GroundUP Organics

Sign Up Now for Winter-Spring Session!

2012-02-06T07:53:00.000-08:00

It's time to get it going!

GroundUP Organics Winter Spring Session

OPEN HOUSE

Wednesday, February 29

3:30 - 6:30PM

Yesler Community Center | 917 E Yesler Way, 98122

Youth interested in registering for the program can fill out this pre-registration form HERE

Come and learn about new program activities, meet old and new friends, and eat some good grub. We will have garden and classroom tours, answer questions on program activity and as always, have big fun!

GroundUP Organics is a pre-employment training workshop that offers stipends to youth who learn about SOIL, SELF AND COMMUNITY. Youth ages 14-19 are eligible to sign up and learn more about this exciting urban agriculture, food justice and leadership development program .

Check out this video with GroundUP Organics founder Eddie Hill

It all starts from the GroundUP!

2011: What A Year!

2012-02-06T07:33:00.000-08:00

2011 was an amazing year for the growth and development for GroundUP Organics. Over the course of 2011 we:

Directly engaged 61 youth in our urban agriculture and urban planning pre-employment education and development programs learning about soil, self and community
Reached an additional 200+ youth through presentations, collaborations and partnerships
Launched our first urban farmstand at Yesler Terrace Garden Homes
Diverted 4.6 tons of green waste in the neighborhood from local landfills
Contributed 261 youth-powered volunteer hours to community groups and organizations throughout Seattle and Greater King County, WA
Prepared Thanksgiving Dinner for 200 low-income residents
Grew nearly one ton of fresh vegetables including tomatoes, purslane, kale, carrots, potatoes, broccoli, chard, garlic, squash, corn, peas, onions and of course, collard and mustard greens!
Had fun!

In partnership with Seattle Parks and Recreation's STEP Program and Seattle's SYEP program, we worked with a host of great partners and friends. We had big fun partnering with our pals from the Just Garden Project, Green Plate Special, STARTS, Nature Consortium, Danny Woo Gardens, Parks' Watershed program and Seniors at the Yesler Terrace Community Garden.

We want to thank the scores of volunteers, adult mentors and in-kind donors along with Judi Carter, Property Manager at Yesler Terrace; Kay Godefroy, Seattle Neighborhood Group; Gwen Wessels and Ron Mirabueno, Becca Fong and Dave -Seattle Parks and Recreation; Laura Dewell, Green Plate Special; Jason Davison, Cortona Coffee, and the whole staff at Yesler Terrace Community Center. We are sure we've probably left someone out, and for that - apologies.

RED BLACK AND GREEN!

2011-11-09T14:40:00.000-08:00

Hooray! A fundraiser for the youth of GroundUP Organics!

Join Seattle Green Drinks and Creatives4Community to launch the Red, Black & Green Drinks, a cultural community building hip happy hour. This event will explore social and regional sustainability, human and environmental health, social justice, micro-eco-investment, urban agriculture, green arts and sponsor local community green programs with the funds raised from our gatherings.

Date: Thursday, December 1
Time: 4:30PM
Location: Twilight Martini Lounge
2125 Western Ave.
Seattle, WA 98121
$10 in advance
$15 at the door

Drink Specials | Special Guest DJ | Bike Rider Bonus!

Tickets- www.brownpapertickets.com/event/210731

Fall is Bountiful

2011-11-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

Fall at GroundUP has been absolutely fantastic! We welcomed 14 new (and some returning youth) to the program who are all eager to learn about Urban Farming, Food Justice and Urban Ecology with Team GroundUP through Seattle Parks and Recreation's STEP program.

Welcome Saleem, Lo Tajah, Malcolm, Anthony, Kevin, Bryson, TaiJae, Maria, Paolo, Julie, Mieesha, Fatuma, Dominique and Lexus!

For the past 3 weeks we have harvested tomatoes, carrots, corn, kale, potatoes, peppers, onions, leeks, purslane, melons and beets. We've established 4 new compost bins and started a cooking program using freshly harvested food from the Yesler Garden.

Fall is going to be busy for Team GroundUP as we will partner with several organizations to learn, share and celebrate food justice, urban ecology, and food literacy. Fall partners include Green Plate Special, C.R.A.V.E., the Mercer Middle School Gardening project, Danny Woo Children's Garden, Seattle University service learning students, and Bailey Gatzert Elementary School to name a few.

As a special focus, GroundUP youth will work with the Yesler Terrace Community center to cook and serve the Thanksgiving dinner for over 200 community members serving traditional colonial food, indigenous foods from the many cultures in Yesler Terrace and a few classic deserts that are uniquely GroundUP.

Stay tuned, fall is filled with fun, learning and service and engagement with community. We thank Seattle Parks and Recreation's S.T.E.P program for providing stipends and additional support for the fall program.

WHAT A SUMMER!

2011-09-08T22:35:00.000-07:00

Summer 2011 marked the 6^th training cycle for GroundUP as we hosted a six-week summer intensive designed to build on the success of past training cycles and develop new ways to engage in both learning and leadership among youth participants. Wow, what a Summer!

The program featured a core of 13 youth from STEP (Seattle Parks and Rec's Summer Teen Employment Program) and SYEP (Seattle Youth Employment Program) along with STARTS (Students Taking Agriculture Round the Streets), YES (Youth Engaged in Service), and other youth engagement programs across the city of Seattle. In total, the program had a direct impact on 72 youth who visited our Yesler Terrace farm and classroom.

BY THE NUMBERS

3456+: gallons of vegetable and yard waste diverted from landfill = 3.06 tons of solid waste diverted from the landfill
36: number of 96 gallon green waste recycling bins it took to transport the waste.
270: pounds of food grown as of August 2011.
1440: square feet under cultivation
35: yards of wood chips spread as mulch/diverted from landfill

Under the guidance of GroundUP Team Lead Nate Moxley, youth also cultivated, planted and mulched the GroundUP garden site, built additional compost bins and set the irrigation system for the long and unpredictable Seattle summer of growing. Youth planted tomatoes, cabbage, collard greens, leeks, purslane, corn, broccoli, onions, mustard greens, zuchinni, potatoes, chard, kale, snow peas, basil, cilantro, green beans, lettuce and artichokes. They used compost made on site along with soil enhancement resources donated from Cedar Grove and Walt’s Organic.

We worked to build our personal development skills using Straight Talk, a curriculum designed by The Food Project of Boston, and lead by GroundUP Team Lead Stephanie Snyder . This curriculum is designed to help youth give and receive feedback using a series of guided exercises. Straight Talk helped us build a framework for creating a context of sharing, compassion and empathy.

In the 2011 summer intensive cycle, we incorporated cooking into the curriculum. Cooking and sharing food grown from the garden was a popular activity among youth. Their natural curiosity and ability to share cultural information in the kitchen and at the table proved to be a useful catalyst in driving leadership, ownership and a sense of responsibility among the group

“In the kitchen is where I witness the youth shine. The opportunity for us to cook together gave us a true perspective on community. Cooking was our form of community in action; we were supporting one another, using teamwork, and communicating" Team Lead Syreeta Bernal

By the third week of the intensive, GroundUP youth and staff opened a weekly fresh food farmstand using vegetables grown at the Yesler garden combined with vegetables grown at Seattle Tilth’s Urban People’s Farm. Through the farmstand, youth found their entrepreneurial spirit and connected in new ways with the neighborhood. Each Wednesday, food was harvested, delivered, priced and merchandised for attractive display at the farmstand and while some youth worked directly at the stand, others served as "barkers" encouraging passersby to 'get their green on'.

The farmstand continues to be a community attractor and opportunity for the team to talk about our work and share fresh healthy food in the community. We are making new friends and building valuable relationships with residents, and staff from neighboring Harborview Hospital and Seattle University.

We are grateful for the support of our partners, champions and supporters; Judi Carter, Yesler Terrace property manager for her continued support and encouragement; Kay Godefroy, at Seattle Neighborhood Group, our fiscal sponsor; Jason and Foxy Davison, from the STARTS program, Ron Mirabueno and Gwen Wessels from Seattle Parks and Recreation; Thavy Pen, Yesler Terrace Community Center; Cascadian Edible Landscapes and Seattle Tilth for the plant starts, and Heidi Broadhead & Della Chen who wrote and provided photography for the thoughtful article on GroundUP in Edible Seattle.

Thank you also to our summer collaborators and partners -STARTS, United Peoples Farm, Urban Bee Company, Umojafest Peace Center, Work it Out School, Green Plate Special, Atlantic City Nursery, Sustainable Seattle, AlleyCat Acres, Homegrown Organics, Seattle University Center for Service, Renaissance Tree Care and Cortona Cafe.

From Team GroundUP

Jonathan Cunningham, Nate Moxley, Syreeta Bernal, Stephanie Snyder Soulseed, Tizita Assefa (not pictured), Karen Toering and Chloe Lee

New Leadership!

2011-05-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

GroundUp has a new team of leaders managing the program! Welcome Jonathan Cunningham, formerly of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, Tizita Assefa from The Service Board, and Stephanie Seliga from The Just Garden Project!!!

Founder and former Director Eddie Hill is now the Farm Programs Manager at Seattle Tilth for the Farm Incubator Program working with immigrant, refugee, and low-income populations interested in learning how to start a small farming business in King County.

The NEW DIRECTOR.....is Karen Toering, of the Langston Hughes Film Festival fame (as well as the new Gary Interational Film Fest!!) Karen is working with Seattle Bee company, Seattle Housing Authority, Danny Woo Gardens, and other community partners including Gatzert Elementary and Seattle University to make things happen in 2011!!

We are looking forward to a GREAT summer with funding for youth employment, Parks Department STEPS Program youth, and SOS Programming again. A total of 30 youth will be training, learning, sharing, and eating healthy food all summer!

Check us out and stop by on Saturdays for regular work parties!

Summer GroundUp Program - Parks Department Internships Starting July 12th!!

2010-07-05T14:46:00.000-07:00

Happy Summer!!

On July 12th Yesler GroundUp, Seattle Tilth, and the Seattle Parks & Recreation Department are starting another round of farm training activity at Yesler's Main Street site!!

10 Yesler and surrounding community high school teens will learn the basics of urban garden composting, recycling and food systems, waste stream awareness, climate change, carbon neutral issues, nutrition and health improvement, and how to take care of urban spaces sustainably.

More information will be coming this week, stay in touch!

Waste Stream Diaries....

2010-03-11T10:29:00.000-08:00

The GroundUp Team had a meeting at the Yesler site with representatives from CleanScapes, Seattle Housing Authority regarding the shift from one day of the week to another. Moving the day of the week that they pick-up of food waste and recycling in the neighborhood.

In this case Friday to Thursday.

The GroundUp Program was developed in part to respond to the need to creatively integrate demonstration systems that aligned with the outcomes from redevelopment conversations with the various firms and agencies that work to make a city grow. Green factors are high priorities of these stakeholders, that is not to say that they all agree on them, Green supporters can be generalized into two camps; those that get it, and those that will follow because the market wants to be Green. Both ways are fine, no debate.

Either way you approach it, we are all sitting in rooms discussing, designing, sketching, theorizing, identifying, developing methods, technology, and inventing 6-story urban food towers, smart grid utilities systems, and close-loop zero waste energy systems.

The current residents of Yesler Terrace do not live in a place like that. Not many people on this earth do yet in modern cities. Yes, there are LEED ND communities, good energy efficiency systems, BEDZED, and others, however the shift that will take place at Yesler, or is potentially set to happen, could be a unique and evolutionary redevelopment.

GroundUp working with Seattle Public Utilities, Department of Planning and Development, and SHA, is working to start the Greening of Yesler now, by expanding and improving the efficiency of the historical and cultural use of land on Yesler Hill. There is food being grown at Yesler and there is composting occurring at a small scale, however its integration formally into the infrastructure at Yesler has been challenging for a variety of reasons.

The ability to establish a community-based food/waste loop with the various stakeholders in the Yesler neighborhood will provide a demonstration and an introduction as to how our denser, more populated, more 1/4 mile hyper-local patterns of behavior and consumption can be sustained and affordable for all income levels. Or in the event that redevelopment does not occur (it didn't in the 1969-71 redevelopment plan), the community will be one of the first of its kind to provide a creative model of low-cost, community driven "Greening."

CleanScapes is trying to find ways to get the community informed, the recycling stream leaving Yesler is highly contaminated. The food waste and yard waste streams are equally challenged. This places costs on the waste system that are not helpful for anyone.

Some people in the community, like any other community, participate fully in recycling, composting, worm growing, not using chemicals, however many do not subscribe to these practices. And there are other who just do not know, have not been talked to and provided face-to-face respectful contact. This is one of the reasons GroundUp is working with the community, there are different ways to invite people to participate in movements or "causes", and a major one in many communities of culture is to be met with a talked to. It is a sign of respect and it involves getting into relationships with the community.

Relationships is what makes things Green. Understanding the relationships has to begin with establishing communication.

This is one of the projects that the GroundUp Interns are working on; communicating what they know to the community. They are presenting next week at the Got Green event in Columbia City:

http://gotgreen.org/

Training and education workshops begin next month working with the Yesler Community Council and residents. We are also connecting with ReWA and integrating micro-business training for some small farmers trying to develop some GREEN wages/jobs.

To grow good food you need good dirt.

Things are different now. The Mayor and City Council President announced the Year of Urban Agriculture, First Lady Edible Landscapes, Urban Farming, not so healthy communities, preventative health debates, obesity and GMO's. Food is a crisis issue. Access to it in disasters, the quality of it in normal times, the distance it travels, nutritional values, toxins and chemicals, all very relevant and well-known challenges.

GroundUp is demonstrating that healthy dirt makes a difference in production. To make healthy dirt you have to compost. To compost you have to pay attention and touch the waste stream. To touch the stream you have to know what you are looking to extract. For that there is training and a workforce that needs to be developed, implemented, funded, providing opportunities for Yesler and other low-income, low-option City residents to participate in their own community, their own self-sufficiency.

To grow food and create healthy soil you don't need to have a mastery of English, a Masters degree, or a Master plan, it is hands-on and utilizes one of the Western world's primary tenants; the Scientific Method. The only way to learn how to grow is to actually grow. To test the theory, practice the process. Make it better the next time. Growing from what you learn.

The Teen Interns at GroundUp are with the movement, they get it and what they don't they are seeking the answer. Having Will Allen come was a lifter and helped us all get a better understanding of what it takes to DO this work.

Community events are planned for this late spring and summer at Yesler and other City locations that will provide information, training, good food, and cultural awareness, please check these sites for more information:

http://www.seattle.gov/urbanagriculture/

(the photo at the top is from a seed starts workshop run by Nate Moxley from DON's P-Patch Program working with Michael Neguse from ReWA in late Feb.2010)
--30--

'YPN News!'

2010-03-02T12:10:00.000-08:00

'YPN News!'

Community Work Party!! Alley Cat Acres.....

2010-02-25T11:05:00.001-08:00

Time: February 28, 2010 from 9am to 4pm
Location: Alleycat Acres
Organized By: Alleycat Acres

Event Description:
Help build a garden!

Alleycat Acres, Seattle's newest urban farming collective, need your help to create their first farm. The team behind Alleycat Acres would like to invite 30 volunteers to Beacon Hill to come help dig, till and build on February 28.

Shifts are 9 am-12 pm and 1-4 pm.

Space is limited! To attend, send an email with your phone number and preferred time slot to: info@alleycatacres.com

New York Releases Food System Blueprint

2010-02-23T07:17:00.000-08:00

Here is some good information from New York routed through our Food Network -

******* New York City Food System Blueprint Released
http://mbpo.org/release_details.asp?id=1496

On Wednesday, February 17, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer released a detailed report outlining a set of municipal food policy recommendations. Below is a link to the full report and an outline of primary recommendations:

Food NYC: A Blueprint for a Sustainable Food System (pdf)
www.libertycontrol.net/uploads/mbp/foodnyc.pdf

Recommendations:

· The city should facilitate the development of rooftop gardens and create an NYC Urban Agriculture Program, which would provide access, resources and information to promote community gardening.

· Redevelop the Hunts Point Produce Market to modernize the food delivery hub and ensure that the 8,500 jobs the facility maintains remain in the city.

· Dedicate city-owned spaces for farmer's markets around the five boroughs.

· Pass legislation that would require 20% of all food purchased by city agencies to come from local producers.

· Educate New York City's children to become healthy and environmentally aware eaters. Students should have access to some type of agricultural production, be it a community garden or urban farm.

· Create a large-scale municipal composting facility, as well as support small-scale composting through education, decentralized composting bins and more pickup locations.

· Ban the sale of bottled water in all city facilities and on municipal property, and increase the use of water fountains and canteens. Plastic water bottles waste an enormous amount of energy to produce, with only a small portion recycled.

· Create an Office of Food and Markets to coordinate and lead systemic reform of the city's food and agricultural policies and programs. Also, amend PlaNYC to include a comprehensive overhaul of the city's food system.

Climatr Change and the Impact on Women - March 4th

2010-02-22T12:54:00.000-08:00

League of Women Voters: Women and Climate Change
Date	Thursday, March 04, 2010
Time	7:30 pm – 9:00 pm PST
Where	Downstairs at Town Hall; enter on Seneca Street.
Event Type	Town Hall Photo Event
Notes	Climate change hits women in poor countries especially hard, as they plant and grow food, collect water, gather firewood, and nurture their children. This forum, titled “Connecting Around the World,” will explain the effects of climate change on these women, connect the dots between our lives and theirs, and explore actions we can take to help improve their lives. Photographer and author Phil Borges (Women Empowered) will launch the discussion, along with Sara Curran and Lucy Jarosz of the UW and Jessie Dye, Earth Ministry Program. Presented by the League of Women Voters of Seattle’s International Relations Committee. Admission is free; no tickets required. Call 206/329-4848 or visit www.seattlelwv.org for more information. LEARN MORE: www.seattlelwv.org

Growing Power Commercial Urban Ag Training is INCREDIBLE!

2010-02-19T14:37:00.000-08:00

I have landed and gotten to work in Milwaukee! The plane was late and I got in at 2:30 a.m., then I didn't get to the hotel until 3:15 a.m., then bed....whew! Wake up call was at 7:00 a.m.!!! The life of a farmer is intense and I am so excited that I do not fee the pain yet.

Being here is extremely humbling and at the same time empowering! We have all worked so hard today tourring the site, learning the soil process, worms system, and the aquaponics system! WOW! I am floored and will have links to video journals by tomorrow.

There is so much work to do however being here has shown that it can be done. FOOD REVOLUTION!

GroundUp Fundraising is On-Line!!

2010-02-14T11:47:00.000-08:00

GroundUp and the Urban A and T: Seattle are two dynamic programs of C4C: Cretaive4Communities and we are launching a fundraiser with the help of our fiscal agent, Seattle Neighborhood Group!!

GroundUp is working to provide paid stipends and equipment to 10 more teens in Seattle. We are working hard to ensure that job training, placement, and continuing education are key components of our work.

We are excited about the opportunities this year to work with Will Allen's Growing Power, Seattle Tilth, and Seattle Parks & Recreation to begin a comprehensive small-site organics composting and recycling system at various Park's sites in Seattle.

Tilth will continue to incubate C4C and its programs, providing certification to our youth and staff and providing a stable foundation to launch community programs in the Central and Southeast areas of Seattle.

Please donate knowing that we are committed to ensuring equitable and livable-wage opportunities to youh and young-adults in the green movement!

Please check our link and help make this work a reality for more youth!

http://www.sngi.org/projects/c4c.php

Thank You!

Urban Agriculture Reports

2010-02-07T10:57:00.000-08:00

The current issue of Sustain Magazine reflects current thinking in the area of green urbanism and urban sustainability in our cities. The issue features seven perspectives on the ideal city in terms of policy and planning. This publication (co-edited by John Gilderbloom and Matt Hanka) presents American and Dutch analysis on a range of topics including: equitable development; downtown revitalization; the benefits of bicycling; neighborhood planning; urban morphology; creating a culture of tolerance; and reducing carbon emissions. Sustain Magazine is a peer reviewed publication, and it is produced by the Kentucky Institute for the Environment and Sustainable Development (KIESD).

Formed by the University of Louisville in 1992, KIESD provides the general public and the research community statewide with the tools and the space to work towards a brighter future. The Institute is a forum for conducting interdisciplinary research, applied scholarly analysis, public service and educational outreach on environmental and sustainable development issues at the local, state, national and international levels.

Link to the "sustainable communities" issue --
http://louisville.edu/kiesd/sustain-magazine/SUSTAIN%2021.pdf

Link to Sustain Magazine of KIESD --
http://louisville.edu/kiesd/sustain-magazine

Will Allen Event is a Success!!!

2010-02-06T21:25:00.000-08:00

Great work to all of those who supported C4C's work. Solid Ground, Seattle Planning & Development, Department of Neighborhoods, Seattle Neighborhood Group, Seattle Parks & Recreation, Public utilities, Vulcan Inc., Vivian Phillips, Merica Whitehall, and others.....fantastic event and great work!

After Will got started the City announced this:

2010: The Year of Urban Agriculture
Promoting community agriculture efforts and increased access
to locally grown food

Key Events

February 3 – People’s Roundtable, Youth Session, and Public Event with McArthur Genius Fellow, Will Allen (Growing Power, Milwaukee); Contact: Creatives4Community (C4C)
April 7 – 2010 Food Bank/Giving Garden Gathering; Contact: Solid Ground
Spring – "Spring Into Bed" city-wide food-garden building event; Contact: Cascadian Edible Landscapes
Summer – Community Good Food Summit; Contact: Seattle Good Food Network
August 28 – "Healthy Parks, Healthy You" annual community event;
Contact: Seattle Parks and Recreation
September – Seattle Community Farm opening celebration; Contact: Solid Ground
October 9-11 – Regional Urban Agriculture Conference; Contact: UW’s Center for Urban Horticulture and WSU Extension

Will Allen Youth Event at Youngstown FEEST Project - Weds. Feb. 3rd!!

2010-01-31T13:23:00.000-08:00

YOUTH EVENT!! Are you Growing Food? Are you seeking Food Justice Information?

Seattle has many successful emerging programs to reduce hunger and provide access to healthy, locally grown food. Allen will sit in with youth involved with Youngstown F.E.E.S.T program to address ways youth can strengthen their participation in planning their own green future. F.E.E.S.T. which stands for Food Empowerment, Education and Sustainability Team, is a weekly youth-led roundtable where youth prepare healthy meals and learn about food.

Will Allen will be talking with FEEST youth and community youth representatives about ways to strengthen their food justice work.

Green & Energy Announcement! Energy Reporting!!

2010-01-29T15:20:00.000-08:00

Green Jobs Legislation Passes City Council

------------------------------------------------------

Dear Friends:

As many of you are aware, and in partnership with many of your organizations, the City of Seattle has been working hard for the past two years to establish new policies and programs that will help us meet our ambitious goals to reduce the energy consumption of Seattle’s buildings by 20% by 2020, create new green jobs and save our residents and businesses money on energy bills.

On Earth Day 2009, we announced the Green Building Capital Initiative – a suite of policies developed in partnership with the Green Building Task Force. We're very pleased to announce that we've made great progress over the past year in implementing many of those recommendations, including passage by Seattle City Council, as of yesterday, January 25, 2010, of the non-residential and multifamily energy performance disclosure ordinance.

This ordinance requires annual reporting of energy performance for all non-residential buildings over 10,000 SF and all multi-family buildings over 5 units on an annual basis, as well as disclosure to potential residents, buyers and lenders upon request. We believe that providing this information to building owners and tenants is an important first step in encouraging greater energy efficiency in the market place. Our economic analysis shows that building energy retrofits inspired by this ordinance will create 130 jobs.

Please join us on February 1st, 2010 at 4 PM for a bill signing with Mayor Mike McGinn as well as updates on all Green Building Task Force recommendations.

When: February 1, 2010

Time: 4 – 5:30 PM

Location: 1301 Second Avenue, Executive Conference Room

Agenda: First Annual Update on Green Building Capital Initiative

Bill Signing

Refreshments

Many thanks again for your commitment and service to this important work, and for helping to maintain Seattle's leadership position in green building and climate protection policy and implementation. We look forward to seeing you on Monday. Please RSVP to Jeanie Boawn at jeanie.boawn@seattle.gov

Thanks,

Mike

Michael Mann

Acting Director

Office of Sustainability and Environment

City of Seattle

Plastic Water Bottles are a Problem!! Recycle More!

2010-01-11T08:48:00.000-08:00

The Big Picture

Single-use water bottles may seem inexpensive and convenient, but the environmental cost is substantial.

In the US there are 2 million plastic beverage bottles used every 5 minutes (1). Worldwide some 2.7 million tons of plastic are used to bottle water each year. The plastic most commonly used for bottled water is polyethylene terepthalate (PET), which is derived from crude oil. Earth Policy Institute’s research concluded that making bottles to meet Americans' demand for bottled water requires more than 1.5 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel some 100,000 U.S. cars for a year(2).

Bottled water is not necessarily safer than your tap water. Some bottled water is treated more than tap water, while some is treated less or not treated at all. Neither EPA nor FDA certify the quality of bottled water(3).

According to the Container Recycling Institute about 86% of plastic water bottles in the U.S. becomes garbage or litter(4).

Sources: (1) Chris Jordan, Seattle artist; from "Running the Numbers An American Self-Portrait" | (2) National Geographic / Earth Policy Institute | (3) Environmental Protection Agency “Water & Health Series” | (4) Container Recycling Institute

Equtiable Green Jobs!! Applied Research Center - Oakland, CA

2010-01-01T14:10:00.001-08:00

The Green Economy is here!! There are green jobs to be done and stimulus money to pay for them. Let's make sure women and people of color have access to high quality jobs and careers!

Green Equity Toolkit: Advancing Race, Gender and Economic Equity in the Green Economy

2010-01-01T14:10:00.000-08:00

Green Equity Toolkit: Advancing Race, Gender and Economic Equity in the Green Economy

Open House #1!!

2009-12-31T21:19:00.000-08:00

First Open House with Parents, Community Leaders, and Supporters!

GroundUp had its first Open House-Potluck at Yesler on December 29th with about 15 residents and supporters attending. We kept it small so that the interns could test thier ideas about the responsibilities of hosting and passing on information to those you are serving. Individuals chose food items to bring or help a parent prepare something for the day. It was great! Enjera, fresh Lamb Wat (I think), Kale Salad, Ezell's (with corn and mashed potatos), a Rice and Squash Stir-Fry, homemade cookies, cake, and some commercial chips and soda...it all made for some good times. Making sure that food was there was a big task for this first event and we discussed the lack of time and the holiday impact on quickly organized events. We got about 80% of what we originally planned for, whatever we didn't have got covered with a quick trip to Ezell's and a few extra dollars from the budget. In the longrun this won't work too often and better planning is always better.

We also discovered that the invitation methods we are using; Google Calendar, Evite, and Outlook, doesn't always work for everyone on a mailing list. We also figured out that we have to use all of them at the same time to get to everyone we intend to have a the party in the future! Lessons learned.....we talked about it in our "review of the day" session on the 30th. More information and pictures of the day soon!

Bradner Gardens & Compost Site Visit

2009-12-20T15:20:00.000-08:00

Bradner Gardens & Community Compost Site

Saturday was very busy! We have not had everyone all in one room for about a week and a half, and there were several tasks that needed to be taken care of with little extra time to mess around.
Sharon from Seattle Tilth helped out and we also had a site visit by Environmental Scientist Rick Davis. Advisory Board member Michael Figueroa donated use of his table saw and pick-up truck and we got the rest of our hand tools and heavy equipment to the site. We finished all the required wood cutting for our worm bin as well as the BRAND new 3-Bin. The two other bins being built are using recycled materials gathered from searches in the neighborhood for resources in waste areas.

Everyone put their new rain gear on not only to do some work on the lower site making paths and turning and fluffing the leaves, but to also to find out who's gear was whom. We haven't completed the gear racks on the walls of the tool room and the cubbies don't allow for drying of wet items. Gotta keep getting on the "to-do" list!

We caught the 14 and headed up to Bradner for our tour with Jim at the site. The bus ride gave us some time to look at the views and architecture of Mt. Baker and the lid community. Topography, vernacular, demographics, and access to resources were topics of discussion and we even had a SPD visit every 15-20 minutes to make sure we were ok!

The youth team got great ideas for landscaping, colors, design and layout, as well as seeing the resources at Bradner that could be part of the eventual redevelopment of Yesler Terrace. Bradner has a solar powered classroom space managed by Seattle Tilth, a really groovy tiled bathroom that is open to the community, and a day-lighted stream with a small Japanese inspired walkway and bridge.

The tour provided an opportunity to talk to a compost manager, see examples of a fully realized plan, the responsibility associated with this work, and the fruits of good coordinated labor. City money helps, as well as a stable middle-class in the mix, community capacity levels, and resource awareness.

Press Release: GroundUp

2009-12-14T18:30:00.000-08:00

For Immediate Release

Youth Engage in Green Movement

Through Neighborhood Compost Demonstration Site

(Seattle, WA) - Creatives4Community (C4C) announces the launch of The GroundUp program in partnership with Seattle Public Utilities (SPU), Seattle Tilth Association and the Yesler Terrace low-income housing community. Twelve low-income and minority youth work together with Yesler Terrace residents and Seattle Housing Authority to build a community compost demonstration site to reduce solid waste and improve resident engagement in soil building, composting, and recycling throughout the Yesler Terrace community.

Youth participants will be certified as Master Composter and Soil Builders, and work to help reduce community waste, improve soil conditions for local gardeners and small urban farmers, as well as improve their ability to enter the Green Collar workforce. Participants will have a better understanding of the importance of composting and how it impacts sustainability, waste management, and storm water management in Seattle. Youth will also work with SPU and Yesler Terrace to create an engagement plan to pass on those recycling methods to the culturally and linguistically diverse populations they represent.

“The fact that we are doing it here in Seattle, that we are creating sustainable Green employment opportunities, and that we are addressing the issues of minority youth who are not being engaged in the environmental movement will make this program a relevant part of the local “green” ecology for some time to come.”, noted Edward Hill, urban planner and the program’s Executive Director.

GroundUp is the first stage of C4C’s Urban A&T (Agricultural & Technology) Academy. Working with community partners and local resources, C4C is combining Urban Planning, Environmental Education, Workforce Development, Civics, and Community Capacity Building to bring direct action to address these gaps in minority and low-income communities. For updates, visit the GroundUp blogsite http://groundupproject.blogspot.com/

The projects Program Manger is Torence Powell, MUP, MEd., C4C's Educational Director. The project partners include Joel Banslaben and Sheryl Shapiro at Seattle Public Utilities, Judi Carter and Carl Pierce at Seattle Housing Authority, Kay Godefroy at Seattle Neighborhood Group, and Andrea Dwyer and Sharon Lerman at the Seattle Tilth Association.

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For more information contact:
Edward Hill, Jr., Executive Director, Creatives4Community 206. 330.5029 - ehill65@gmail.com - http://groundupproject.blogspot.com/

Green Jobs/Career Webinar!

2009-12-13T15:09:00.000-08:00

Green Career Webinar
Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 12 Noon (PST)

In this 60-minute webinar Dr. Kevin Danaher will discuss and answer questions about:

What industries are growing with the greening of the economy;
What jobs and careers are emerging in the green economy;
What are the best websites, books and resources available for your green job hunting.

He will use straight-forward language and ready-to-go strategies that are relevant whether you are starting in the job market or changing careers to the green economy.

Cost: $5. The first 10 subscribers get a Green Festival Readers book!

Dr. Kevin Danaher is co-founder of Global Exchange (1988), founder and Executive Co-Producer of the Green Festivals (2001), and Executive Director of the Global Citizen Center (2004). Dr. Danaher has spoken at universities and for community organizations throughout the U.S. on issues ranging from the dynamics of the global economy to how we can replace the power of transnational corporations with local green economy networks. Dr. Danaher has published numerous articles and is the author and/or editor of twelve books, including his latest, "Building the Green Economy: Success Stories from the Grass Roots". If you would like to know more about Dr. Kevin Danaher's background, visit: www.globalexchange.org/getInvolved/speakers/56.html

Homegrown Organics!! New Community Partner.....

2009-12-13T14:12:00.000-08:00

While driving around Seattle on Friday afternoon collecting recycled wood, gardening supplies, and materials to build compost bins on Saturday (12/12) with the GroundUp team at Yesler Terrace, we saw an electric pickup truck with leaves and tree scraps in the back.

We were looking (are still looking) for local landscape maintenance companies that want to drop their "greens" at Yesler to help us build the first round of soil at Yesler and we literally found what we were looking for with Homegrown Organics, a local, sustainable, toxin free landscape maintenance company that also has staff that want to work with teens and young-adults becoming "green" and learning about employment and job opportunities in Green-collar jobs.

So, we pulled over and asked, "Hey can we get your greens?" They respond. "Huh?" So we explained our business, our mission, and now they are our FIRST community partner! They will drop their greens to us at Yesler, we will make soil, we also have LOTS of wood chips that we are going to trade for work building our site out!!

This is how it works. You have to be open to the answers and you also have to hit the streets to find the connections. Thanks Homegrown Organics!! Scott MacGowan and Amanda Bailey are our new friends! GroundUp is looking to doing great things with you!

Project Start Week! GroundUp is on the move!

2009-12-06T17:49:00.000-08:00

The GroundUp Project Begins!

Good Evening Everyone, Supporters, Funders, Staff, Community, and Youth!

Greetings! The Yesler GroundUp Organics Project has Begun!! We have interviewed and recruited 12 teenage (15-19 years old) excited and interested interns to learn and work with C4C/Seattle Tilth to take leadership roles in the 2010 Yesler Community Composting & Recycling Plan, a multi-stakeholder effort to provide culturally relevant and language appropriate composting, recycling, and sustainable community capacity building.

We have activated the 2009-2010 GroundUp Program BLOG spot to help you keep track of our work. Please take a look and use the site to keep up on our news, events, and developments. We are excited and look forward to seeing you or hearing from you about your thoughts and comments.

Thanks go to Joel Banslaben at SPU, and staff at Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle Tilth, Seattle Neighborhood Group, Creatives4Community, Cloyd Farms, Solid Ground, Seattle Housing Authority, Yesler Terrace Community Council, and CollinsWoerman for their input and support in the development, planning, and funding of this effort to make a sustainable impact on the lives of our city's teens and young adults.

Thank you for your support and interest in our work.

GroundUP Organics

Sign Up Now for Winter-Spring Session!

2011: What A Year!

RED BLACK AND GREEN!

Fall is Bountiful

WHAT A SUMMER!

New Leadership!

Summer GroundUp Program - Parks Department Internships Starting July 12th!!

Waste Stream Diaries....

'YPN News!'

Community Work Party!! Alley Cat Acres.....

New York Releases Food System Blueprint

Climatr Change and the Impact on Women - March 4th

Growing Power Commercial Urban Ag Training is INCREDIBLE!

GroundUp Fundraising is On-Line!!

Urban Agriculture Reports

Will Allen Event is a Success!!!

2010: The Year of Urban Agriculture Promoting community agriculture efforts and increased access to locally grown food

Key Events

Will Allen Youth Event at Youngstown FEEST Project - Weds. Feb. 3rd!!

Green & Energy Announcement! Energy Reporting!!

Plastic Water Bottles are a Problem!! Recycle More!

Equtiable Green Jobs!! Applied Research Center - Oakland, CA

Green Equity Toolkit: Advancing Race, Gender and Economic Equity in the Green Economy

Open House #1!!

Bradner Gardens & Compost Site Visit

Press Release: GroundUp

Green Jobs/Career Webinar!

Homegrown Organics!! New Community Partner.....

Project Start Week! GroundUp is on the move!

2010: The Year of Urban Agriculture
Promoting community agriculture efforts and increased access
to locally grown food