem gardeners work with: resilience and fragility.
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"SWALES, TERRACES, WATER CATCHMENTS" ¤ KANSAS PERMACULTURE INSTITUTE
Wednesday, 2 November 2011, 6:00-9:00pm - $$
Dreher 4-H Building, Douglas County Co-op Extension, 2110 Harper St., Lawrence KS

This lecture is part of a nine lecture series offered weekly and taught by Steve Moring of Vajra Farm Permaculture Center. All lectures are open to the public. This session will cover a critical component of any site design, that of maximizing water absorption and minimizing run-off. Several techniques can be used to modify the terrain as needed, and they are best done at the outset before any planting takes place. Water catchments can be roofs with tank storage, or ground basins like ponds or water gardens. Swales and Key Lines are water channels that spread run-off horizontally by gravity. Terraces are on-level contours that slow the down-hill flow of water. The lecture will be followed by a viewing of the film "Water Harvesting" by Geoff Lawton. A percentage of the fees will support the Kaw Permaculture Collaborative and it's parent organization, the Sustainability Action Network. For more info contact Steve Moring at (785)691-7305 or <moringse@gmail.com>.
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KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE PROTEST TO ENCIRCLE WHITE HOUSE
Sunday, 6 November 2011
1600 Pennsylvania Ave., District of Columbia

350.org will encircle the White House to demand that President Obama reject the Keystone XL pipeline. View this video by Mark Ruffalo at Occupy Wall Street describing how petroleum corporations have addicted us to oil so they can line their pockets with $billions, and rallying for the human chain around the White House - Mark Ruffalo's video and November 6th at White House.

Several other other options are available before Obama's decision.
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"THE ECONOMICS OF HAPPINESS" ¤ A FILM OF SOLUTIONS FOR TRANSITION
Monday, 7 November 2011, 7:00pm
Lawrence Public Library Auditorium, 7th & Vermont St., Lawrence KS 66044

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 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. Brought by Prairie Moon Waldorf School and co-sponsored by Sustainability Action Network and Films For Action.

"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 ofThe Corporate Crime Reporter
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LAWRENCE SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY BOARD
Wednesday, 9 November 2011, 5:30pm
K.U. Center for Design Research, 2544 Westbrook Circle, Lawrence KS 66045.

The November agenda is not yet available. 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/envadvisoryboard
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KANSAS CITY ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMMISSION
Wednesday, 9 Novem
ber 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 leaders 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 is at KC Environmental Mgt Commission
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"SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE" ¤ KANSAS PERMACULTURE INSTITUTE
Wednesday, 9 November 2011, 6:00-9:00pm - $$
Dreher 4-H Building, Douglas County Co-op Extension, 2110 Harper St., Lawrence KS

This permaculture lecture is part of a nine lecture series, and will be taught by Steve Moring with the assistance of Michael Almon and Michael Morley. All lectures are open to the public. This will be a comprehensive survey of the construction of energy efficient structures using sustainably produced materials and integrated into the permaculture landscape. We will explore the construction of passive solar, attached solar greenhouse, berm, cob, cord wood, straw bale, and SIPS structures. The lecture will be followed by a viewing of the film "Green Architecture". A percentage of the fees will support the Kaw Permaculture Collaborative and it's parent organization, the Sustainability Action Network. For more info contact Steve Moring at (785)691-7305 or <moringse@gmail.com>.
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TRANSITION KAW VALLEY MEETING
Thursday, 10 November 2011, 7:00pm
Delaware Street Commons, 822 East 13th St., Lawrence KS 66044

The Transition Kaw Valley workshop series is underway. The recent Food Canning workshop and Sheet Mulching workshop were great successes. If you would like to help organize one of the following workshops, please attend the meeting:
  • Home Energy Conservation/Weatherization - 12 November
  • Stocking the Pantry - 10 December
  • Cold Frame construction - 21 January
  • Garden Planning & Seed Order - 18 February
  • Raised Bed Gardening - 10 March
  • Rocket Stove - date TBA
  • Solar Food Dehydrator - date TBA
  • Permablitz - date TBA
  • Water Purification & Storage - date TBA
Transition Kaw Valley is a wide range of folks from neighborhoods, churches, and civic groups whose goal is to create a relocalized, sustainable community from the grassroots up. Transition US has just officially recognized T.K.V. as the 100th local initiative in the country! For more info, e-mail . To get on the S.A.N. Transition Kaw Valley list-serv, join at Transition Kaw Valley discussion.
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ENERGY SAVING WEATHERIZATION WORKSHOP ¤ TRANSITION KAW VALLEY
Saturday, 12 November 2011, 1:00-5:00pm
location TBA, Lawrence KS 66044

Transition Kaw Valley will hold a Home Energy Conservation/Weatherization workshop as part of our ongoing series. Danny Veerkamp, LEED AP, a state energy auditor, will demonstrate and discuss ways to make your home more energy efficient. Hands on projects will be included along with classroom instruction. Don't miss a chance to save yourself money this winter! For more information, contact Michael Almon at .
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THE DRIVE TO ELECTRIFY OUR CARS ¤ JOHN KURMANN & CRAIG VOLLAND
Wednesday, 16 November 2011, 7:00pm
location TBA, Lawrence KS 66044

Two Kansas City climate activists, John Kurmann and Craig Volland, will team up for a presentation on the coming revolution for electric automobiles. Virtually every auto company in the world is on schedule to introduce either a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV), or an plug-in all electric vehicle (PEV). This talk is sponsored by the Sustainability Action Network.

The Nissan Leaf and Chevrolet Volt are now available in select U.S. markets, and the Chinese Geely is now selling in north Africa and South America. The Japanese electric Tata Nano EV will soon be marketed in India. And Siemens has partnered with Volvo (bought by Geely) to develop an electric Volvo. Sustainable Business News has reported that worldwide sales of electric vehicles will reach 13.9 million units by 2017 - 14 Million Electrified Vehicles by 2017.
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SUSTAINABILITY ACTION NETWORK MEETING
Sunday, 20 November 2011, 6:30pm
Community Mercantile class room, 901 Iowa St., Lawrence KS 66044

Local Solutions for Transition to a Sustainable Economy
The meeting agenda will include:
  • organize & fund raise for Spring permaculture PDC course
  • Annual Campaign kick-off
  • S.A.N. 2012 Annual Meeting planning
  • Transition Kaw Valley - the 100th local initiative in the U.S.
  • community workshops: rocket stove, solar food dehydrator, cold frames, bat houses, etc.
  • S.A.N. web site: update the content, pay pal, etc.
Please join us
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DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOD POLICY COUNCIL
Monday, 21 November 2011, 7:00pm
location to be determined - Lawrence, KS 66046

The Food Policy Council seeks to identify the benefits, challenges and opportunities for a successful, sustainable local food system. By advising the Douglas County Commission on public policies that will support local producers,preserve local agricultural resources and land, and create more local jobs, the F.P.C.. hopes to improve the community's access to a local food supply and distribution networks. For more info go to Dg County Food Policy Council.



We welcome suggestions for Newsletter items. Please send items to
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Join the Sustainability Action Network by clicking this link - Become a Member of S.A.N. - and follow the instructions. The S.A.N. mission is to bring awareness of the global crisis caused by climate change, energy vulnerability and economic instability to communities in the Kansas River bioregion, and the tools needed to re-skill and re-localize our economy and create a more socially just and ecologically sustainable world.

Current S.A.N. projects include:

1) Transition Kaw Valley - initiating transition to a relocalized post-carbon economy, and municipal-level Peak Oil response planning - Transition Kaw Valley

2) Kaw Permaculture Collaborative and Kansas Permaculture Institute - developing skills and resources for polyculture sustainable food production - Kaw Permaculture Collaborative

3) Eco Village Land Trust - Designing and focalizing 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 Newsletter - 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 renewable energy and conservation.
9) Collaboration with sister organizations - such as: Films for Action; The Light Center eco-village; Kaw River Valley Food System farm-based economic development; Transition Kansas City; Citizens for Responsible Planning; Kansas River Valley Growers fighting for local water rights; national efforts by the Sustainable Energy Network; the Kansas City Food Circle, the All Species Project, and more.


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Sustainability Action Network, P.O. Box 1064, Lawrence, KS 66044, USA

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