Category: Infrastructure

@SolarPuertoRico, Community Building, Energy, First Circle Coaching, Green Collar Economy, Infrastructure, Local Economy, Pathways to Thriving, Permaculture, Systems Thinking

@SolarPuertoRico: No Limitations Beyond Design Considerations

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BAREIDanoskiInstall (33)There are no limitations in designing any project, property, or life plan beyond the design considerations. This is the case in Puerto Rico.

Many people have voiced support for @SolarPuertoRico. Each has brought up the difficulties presented by the project. These are all design considerations which will advise how we proceed.

“Wait… What about a budget?? Surely that’s a limitation!”

The budget is a design consideration. It’s part of the existing conditions, present at the start of strategic planning.

“How will we get the solar panels, wiring, infrastructure there?”

This is also an existing condition. The solar company @Sunnova_Solar led by @SunnovaCEO John Berger has projects in Puerto Rico. He has met with Puerto Rico’s governor @RicardoRossello. I hope to hear back from them soon. Perhaps you know someone who works there?

“What about labor? How will you find people with the right experience to train locals in force? People can’t volunteer that kind of time!”

BAREIMichaudPathfinder (1)I agree, it’s not fair to ask people to volunteer their time and expertise to work on @SolarPuertoRico. Those who participate will experience opportunity cost by spending time away from their loved ones, and living conditions in Puerto Rico will be challenging. My plan is that people will get paid for their work. (Though I’m hoping people will contact me to volunteer if they want to help develop the project. It will make this much more fun!)

Would you like to be involved? Do you have a contact in Puerto Rico? If so, please get in touch! ¡Vamos a Hacerlo! Let’s do it!

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PAREI, BAREI & Berlin BetterBuildings Energy Raiser, Berlin NH 2013

@SolarPuertoRico, Community Building, Energy, Green Collar Economy, Infrastructure, Local Economy, Pathways to Thriving, Systems Thinking

@SolarPuertoRico: ¡Vamos a hacerlo!

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Banner_H2Puerto Rico. An entire country devastated by one natural disaster. The power grids are down. Infrastructure is incapacitated. How on Earth do you rebuild after this? The answer is, you don’t: at least not a traditional power grid.What is truly frightening is that hurricane season isn’t over yet.

This is a terrible tragedy. In the weeks following the fall of the World Trade Center in Manhattan, the NYC design/build community of professionals came together to help the city redesign the space. Neighborhoods divided when the Towers were built were reconnected. Energy efficiency, renewable energy and green space were major design considerations.

When a system is disrupted, as the energy grid was after Sandy landed in 2012, we have an opportunity to improve that system. New Jersey energy providers had an opportunity to create a decentralized system which would be more resilient. They could have considered what improvements would be necessary with increased sea levels. The investment of public dollars could have been used to rebuild electrical infrastructure with renewable energy!

Increasing the number of independent hot water and electric solar arrays would have increased resilience.

The damage is more severe in Puerto Rico.

This is the time to design social, natural and financial ecosystems which integrate stakeholder engagement, product lifecycle, socially just procurement, workforce training, community coordination, energy efficiency, edible landscapes & permaculture,  waste management, and  sustainable infrastructure. It is time to distribute power in all its forms equitably and inclusively, respectful of cultural and ethnic diversity.

Someone needs to support Puerto Rico in creating distributed renewable energy. Let’s listen to what the people of Puerto Rico need AND want. Let’s offer them support in creating a workforce of energy efficiency professionals, who can grow their own food, and create a sustainable economy, using public banking to fund it.

Yes, all the parts and pieces have to be brought there. People are focusing on clean-up, many are just trying to survive. We need to find the funding. The devastation is complete. These are not limitations, they are design considerations. We know how to do this!

This is not just a dream. We can make it happen! ¡Vamos a hacerlo! (Let’s do it!)

Community Building, Green Collar Economy, Infrastructure, Local Economy, Pathways to Thriving, September 11, 2001, Systems Thinking

New York New Visions: How the New York Design Community Began to Heal In the Days After September 11, 2001

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I recently discovered that an important document is no longer available on the internet. In the days following the terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, brand-new New York AIA Director Rick Bell got to work. The Design Build community had lost hundreds of members who were loved and admired throughout the world.

From what I understand based on conversations we shared, Rick was inspired to help create a tribute to the City of New York and the Design/Build community. He launched New York New Visions. In honor of the people I knew at Cantor Fitzgerald and the Port Authority, and for anyone who was personally affected by the events of that day, I offer this copy of the report, which we presented to Mayor Bloomberg early in his administration. I’ve heard that much of his first Inaugural Address was taken from this report.

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Community Building, Green Collar Economy, Infrastructure, Local Economy, Pathways to Thriving, Permaculture, Synergetic Genius, Systems Thinking, Turning Point Gratitude Project, Unique Genius

July 15 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Stormwater Analysis of Crowell Park

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Session 8 of the Turning Point Gratitude Project permaculture course will be a field trip to Crowell Lot in Brattleboro. This session will be free and open to the public.

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This heavily wooded park is very popular with neighbors. It borders on the Green Street School and has a playground. It has also been know to be camp for squatters. It was initially chosen as the site for the town skate board park, which will now be built in Memorial Park.

This park is located at the corner of Western Avenue and Union Street. It is owned by the school district, and slops towards the Whetstone Brook and Connecticut River. The “Whetstone Brook flows west to east from the hills of Marlboro across Brattleboro before emptying into the Connecticut River in downtown Brattleboro (Whetstone). The brook’s headwaters originate at over 1,500 feet above sea level at Hidden Lake. The brook cascades down from steep hills and follows Vermont Rte. 9 to the Connecticut River flatlands. The brook empties into the Connecticut River at 250 feet above sea level, dropping over 1,250 feet in just seven miles of stream length (Whetstone). Approximately 69% of the watershed resides in Brattleboro with 29% of the land in Marlboro and 2% of the land within Dummerston (Whetstone, 2008). The watershed contains nearly 20 miles of streams and a mix of rural, residential and urban land.” (Watershed description taken from a Vermont Environmental Conservation publication.)

During this session participants will analyze water flow, including how the site is being affected or affects its neighboring properties. The participants have learned a lot about water flow, how water and land interact, and how to retain this valuable resource on site for use in creating an edible landscape aligned with the existing ecosystem. They’ve learned the value of stacking functions, using and enhancing existing patterns, how forest layers interact, and how to use the permaculture principles and ethics to guide their designs.

Join us for what will be an interesting and informative session. This will be the final session before the students focus on the Turning Point edible forest garden design. If you have questions about the Turning Point Gratitude Project, the stormwater analysis of Crowell Lot, or want to talk about using ecological design to manage stormwater on your site, please contact me!

Community Building, Green Collar Economy, Infrastructure, Local Economy, Pathways to Thriving, Permaculture, Synergetic Genius, Systems Thinking, Turning Point Gratitude Project, Unique Genius

TPGP Makes the Airwaves with Green Mountain Mornings

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Many thanks to Chris Lenois of WKVT Radio’s Green Mountain Mornings. Chris invited us in to speak about the Turning Point Gratitude Project. Chris asked many really insightful questions about the benefits to the Turning Point of Windham County community. Take a listen!

TPGPPC

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Community Building, Green Collar Economy, Infrastructure, Local Economy, Pathways to Thriving, Permaculture, Synergetic Genius, Systems Thinking, Turning Point Gratitude Project, Unique Genius

Turning Point Gratitude Project Permaculture Course Launches!

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The Turning Point Gratitude Project launched Tuesday June 2nd with a session introducing permaculture theory, ethics and principles to the participants. Permaculture is as much about creating social abundance as it is about ecological abundance. We discussed our hopes or goals for the course, and what our expectations are. Community is all important, and the bonding of a PDC cohort is something which provides grace and beauty to the final group design.

The first session took place at Turning Point of Windham County and involved a walk through the site, including the building. The participants became familiar with the permaculture principles: Observe & Interact, Catch & Store Energy, Obtain a Yield, Self-Regulate/Accept Feedback, Use & Value Renewables, Produce No Waste, Design from Patterns to Detail, Integrate, Slow, Small Solutions, Use & Value Diversity, Value the Marginal.

As we toured the site for the first time together, we noticed where these principles and correlating ethics of Care for the Earth, Care for People, and Fair Share are already being demonstrated. Participants were introduced to the concept of “stacking functions”, which is to receive many types of yields from one item, such as a tree, or a chicken, or a fence. Students looked for evidence of this on the site.

Our role as designers is to recognize what is working, and to help build on the successes which exist in the ecosystem. (Tuesday June 9th we will look at the existing conditions at a homestead on Bonnyvale Road. If you’d like to join us, please contact me by close of business Monday June 8th.)

The enthusiasm in the group was very inspiring. As is the case for many budding permies, being around people who share your love and support for ecosystems is heady stuff. Understanding the dynamics of the natural system and viewing it through a permaculture lens enhances the way you look at all the ecosystems in your life: natural, social and professional.

Session 2 ~ Tuesday, June 9, 2015
6 BTT Hours or EBT card FREE (Inquire if you would like to join us for a nominal fee)
Water & Landscape, Soil & Earthworks
In this session you will visit a homestead in Guilford where hugel culture is being implemented. We will dive more deeply into the interaction between water and land, and what the consequences are when we disturb the land without understanding how its systems work

Knowledge covered
Principles:
Observe & Interact, Catch & Store Energy, Obtain a Yield, Self-Regulate/Accept Feedback, Use & Value Renewables, Produce No Waste, Design from Patterns to Detail, Integrate, Slow, Small Solutions, Use & Value Diversity, Value the Marginal

Ethics:
♦ Care for the Earth – Environmental goals
♦ Care for People – Social goals
♦ Fair Share – Embrace justice for all beings

Learning Objectives
How are you affecting the water cycle where you live? What are the duties of water? How can you design so you support your water and soil relationship, and accomplish as many functions as possible? The best question is the one that is asked.

Skills covered:
♦ We continue to build a cooperative and non-threatening environment in which to learn.
♦ In understanding of how soil and water are intricately linked, demonstrated by hugel culture.
♦ An understanding of how soils and plants can provide carbon sequestration.
♦ Become familiar with designs that have dealt with soil issues successfully.

Collective Genius, Community Building, Infrastructure, Local Economy, Pathways to Thriving, Permaculture, Synergetic Genius, Systems Thinking, Turning Point Gratitude Project, Unique Genius

Turning Point Gratitude Project Recieves 2015 Seed Grant from NEGEF!

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We are deeply grateful to the New England Grassroots Environmental Fund for awarding the Turning Point Gratitude Project one of their 2015 Seed Grants. Wrote Ally Philip, Program Coordinator, during a recent correspondence, “We are happy to support such an innovative project that touches upon several of NEGEF’s issue areas.” We are quite happy too, Ally! The funds will go to defray some of the costs incurred in setting up the program, purchasing materials for the classes and implementation of the design.

Thank you so much NEGEF! Want to donate to our project? Contact Turning Point of Windham County Executive Director Susan Walker at TPWC.1 (at) hotmail.com. Your gift is tax-deductible! We will also need materials and manpower to implement the design once it’s complete. You’ll be in great company!

Here is the course outline: TPGPCourseOutlineRev. The registration fee for the full PDC is $500, (which is one third to one quarter of the usual cost for certification). If you would like to enroll in the Permaculture Design Certification course please use this form: TPGPCourseReg.

To enroll in individual courses, download this registration form: TPGPINDCourseReg. Those who have EBT cards may enroll in individual courses at no cost! If you have questions, please contact Cimbria CimbriaGratitudeProject (at) gmail.com. We look forward to having you play with us in the garden!

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Community Building, Green Collar Economy, Infrastructure, Local Economy, Pathways to Thriving, Permaculture, Synergetic Genius, Systems Thinking, Turning Point Gratitude Project, Unique Genius

Turning Point Gratitude Project Course Outline & Registration Forms

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We are less than a week away from the first session of the Turning Point Gratitude Project Ecological Design Course. The first session begins at 8 a.m. on Tuesday June 2nd and runs until 1 p.m. Here is what will be covered next Tuesday:

Session 1 ~ Introduction to Permanent Agriculture and Ecological Design Tuesday, June 2, 2015
Cost: 5 BTT Hours or $35 (Free with EBT Card)

Certification Course Registration Form: TPGPCourseReg
Individual Course Registration Form: TPGPCourseBTTEBTReg
To view the Course Schedule: TPGPCourseOutline

In this session you will learn the origins of Permaculture and how it is meant to provide a means to ecological justice for all beings. The earth and other living beings demonste what works best, what they need to thrive, and how to live in an integrated landscape. Permaculture is a way of life, not a different way of gardening. What are your hopes for the session?

Knowledge covered
Principles: Observe & Interact, Catch & Store Energy, Obtain a Yield, Self-Regulate/Accept Feedback,  Use & Value Renewables, Produce No Waste, Design from Patterns to Detail, Integrate, Slow, Small Solutions, Use & Value Diversity, Value the Marginal

Ethics: Care for the Earth – Environmental goal, Care for People – Social goals, Fair Share – Embrace justice for all beings

Learning Objectives
The origins and goals of the Turning Point Gratitude Project will be explained. You will meet the Executive Director, Susan Walker of Turning Point of Windham County, and some of the Board Members and Volunteers who will be working with us throughout the project.

How can we slow the damage being done to our planet, and even begin to restore ecosystem services? How much you learn and what your takeaway from the class will be up to you. The best question is the one that is asked. We will begin to develop relationship, and plot our session.

Skills covered:

  • We will begin building a cooperative and non-threatening environment in which to learn.
  • An understanding of the Principles and Ethics, and why they are the bedrock of our practice
  • Principles of Ecology: An understanding of how climate change is affecting us in our daily lives, in our home environment (land practices contributing to Stormwater runoff).
  • We will review the cycles of Earth and the food chain. What are limiting factors?
  • We will begin to understand how time, diversity and stability are related.
Collective Genius, Community Building, Edible Brattleboro, Green Collar Economy, Infrastructure, Local Economy, Pathways to Thriving, Permaculture, Synergetic Genius, Systems Thinking, Turning Point Gratitude Project, Unique Genius

Turning Point Gratitude Project:  What is a “Gratitude Project”? Why Turning Point?

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When I moved to the One and Only Brattleboro VT in September 2014, I felt called to demonstrate my gratitude. This community feels like home. I began planning how I could combine my life philosophy, permaculture, with a service project which would help improve food justice, provide stakeholders with a natural landscape in which to congregate, create workforce training opportunities, and slow, spread and sink stormwater currently inundating the Whetstone Brook. Turning Point’s location at 39 Elm Street is the perfect site for this project, and the staff and stakeholders are just as excited about it as I am. The Board is terrific, and there are many Master Gardeners already tied into the group.

Turning Point Addiction & Recovery Center moved to downtown Brattleboro after being located in a more remote area. The move helped increase their ability to provide services to area residents who don’t have access to private transportation. There was damage in the basement from Hurricane Irene, which brought more than 2′ to the Frost/Flat/Elm corridor. TPAprilShowers (18) TPAprilShowers (25)

Water from sites above, all the way to Western Avenue and beyond, eventually settles in this neighborhood, as do all the pollutants. This makes the area around the building very rocky.      

TPGPHarvestingRockApril (6)Volunteers have begun harvesting rock to be used as materials once the design is completed.

A full Permaculture Certification Course will be offered based at the site during June and July 2015 for a cost of $500. (This is less than half of what courses usually cost, and is mainly to cover expenses for the Gratitude Project.) The course schedule is almost finalized.

We’ll invite individuals to attend the workshops singly. Stakeholders for Turning Point and people receiving EBT (3-Squares VT) will be able to attend the training sessions at no cost. We are also offering an option to attend individual sessions through Brattleboro Time Trade. Participant hours received for attendance of the courses will be used to “pay” volunteers who help implement the project. This could only happen in a town that has hundreds of engaged Time Trade members, as Brattleboro does!

We would appreciate any donations of materials or plants. Right now we need barrels which can be used to hold rocks until the implementation begins. A wheelbarrow or two would be nice!

The Grand Opening of the new site will be in September. That will be quite a celebration for Turning Point staff, stakeholders, and for me. A real celebration of their mission and vision, of the committed staff and Board, and of this town that I love, the One and Only Brattleboro, Vermont!

Check out the program schedule here!