This time of year, I am always captivated by the beauty, warmth, and productivity of the earth as we enter the bittersweet ending of summer and the anticipation of the fall harvest. My mind wanders back to the seventies when I lived and worked on an organic farm in pastoral southeastern Ohio. My friends and I had become part of the first wave of what became known as the "Back to the Land" movement. Ultimately, my turning point came the morning I awoke to find my dinner dishes frozen solid in a block of ice in the sink; I realized that I longed for the creature comforts of modern life, and set out for California. Many of my friends in those lush verdant Ohio valleys stayed the course, deepened their commitment to the land and choose sustainable agriculture as a vocation. A year ago I returned for the Paw Paw Festival and reconnected with many of them.
One of my oldest friends from those days, Michelle Adjamian and her partner Brandon Jaeger, have begun a business called Shag Bark Mill. They grow and process locally grown beans, seeds, grains, flours, cereals, oils and nut butters. They also founded the Appalachian Staple Foods Collaborative. In 2010 they were featured in Utne Reader’s 25 Visionaries Changing the World (along with Woody Tasch who started Slow Money). From this article: "Excited about the burgeoning local foods movement, Michelle Ajamian and Brandon Jaeger took a close look at the food they ate. While they had access to local vegetables, fruits, dairy products, and meat, they realized that 70 percent of their diet—the staple beans, grains, and oils—came from across the continent, or from other parts of the world. That raised questions for them about long-term food security." This coming Monday Michelle will fly out to be a speaker at The National Heirloom Exposition in Santa Rosa where local food activists concerned about the pure food movement, heirloom vegetables, and anti-GMO activism will convene (see below).
How rewarding it is to witness a time when organic is no longer a fringe idea! A new breed of farmers have come full circle and now embrace small-scale farming as a response to the issues of agribusiness, food access and justice. This is crucial as increasingly we struggle with how such a wealthy country can face rampant food insecurity and health issues such as diabetes, asthma and obesity. Bay Area Green Tours has made connections between farmers and food activists, and education and policy makers. We continue to offer agricultural tours for Berkeley High School students which enable them to gain access to local urban gardens and farms where they can actually plant. (Do you know of a school that might benefit from a day at a farm?)
Our private experiences of partnering with local farms, vineyards and ranches throughout the region offer a full range of locales where you can get behind the scenes, experience hands-on activities, and create a memorable made-to-order event. Typically our tour attendees have found that meeting the farmers and hearing their stories of passion for their work on the land is the most rewarding part of their visit. We see the promise of agri-tourism as an opportunity to educate consumers and support farmers simultaneously, in the true symbiosis that is the cornerstone of any green enterprise. (Would a day at a local farm be different, fun and enlightening for you, your friends or colleagues?)
We look forward to continuing to highlight pioneering and progressive people and organizations as we share the best of the Bay Area green scene with all of you!
Fondest Regards,
Marissa LaMagna & the BAGT team
BAGT NEWS
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Our Schedule of Upcoming Events
Come by and visit BAGT at these upcoming fairs & events!
On a recent hot August weekend, members of the BAGT crew spent two full days presenting our offerings at this Sebastopol harvest festival and country fair. At our booth, we talked to fair attendees from Sonoma County, as well as those who made the trek from points south & east - from all over the Bay Area. We enjoyed many conversations with representatives of friendly organizations and future partners in the North Bay eco-scene, as well as with the general public. We had games and prizes for the younger set and wandered beyond our booth to take in the food, music & activities when we had a chance. The fair marked the debut of our newly designed promotional materials (banner, postcards, logo). We spent an extra night before and after the event, camping by the Russian River, and caught the meteor shower that Sunday night. All in all, it was a fun and satisfying experience for the BAGT team!
Genentech EcoFair Recap
BAGT had a blast tabling at the Genentech EcoFair recently, held at the company's HQ in South San Francisco. The event was an impressive mix of sustainable setting, materials, and themes - with a fun, festive happy-hour vibe. We enjoyed connecting with old friends as well as new potential partners in sustainability: Rock the Bike, Hodo Soy Beanery (these first two groups have been involved with our past tours/events), Solazyme, a couple of electric car makers, and many Genentech employee groups such as the company's Permaculture and Biking Clubs. The fair featured eco-friendly materials, from cornstarch cups to bamboo decor, and pedal-powered installations by Rock the Bike including spin art and the event's sound system. The venue was beautiful and low-key and the green additions seamless and fun, making for a rollicking party enjoyed by a stellar Friday evening crowd! Special thanks to our newest intern Christine for doing a fabulous job at our table.
This weekend - EcoFair Marin!
Date: Sunday September 9th, 2012
Hours: 10 am - 6 pm
Location: Marin County Fairgrounds
Lagoon Park
San Rafael, CA 94903
Fees: Adult $5, Children (17 and under) free
EcoFair Marin is back, and even better this year, with over 80 exhibits, practical do-it-yourself demonstrations, and dynamic presentations. Author Van Jones is the keynote speaker. Inspired by San Rafael’s Climate Change Action Plan and presented in partnership with Seven-Star, Inc., this community event celebrates Marin County’s rich heritage of innovative environmental stewardship. Discover creative new eco-living habits and meet local visionaries and leaders from business, government, and the educational and nonprofit sectors -- who together are leading us into the future to build a healthier and more sustainable Bay Area. You’ll also find delectable food, drink, live music and plenty of hands-on activities to keep the little environmentalists busy, including a kids' zone, butter-making demo and other workshops. Our BAGT booth will feature a spinning wheel with prizes (thanks to a creative young man named Finn who made it and lent it to us in support of our work).
Susan has been volunteering for many months with BAGT and loves being part of our dynamic and fun team. She has an M.A. In Environmental Politics and many years of experience teaching at the university and high school level. Message from Susan: I learned quickly as a teacher that great teaching and learning happens when students can relate what’s in their books to the world in which they live, both locally and on a global scale. I taught students to ‘show, don’t tell’, and this applied to my teaching as well. I brought speakers from the community into my classrooms whenever possible, and took students out of the classroom to visit places relevant to their lives and our curriculum -- in order to illuminate the curriculum in a way that I could not have done by telling them about it.
Bay Area Green Tours is a perfect fit for my passions and teaching background, and I look forward to helping our future leaders discover the world that lies at their doorstep, and with that, a sense of their own place in shaping that world in their daily choices, as well as with their careers. I’ll be reaching out to schools all over the Bay Area, drawing upon the immense possibilities which our area offers, and helping teachers bring BAGT's fun learning experiences to their students. If you know of a local school that might be interested in working with us, please contact me at: susan at bayareagreentours.org
Aaron Lander - Sustainable Agriculture Tour Manager
We are thrilled to also welcome Aaron to our team. He grew up in rural western Iowa, attending school in a town of less than 700 people. Wanting to leave the rural life for the more urban area of Des Moines, IA, Aaron obtained his BA in politics and psychology from Drake University. Message from Aaron: My main interest during my undergraduate career was helping change environmental policies to better reflect the needs of the community. After I graduated in 2009, I wanted a break from school; however, a month out I took on a fellowship seminar at Yale University through the Institute for Humane Studies.
This excellent fellowship seminar gave me the urge to go back to school, plus with the economy being so bad and Des Moines not having many available job opportunities, I decided to enroll in the Community Development program through GPIDEA at Iowa State University. Since through this program I take the best online courses about community development from institutions across the country, I'm able to work from anywhere in the world. After learning about the mismanagement of the Sacramento-San Joaquin watershed, I decided to move to the Bay to dive deeper into this issue. Once I got here I was fortunate to land a job in sustainable agriculture, which I have been completely invested in ever since. I truly believe that Bay Area Green Tours offers a unique and amazing way for us to be able to further connect our communities to our local food system.
Christine Lindell - Sponsorship Intern
A native of Menlo Park, Christine graduated from the University of Washington in Seattle in 2009 with majors in European Studies, Germanics and Slavistics, after which she moved to Belgrade, Serbia for a year to work with international organizations on media freedom and democratization.
She then obtained a masters in international studies from the
Diplomatic Academy of Vienna in 2012, discovering a love of economics and an interest in the international aspects of sustainability along the way. Message from Christine: I'm passionate about the central role that efficient, sustainable cities have in mitigating and adapting to climate change, and am devoted to working to transfer the necessary greentech and know-how to countries where cities are growing the fastest. I chose to volunteer at BAGT because I think that too few locals and visitors know that the Bay Area is at the cutting edge in this evolution of the city - that's why the tours focusing on green buildings, water conservation, and alternative transportation and energy are my favorites!
BAGT RECOMMENDATIONS
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Some of Our Current Passions
Political Action for a Just, Local Food Economy
1) An ongoing issue of concern on our radar is the use of GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms). As conventional agriculture continues to embrace the growth-at-all-costs model, the industry applies new and little-regulated technologies to transform crops for animal feed and human consumption at the molecular level. Thus GMOs are a concern for environmentalists, proponents of social and economic justice, and those concerned with preserving food purity and democratic access to information about our world. A new effort underway to require food labeling of GMO content is gaining traction in the wake of the news that Walmart will begin selling GMO corn. With Prop 37 on the November ballot, Californians have the chance to enact the first labeling law in the U.S. - read the campaign’s stance on Walmart’s decision for your chance to get involved, starting this weekend!
2) We've joined our allies at the Sustainable Economies Law Center, among many others, in support of the California Homemade Food Act, AB 1616. Please check out their Take Action! page to learn more and add your voice!
3) Volunteer for Coastal Clean Up on September 15th
Here's a fine way to beautify our beaches, via the Ocean Conservancy. Check it out!
In Rebuild the Dream, green economy pioneer Van Jones reflects on his journey from grassroots outsider to White House insider. For the first time, he shares intimate details of his time in government – and reveals why he chose to resign his post as a special advisor to the Obama White House. Jones puts his hard-won lessons to good use, proposing a powerful game plan to restore hope, fix our democracy and renew the American Dream.
The American Dream means different things to people, but the center of gravity is always the same: an ordinary person—who was not born with great wealth, but who is willing to work hard and play by the rules—should be able to find employment, live in a good community, make progress financially, retire with dignity, and give his or her children a better life.
That dream is fading. On Main Street, too many people are working harder than ever – while falling further behind. They play by the rules, but cannot succeed. At the same time, other Americans, including the worst of Wall Street, break every rule, but cannot fail – because someone has already decided that they are “too big” to fail. The American Dream has been turned upside down and inside out. It is time to set things right.
Video: Fixing the Future
On August 23, the Sustainable Business Alliance (SBA) sponsored a showing for 100 guests of David Brancaccio's inspiring film, "Fixing The Future," at the Rialto Cerrito Theatre in El Cerrito, as part of a national event spanning over 50 cities. Host David Brancaccio (a leading political and economic commentator on National Public Radio's Marketplace and NOW on PBS) visited people across America who are attempting a revolution: the reinvention of the American economy. Featuring communities using innovative approaches to create jobs and build sustainability, over the last three years Brancaccio did a modern version of Alexis de Tocqueville's 1834-35 trip across America. De Tocqueville undertook his trip because he wanted to see first hand how "democracy" was emerging in America. Brancaccio travelled through a dozen different communities - from Portland, Oregon, to Portland, Maine - to see how "Think Local First" communities are emerging as one of the important economic development strategies of the 21st century. The conclusion of the film included an on-screen panel discussion featuring Bill McKibben, Majora Carter, Mike Brady and David Brancaccio.
After the film screening, the event opened up to the audience for a town hall type meeting, with representatives from Oakland Grown, Buy Local Berkeley, the Transition movement, and a variety of other progressive organizations. It was as inspiring evening which succeeded in bringing together community to find hope and renewal in tough economic times. Photos here
SBA plans to show the film an additional time this autumn, at a date to be determined. If you wish to be notified of the showing, please contact Lisa Martinengo, SBA Events Coordinator. For information on SBA, go to: www.sustainablebusinessalliance.org
Events Produced by Our Partner Organizations
WhollyH2o staff will be at the Oakland Art Murmur tonight, 9/7, at 24th and Broadway in front of Sweet Bar Bakery, to give away free Mokelumne River Draft and promote the Free Rainwater Harvesting Cisterns available through the Oakland Rain Barrel Program.
Art in Nature: The Nature of Art Festival
Date: Sunday, 9/23
Time: 11 am to 5 pm
Location: Stream Trail of Redwood Regional Park in Oakland, California
Fee: Free
Experience participatory art that is in relationship with nature, and shows the creative process of the artists. Stroll along the mile-long Stream Trail of Redwood Regional Park and experience more than 200 artists and performers tucked among the meadows, redwoods and oaks in this family, bicycle and dog friendly festival. Enjoy art in nature and delve into the nature of art in 12 theme areas featuring music, dance, sculpture, painting, martial arts, poetry, body painting, circus arts, theater, visual arts, storytelling, arts & crafts and children-centered events. Volunteers are welcome!
Samavesha is the organization producing this event -- a non-profit performing arts organization that unites art, nature and community.
The London Velodrome, part of the Velopark bicycling center in east London, anchors the northern end of the city’s Olympic Park. Both the indoor velodrome and nearby BMX racing track will remain after the games conclude in August. The Velodrome’s curved exterior, covered in wood paneling, reflects the sleek race track inside. The 6000 seat structure benefits from natural ventilation instead of a reliance on air conditioning, thanks to the exterior’s timber cladding. The use of artificial light is also minimized because of the Velodrome’s rooftop skylights. A rainwater harvesting system reduces the amount of water needed for toilet flushing and ground irrigation.
Basketball Arena
The Olympic basketball arena is the event's largest temporary venue. Completed last year on time and under budget at £30 million, its dazzling flatpack design will allow for dismantling and re-use elsewhere in the world. Rumor has it that in the future the arena could be sold to the organizers of the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, or be reassembled in another country. Its lighter design meant less steel and concrete were used in this 12,000 seat facility. While past Olympic hosting cities, including Atlanta, Athens and Beijing, are stuck with “white elephants” as the result of hosting these lavish events, London’s basketball arena demonstrates that the Games are taking steps towards being more responsible and sustainable.
Aquatics Centre
Standing out with its wave-shaped roof, the Olympics’ second-largest building, after the main Olympic Stadium, is the first structure visitors see as they approach the Olympic Park. Built on a brownfield site, the Aquatics Centre’s stunning ceiling, which soars over the two 50-meter pools, was built out of sustainably sourced Red Lauro timber. The exterior was constructed with pre-cast modular blocks of concrete, which not only reduced the amount of emissions required to build the facility, but also eliminated the need for painting. The interior stands are made from steel and phthalate-free PVC wrap that will be recycled after the games. In addition, most of the building materials, including the 866,000 tiles needed to line the pool and locker rooms, were delivered by train instead of truck.
ECO FUN - QUIZ!
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Inspiring Quotes: Short and Sweet
The quotes below are fewer than thirty words in length, but have the power to change the world. Do you remember whom they are attributed to? Match the quotes with their speakers or authors who are listed underneath, as you enjoy and soak in their words of wisdom. Which quote do you choose to live by today?
1. “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
2. “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
3. “Anything else you’re interested in is not going to happen if you can’t breathe the air and drink the water. Don’t sit this one out. Do something.”
4. “If we do not change our direction we are likely to end up where we are headed.”
5. “We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through the darkness to a safe and sane future.”
6. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
7. “It is a curious situation that the sea, from which life first arose, should now be threatened by the activities of one form of that life.”
8. “Live simply that others might simply live.”
9. “Fall seven times, stand up eight.”
10. “Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”
11. “Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them.”
12. “Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.”
13. “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
14. “Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food.”
15. “The probability that we will fail in the struggle ought not to deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just.”
a. Rachel Carson
b. Albert Einstein
c. Anne Frank
d. Mahatma Gandhi
e. Hippocrates
f. William James
g. John F. Kennedy
h. Abraham Lincoln
i. Nelson Mandela
j. John Muir
k. Carl Sagan
l. Mother Teresa
m. Native American Proverb
n. Chinese Proverb
o. Japanese Proverb
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