Food Justice at the CT River Academy

Posted on April 10, 2013 by hinahara

Summer of Solutions Hartford is one of a few local organizations participating in the food justice workshop series at the CT River Academy in East Hartford, CT. Last week, we had a booth at their food justice fair. Students had an hour in the fair to talk to representatives from urban farms, seed companies, dining services, green jobs organizations, and local food producers.

At our booth, we had information about the program, and an origami seed pot activity. We had a big box of soil, some basil, parsley, and flower seeds, and a lot of newspaper.

Each student learned how to fold a square of newspaper into a little seed pot, and then planted some seeds to take home! The boxes turn out impressively sturdy. Continue reading →

GREENevada Student Leadership Retreat

Posted on April 9, 2013 by s0luti0naries

In the past GREENevada has hosted the Student Sustainability Summit twice, once in April 2011 and again in April 2012. All northern Nevada high schools were invited to participate. Students performed live presentations in front of a panel of distinguished judges, as well as friends, family, and members of the community.

GREENevada – Growing Resources for Environmental Education in Nevada. GREENevada is a coalition of eight non-profit organizations: Alliance for Climate Education, Black Rock Solar, Envirolution, GreenPower, Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful, Sierra Nevada Journeys, Urban Roots Garden Classroom, Reno Bike Project.

Schools are encouraged to seek help from any or all of our organizations to help bring sustainability into their classrooms.

We believe that every school can be green and every child can learn global responsibility through local example. Together, we can transform the way students learn.

This year for 2013 we did things a little different than in the past. Instead of a competition where schools are working against each other for prize money to fund a sustainable project in their school. we decided to host a youth retreat for students passionate about the sustainability of our community where youth can network, build leadership skills, and learn how to work as a team. We called it the GREENevada Student Leadership Retreat — a 2-day green leadership extravaganza. It happened Friday and Saturday, March 22-23, 2013.

Continue reading →

Inspiration to Join Summer of Solutions 2013 by April 14th!

Posted on April 5, 2013 by hinahara

The 2013 Summer of Solutions programs are accepting participant applications until April 14th! Apply here! Keep reading to learn about the life-changing experience that Summer of Solutions was for our alumni!

Emily Stiever: “It was one of the first times where I could see what my life could look like in the future: the ability to work on social issues that I cared about and to live sustainably in community with people who shared a similar passion.” Read more…

Ashley Trull: “I learned how to have creative confidence, which to me is being willing to put yourself and your ideas out there, boldly, knowing that you have the skills and resources within yourself and your community to make it a reality.” Read more…

Nathaniel Cook: “Summer of Solutions was probably the most influential experience that I have ever had, and it has shaped me, my experiences, and my relationships ever since.” Read more…

Shoshana Blank: “Even as young college students, we were able to do some big things in Summer of Solutions-Twin Cities because we were well organized. We could offer solutions to community members and be taken seriously because we had a plan of action and materials to back us up.” Read more…

Colin Higgins: “One of the main things that I took away is that I really enjoy teaching others, especially youth, about environmental issues and solutions.” Read more…

Cecelia Watkins: “The greatest thing I took with me was a deep sense of practical empowerment—a sense that money is far from the only resource we can leverage for change, a sense that we are rich in those other resources.” Read more…

Brianna Besch: “I still remember the first week of Summer of Solutions training as one of the most inspiring things I have ever done.” Read more…

Ethan Viets-Vanlear: “SoS really taught me a way to help a community without being part of various systems of oppression and control that dominate most organizations and institutions in our society.” Read more…

Inspired yet?
Become a solutionary and apply to join Summer of Solutions 2013!

During the Summer of Solutions, you will receive training in community organizing and sustainable community development techniques. You will use these skills to demonstrate the promise of energy efficiency, community-based energy, green industry, local food production, and/or smart design as described in the locations you choose. Beyond the concrete skills you learn, Summer of Solutions will be a really fun community-based experience. It is a great chance to grow with, learn from, and work with other incredible young people and community leaders who are building a better future.

Now accepting participant applications: Arleta, CA; Chicago, IL; Hartford, CT; Iowa City, IA; Ithaca, NY; Johnson City, TN; Lexington, KY; Little Rock, AR; Middleton, WI; Oakland, CA; Raleigh, NC; Southern West Virginia; Twin Cities, MN; and Washington, DC!

Applications are due on 4/14/2013. Some programs may keep their local applications open beyond 4/14, but there is no guarantee that any specific program will do so.

Find more details and the online application here!

Picking the Best Beehive

Posted on April 5, 2013 by hinahara

Despite the rain and the cold, summer in Bulgaria is approaching fast. Our team is trying hard to get things ready for the SoS and beekeeping season.

We are encountering the first difficulties with meeting our goals and deadlines…As we need to purchase some initial equipment; we turned to advice to local beekeepers and friends, who could direct us to the best source. One of our mentors recommended a Bulgarian company that makes demonstration beehives with a glass wall and a lid to cover it. Those would be perfect, we thought. The glass wall is covered, and light cannot bother the bees too much. They have a good design and are interactive—easy to show children, and a good asset for the University Botanical Garden, who have accepted our request for outdoor space. We managed to see how these look like and take a picture in front of the Hilton Hotel. Continue reading →

A short photo story of the garden in Arleta

Posted on April 4, 2013 by hinahara

Over the past few weeks this has been happening in our very own city Arleta, Pacoima, how ever you want to identify it. I’m very proud and happy to have found great people that keep inspiring all of us to create sustainable projects in our community. From gardening, to circles about our struggles and the simple joy of gardening, like life -it just keeps on giving. Thank you all. Lets keep building and supporting each other, where ever we are.

Continue reading →

On being swamped…

Posted on April 3, 2013 by hinahara

We, at Hapeville, have had a very busy fortnight. Things other than Farming Bards with very strict deadlines seem to have taken over our lives. We have been pushed and pulled in different directions, have not slept, and constantly thought about Farming Bards, with this antsy feeling of not being able to do much about it gnawing at us.

Yes, we have felt guilty and over-stretched for time, until we, the program leaders, finally got a Sunday to get together and reflect on our goals. And, of course, Farming Bards came out on top, with very verdant colors. At this point, we took what we think was an important step. Instead of brooding over what we should have done, we decided to start fresh again. We made a new to-do list to mark the beginning of Spring!

Here are some of the highlights from what we are planning on doing this month:

1) Sell saplings at our community Spring festival two weeks from now

2) Make flyers advertising our theatre workshop

3) Lay out the program for the opening week of our workshop

4) Get ready for our project workshop on the national call

5) And, most importantly make sure that we work on Farming Bards every day of the week

We would love to hear what’s going on at y’all-s end! What do you do when you get overwhelmed? How do you get back on your feet? And, more importantly how do you keep yourselves from becoming overwhelmed? We would love to listen and learn!

Alumni Spotlight: Ethan Viets-Vanlear

Posted on March 31, 2013 by hinahara

We are now accepting applications to participate in our 2013 Summer of Solutions programs! Apply here!

My name is Ethan Viets-Vanlear, I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois where I am currently a student, activist, poet, and organizer. I started Summer of Solutions in the summer of 2012 through Let’s Go Chicago.

My initial motive for joining SoS was to spend more of my time outside building tangible solutions to some of the issues I noticed around me. I was also excited to spend my time growing food. I think the biggest thing that I got from SoS was the notion that any problem has a solution that I can take part into making happen. SoS really taught me a way to help a community without being part of various systems of oppression and control that dominate most organizations and institutions in our society. My favorite memories from SoS would have to be our various trips offsite to places like a farm, or spending time with all the participants around a campfire.

Some of last year’s Chicago team Continue reading →

Summer of Solutions: Ithaca, March update

Posted on March 27, 2013 by caklein

Summer of Solutions: Ithaca has hit the ground running from every angle. Program development and partnership work has succeeded tremendously in solidifying local allies, contributors, and educators, and in formulating program design for our 8-week program. Dynamic mechanisms of outreach have been employed to target potential participants, many of whom have gone on to apply to SoSI through our first round of applications.

We also just recently launched our Indiegogo site, full of comprehensive information and opportunities to donate, the link to which is below:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/summer-of-solutions-ithaca

Additionally, we are very proud to announce that we have been awarded a $435 grant through Sustainable Tompkins, an organization that has been at the forefront of community organizing and sustainability in the area.

Our next steps include fundraising veraciously, processing our second round of applicants, continuing to reach out to local partners, and fine-tuning program details. Continue checking in for more exciting updates!

Middleton Launches an Indiegogo Campaign!

Posted on March 26, 2013 by hinahara

GFS Middleton (aka Growing Food and Sustainability) just launched an Indiegogo campaign! Learn more and donate on our Indiegogo page!

One of Growing Food and Sustainability’s core goals is to train and inspire a new generation of youth leaders to create their own solutions to the world’s challenges. Our Indiegogo campaign is focused on raising money for stipends so that we can train youth through our summer internship program. Last summer, two local college students participated in our internship. This summer, we plan to select five interns to participate in this leadership development experience. Interns learn through peer-lead trainings as well as by taking an active, hands-on role in our organization. They learn how to plan curriculum for the summer garden camp, serve as camp counselors, workshop leaders, and meeting facilitators, coordinate community workdays, harvest days, the weekly compost pick-up, and the weekly produce delivery, and will learn green entrepreneurship skills by helping to run our farmers’ market stand. Our goal is to make sure that every graduate of our internship program leaves with the skills and knowledge to start an initiative of their own.

Though our experience has proven that young people of all ages do care about current social and environmental issues, we realize that summer jobs must often take precedence over unpaid programs. By providing stipends to interns, we will make sure that these opportunities for enrichment and growth are available to all. Through our model of peer-to-peer training and collaboration, we believe that summer interns will develop leadership and organizational skills that will prepare them for the future as much or more as any summer job. Continue reading →

Hello from Elizabeth of the Twin Cities Program

Posted on March 26, 2013 by patricialamas

Hello all! My name is Elizabeth Kahn and I am currently one of the program leaders for the Twin Cities Summer of Solutions 2013 program. I was a part-time participant last summer and I am excited to continue my involvement with the program for this summer. I am excited once again to work in the Minneapolis area. It is a great city with a lot of potential for sustainable development.

The Summer of Solutions program teams up with many different organizations and various people to get the word out about sustainability in the city. Last year I did research with an ARISE, an organization, that looked into implementing alternative energies into the abandoned Ford Power Plant site in St. Paul, MN. I also worked with a group of participants from Summer of Solutions last year creating a “farming business.” Or goal was to make a business installing urban gardens in people’s yards and teaching people how to can their food; because we had such a short amount of time to implement everything, we ended up creating cookbooks that we sold in the Minneapolis area with local recipes in it. We used the money funded towards the program. Working with ARISE and the farm group was a great experience. We are planning on having the same organizations that participated for last years program to continue on this summer as well. Continue reading →