Sustainable Systems: Solar and Wind, Catchwater and Greywater Systems, Permaculture, Sustainable and Ecological Design and Construction, and more

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2008
Seven-Weekend Permaculture Certification Course. Practical solutions for
creating a sustainable world. Last weekend of every month, April through October. For details about courses and programs: www.kleiwerks.org For more information or to register, contact Kimchi,828.225.8820 <AVI@kleiwerks.org>
www.kleiwerks.org/events_projects.php

April 27-May 3, May 4-May 10, May 11-May 17, May 18-May 24, Brittany, France. Earthship Build. Focused on constructing rammed earth tyre walls that provide thermal mass to make it easy to heat the home. Also lime plastering phase. For more information, visit www.zuluna.com/EXPERIENCE_WEEKS.html and www.earthship.co.uk

An Opportunity to Meet Paolo Lugari, Gaviotas, Colombia. He will be in Philadelphia on May 1-5 and has agreed to lead a workshop and meet people interested in, and inspired by, the story of Gaviotas. This is his only U.S. stop in the foreseeable future. If you are interested in meeting him and establishing a personal connection with this amazing village, please follow this link www.friendsofgaviotas.org

May 3-4, Shawnigan Lake, BC, Canada. Project Manager for Homeowners. Interested in building your own home, or understanding the process of building better? This program will introduce the concepts of Project Management as applied by professional builders, and those that can be used by Owners to make their projects come in closer to schedule and budget. Interpersonal skills such as crew leadership and delegation are reinforced with proper record keeping and briefing materials. Follow up short mentoring sessions at OUR Ecovillage through the summer will reinforce lessons and answer the questions that will come up. Instructor: Randy Churchill, builder. $175. For registration/further information, contact: www.ourecovillage.org <info@ourecovillage.org> or phone 250-743-3067.

May 3-17, Warner Springs, Southern CA. Course will provide examples of policies and projects that communities can adopt to protect their biodiversity and natural resources as well as shape better community management tools to build resiliency and hope in an age of consequences. Includes: Water harvesting, Graywater, Natural building, Cob, Renewable energy, and ore. Instructors include Starhawk, author of The Fifth Sacred Thing and The Earth Path; Margo Adair and Bill Aal, coauthors of Practical Meditation for Busy People, Working Inside Out and co-directors of Tools for Change; Charles Williams, permaculture teacher and wilderness instructor. For information go to www.EarthActivistTraining.org To register: email your registration form and deposit to <earthactivisttraining@gmail.com> Earth Activist Training, POB 4, Occidental CA 95465 or contact Kate 800.381.7940.

May 15-18, June 5-8, July 10-13, August 14-17, Crestone CO. Solar Heating design and Natural Building. Combines the study of solar design principles with hands-on learning. Suitable for anyone who is serious about learning how to design solar homes and buildings with proven alternative technologies and natural building techniques. A good foundation from which to grow your own knowledge and apply your own interests and skills. Instructor: Paul Shippee. $650. For details visit Crestone Solar School's web site www.crestonesolarschool.com

May 21-25, Shawnigan Lake, BC, Canada. Curvilinear Foundations for Sustainable Building. Learn how to construct code-approved curvy foundations in simple and cost-effective way while minimizing the ecological impact. Topics covered include interpreting foundation plans, layout methods, Fabric Form foundation setup, rebar placement, concrete options and more. Emphasis on creative, simple, and cost-effective methods that can be used and adapted to any foundation. Instructors: Gord and Ann Baird of Eco-Sense Builders www.eco-sense.ca. $500.For registration/further information, contact: www.ourecovillage.org <info@ourecovillage.org> or phone 250-743-3067.

May 24-25, Sao Paulo Brazil. International meeting for Architecture and Technologies for Sustainable Construction. Topic: bioclimatic design by passive systems, design and technology for energy efficiency and conservation, renewable sources of energy, innovative building materials and technologies to sustainable construction, sustainable building tools and methods, water conservation and reuse, material selection and life cycle assessment, and more. Information and registration: www.anabbrasil.org/ecobulding2008/cn/index.html

June 5-8, Crestone CO. Solar Heating design and Natural Building. Combines the study of solar design principles with hands-on learning. Suitable for anyone who is serious about learning how to design solar homes and buildings with proven alternative technologies and natural building techniques. A good foundation from which to grow your own knowledge and apply your own interests and skills. Instructor: Paul Shippee. $650. For details visit Crestone Solar School's web site www.crestonesolarschool.com

June 13-22 , Summertown TN. After Peak Oil: Fundamentals of the Permaculture Design Science
Aim of this workshop is to liberate people to provide for their own and their communities' needs from the smallest practical area of land. Learn perennial biodynamic gardening, mortgage-free shelter, catching and storing water, biological waste management, aquaculture, forestry, saving the wild, and how to organize secure local economies. Instructors: A. Goodheart Brown, Scott Horton, Albert Bates, Cliff Davis and others. $1100/9 days, www.thefarm.org/etc/courses.html

June 20-22, Custer WI. Midwest Renewable Energy association's annual energy fair. Workshops, exhibits to connect with experts and products, speakers, green home pavilion. www.the-mrea.org 715.592.6595.

June 22-28, Window Rock AZ. Composting Toilet and Greenhouse Project. The greenhouse portion is still tentatively planned to be part of the overall design. Work with tribal members of Navajo Nation to construct prototype composting toilet and training young people to continue this work. $200/week. Please contact <info@worldhandsproject.org> for details and to register.

July 7-August 1, Prescott AZ. Permaculture/Water Design: Hands-on Intensive. Comprehensive course on principles and application; classroom, field trips, and hands-on projects. Earn 72-hr. permaculture certificate; credit available through Prescott College. Instructors: Brad Lancaser, Andrew Millison and Joshua Robinson. $1500. For further information or to register, contact <info@ecosainstitute.org> www.ecosainstitute.org

July 10-13, Crestone CO. Solar Heating design and Natural Building. Combines the study of solar design principles with hands-on learning. Suitable for anyone who is serious about learning how to design solar homes and buildings with proven alternative technologies and natural building techniques. A good foundation from which to grow your own knowledge and apply your own interests and skills. Instructor: Paul Shippee. $650. For details visit Crestone Solar School's web site www.crestonesolarschool.com

July 12, Occidental CA. Roofwater Catchment Workshop. Course will demonstrate how to safely harvest and store high quality water from your roof for potable and landscape uses. $35. For information call The Occidental Arts and Ecology Center 707.874.1557 Ext 201 www.oaec.org

July 18-27, Summertown TN. Combating Climate Change: Ecovillage Design Practicum.
Site selection, master planning and pattern design for Ecovillages and Transition Towns; consensus and conflict resolution, financial aspects, work issues. With the Fundmentals this course completes the Permaculture Design Certificate. Instructors: Greg Ramsey, Diana Leafe Christian, Albert Bates. $1100/9 days. www.thefarm.org/etc/courses.html

July 25-27, John Day OR. Neighbors Powering Community-10th annual SolWest Renewable Energy Fair. Admission includes over 50 free workshops on off-grid and grid-intertied renewable energy and sustainable living topics. Pre-fair workshop will install a grid-intertied solar backup power system. Fifty exhibitors show tools for energy independence and lifestyle self-reliance, including solar, wind and agricultural resources. Keynote speaker: Greg Pahl, author of The Citizen-powered Energy Handbook. $5/adult per day; discounts available. For more information contact Jennifer Barker, SolWest/EORenew, PO Box 485, Canyon City, OR 97820
541.575.3633 <info@solwest.org> www.solwest.org

August 14-17, Crestone CO. Solar Heating design and Natural Building. Combines the study of solar design principles with hands-on learning. Suitable for anyone who is serious about learning how to design solar homes and buildings with proven alternative technologies and natural building techniques. A good foundation from which to grow your own knowledge and apply your own interests and skills. Instructor: Paul Shippee. $650. For details visit Crestone Solar School's web site www.crestonesolarschool.com

September 20-21, Fort Collins, CO. 9th Annual Sustainable Living Fair. Keynote Speakers: Ed Begley Jr., George Siemon. 200 Exhibitors, 50 Workshops, Hands-on Demonstrations. Rocky Mountain Sustainable Living Association, 9860 Poudre Canyon Rd., Bellvue CO 80512. www.sustainablelivingassociation.org

November 5-9, Summertown TN. Solar Installation Become a solar installer with this week-long course. We will install a PV system. Instructor: Ed Eaton. $490.
www.thefarm.org/etc/courses.html

Eco Design intern and professional training classes: www.SFIA.net

Everdale, farm and learning centre located near Erin, Ontario, offers events and hands-on workshops in sustainable living. The Workshop and Event Schedule from straw-bale construction and earthen and lime plastering to making your own biodiesel is available at www.everdale.org/workshops or contact <lynn@everdale.org>

Midwest Renewable Energy Association MREA offers workshops that cover a variety of topics in renewable energy. www.the-mrea.org

San Francisco Institute of Architecture Why not change your life and help change the world? Ecological design, green building, sustainable architecture...career skills, arts, crafts, and technology  All are welcome to enroll. Certificate and degree programs available. A selection of new weekend workshops and evening classes start January 2007 at San Francisco Institute of Architecture, Berkeley Institute of Ecological Design, Berkeley CA, 510.523.5174 <sfia@aol.com> <sfiaBerkeleyEco@aol.com> www.sfia.net

Solar Energy International
Visit www.solarenergy.org/workshops for a listing of Solar Energy International's Workshops for 2008.

Solar Living Institute
A list of workshops offered by Solar Living Institute can be found at http://store.solarlivingstore.com

New Sustainability Class at College of Marin (Kentfield Campus). $74. Course
#8438. Register online (under "Contemporary Social Issues") www.marincommunityed.org or 415.883.3217. Sustainability: From Policies to Practice. Examines the concept, evolution and implementation of sustainability strategies and programs developed by individuals and organizations including government, business, ecological design, natural resources and environmental conservation groups. Discussion of ways in which you can personally take action and make decisions that will affect your own and the earth's health and well-being. The text, The Sustainability Revolution: Portrait of a Paradigm Shift (New Society Publishers, 2005) is available in the Kentfield Campus Bookstore and retails for $16.95. Andres Edwards, MA, founder of a firm specializing in green building and sustainability education programs for parks, towns and companies; has lectured and given seminars about sustainability topics at colleges, universities and conferences. Andres Edwards, EduTracks (www.edutracks.com) Author: "The Sustainability Revolution" (www.sustainabilityrevolution.com) 6 School St., Ste 170, Fairfax, CA 94930, 415.457.1171, fax 415.459.2014

 

 

 

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This listing of sustainable system events, tours, conferences, workshops and training opportunities is compiled from information sent to The Last Straw Journal by individuals, groups and organizations. Send information about events, conferences, tours, workshops and hands-on training to: The Last Straw, PO Box 22706, Lincoln NE 68542-2706; <thelaststraw@thelaststraw.org> or call 402.483.5135.

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