Ecovillage at Ithaca

Most people are aware that in the United States, we use about twenty percent of the world's energy resources even though we are only five percent of the world's population[1]. Our energy use is soaring and a heavy contributor to climate change; our agricultural practices include factory farms, copious amounts of pesticides, and genetically modified foods that are largely untested for potential health risks and contribute to soil erosion and other environmental issues[2]. Furthermore, many attempts to systemically change how we use energy, heat our homes, grow our food and access more environmentally responsible products and services has largely benefited the already privileged class--it's mostly white, middle and upper class people who purchase organic food, for example, or install solar panels on their homes[3].

The EcoVillage at Ithaca Center for Sustainability Education (EVI-CSE), a CTA Project, is trying to change that with a number of programs and initiatives that range from creating affordable sustainable housing to training future farmers. The Groundswell Center for Local Food and Farms, part of EVI-CSE, works hard to engage marginalized and disenfranchised populations in their farmer training programs and to help low-income people get started running their own farms.

 

Harvesting vegetables as part of a Groundswell Program

EVI-CSE, in collaboration with the Tompkins County Planning Department, received an EPA Climate Showcase Grant to evaluate the lessons learned from developing EcoVillage at Ithaca over the last twenty years. The 3-year grant is enabling EVI-CSE to study the impacts and future potential of three main projects: TREE, which will be EcoVillage at Ithaca's third residential neighborhood, and will include low-income housing and passive solar heating; the Aurora Pocket Neighborhood, which is a smaller co-housing development in downtown Ithaca; and a housing development on county land near the hospital that will likely be seventy-two densely clustered homes, with shared alternative energy use and lots of green space. This last development will be a mixed-income neighborhood with easy access to public transportation.

 

CTA is now accepting applications for new Project Partners anywhere in New York State. The next deadline for applications is May 1. Find out more here.   

"A Divine Detour" CUSLAR is in the news.   

CTA is on pinterest. What is pinterest? It's all the rage! Pinterest is a virtual "pinboard" that allows users to share images from around the web with a link back to the original website where the image was placed. So far, our pinboards are CTA Projects, Human Rights, Civil Rights, Images of Peace, Local Food and Farms, New York State, and more. We're having fun sharing beautiful and powerful images from around the web, so take a look and follow us, if you like.  

The Ithaca City of Asylum is hosting "Memories of Milosz," a photographic record of Nobel Poet Laureate Czeslaw Milosz's historic return to Poland after nearly 30 years in exile. Part of  Downtown Ithaca's Gallery Night Friday, March 2, from 5-8pm at Tompkins County Public Library, the exhibit will feature a short talk at 6:30 by Pawel Bakowski, who is loaning some of the photographic panels for the display.  

On Sunday, April 1 at 2pm the Library and ICOA will host another celebration of Milosz' work featuring a reading by members of the local Polish and poetry communities. This event will also take place in the Borg Warner Community Room at TCPL and Bakowski will again give a short account of the story behind this collection of photos and books.
 
The exhibit will be on display through April 15.

The Veterans' Sanctuary offers Warrior Writing Workshops every second and fourth Wednesday (March 14 and 28 this month). This program is open to veterans from all wars. People who work with veterans and family members can also participate. On Saturday March, 10, Veterans' Sanctuary is hosting a presentation and open mic night of poetry at the Unitarian Church, 306 North Aurora Street, Ithaca from 7-10pm.  

Want to volunteer on a farm and help veterans? The Veterans' Sanctuary Community Farm has open volunteer days every Monday from 10am-5pm. Find out more about the farm and how you can help.   

Veterans' Sanctuary is also gearing up to open a Combat Paper Studio this spring. What is combat paper? Find out here.  

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