NW Permaculture Institute

Earth Care, People Care, Future Care

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Registration has begun! Permaculture classes starting in Salem Sept 10th…

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Permaculture Essentials for the Pacific NW, 36 hour class

Build resilience, save money and energy, save water, and feed your family or community.
Come join our latest classes!

12 classes – $15 each (If all classes are paid in advance, course discounted to $160)

Permaculture is “Earth Care, People Care, and Return of Surplus,” combining traditional and innovative methods that are sustainable and energy saving, enriching to the soil and all life. Design a system to feed your family, or complete additional short classes to earn your certificate and work as a consultant.

Permaculture Essentials for the Pacific NW covers permaculture history and ethics and goes into depth on the core concepts for creating sustainable systems by observing connections and capturing energy. Explore the energy transactions of trees, the roles of fungi, and the many functions of living soil. Learn pH, mineral availability, and enriching your soil with worm beds, weeds as repair tools, and compost fixing strategies. Study landscape effects on climate and temperate climate design for your home and landscape from kitchen gardens to main crops and food forests. This course prepares you to design a sustainable system for your yard or small farm in the Pacific NW.

Saturdays, starting September 10th, 2016, 10am-1pm,
@ Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, 5090 Center St. NE, Salem, Oregon.
Instructor, L. June, email nwperma at gmail dot com, or call 503-449-8077 for questions or registration

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Salem Free Film Event, Abundance on a Dry Land: Water Crisis or Run-off Crisis? Harvesting Solutions, August 25th @ 6:30pm

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Abundance on a Dry Land: Water Crisis or Run-off Crisis?  Harvesting Solutions

 

In California and other regions affected by drought, agriculture is suffering from a lack of water and farms are being abandoned at an alarming rate. Fortunately, some people have developed solutions to capture the rains that DO fall. In many dry regions around the world, land restoration helps water penetrate healthy soils and in turn increase crop yields.

Even in dry areas, water which typically might run off, can be harvested and stored in tanks, ponds and swales. By using swale systems, gabions, biodiversity, mulching, pioneer trees, animals both wild and domestic, check dams, fruit forests, keyline plows, compost teas and many other methods, it is possible to turn the soil into a large sponge, and design new productive landscapes.

Abundance on a Dry Land explores the work of Erik Ohlsen, Geoff Lawton and other growers, permaculture designers and educators, showing how intentional design can benefit both humans and nature.  52 mins.

 

Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share: Free Film and Lecture Series
Held in Salem every 4th Thursday @ 6:30pm (except November and December)

Salem 4th Thursday events include potluck & discussion
@ Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, 5090 Center Street. NE, Salem

For more information email nwperma@gmail.com or call 503-449-8077


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NWPI Community Connections Holiday Potluck, Salem, Tuesday December 1st @ 6:30pm

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Join us for our community networking holiday potluck!

Meet other people interested in sustainability, creating resilient communities, supporting local business, community groups and nonprofits working towards positive change. We welcome everyone attending to bring business cards or fliers to share. Individuals, businesses, and non profits can sign up for a 5 min time slot to speak to attendees about your local business, or the work you do to help our communities with non-profits, community gardens, etc. Contact 503-449-8077, or nwperma@gmail.com, to be added to the speaker list as space will be limited. Let’s share a festive meal, meet folks who may share your interests and goals, build sustainable community, and support local business and non profits.

Where will it be held?  Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, 5090 Center Street NE, Salem, on the corner of Center and Cordon.  Call 503-449-8077 with questions.

Happy Holidays!

HOlly


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Power Paths, Free Film & Potluck in Salem Oct 22nd @ 6:30

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How can America truly end its dependence on fossil fuels and transition to green power?
Power Paths is an inspiring documentary about how Native American communities across the West are leading the transition to alternative energy sources. Ten percent of America’s energy comes from Native American lands, including a third of the U.S. coal deposits and hydroelectric dams that feed the grid. These coal mines and plants brought jobs to the region, but they also brought pollution, cancer and environmental destruction. Power Paths chronicles the efforts of several tribes as they fight to end the harmful use of coal and work to bring clean, renewable energy projects into their communities, including wind and solar power. As Power Paths reveals, many Native American tribes are not waiting for the government to act. Instead, they are actively seeking investors and a way to control their own energy and sell the rest to the power companies. As the nation at large struggles to disengage itself from the chains of a fossil-fuel-based economy, Power Paths signals cause for hope that an alternative is not somewhere in the future, but possible right now.
Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share: Free Film and Lecture Series
Held in Salem every 4th Thursday @ 6:30pm (except November and December)

Salem 4th Thursday events include potluck & discussion
@ Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, 5090 Center Street. NE, Salem
For more information: 503-449-8077

This event is made possible by support from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, Life Source Natural Foods, and private donations from people in our community.  Thank you for your support!


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Save money, energy, and water growing healthy food at home, new permaculture class starts September 28th @ 6:30

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Design your own lower maintenance garden and reap the benefits for years to come

Permaculture Essentials for the Pacific NW
12 classes – $15 each (If all classes are paid in advance, course discounted to $160)

Permaculture is “Earth Care, People Care, and Return of Surplus,” combining traditional and innovative methods that are sustainable and energy saving, enriching to the soil and all life. Design a system to feed your family, or complete additional short classes to earn your certificate and work as a consultant.

Permaculture Essentials for the Pacific NW covers permaculture history and ethics and goes into depth on the core concepts for creating sustainable systems by observing connections and capturing energy. Explore the energy transactions of trees, the roles of fungi, and the many functions of living soil. Learn pH, mineral availability, and enriching your soil with worm beds, weeds as repair tools, and compost fixing strategies. Study landscape effects on climate and temperate climate design for your home and landscape from kitchen gardens to main crops and food forests. This course prepares you to design a sustainable system for your yard or small farm in the Pacific NW.

Let’s build resilience, save money and energy, save water, and feed our communities now.
Come join one of our latest classes!

Monday evenings, starting September 28th, 2015, 6:30pm-9:30pm,
@ Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, 5090 Center St NE, Salem.
Instructor, L. June, call 503-449-8077 for questions or registration

Presented by the NW Permaculture Institute. Our instructors and staff studied permaculture with world renowned permaculture designer & instructor, Geoff Lawton, of PRI, Australia, and his students. We offer classes at low rates, as well as free film and lecture series to further educate our students and the community. NWPI works with homeless and low income families to provide education to those who would otherwise be unable to take a permaculture course. Scholarships are available on a limited basis for those with financial need. Contact us for information on applying, or on donating to our scholarship fund, or to support our free film and lecture series, nwpermacultureinstitute.org


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Climate Refugees, Free Film and Potluck in Salem, September 24th @ 6:30

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Climate Refugees
A concrete human problem with enormous worldwide consequences

Experts predict that by mid-century hundreds of millions of people will be uprooted as a result of sea level rise and an increase in extreme weather events, droughts and desertification. Little is being done to plan for the potential mass migration of millions of refugees who will be forced to cross national borders, nor the food shortages this will cause worldwide. According to the UN, there are already more environmental refugees in the world than political or religious refugees. The Pentagon now considers climate change a national security risk and the phrase ‘climate wars’ is being talked about in war-rooms. This film features a variety of leading scientists, relief workers, security consultants, and major political figures, including John Kerry and Newt Gingrich. All make a strong case that, whether human-caused or a product of nature, the changing climate is already creating humanitarian disasters and will inevitably lead to worldwide political instability. Filmed in Bangladesh, Tuvalu, China, Fiji, Chad, Sudan, Kenya, Maldives, Europe & the US, 86 mins.

Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share: Free Film and Lecture Series
Held in Salem every 4th Thursday @ 6:30pm (except November and December)

Salem 4th Thursday events include potluck & discussion
@ Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, 5090 Center Street. NE, Salem
For more information: 503-449-8077

This event is made possible by support from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, Life Source Natural Foods, and private donations from people in our community.  Thank you for your support!


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Gardens of Destiny, Free Film and Potluck in Salem August 27th @ 6:30pm

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Gardens of Destiny
A documentary about food security, the importance of living seed banks, genetic diversity, and local solutions to surviving climate change

Has North America taken too many risks with its agriculture? In Gardens of Destiny we meet Dan Jason, an organic gardener on Salt Spring Island, on the Canadian west coast. Jason is the head of the Seed and Plant Sanctuary for Canada, a network of gardeners from around the world working to preserve as much plant diversity as possible. This film explores Dan’s garden and seed world and investigates with several sustainable development specialists such issues as genetic engineering, terminator seeds and the pitfalls of industrial agriculture in North America. Film 63 minutes.

Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share: Free Film and Lecture Series
Held in Salem every 4th Thursday @ 6:30pm (except November and December)

Salem 4th Thursday events include potluck & discussion
@ Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, 5090 Center Street. NE, Salem
For more information: 503-449-8077

This event is made possible by support from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, Life Source Natural Foods, and private donations from people in our community.  Thank you for your support!


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Rebecca’s Wild Farm: A Farm for the Future, Free Film and Potluck in Salem, June 25th @ 6:30pm

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Concerned about Oregon’s drought and the future of farming?

Rising fuel prices are a wake up call for filmmaker, Rebecca Hosking, as she investigates how to turn her family’s farm in Devon into a low energy farm for the future. Going beyond mere alarm raising to present practical, ingenious solutions from pioneering farmers and gardeners, Rebecca shows that nature holds some surprising keys to abundance. Film 50 minutes.

After the film, Lichen June, Director of the NW Permaculture Institute, will speak and take questions about how permaculture saves energy, money, and time while growing nutrient dense food, dropping your water usage, reducing heating and cooling bills, and benefiting the environment around us rather than decreasing fertility and life in the landscape. Learn about the content taught in the local NW Permaculture Institute class, “Permaculture Essentials for the Pacific NW,” and how you can use that information to benefit your land and living space, or go on to become a permaculture designer.

Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share: Free Film and Lecture Series
Held in Salem every 4th Thursday @ 6:30pm (except November and December)

Salem 4th Thursday events include potluck & discussion
@ Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, 5090 Center Street. NE, Salem
For more information: 503-449-8077


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Solar Power 4 Me: Harnessing Free Energy from the Sun, Free Film and Potluck in Salem May 28th @ 6:30

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Make your own free power from the sun! Solar panels are easy to install and have no moving parts. You can even SELL power back to the power company and make money every time the sun is shining. Markus Rothkranz takes you through his creative solar powered home and shows you how to make your own power from the sun, with lots of energy saving tips.
Film 54 minutes.

After the film we will be joined by Brian Zoeller, a Sr. Energy Consultant with SolarCity. He will speak briefly on who SolarCity is, how it changed the business model for solar, how folks can participate in making a choice about where their power comes from, and answer questions.

SolarCity is the nations largest solar provider operating in 17 states currently with over 200,000 customers. It has deep technological roots tied to its founder, Elon Musk, of Tesla, Space X and PayPal. SolarCity provides qualified homeowners a choice of having a large portion of their power come from the sun, feeding their home directly, and with no up-front cost; its solar as a service and people pay monthly for cleaner, cheaper power. SolarCity handles the entire project, process, system, warranties and repairs for decades.

Brian has worked in two particular sectors: Energy and International Development. Brian spent 7 years working with the US Peace Corps as an Agroforestry Volunteer in Niger, W. Africa, NW Recruiter and Associate Director for Business and IT in Mauritania, W. Africa. He has also worked his way through different energy organizations in Portland for the past 12 years and across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. Specifically, he has worked as an analyst for Portland General Electric during the Enron years. He also worked on multiple projects as an Energy Efficiency Program Manager at Bonneville Power Administration and Portland Energy Conservation, Inc. For the last two years, Brian has been with SolarCity as a Senior Energy Consultant where most of his work is focused on educating on how solar is now an affordable choice for homeowners…even here in Oregon. Brian has an MBA from Willamette University and a BA in International Studies from the University of Dayton

Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share: Free Film and Lecture Series
Held in Salem every 4th Thursday @ 6:30pm (except November and December)

Salem 4th Thursday events include potluck & discussion
@ Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, 5090 Center Street. NE, Salem
For more information: 503-449-8077

This event is made possible by support from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, Life Source Natural Foods, and private donations from people in our community.  Thank you for your support!


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How To Save The World: One Man, One Cow, One Planet, Free Film and Potluck in Salem, April 23rd @ 6:30pm

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What does an environmentally friendly biodynamic food system capable of feeding everyone actually look like? A biodynamic revolution is sweeping India. HOW TO SAVE THE WORLD tells the story of marginal farmers across India who are reviving an arcane form of agriculture through the teachings of an elderly New Zealander many are calling the new Gandhi. The outcome of the battle for agricultural control may dictate the future of the earth. Narrated by Peter Coyote, Film 103 mins.

After the film we will be joined by Adam McKinley, who will discuss his experience using biodynamics in the Willamette Valley and answer general questions on biodynamics.

Adam McKinley has worked as a land steward and farmer at historic GeerCrest Farm, a local Non-Profit educational homestead, for the past three years. More recently, he has become involved with the Oregon Biodynamics Group. Adam also has experience annual and perennial production, as well livestock management, in Colorado and Hawaii.

Earth Care, People Care, Fair Share: Free Film and Lecture Series
Held in Salem every 4th Thursday @ 6:30pm (except Nov & Dec)

Salem 4th Thursday events include potluck & discussion
@ Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, 5090 Center Street. NE, Salem
For more information: 503-449-8077

This event is made possible by support from the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Salem, Life Source Natural Foods, and private donations from people in our community.  Thank you for your support!