February 24, 2008
Listen to Garden Teleconferences
The American Community Gardening Association offers a series of excellent recorded teleconferences on their Web site. These are 90 minute conferences that have 1 to 3 speakers. Topics covered include garden fundraising, garden leadership, school gardens, fundraising and immigrants and community gardening.
Posted by Nancy Kreith at 8:00 PM | Permalink |
February 24, 2008
Organic Curriculum Instructor Wanted
The Chicago Christian Industrial League, in partnership with Windy City Harvest, an exciting new urban agriculture jobs training program on Chicago's west side, is seeking an experienced instructor to work with its first class of 15 adult trainees starting in September. This program is based on a custom curriculum covering organic, four-season production of high end produce, bedding and ornamental plant production for landscaping and other uses, and outdoor seasonal growing. Hands-on activities in both greenhouse and outdoor settings are an integral part of the 50-week classroom and on-the-job training program, which enrolls trainees as continuing education students of the City Colleges of Chicago. Most trainees will come from work-challenged backgrounds and have overcome a history of substance abuse or incarceration.
Windy City Harvest is a partnership between the Chicago Christian Industrial League, the North Lawndale Employment Network, the Chicago Botanic Garden and key funding agencies. Program goals are based on the implementation of a successful, sustainable production operation and associated green industry training and employment activities.
Job Duties:
Adapt written curriculum as needed for delivery in classroom and hands-on production setting
Develop extension activities that enhance curriculum training and content knowledge
Teach and supervise trainees daily between 9-3 p.m. and coordinate personnel issues with Windy City Harvest case management staff
Coordinate transition from city college training site to new pilot greenhouse with program production manager in December 2007/January 2008
Qualifications:
Bachelor's Degree from accredited institution
Minimum two years of experience teaching adults
Experience in the horticulture industry and/or organic agriculture production
Experience in working with and teaching alternative learners
Salary and Benefits:
Competitive compensation package
The Chicago Christian Industrial League is seeking to fill this position as soon as possible. Please send resume and cover letter to employment@chicagobotanic.org.
Posted by Nancy Kreith at 3:07 PM | Permalink |
February 19, 2008
Organic Habitats: Nature's Backyard Invitation
The Tenth Annual Residential Landscape Design Symposium, planned in conjunction with the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD), the Landscape Design Association (LDA) and the Midwest Ecological Landscape Association (MELA) will be held on Friday, March 14 from 9 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
This symposium is structured for landscape design professionals in search of ideas and inspiration for creating organic habitats in residential landscape settings.
Featured speakers:
Scott Calhoun, "Chasing Wildflowers", Award winning author and designer, Zona Gardens, Tucson, Arizona
Mick Hilleary, "Creating Natural Swimming Pools", the latest thing to have in Europe and becoming popular in the United States Zoo, exhibit designer and owner, Total Habitat, Bonner Springs, Kansas
Doug Tallamy, "Bringing Nature Home", Ph.D., Professor & Chair, Department of Entomology & Wildlife Ecology, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware
Ed Snodgrass, Owner and president, Emory Knoll Farms and Green Roof Plants, Street, Maryland
Registration includes morning coffee, boxed lunch, parking and all symposium handouts.
Registration: $129/$163
Posted by Nancy Kreith at 11:54 AM | Permalink |
February 11, 2008
Furnace Filters: Clean the Air
You may be surprised to learn that the air inside your home may be more polluted than the air outside, even if you live in a large industrial city. Considering the fact that most people spend 90 percent of their time indoors, indoor air quality is a serious health concern.
"Furnace filters are designed to keep the furnace system clean," says Lois Smith, consumer and family economics educator with University of Illinois Extension. "The air filtering system can also contribute to good health for family members by cleaning the air circulating throughout the house."
There are several types of furnace filters available. Selecting the one that suits your needs can sometimes be confusing.
Panel filters are the typical furnace filters used in homes. The primary function is to protect the furnace fan and keep dust on the coils to a minimum. These filters catch large particles from the air.
Washable filters can be washed and reused. These filters do not catch small particles.
Pleated filters have a larger surface to collect particles, so they are typically more efficient than the panel filters.
High efficiency pleated filters are designed to catch small particles such as dust, pet dander, smoke and mold.
High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters remove sub-micron particles. However, they are not designed to fit most standard furnaces.
Electronic air cleaners use an electrical field to trap charged particles and are considered the most effective as well as being more expensive.
"An important point to remember regardless of which kind of furnace filter you select is that filters will become filled with particles, and efficiency will change over time," says Smith. "These filters need to be replaced on a regular basis following manufacturers' instructions to insure proper airflow."
Electronic systems are considered the most efficient when first installed, but they lose their efficiency as they get dirty. Regular maintenance and cleaning are required to keep these systems operating at peak efficiency.
Smith says to replace your filter at the stated intervals, usually about every three months. Replace more often if you are introducing high levels of pollutants into your home, such as when remodeling, when using candles, if someone smokes in your house or if you have a pet in the home. Consider more frequent replacement if you have a family member with asthma, allergies or other lung problems.
Furnace Filters, a University of Illinois Extension fact sheet, provides information on different types of filters, features to look for, and maintenance requirements. Contact your local U of I Extension office for a copy, or view the Solution Series web page at http://www.solutions.uiuc.edu
Posted by Ron Wolford at 4:36 PM | Permalink |
February 9, 2008
Apply for 2008 GreenNet Mini-Grant
GreenNet is now excepting Mini-Grant applications for 2008.
Mini-grants are proudly sponsored by Prince Charitable Trusts. The mini-grants are intended to fund a small project or a special part of a larger project, with awarded funds ranging from $100 to $1,000. Grant money can be used to buy seeds, plants or soil, lumber or mulch, compost bins, buckets, nails, schoolbooks related to school gardening or even a garden festival for the community. Expenses for labor costs will not be awarded. We encourage community members to work together to complete greening projects.
To qualify for a GreenNet Green Chicago Mini-Grant, the garden project must be in Chicago in a schoolyard or community garden, or other community greening project. Applicants must also own or have permission to use the land, and must represent a group such as a block club, garden club, faith-based group, school or other youth group. Finally, funding priority is given to garden groups with an existing (rather than proposed) garden or greening project.
Dates to remember:
MiniGrant Workshop
Thursday March 6
6:30 p.m. at Garfield Park Conservatory
MiniGrants Due
Thursday, March 20, 5 p.m.
To download the application form, please follow the link below:
http://www.greennetchicago.org/mini_grant.html
--
Nancy Kreith
Extension Program Coordinator
University of Illinois Extension
3807 W. 111th Street
Chicago, IL. 60655
office: 773.233.0476
fax: 773.233.0910
cell: 708.567.6101
url: http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/cook/
Posted by Nancy Kreith at 12:42 AM | Permalink |
February 4, 2008
Chicago Green Map Project
The Green Map Project is a Liberal Arts course offered three times a year at The School of the Art Institute for undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in urban issues, sustainability and map making.
Each semester a group of students choose one of Chicago's 90+ neighborhoods that is accessible by public transportation, and proceed to locate all sites in the commercial, residential and industrial realm that promote sustainable living choices. Every single street in the neighborhood is inspected to assure record of all possible sites. Upon completion of the physical inspection of the neighborhood, students return to the classroom and design a neighborhood map.
Posted by Ron Wolford at 10:48 AM | Permalink |
February 2, 2008
First Green Residence Hall at UIUC
The first "green" residence hall is being built at the University of Illinois in Champaign. The 262-bed Presby Hall owned by the McKinley Presbyterian Church and Foundation is expected to receive certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Posted by Nancy Kreith at 5:22 PM | Permalink |
February 2, 2008
Milwaukee Worm Composting Workshop
Growing Power, Inc. in association with the Urban Agriculture Conference of Milwaukee presents a Composting and Vermiculture workshop on Friday, February 29th, 2008 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Location: 5500 W. Silver Spring Drive, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53218. Cost: $100 (scholarships are available), lunch included.
Workshop Schedule:
9:00 a.m.-10:00 a.m. – Introduction
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. – Tour
12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m. –Lunch
1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. - Hands on Training in Composting and Vermiculture
For more information please call Katie 414-527-1546 or email katie@growingpower.org. Hope to see you there!
Laurell Sims: Growing Power, Inc.
1741 North Western Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60647
Phone: 773.486.6005
Posted by Ron Wolford at 1:49 PM | Permalink |
