Green Sanctuary Program
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Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship
Green Sanctuary Program |
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February 4, 11, 18 2009: Living a Greener Life at Home Would you like to be living a greener, more natural life at home but don't know what that really means for you and your family or how to go about it? Join Rob Austin-Murphy, architect, interior designer, and owner of Natural Home Design to explore this fascinating and timely topic. In this three-part course, you will explore the basic principles of sustainable home design-and why sustainability matters. Discover the importance of a natural home dream, what it is, and how this dream is the map that will guide and support your move to a greener lifestyle. You will also be introduced to natural and sustainable choices for materials, building systems, and practices through viewing examples of homes that have been remodeled to be more sustainable and new homes designed to be self-sustainable, healthy, and green. In-class assignments will allow you to actively participate and share your enthusiasm and ideas with fellow classmates. This course is intended to be a fun and supportive environment for you to explore and discover how your choice for green living can lead to a healthier and more satisfying life at home! Come with a curious mind and, at course's end, you will leave class truly inspired. Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM Location: Whatcom Community College, Laidlaw Ctr 126 Cost: $79.00 Contact: 360.383.3200 February 4, 2009: Green Drinks Bellingham! Join us at Green Drinks Bellingham as we take over the Up & Up Tavern, one of Bellingham’s mainstays. If you’re looking for inexpensive happy hour specials with a good slice of fresh pizza, this is the place to be. Grab a pint and a slice and meet other green thinkers! Green Drinks is an organic networking session that started in London, England and has since caught fire around the world. Like-minded individuals in places from Hong Kong to India, Sweden to South Africa meet every month to catch-up, network and talk about the latest green issues. According to greendrinks.org, “These events are very simple and unstructured, but many people have found employment, made friends, developed new ideas, done deals and had moments of serendipity.” The best part about Green Drinks is that there is no structure, just good people meeting at a regular place and time. Time: 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Location: Up & Up Tavern 1234 N. State St., Bellingham Cost: Free Contact: Megan Artz (360) 733-8307 or MeganA@re-sources.org February 5, 2009: Shoe Swap Is there a pair of shoes sitting in your closet that you know you'll never wear? Bring them to 12th Street Shoes 'Shoe Swap'. Time: 6:00pm to 8:00pm Location: 12th Street Shoes, Bellingham Cost: Free Contact: February 6, 2009: Evening Beach Walk at Semiahmoo Park Enjoy an exciting opportunity to scout out the rich night life of our shoreline. Guided by Beach Naturalists, biologists and other creature experts, the group will wander among the magical sands and pools of Semiahmoo, sharing stories about the seashore Time: 7:00p to 9:00p Location: Semiahmoo Park, Blaine Cost: Free Contact: February 6, 2009: Squalicum Creek Park Work Party Help plant a seed crop of Red Alders to reduce weeds through shading and increase nitrogen in the soil in this newly planted urban forest. Grant funding provided by DNR (WA State Dept. of Natural Resources) Time: 10:00a to 12:00p Location: Squalicum Creek Park, Bellingham Cost: Free Contact: February 7, 2009: Feeding Birds in the Garden Come to Garden Spot Saturday and let Sittrea Friberg show you how to make your garden a safe haven for birds and other wildlife. She has a list of native plants for your garden that offer shelter & sustenance for birds Time: 9:00a Location: Garden Spot Nursery, Bellingham Cost: Free Contact: February 7, 2009: Growing Apples and Pears We will discuss planting, growing techniques, and pruning of apples & pears. Techniques will be covered for pruning newly planted dwarfs to renovating older trees you’ve inherited. Time: 10:30a to 12:00p Location: Cloud Mountain Farm, Everson Cost: Free Contact: February 7, 2009: Watershed Wander Whatcom County has the opportunity to create a legacy forest preserve in the Lake Whatcom watershed with the proposed reconveyance of over 8,000 acres. Discover the values and issues of these lands with a park naturalist as we walk along the Hertz Trail. No registration required. Time: 10 AM-1 PM Location: Hertz Trail, Bellingham Cost: Free Contact: 360-733-2900 www.co.whatcom.wa.us/parks February 7, 2009: North Cascades Audubon Society: Semiahmoo Spit In its third year, “Birding the Beaches” continues as a cooperative effort of NCAS and Whatcom County Parks. Join us for a half-day trip on the first Saturday of each month. We will tour beaches on Semiahmoo Bay and Drayton Harbor and view large numbers of seabirds, waterfowl, and shorebirds as well as raptors and songbirds. Semiahmoo is Whatcom County’s only designated Important Bird Area. We all need to know and value this important habitat. Beginning birders are welcome! Meet at Semiahmoo County Park at 9:00 AM. No registration required. Trip Leader: Paul Woodcock Time: 9:00 am Location: Semiahmoo County Park Cost: Free Contact: Paul Woodcock 380-3356 February 8, 2009: North Cascades Audubon Society: The Magic Skagit This will be a full-day trip (half-day option) to the avian wonderland of Fir Island and the lower Skagit Delta. Swans, Snow Geese, and owls highlight this annual spectacle of waterfowl, shorebirds, and birds of prey. This trip always fills so call early! Time: 8:30 am Location: Call Contact Cost: Free Contact: Jeanie Johnson, 671-8886 February 9, 2009: 'Sustainability Discussion Group' A Sustainability Discussion Group hosted by RE-Sources and the Sustainable Living Center. Many of us care about sustainability and have an intuitive sense about what "sustainable" means, but don't have the mental frameworks and tools for thinking deeply and constructively about it. This bi-weekly discussion group will survey the best thinking of the last 40 years and attempt to build a theoretical framework for understanding sustainability. Download the pdf flyer here: http://www.re-sources.org/pdf/sustainability_discussion_group_1.pdf Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Location: Sustainable Living Center, 2309 Meridian St. above the REStore Cost: Free, but advance registration is required. Contact: David Flanagan, david@davidflanagan.com February 12, 2009: Eagles of the Nooksack View bald eagles gathered on the North Fork Nooksack River to feed on spawned salmon. Learn about bald eagle ecology and life history. Program includes a walk through the riverbed on uneven, rocky surfaces. Wear boots. Time: 10 AM-Noon Location: Register at start of trip at Deming Homestead Eagle Park on Truck Road. Cost: $2/person Contact: 360-733-2900 www.co.whatcom.wa.us/parks February 14, 2009: Growing Stone Fruits; Cherries, Peaches, & Plums Growing cherries, plums, peaches and apricots can be rewarding and challenging in our maritime climate. We will discuss planting, growing techniques, and pruning of stone fruits. Time: 1:30p to 3:00p Location: Cloud Mountain Farm, Everson Cost: Free Contact: February 14, 2009: Starting from Seeds: Sweet Peas & Vegetables New gardener Workshop. Get a head start on growing this season's vegetable crops using Territorial Seeds. Our grower, Kim Swanson, will show you . It's also sweet pea planting time and Kim will have growing tips on her favorite varieties. Time: 9:00a Location: Garden Spot Nursery, Bellingham Cost: Free Contact: February 15, 2009: Swans at Sunrise Spend a magical morning at Tennant Lake observing swans that depart from their roosts at first light. Learn about these beautiful birds and threats to their survival. Bring binoculars! Co-sponsored by WA Dept of Fish & Wildlife, Whatcom County Parks, and Friends of Tennant Lake. Time: 6:30 -9:30 AM Location: Tennant Lake, Ferndale Cost: Free Contact: 360-384-3064 www.co.whatcom.wa.us/parks/tennantlake/events February 15, 2009: North Cascades Audubon Society: Semiahmoo Spit Back by popular demand is an opportunity to look for birds from the downtown core to the waterfront and along Whatcom Creek. The route we will cover for 2-4 hours has a lot of potential for interesting species like Green Herons, diving birds, and perhaps a Great Horned Owl like the one we found on our first trip back in November. Time: 10:00 am Location: North side of the downtown Parkade on Commercial Street Cost: Free Contact: Joe Meche, 739-5383 February 15, 2009: Exhibition Walk-through: Exploring Trespassing Join artists John Feodorov (Navajo), Tanis S’eiltin (Tlingit), Ramon Murillo (Shoshone Bannock), and Roxanne Chinook (Warm Springs/Wasco) for an exhibition walk-through and discussion of their work in Trespassing. Time: 2:00 PM Location: Whatcom Museum, 1892 Old City Hall Building Cost: Free Contact: (360)778-8930 February 18, 2009: Wa Native Plant Society: Gardening With Native Perennials Join naturalist Veronica Wisniewski of Fourth Corner Nurseries, to learn about how to plant the right native plant in the right place in your garden. Veronica Wisniewski works at Fourth Corner Nurseries in Whatcom County, one of Washington State’s largest growers of native plants, trees and shrubs and known for pioneering work in native plant propagation. Don't like to plant year after year? Consider garden-worthy perennial native plants. Veronica will present plenty of choices to give you ideas for your “wild garden” and will help you design your native perennial garden project to make it the best it can be. Learn which native plants are available from local sources. Check out the Fourth Corner Nurseries website at http://www.fourthcornernurseries.com/ The new meeting place for the Komo Kulshan chapter, Washington Native Plant Society WNPS) is the upstairs meeting space at the ReStore building. The ReStore is located at 2309 Meridian Street, on the corner of Broadway, Meridian, and Girard Streets. The Koma Kulshan chapter WNPS meeting is upstairs in the Sustainable Living Center education room. Enter the parking area behind the ReStore from Broadway. Come up the outside stairs to the second floor and enter the door at the top of the stairs. The meeting room will be on your left. There's an elevator in case you have difficulty with stairs. Call chapter president Mark Turner's mobile phone (360-220-2385) for access to the elevator since it requires a key. Time: 7:00 PM Location: ReStore, upstairs, at 2309 Meridian Street Cost: Free Contact: Wendy Scherrer at 715-2993 February 20, 2009: Gardeners' Road Trip: Sustainable Spaces-Beautiful Places Don't miss our inaugural Gardeners' Road Trip as we head south to the always inspiring Northwest Flower & Garden Show. This year's theme is 'Sustainable Spaces--Beautiful Places'! Our guide, gardening instructor Debra Olberg, has arranged our entry to the show at 8:00 AM--one hour before the doors open and the crowds arrive! Then spend the day on your own strolling through thousands and thousands of flowers and plants in six acres of gardens. Enjoy free seminars and shopping at 350 exhibits decked out with garden-related merchandise. Class departs from WCC campus--Laidlaw Center main entrance promptly at 6:00 AM and travels by relaxing coach furnished by our day trip partners, Bellair Charters. We will depart for home at 4:30 PM, arriving in Bellingham at approximately 6:30 PM. Debra encourages you to bring gardening questions for her to answer while on the road to the show! Course fee includes garden show admission fee. Deadline to register is February 17; no refunds or credits will be issued after the registration deadline due to the special nature of this road trip. Time: 6:00 AM to 6:30 PM Location: Whatcom Community College, Laidlaw Main Entrance Cost: $79.00 Contact: 360.383.3200 February 21, 2009: Seed Swap: Cascadia gardener's First Annual Community Seed-Swap & Potluck, Tea For beginning and seasoned gardeners. Hear reflections on Dr. Haard's recent trip to Angatuba, Brazil, a community in pursuit of sustainable solutions and swap seeds and stories with local gardeners. Kids activities available. Please bring seeds, home-grown or commercial (homegrown can be packaged in recycled envelopes), a dish to share and your own bowl/cup/utensils or drop by empty-handed and see what you learn! Sponsored by Sustainable Bellingham, Food Not Lawns, Center for Local Self Reliance and Village Books. Time: (See below) 12-12:45 pm: Tea & Potluck SocialLocation: Center for Expressive Art, 1317 Commercial St., 2nd Floor aobve Uisce) Cost: Free Contact: Jeff hull3551@yahoo.com or 738-8148 February 21, 2009: North Cascades Audubon Society: Lake Terrell, Whatcom Wildlife Area A half-day trip co-sponsored by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Hunting season will be over so this will be an excellent opportunity view wintering swans, ducks, coots, grebes, raptors, finches, and sparrows as well as resident song birds. There is a wide variety of excellent habitat within the wildlife area. Beginning birders are welcome! No registration required. Time: 9:00 am Location: North side of the downtown Parkade on Commercial Street Cost: Free Contact: Paul Woodcock 380-3356 and Jim Edwards of Tennant Lake Interpretive Center February 21, 2009: Designing and Planting an Edible Landscape Integrating edibles and ornamentals can make a stunning and productive landscape. Come explore what’s possible in the realm of edibles. Selection, design and cultural practices will all be covered. Time: 10:30a to 12:00p Location: Cloud Mountain Farm, Everson Cost: Free Contact: February 21, 2009: Community Shopping Day to benefit Community to Community (C2C) Shop at the Community Food Co-op on Saturday, Feb. 21, a monthly Community Shopping Day, to benefit Community to Community (C2C). T wo percent of sales from the day will be donated to the organization and a representative will be at both the Cordata and downtown stores from 1 to 4 p.m. to share information about the organization and what they do. Thank you! Time: 7:00 am to 9:00 pm Location: Community Food Co-op, 1220 N. Forest St., Bellingham Cost: Free Contact: 734-8158 February 21, 2009: Permaculture Design 101 Workshop WWU will host a Permaculture Design 101 workshop. This workshop includes the basics of Permaculture Design, a virtual tour of 4 different sites in the Pacific Northwest and a hands-on design scenario to help you get started. Time: 10:00a to 5:30p Location: WWU Campus Cost: Free Contact: February 22, 2009: Permaculture Design 101 Workshop Permaculture 101 is a one day introduction to regenerative systems design. workshop includes the basics of Permaculture Design, a virtual tour of 4 different sites in the Pacific Northwest and a hands-on design scenario to help you get started. Time: 10:00a to 5:30p Location: ReStore upstairs: Sustainable Living Center classroom. Cost: Free Contact: February 22, 2009: North Cascades Audubon Society: Samish Flats A four to six hour outing to an internationally-recognized habitat on the delta fields of northern Skagit County. Eagles, hawks, falcons, ravens, and owls are the focus but waterfowl, shorebirds, and songbirds are also an attraction, for us as well as the raptors. Scores of raptors are guaranteed and there are usually a few surprises. Time: 8:30 am Location: North side of the downtown Parkade on Commercial Street Cost: Free Contact: Dave Schmalz, 671-1537 February 22, 2009: 2009 Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival: Addicted to Plastic Entering its ninth year, the Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival continues to bring viewers informative and inspirational films illustrating the struggles for justice and equality across the globe. "Addicted to Plastic:" A compelling look at what actually happens to all that plastic we use every day. Think "oceans". Time: 12:00 pm Location: The Fairhaven College Auditorium Cost: Free Contact: http://www.myspace.com/bellinghamhumanrightsfilm February 23, 2009: 2009 Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival: Sweet Crude Entering its ninth year, the Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival continues to bring viewers informative and inspirational films illustrating the struggles for justice and equality across the globe. "Sweet Crude:" In a region seething with unrest in the most populous country in Africa, billions of dollars of crude oil flow under the feet of a desperate people. A documentary made by Seattle filmmakers despite their own arrest by the Nigerian government, Sweet Crude tells the story of Nigeria's Niger Delta. Time: 7:00 pm Location: The Fairhaven College Auditorium Cost: Free Contact: http://www.myspace.com/bellinghamhumanrightsfilm February 23, 2009: 'Sustainability Discussion Group' A Sustainability Discussion Group hosted by RE-Sources and the Sustainable Living Center. Many of us care about sustainability and have an intuitive sense about what "sustainable" means, but don't have the mental frameworks and tools for thinking deeply and constructively about it. This bi-weekly discussion group will survey the best thinking of the last 40 years and attempt to build a theoretical framework for understanding sustainability. Download the pdf flyer here: http://www.re-sources.org/pdf/sustainability_discussion_group_1.pdf Time: 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM Location: Sustainable Living Center, 2309 Meridian St. above the REStore Cost: Free, but advance registration is required. Contact: David Flanagan, david@davidflanagan.com February 23, March 2 & 9, 2009: Sustainable Kitchen Design: Essential Elements Whether you are contemplating remodeling your kitchen or building new, let a prefessional design team teach you how to create a space that is both beautiful, functional, and environmentally sustainable. In this innovative course, we will look at the actual process of cooking and how it applies to kitchen design. You'll also discover local and regional resources for green products and materials that can flesh out your favorite plan. We'll also discuss ergonomics to help bring ease and enjoyment to your time in the kitchen. To demonstrate these essential elements, the course will conclude on March 9th in a residential kitchen with light desserts prepared before your eyes. Domistyle's design team--Jan Hayes, Certified Master Kitchen and Bath Designer, and Thea Stephens, designer--will share their collective decades of design experience with you. They ask that you bring your questions and be prepared to gain a new awareness of what makes a good kitchen sizzle! Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM Location: Whatcom Community College, Laidlaw Ctr 126 Cost: $79.00 Contact: 360.383.3200 February 25, 2009: North Cascades Audubon Society: Blaine, Semiahmoo, Birch Bay State Park, Lake Terrell This will be a five-hour tour to four of the best birding spots in northwest Whatcom County. Emphasis will be on waterfowl including grebes, scoters, scaups, American Wigeon, Northern Pintail, Ruddy Duck, and Harlequin as well as shorebirds, loons, and Long-tailed Ducks at Blaine and Semiahmoo. Dress for the weather and bring a lunch, binoculars and spotting-scope if you have one. No registration required. Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM Location: Meet to carpool at the southeast corner of the Sunset Square parking lot Cost: Free Contact: Andrea at 734-9881 February 25 & March 4, 2009: Living Large In Smaller Spaces Are you interested in simplifying your life, thinking about downsizing, or building a new house that you would like to be scaled way down? This two-part class is a celebration of living a rich, contented life in smaller spaces. You will learn how to transition from the cultural obsession on square footage and acquisition to joyful living in less space with fewer objects. You will view many examples of homes that have smaller ecological footprints and how they are designed to be functional, practical, comfortable, and uniquely beautiful. Also learn about architectural and interior design choices that make the most of the space you do have, how to arrange it, how to make rooms multifunctional, and especially how to create them in a way you find deeply satisfying. There will be a simple assignment in the second session which will afford you the opportunity to share with the class some examples of smaller living that you find inspiring. Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM Location: Whatcom Community College, Laidlaw Ctr 126 Cost: $59.00 Contact: 360.383.3200 February 26: NSEA 2009 Annual Community Celebration NSEA invites our members, volunteers, partners and the Whatcom County community to our 2009 Annual Community Celebration. Learn about NSEA's recent partners, projects, and accomplishments, discover NSEA's exciting new programs and projects for 2009, become a member of NSEA's strong community with our volunteers, supporters, staff, board, partners, and cooperators, buy fishy items from the Salmon Store to support NSEA's education programs, enjoy light refreshments and celebrate NSEA's 19 years of commitment to salmon recovery in Whatcom County Time: 6:00 to 9:00 PM Location: The Majestic, 1027 North Forest Street Cost: Free Contact: (360) 715-0283 or info@n-sea.org February 27, 2009: 2009 Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival: Black Diamonds Entering its ninth year, the Bellingham Human Rights Film Festival continues to bring viewers informative and inspirational films illustrating the struggles for justice and equality across the globe. "Black Diamonds:" Mountaintop removal in Appalachia, which literally levels the oldest mountains on earth and fills vibrant valleys with toxic fill, is one of the hidden evils of current energy policy. Through current and archival footage, Black Diamonds examines the extractive process for coal and the many side effects and external costs paid by local people and the environment. Time: 7:00 pm Location: The Fairhaven College Auditorium Cost: Free Contact: http://www.myspace.com/bellinghamhumanrightsfilm February 28: An Intelligent Introduction to Solar Electric Systems for NW Washington Learn about: Why you don't need batteries or house rewiring to use solar energyWhy solar energy works in NW WashingtonBasics of how a solar electric system works Design and site considerations for a system30% Tax Credit for new installed solar energy systemsNet metering and connecting to the power gridVirtual Tour of local installed systems Dana Brandt, president and founder of Ecotech Energy Systems, earned his electrical engineering degree from Seattle Pacific University. He traveled to Europe where he earned a Master of Science with Distinction in Renewable Energy. He has been involved in renewable energy projects in eight countries on five continents. His work is published in Home Power Magazine and represented the US at the Montreal 2006 Symposium on Microgrids. He has lectured on renewable energy at SPU, WWU, and abroad.Craig Jones is a journeyman electrician with 15 years of experience and Business Development Director of local IBEW 191. He has a long personal interest in green tech and is currently involved in developing a course for local electricians to become certified in solar electric installation. Time: 10:00 am to 12:30 pm Location: The RE Store 2309 Meridian Street Cost: $10.00 Contact: (360) 647.5921 February 28: Avifauna Afloat:Birds of Bellingham Board the hospitable Snow Goose, a spacious 65-foot research vessel. We'll cruise Bellingham Bay from Squalicum Harbor to Lummi Island, searching our local waters for a variety of seabirds, including harlequin and long-tailed ducks, loons, cormorants and grebes. Time: 8:30 AM-2 PM Location: Bellingham Bay Cost: $155 Contact: 360-856-5700 x 209 www.ncascades.org/programs/seminars/course.html?workshop_id=927 February 28: Getting to the Point See Whatcom County's newest park, Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve. Let a park naturalist bring it all together while sauntering along the delightful new trail through the forest to spectacular viewpoints of the Straight of Georgia. No registration required, meet at park. Time: Noon -3 PM Location: Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve, Birch Bay Cost: Free Contact: 360-733-2900 www.co.whatcom.wa.us/parks February 28: Blueberries & Landscape Design Lynden blueberry grower,Darryl Ehlers, helps us select the best blueberry plants, provide the ideal growing conditions, prune & harvest. Blueberries are prized for their fall & winter color, long fruiting season and anti-oxidant health benefits. Time: 9:00a Location: Garden Spot Nursery, Bellingham Cost: Free Contact: February 28: Lake Padden Work Party Help prepare a site near the swimming beach for a future planting. Blackberries and ivy must go to make room for native species! Time: 9:00a to 12:00p Location: Lake Padden Park, Bellingham Cost: Free Contact: February 28: Growing Grapes We will discuss growing grapes in cool climates for wine and eating. Cultural practices including soil requirements, pruning techniques, pest management and harvesting will be covered. Time: 1:30p to 3:00p Location: Cloud Mountain Farm, Everson Cost: Free Contact: |
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