Ecological

What you can find on this page

Here, you’ll find a variety of resources on the physical or ecological  aspects of ecovillages and sustainable or regenerative communities.  Although many of these materials will be from a permaculture perspective, we have included a separate category on Permaculture for now.   Basically the ecological systems of an ecovillage are integrated to maximize the beneficial connections within and between the various physical systems as well as the social and economic systems.  Here are the Resource headings for Ecological systems.  The most recent additions are closest to the top of each heading.  Each entry is separated by a dotted line.

– Air

– Animals

– Biodiversity

– Energy

– Gardening/horticulture

– Green Building

–  Soil

– Transportation, Bicycle Resources

– Urban Planning

– Wastes: Moving toward Zero

–  Water

AIR & CLIMATE ISSUES

http://www.350.org/     350 is the number that leading scientists say is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide–measured in “Parts Per Million” in our atmosphere. 350 PPM–it’s the number humanity needs to get back to as soon as possible to avoid runaway climate change.  Currently, CO2 in the atmosphere 387 ppm.  350.org is a movement you can get involved in to bring awareness and action to society to get serious about this.
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Los Angeles Post Carbon Institute  http://www.lapostcarbon.org/  Educating our Los Angeles communities on the issue of peak oil and taking steps to prepare ourselves for the post carbon age.  The national Post Carbon Institute provides individuals, communities, businesses, and governments with the resources needed to understand and respond to the interrelated economic, energy, environmental, and equity crises that define the 21st century. We envision a world of resilient communities and re-localized economies that thrive within ecological bounds. Catch the National org here:  http://www.postcarbon.org/\     (updated post 7/4/11)

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The Post Carbon Cities program <http://postcarboncities.net//>helps local governments understand the challenges posed by energy and climate uncertainty, and provides resources for elected officials, planners, managers and others to develop plans and responses appropriate to their communities.  (1/26/08)

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Resources for Post Carbon Cities, preparing local governments for energy and climate uncertainty.  http://postcarboncities.net/  (1/6/08)

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The Post Carbon Institute <http://www.relocalize.net/group/eugene>  assists communities in the effort to Relocalize and adapt to an energy constrained world. PCI is an international think, action and education tank with 172(and counting!) community “outposts” in 12 countries offering research, project tools, education and information to implement proactive strategies to adapt to an energy constrained world. The development of Post Carbon Institute came out of concern for the environmental, social, political and economic ramifications of global over-reliance on cheap energy.  (1/26/08)

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ANIMALS

Chickens:  Pat has kept poultry for over 20 years. Her experience includes operating a small-scale farm raising free range, organic layers, broilers and turkeys. She keeps a backyard flock of heritage chickens.  Pat is also the co-author of “Chicken Tractor, Day Range Poultry, Backyard Market Gardening,  and A Tiny Home to Call Your Own”.
Patricia Foreman/Good Earth Publications Website  http://www.goodearthpublications.com
Chicken Whisperer Backyard Poultry and Sustainable Lifestyles Talk Show www.chickenwhisperer.net/
posted March 2012

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ENERGY

Solar Hot Water.   http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterHeating/water_heating.htm.  Amazing collection of do-it-yourself solar hot water methods.  Lots of other do-it-yourself renewable energy methods too on the top menu.  (5/21/08)

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GARDENING/HORTICULTURE

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Six Month Apprenticeship in Ecological Horticulture beginning  at The Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, UC Santa Cruz Farm & Garden Apprenticeship

Intensive six-month course in organic gardening and small-scale sustainable farming.  Check website for registration deadlines.

Full-time, 6-month program trains adults in the concepts and practices of organic gardening and small-scale sustainable farming.  The apprenticeship blends the virtues of experiential learning with traditional classroom studies on topics that include soil management, composting, pest control, crop planning, irrigation, farm equipment, and direct marketing techniques.  Graduates have established their own commercial farms and market gardens, run community gardens for inner city and prison populations, and work on international development projects.  The 39 apprentices each year come from all regions of the US and abroad, and represent a wide spectrum of ages, backgrounds, and interests. There are several tuition scholarships available for people of color and/or people from disadvantaged backgrounds. There is also the Simply Organic Scholarship for an apprentice with financial need interested in pursuing a career in organic farming. For further information contact:

Apprenticeship Information, CASFS, UCSC, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA  95064,  (831) 459-3240,  http://casfs.ucsc.edu     casfs@ucsc.edu
or
Akiko Minami
Apprenticeship Program Assistant
aminami@ucsc.edu
(831) 459-2321; FAX (831) 459-2799

on-going

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Posted 9/15/11
About Farmscape
Farmscape is a start-up bent on making a positive impact on the food system by growing high-quality homegrown produce in the LA metro area. We do this by eliminating the effort and complexity required to install or maintain a productive vegetable garden, providing residents and institutions with the materials and ongoing support necessary for their garden to flourish.  More information: http://farmscapegardens.com

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Food Not Lawns, How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden and Your Neighborhood into a Community. Visit  www.foodnotlawns.com for more information and to place preorders for signed 1st Editions of the new book by  FNL co-founder Heather Coburn Flores. With a foreword by Toby Hemenway and over 400 pages of  text,  enhanced by almost a hundred drawings by Northwest artist Jackie Holmstrom, Food Not Lawns offers a theoretical  and practical handbook for ecological community transformation. (6/1/06)

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Fallen Fruit  <www.fallenfruit.org>
Fallen Fruit. is an artist project about mapping of all the ‘public fruit’ planted on private property that overhangs public space. This project encourages people to harvest, plant and share public fruit. The project is a response to accelerating urbanization, as well as issues of grassroots community activism and social responsibility. The
mission of this web project is to expand our community fruit maps, photos and essays to create an online global public fruit resource.

Fallen Fruit was originally created for The Journal of Aesthetics and Protest, Volume #3, 2004.
This artist project is a collaboration of Dave Burns, Matias Viegener and Austin Young.

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Edible gardens can come to your home or neighborhood.  Here are some folks who can come personalize a workshop for you and your neighbors. using permaculture principles. 

George Patton c/o Lara Morrison  laraeco@hotmail.com

Darren Butler allnet@pobox.com (818) 271-0963 www.EcoWorkshops.com  (Darren lives in Topanga, and works throughout the LA area)

Yvonne Savio, Common Ground Garden Program Manager.  This program is based in East Los Angeles  ydsavio@ucdavis.edu   323/260-3407 http://celosangeles.ucdavis.edu/Common_Ground_Garden_Program/  Master Gardener helpline:  mglosangeleshelpline@ucdavis.edu

Tyrone LaFay  tlafay@villagedesign.org 909.802.9177  Tyrone works primarily in the Claremont-Pomona area

Sean Jennings  swjennings@gmail.com  Sean works primarily in West LA areas

David Kahn  info@sustainablehabitats.org  Works primarily in Silverlake, Echo Park, Northeast LA areas

Camille Cimino  camillecimino@gmail.com  Works area wide

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GREEN BUILDING

Green Building & Salvaged Materials Resources
Many thanks to Green Real Estate Specialist Ryan Flegal <ryan@propertymix.com>, an extraordinary list of LA area resources has been compiled.  Write him to get a copy of the list (310/890-8111).   (5/16/08)

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O2 Treehouse www.O2Treehouse.com

We make custom eco-friendly treehouses and often do builds in the L.A. area, but we currently live and work out of the WOOM artist collective in Oakland.  posted 5/5/11

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TRANSPORTATION

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Bike Nation plans for its 2013 rollout of Los Angeles’ first major bike share program. The system will officially launch in Downtown in April 2013. LA City Council unanimously passed a motion that directs staff to create a permit process for Bike Nation’s bike sharing stations to be placed in the public right of way. Bike Nation is currently working with the City for all necessary approval processes and permitting that will pave the way for the company to implement its privatized bike share business model. Unlike other North American bike share programs, Bike Nation is able to privately fund the bike sharing program without the requirement of any government funding or subsidies and will monetize the program through membership and usage, sponsorship and advertising. [read article]
Go here for more details:  http://www.bikenationusa.com/

posted 4/1/13

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This car sharing organization is present in the City of Los Angeles.  Try to get one in your neighborhood and convince your neighbors they don’t need so many cars.  One zip car can probably replace 20 or so privately owned vehicles, and with more choice in the mix.  If you drive less than 10,000 miles a year, it is probably more economical for you to get rid of that vehicle in favor of car sharing.

posted 4/1/13

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Streetsblogla keeps people well informed on urban sustainability issues.  Damien Newton gets it all out to us here:
http://la.streetsblog.org/

posted 4/1/13

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Richard Risemberg keeps people well informed on a variety of urban sustainability issues, especially bicycle issues, and reducing auto use/auto dependency.  Check out his blogs here:

Richard Risemberg
http://www.bicyclefixation.com
http://www.SustainableCityNews.com
http://gridlogisticsinc.com
http://www.rickrise.com

posted 4/1/13

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The Bicycle Kitchen <www.bicyclekitchen.com> continues to provide a variety of services to L.A. area bicycle lovers.  They’ve expanded their hours and are conveniently located at 706 Heliotrope @ Melrose (2 blks west of Vermont) just south of the L.A. City College campus.  The Bicycle Kitchen was incubated at LAEV, and we’re proud to see their growing success.

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C.I.C.L.E. (Cyclists Inciting Change thru LIVE Exchange) <www.cicle.org>  is a not-for-profit group, based in Los Angeles that seeks to promote the bicycle as a viable and sustainable transportation choice.  Our primary objective is to get people thinking about transporting themselves responsibly — making positive choices for ourselves, others and especially the planet. We believe in the possibility of clean air, calm and friendly streets, and a more closely connected community. We believe that by utilizing the bicycle to meet some or all of our transportation needs, we can begin to actualize this vision. We seek to unify and represent the incredible enthusiasm, diversity, and creativity of the burgeoning movement by becoming a hub for progressive bicycle news, culture and advocacy. Viva La Velorution!  Artists, media activists, writers, organizers, fundraisers, etc…  needed to contribute to our website and our organization. (11/11/06)

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Posted 9/5/11
Getaround:  http://www.getaround.com/
This fascinating idea has taken hold in the San Francisco and San Diego areas.  What are we waiting for in Los Angeles?  You can rent your car out to your neighbors.
Rent cars from real people:  Convenient hourly and daily rentals. Browse all sorts of cars shared by people in your neighborhood. .
Earn money renting your car:  Share your car and earn money while you’re not using it. Sharing your car just 15 hours per week can earn you an extra $350 each month.
Every rental includes insurance:  Getaround rentals include insurance, backed by one of America’s largest insurance companies. Coverage includes liability, collision, property damage, and uninsured motorist protection.  Sign up now, and soon, maybe we’ll get it in LA.  Imagine:  we could get rid of 75% or our cars!

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Mobility and the City: Where Most People Live.  This 49 slide inspiring powerpoint presentation by internationally renowned bicycle and transportation activist Pascal van den Noort (The Netherlands) is available upon request from CRSP.  Pascal gave this talk to a very enthusiastic audience at LAEV in June 2008, and has given us permission to share it with others.  Contact us at crsp@igc.org     (updated post 7/4/11)

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World Car Free Resources. Welcome to the online headquarters of the World Carfree Network, the hub of the global carfree movement. Worldcarfree.net is a clearinghouse of information from around the world on how to revitalise our towns and cities and create a sustainable future. In addition to serving the carfree movement, Worldcarfree.net offers resources for architects, planners, teachers/professors, students, decision-makers and engaged citizens.  http://www.worldcarfree.net/   (updated post 7/4/11)

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Making cities bicycle friendly:  http://velomondial.blogspot.com/   www.velomondial.net       www.velo.info      http://spicycles.velo.info

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A Carfree Homepage.  http://home.earthlink.net/~jakre/carfree/index.html
The bottom line:  get rid of it.  And lots of  really good prose, statistics, humor, and culture change thinking  to help you along if you are struggling with this issue or want to help someone else get autofree. (10/23/07)

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Car Free and Car Light Resources.  About one-third of global greenhouse gases come from vehicle emissions.  Learn about the resources and places where people are radically reducing their vehicle emissions by living and working car free and car light.

List of car-free places from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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URBAN PLANNING

What We See:  Advancing the Observations of Jane Jacobs (posted 6/1/10)
See details about this important new book here:  http://www.newvillagepress.net/book/?GCOI=97660100041170

A timely revisitation of renowned urbanist-activist Jane Jacobs’ lifework, What We See

Edited by Lynne Elizabeth, Stephen Goldsmith    Published by New Village Press 2010

Book:  $26.95

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The 7th International Eco Cities Conference and World Summit Video Presentations.  Many of the presentations at this rent San Francisco gathering attended by 100s of people from throughout the world were captured on video. More presentations and slides shows are being uploaded, so check back regularly.  http://ecocity.wordpress.com/  (5/23/08)

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 Transition Towns.  You’ll be hearing more and more about this in months to come, so you may as well get a bit of a head start.  Perhaps, even think about how your Neighborhood Council District or whole town can take giant leaps forward to meet the twin challenges of Global Climate Change and Peak Oil.  More info here:

http://transitiontowns.org/TransitionNetwork/TransitionNetwork    or just google <transition towns> and especially on YouTube.com to learn lots about this movement.

And see this website for a local LA effort you can join and learn from in the Westchester community:   http://www.envirochangemakers.org/TTLA.htm            (8/4/08)

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The Post Carbon Cities program <http://postcarboncities.net//>helps local governments understand the challenges posed by energy and climate uncertainty, and provides resources for elected officials, planners, managers and others to develop plans and responses appropriate to their communities.  (1/26/08)

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Carfree Cities <www.carfree.com> proposes a delightful solution to the vexing problem of urban automobiles.  http://new.carfreecity.us/

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http://www.autofreelife.info/
Through words and images, this Web site examines the so-called “need” to own a car. We explore the possibilities, challenges and rewards of living auto free and auto light.

On average, one-third of the population in any given community does not drive. Age, disability or finances are the usual reasons, but a few individuals choose to depend less on a car, opting for life on a human scale and at a human pace. These persons report that driving less has rewarded them with reduced stress, improved health and more spare time and money.

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WASTES: GOING TOWARD ZERO

THE ‘REUSE PEOPLE’ http://thereusepeople.org/  bring affordable building materials and eco-conscious materials recycling to Los Angeles.  Home-owners donate deconstructed housing materials and receive tax deductible donations.

11017 Sutter Ave. Pacoima, CA 91331 T: 818-897-2798   F: 818-897-2807

For Additional Information:  818-897-2798.  (updated 7/4/11)

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More about Composting Toilets (posted 7/1/10)
Peak Moment TV airs a video on my composting toilet!  Interested in learning more, watch the video here: http://www.wordpress.peakmoment.tv/conversations/?p=391

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WATER

Greywater Action for a Sustainable Water Culture, a rich resource website and organization for:

–  Greywater Reuse
–  Rainwater Harvesting
– Composting Toilets
– Greywater Education

Go here for lots more info:  http://greywateraction.org/

posted 4/1/13

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Resources for converting your lawn from a water guzzler to the new way of being in our city :   
Lawn Conversion: How-to tips and guidance to remove your thirsty lawn and exotic plants and create a beautiful Native Plants Landscape, Organic Vegetable Garden or Xeriscape ..
http://www.ergonica.com/weeding_tips_lawn_conversion.htm .
( updated 7/4/11)

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Harvesting Rain:  http://www.rainbarrelguide.com/other-resources/  (posted 3/18/09)

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Solar Hot Water.   http://www.builditsolar.com/Projects/WaterHeating/water_heating.htm.  Amazing collection of do-it-yourself solar hot water methods.  Lots of other do-it-yourself renewable energy methods too on the top menu.  (5/21/08)

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Down by the L.A. River,
by long time L.A. Eco-Villager Joe Linton, is a lovingly illustrated and meticulously written guide to walks and bike rides along the river’s banks. There are short essays on conservation efforts, history, and flora and fauna of the river, but primarily it is a practical guide, explaining to would-be adventurers important details such as where the bathrooms are.  Linton, both author and illustrator, subscribes to the strategy of FOLAR co-founder Lewis MacAdams who said that if you can get someone down to the river, they’ll fall in love with it.   Wilderness Press, 2005, $17.95  (5/4/06)

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