A workshop in urban ecological survival skills: exploring the cross-section of permaculture and social activism.

This is a free workshop and booksigning! Donations to TLC Farm of course gladly accepted.

This workshop's focus is teaching the design of tools and techniques used to secure people's access to life's basic necessities: food, water security, shelter, waste management and energy production.

The systems described are simple and affordable and are built from salvaged, waste and recycled materials. They can be used to create locally based, decentralized sustainable infrastructure in people's backyards or neighborhoods. Emphasis is put on the interrelations between sustainability and class/race/international struggles.

Systems to be described include:

• Soil building and asphalt removal
• Bioremediation (cleaning contaminated soils using plants, fungi and biological processes),
• Urban chickens and microlivestock
• Rainwater harvesting,
• Aquaculture ( ponds, plants, fish and algae )
• Constructed wetlands for cleaning wastewater,
• Humanure and worm composting,
• Passive solar and bicycle windmills,
• Biogas and veggie oil biofuels,
• Natural construction methods -- strawbale, clay woodchip
• Restoring brownfields
• DIY air purification
• Struggles for land and gentrification
• Energy decline, city futures and climate justice

  The class includes both hands-on and lecture formats.

  The techniques described are ones which have been developed over the past eight years at the Rhizome Collective, an urban sustainability and community organizing project in Austin, Texas. (www.rhizomecollective.org)

  This workshop emphasizes the interrelatedness of the sustainability and social justice movements. Emphasis is on urban design in the Global North, but these methods are also applicable in rural areas and the Global South.

  Bio of Organization:

  The Rhizome Collective is a non-profit, consensus run organization based out of Austin, Texas. Since 2000, it has served as a center for community organizing and as a center for urban sustainability education. It provides low rent space to a number of activist and social organizations including the Inside Books Project, ( a books for prisoners project ), the Austin Independent Media Center, and Bikes Across Borders.

  In addition, in 2004 the collective was donated a 10 acre piece of land in the city which it is in the process of turning into an ecological justice park.

  For more info, visit www.rhizomecollective.org

  Teacher Bio:

  Scott Kellogg is a co-founder of the Rhizome Collective, and the director of its sustainability program. He is an experienced teacher, activist and ecological designer and father.

  He divides his time between the Rhizome Collective, in Austin Texas, and the Albany Free School Community in Albany, New York.

  He is currently earning a Masters in Environmental Science from Johns Hopkins University.

  He is the co-author of the book "Toolbox for Sustainable City Living: A Do-it-Ourselves Guide" (South End Press, June 2008) and the primary teacher of R.U.S.T. - The Radical Urban Sustainability Training, an intensive weekend workshop in urban ecological survival skills.

  Contact:
  Scott Kellogg
  Skotty@rhizomecollective.org
  512 294 9580 (cell)