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1/11/2017

Sustainability: for Everyone Lynda Garvin, Agent NMSU Cooperative extension Service

Sustainability

Definition EPA: Our survival and wellbeing depends on our natural environment (and vice versa)  Create & maintain the conditions where humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations

Time well spent blog

1 1/11/2017

Why is sustainability Important?

Activity 1:

 Take a few minutes to write down what sustainability means to you:  In your indoor and outdoor space Name 3 things you are already doing that contribute to sustainability.  Name 1 thing you can do in the future to contribute to the sustainability of your community.

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Sustainability

 It’s a mindset  It’s behavioral  It’s a moral imperative  It’s essential for the survival of our planet & all species  It’s our responsibility

Lets talk about stuff

Don’t touch my stuff!

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What does this have to do with sustainability?

 “…the greatest change we can make is from consumption to production, even if on a small scale. If only 10% of us do this, there is enough for everyone.” Bill Mollison Father of the permaculture movement

Advertising

 2015 $80 billion spent  You need this stuff to be:  Good enough  Validated  Beautiful  Competitive  Successful  Fulfilled  Happy

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Planned Obsolescence

 Manufacturing stuff uses water, fossil fuels, human labor, resources…creates waste & pollution  Built in  Stop making that design  Cheaper to buy new than fix  Technology no longer supported

 Cheap manufactured goods – We don’t pay the true labor and environmental costs

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Housing

 US living spaces doubled since the 1950’s (980 sq. feet)  US 2010 census average size 2,392 sq. feet

 What happens when you have more space?

Self Storage Industry

 2.2 billion dollar industry  2,300,000,000 square feet

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Main contributor to species loss

Loss of habitat  Human encroachment on their habitats (timber, agriculture, development, fishing…)  Shrinking natural areas to feed, breed, and find shelter  Other causes –  Oil spills (other pollution)  Acid rain  Heating and cooling of the  Hunting  Natural disasters

More about stuff & what you can do

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Sustainable Living & Permaculture

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1974 while teaching at the University of Tasmania, Bill Mollison and David Holmgren developed a joint framework for a System

PERMACULTURE

 Permanent + Agriculture  Permanent + Culture  Mainly for household and community self- reliance

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PERMACULTURE

 Culture cannot survive without a sustainable agriculture base and landuse ethic

Permanent

≠ fixed ≠ stagnant Sustainable Flowing Evolving Adapting over time

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Permaculture

 Mind set  Lifestyle  Holistic driven behaviors  Socially responsible life choices  Process

PERMACULTURE ETHICS

Earth Care People Care Share Surplus

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EARTH CARE

 Hippocratic Oath for the planet: “…I will abstain from all intentional wrong-doing and harm”  Work with nature  Build and protect resources  Simplicity & diversity  Do more with less

PEOPLE CARE

 Everything and everyone is connected  Meet basic needs: Food, water, shelter, education, meaningful livelihood, connection  Help people become self-reliant and promote community responsibility

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Share Surplus

Contribution of surplus: Time Products Money Energy To achieve the aims of earth and people care

Permaculture Principles

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Activity 2:

 Draw a simple diagram representing your living space and homescape as it is now  On the same sheet of paper draw a stick figure representing you

Let’s look at your diagrams

Who has their stick figure self next to your homescape? Who has their stick figure self inside their homescape?

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Where do I stand in the system/landscape/foodscape?

 Humans are not superior to other living forms.  We are not masters over nature.  See ourselves as nature; not separate from it.  “Everything we do to other life forms we do to ourselves.” Bill Mollison  Do you see yourself in the system or outside the system?

Awareness is the first step to making change

Seed2Need Leslie Davis

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Take time to observe and be in your homescape/foodscape/landscape

 Work with nature not against it  What was the land and natural environment like in the past?  Read natural history books  Native vegetation and wildlife

 Take time to observe natural patterns and flows on the land throughout the seasons: Where do you like to hang out, walk, ponder Water Wind Sun Shade Warm and cool areas Wildlife Plant communities

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A note about microclimates

 Every plant  Every structure  Every object within the homescape (and around it) creates a microclimate –  Temperature variation  Moisture retention or drying  Sheltered or exposure Otero Master

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Design is making connections between things

 The parts of the home scape are viewed in relation to other things in the homescape, not in isolation  Looking for and enhance relationships within the homescape so they work together efficiently

Rod Geston mudhubllc.com

Work with Nature not against it; cooperation not competition

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Work is Pollution

“Tidiness is maintained disorder and a waste of energy.” Ben Haggard

Optimize the edge – greatest diversity and fertility

Relative Location

Going with the flow of Water Land Personal habits

Start small and get it right!

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A tale of the wrong place

Go to Google map

Garden

Water spigot

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Everything Performs Many Services

 How do things interact with each other?  What benefits do they provide to each other, the homescape, and household?  Take time to look at and map these functions, interactions, & relationships to maximize all the resources & help in decision making  Good practice: make sure every element you want has at least two functions

Everything in the home scape performs many services

Worm bin

Kitchen Kitchen

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New Mexican Olive Services/Functions: Oxygen maker Privacy Screen Windbreak Habitat and food for wildlife (chickens?) Nectar plant for pollinators Erosion control Soil builder Adds color and texture Carbon sink

Don’t Forget

 You are a major resource and serve many functions/services within your permaculture system (homescape)

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Activity 3: Make a resource map of one thing in your garden/homescape

Each important function is supported by many elements (have a backup)

 Irrigation water:  Water Tanks filled with rainwater from roof gravity fed to drip system  Well with pump connect hose from spigot to drip system  Hand water herb garden from house tap  Pond water

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Backup systems

Energy:  Solar panels  Batteries to store energy for use at night or rainy days (we wish)  Public electricity  Gas water heater as backup  Heat water on stove for shower  Leave black bucket outside to warm water for shower  Tree turbines

Efficient Energy Planning

 Zone and placement of elements looking at:  slope,  sun & shade  wind,  water flow,  temperature gradients… to maximize time, energy, and money

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http://www.newwind.fr/Arbre-vent_31.html

Tesla solar Roof Panels

Heating and cooking

Solar Cooker

Rocket Stove for heat Rocket stove for cooking

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Heat sinks for growing less cold tolerant and year long production

Green building

Straw bale house

Cob House (adobe)

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Refuse, Reduce, Reuse/Repurpose, Recycle

Zone Planning

Intensity & frequency of use and management from highest (zone 0) to lowest (Zone 5).

Smart use of your energy and mother nature’s.

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You may have only zone 0 & 1

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Our most limiting resource - WATER

 Where can you find it on your property?  Where does it flow when it rains?  Slow it down  Collect it  Reuse it - waste & gray water

Slow it down and keep it on site

Straw bales

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Swales – slow flow and hold water

Straw bales

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Soil sponges

 Dig a hole  Fill with organic matter  Paper  Cotton clothes  Wood chips  Leaves…..  Absorbs and hold soil moisture  Good for trees

Build and maintain healthy soils

The key to successful  Deep organically rich soil encourages the growth of healthy extensive roots  Provides a beneficial environment for billions of organisms found in the soil food web

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pH & Nutrients – get your soil tested our pH is 7+

 Optimum for plants 6.0-7.2  It influences how easily plants can take up nutrients from the soil  When pH exceeds 7.5, iron, manganese, and phosphorus are less available.  Plants have pH preferences

Add Organic Matter

Compost pile at Seed2Need

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Green Manure

 Plant fall & grow over winter.  Cut and work it back into the soil  Adds organic matter and nutrients Legumes add nitrogen: Clover, hairy vetch, peas, alfalfa, beans

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Cover

Sainfoin Sesbania

New Zealand white clover

Nitrogen fixing plants

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Fertilizers

Finally lets talk about growing food

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Building Soil Health

Healthy Soils Healthy Plants Healthy People -Rodale Institute

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You are what you eat

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Diet related chronic diseases

 Coronary Heart Disease  Obesity  Diabetes (Type 2)  High Blood Pressure  Stroke  Osteoporosis & bone fracture  Osteoarthritis  Cancer  Sleep Apnea  Respiratory problems  Gall Bladder  Teeth and gum

Disease, , & Insect Pest Best Management Tools

Healthy soils and plants. Plants adapted to our climate.

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Use Biological Resources

Create habitat for beneficial insects

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Mason Bee Houses

Permaculture Plant Guild – built around a central plant

Food Forest

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Small Scale Intensive Systems Diverse Planting is Key

 Prevents build up of pest, , and disease populations  Confuse insect pests  Adds variety to the garden and your plate  Include nectary plants

Intensive Garden Spacing

• Square-foot gardening • Bio-intensive- closer spacing in a particular pattern • Weed suppression

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Disease, Weeds, & Insect Pest Best Management Tools

Healthy soils and plants. Plants adapted to our climate.

Use Biological Resources

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Create habitat for beneficial insects

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Mason Bee Houses

Adding edibles to your landscape/ home scape

https://www.pinterest.com/agirlagarden/landscape-design-edible-landscaping-ideas/

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Add perennials

 Trees – nitrogen fixers, fruit, & nut  Shrubs  Woody vines  –  Asparagus  Garlic  Sun chokes/artichokes

Use edibles as landscape plants

landscap.syrupdenver.com/best-edible-landscapes- ideas/garden-edible-landscaping Rosalind Creasy Edible Landscapes

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Companion Planting

 Plants that get along together  Don’t compete for resources  Provide benefits to each other

Fill vertical spaces with edibles

 Space saving  Time saving  Back saving

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Time Stacking – provide production all year long – succession planting

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Microclimates

Seasonal Extension

 Cold frames  Row Covers

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Hoop Houses

Green houses (passive)

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Permaculture Resources

 Free online classes: www.openpermaculture.com - NC State University www.permies.com www.geofflawton.com http://tobyhemenway.com/resources/permaculture- reading-list/

Putting our surplus food to work

Seed2Need photo Leslie Davis

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Poverty Rates 2014

Nationwide New Mexico

 15.6% = 46.7 million people live in  21% live at or below poverty level poverty (436,153 people)  Ranks 2nd overall poverty

 Child Poverty 21% - 15.5 million  Highest ranking in child poverty at 30%, 1 in 5

http://www.census.gov

Food Security – Share the surplus

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Food Security  Food Secure Households: none or only minimal anxiety or concern about adequate food, but quality, variety, and quantity were not reduced

http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/definitions-of-food-security.aspx

Food Insecure

 Low Food Security: reduced quality, variety, and desirability of diet, but little indication of reduced food intake (over weight/obesity)  Very Low Food Security: During the year, eating patterns were disrupted and food intake reduced due to lack of money or resources for food

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Food assistance myth

SNAP Recipients Non SNAP Recipients 1. Meat, poultry and seafood: 19.2 percent 1. Meat, poultry, and seafood: 15.9 percent 2. Sweetened beverages: 9.3 percent 2. Vegetables: 9.1 percent 3. Vegetables: 7.2 percent 3. Cheese: 7.9 percent 4. Frozen prepared meals: 6.9 percent 4. Fruits: 7.2 percent 5. Prepared deserts: 6.9 percent 5. Sweetened beverages: 7.1 percent 6. Cheese: 6.5 percent 6. Prepared deserts: 6.4 percent 7. Bread and crackers: 5.4 percent 7. Bread and crackers: 6.3 percent 8. Fruit: 4.7 percent 8. Frozen prepared foods: 5.1 percent 9. Milk: 3.5 percent 9. Milk: 3.8 percent 10. Salty snacks: 3.4 percent 10. Salty snacks: 3.1 percent

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Application of Sustainability & Permaculture in our MG Projects

 Existing  Classes, workshops, outreach tables,  Demonstration – Waterwise RR, Placitas Library, …  School programs  Seed2Need  Bernalillo Community Garden  Tree Stewards  Garden2Table Sandoval – recipe demos & gardening advice  Sandoval County Seed Library

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