Calendar: Events http://www.theecologycenter.org/ en theecologycenter@gmail.com Copyright 2012 2012-05-16T15:25:+00:00 Eco-Labs Camp http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/eco-labs_camp/ http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/eco-labs_camp/ Eco-Camp Series at The Ecology Center
Join The Ecology Center this summer as we launch our second season Eco-Camp Series! Both eco-educational camps are centered around our outdoor, interactive Eco-Labs and promote observation awareness, inspire systems thinking and engage hands-on learning.

ECO-LABS CAMP / Ages: 7-12
In this outdoor learning series, engage in hands-on ecological solutions around food, water, enegy, waste, and shelter.

DAY 1: WATER
Activities include learning about harvesting rainwater, graywater usage, The Watershed (an interactive narrative on where our water comes from, how we use it and where it goes when we are done with it), water-carrying competitions and ways to reduce our water footprint.
DAY 2: WASTE
Activities include composting with worms, chickens husbandry, creating less waste, closing the waste cycle and screen printing on an old t-shirt to make it new.
DAY 3: ENERGY
Activities include an energy audit, solar oven cooking, alternative energy education and kite making.
DAY 4: SHELTER
Activities include fort building 101, debris-hut building, shelter design, fire safety, useful and edible native plants and gourd canteen making.
DAY 5: FOOD
Activities include germination, harvesting, cooking and planting a container garden. Participants will take in our Farm to Fork experience where they will harvest veggies from our garden and prepare their own lunch.

]]> 2012-05-16T15:25+00:00 Elemantal Awareness Camp http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/eco-camps/ http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/eco-camps/ Eco-Camp Series at The Ecology Center
Join The Ecology Center this summer as we launch our second season Eco-Camp Series! Both eco-educational camps are centered around our outdoor, interactive Eco-Labs and promote observation awareness, inspire systems thinking and engage hands-on learning.

ELEMENTAL AWARENESS CAMP / Ages: 8-13
Learn important survival skills and explore positive ways to live in connection with nature around the themes of shelter, water, fire and food. Taught in partnership with Elemental Awareness.

DAY 1: SHELTER
Activities include shelter basics 101, debris-hut building, shelter design and screen-printing on an old t-shirt to make it new.
DAY 2: WATER
Activities include emergency water filtration and purification, solar still and dew collection, gourd canteen making, treadle pump and education on global water issues.
DAY 3: FIRE
Activities include fire 101 and safety, making bow-drill kits to take home, coal burnt spoons and ways to build a fire.  The day’s snack will also be prepared over the fire.
DAY 4: FOOD
Activities include harvesting local, wild edibles, stalking movement games, harvesting for seed and preparing an herbal tea.  Participants will take in our Farm to Fork experience where they will harvest veggies from our garden and prepare their own lunch.
 

]]> 2012-05-16T15:15+00:00 Compost Basics http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/com/ http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/com/ In this Tools of the Trade, you'll learn about the production, benefits and many uses of compost with Organics Alive’s Erik Sykes.
Erik produces a high quality organic compost in San Diego County called Organics Alive.

This workshop will act as a primer to our Backyard Skills workshop on August 18th, where you'll get the opportunity to build your very own worm bin.

About Tools of the Trade 
In collaboration with our new exhibition Tools for Change, Tools of the Trade is a FREE roundtable series in which local experts in a variety of fields will share useful skills and unique insights related to sustainable living.
Join us one Saturday a month to learn about topics such as beekeeping, backyard chickens, greywater systems, sustainable chocolate and more.

Supported by the City of San Juan Capistrano. FREE for all guests.

]]> 2012-04-19T23:58+00:00 The Urban Homestead book signing http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/the_urban_homestead_book_signing/ http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/the_urban_homestead_book_signing/ In this Tools of the Trade, we'll welcome Los Angeles based homesteaders Erik Knutzen and Kelly Coyne for a booksigning and talk on homestead tips and D.I.Y. skills.

Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen are the authors of The Urban Homestead (Expanded and Revised Edition): Your Guide to Self-Sufficient Living in the Heart of the City (2008) and Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World (2011), and founded the Root Simple blog, which was formerly known as Homegrown Evolution, in 2006.  They live in the heart of Los Angeles, in a little bungalow set on a 1/12 acre lot where almost all of their land is devoted to growing edible or otherwise useful plants and trees. Their obsessions include bees, bikes, beer, chickens, dogs, healthy cities, healing herbs, simple living and good food.

About Tools of the Trade
In collaboration with our new exhibition Tools for Change, Tools of the Trade is a FREE roundtable series in which local experts in a variety of fields will share useful skills and unique insights related to sustainable living.
Join us one Saturday a month to learn about topics such as beekeeping, backyard chickens, greywater systems, sustainable chocolate and more.

]]> 2012-04-19T20:56+00:00 Pedal Power http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/pedal_power/ http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/pedal_power/ A Community Bicycle Festival

Join us for FREE bicycles workshops and hand-made screen-printed bicycle flags.

A group ride and picnic will follow the workshops heading from The Ecology Center down the river trail to Doheny State Park for FREE Chipotle burritos!

Powerd by New Belgium Brewing and Chipotle

]]> 2012-03-26T21:50+00:00 Veggie Box Construction http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/veggie_box_construction1/ http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/veggie_box_construction1/ Build and grow your very own container garden.

In this Backyard Skills workshop, you'll learn everything you need to know to get started growing your own container garden full of veggies and herbs. As in all Backyard Skills workshops, you'll get your hands dirty and construct you're own redwood garden box.

Watch the video from last year's workshop!

Please sign up in advance, space is limited. $10 members, $15 non-members + Material Fee: $35 (optional) 

]]> 2012-03-26T18:57+00:00 Backyard Chickens http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/backya/ http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/backya/ In this Tools of the Trade, you'll learn everything you need to know about caring for and keeping backyard chickens with The Ecology Center’s Vicki Marks.

About Tools of the Trade
In collaboration with our new exhibition Tools for Change, Tools of the Trade is a FREE roundtable series in which local experts in a variety of fields will share useful skills and unique insights related to sustainable living.
Join us one Saturday a month to learn about topics such as beekeeping, backyard chickens, greywater systems, sustainable chocolate and more.

]]> 2012-03-26T18:56+00:00 We Are Earth Day! http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/we_are_earth_day/ http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/we_are_earth_day/  

"We believe that Earth Day is a state of mind, especially when we celebrate our interconnection between our daily actions and the environment around us.”

-Evan Marks, Executive Director

 

Join us, April 14th, 10am-4pm, and pledge to make everyday Earth Day.

As we enter our fourth year at The Ecology Center, we have come to understand that Earth Day is not just a day, but a way of life.  We have had the honor to partner and collaborate with local friends and advocates to make this Earth Day unforgettable. It is our goal to bring the community together, to celebrate, educate and pledge to make everyday Earth Day.  Learn and implement practical ecological solutions, enjoy porch-side music, fresh, local food and our annual Spring Plant and Seed Sale. Whether you are new to implementing earth friendly practices, been on the eco-path for awhile or somewhere in between, The Ecology Center offers everyone new ways to deepen and share your knowledge, while having a good time.

We have planned an exciting scavenger hunt that will be fun for the whole family.  Beginning at the palm tree where a Barn Owl lives, friends and family can dissect the pellets to better understand the lives and habits of our winged friends. The rambling journey proceeds through all five of the Center’s Eco Labs to give you a chance to play with cob (a mixture of mud, straw, sand and water used to build ancient and modern homes and other structures), plant seeds, feed the chickens, discover aqua culture and bio remediation, observe a working farm and much more.

To celebrate and support our collective effort, each participant will be asked to pledge an action like growing a veggie garden, conserving water, or riding a bicycle. From there, The Ecology Center will help make these pledges a reality by keeping in touch with you, offering solutions and encouragement throughout the year.

To top it off, organic food and drinks will be offered, including a mouth savoring menu of “Mex-eco” from La Sirena Grill and other goodies like refreshments from Sambazon, VitaCoco, Guayaki and Kéan Coffee. Moonsville Collective will play their lively Bluegrass music that will be sure to get you up on your feet. Just in time for the gardening season, the Spring Plant and Seed Sale features organic heirloom vegetable and herb starts, available exclusively at The Ecology Center.

A special membership drive with added value is also offered. Hurley International, an influential and important advocate in water education, will donate t-shirts to those who sign up for The Ecology Center membership on Earth Day.  Yoga Works in Laguna Beach will offer a free yoga pass to all new members. Typical of their unique and supportive method to spread the word through community, The Ecology Center will also sponsor eco-educational installations at Hobie Sports and the Yoga Works Laguna Beach location, sending the empowering message that We Are Earth Day.

With support from you and our community, The Ecology Center is planning to celebrate Earth Day like never before.

Don't miss it!

FREE.

Made possible with the generous support of: Hurley H20, Hobie Surf Shops, Yoga Works, and La Sirena Grill.

]]> 2012-02-28T23:07+00:00 TEC + Yoga Works Events http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/tec_yoga_works_events/ http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/tec_yoga_works_events/ The Ecology Center and Yoga Works are teaming-up to bring you a series of Free collaborative workshops.
From Yoga classes on an organic farm to garden basics in a yoga studio, we invite you to join us for one or all of our upcoming offerings.

at The Ecology Center
32701 Alpaz, San Juan Capistrano

Join us, this Sunday, April 22nd at 4pm for garden Yoga with Yoga Works finest LB Iddings. Following our solar powered sun salutations, will be a community potluck to celebrate Earth Day everyday.

FREE

]]> 2012-02-24T18:19+00:00 Household Water Retrofitting http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/household_water_retrofitting/ http://www.theecologycenter.org/blog/post/household_water_retrofitting/ Tools of the Trade: Household Water Retrofitting

In celebration of World Water Day (March 22), we're hosting a FREE Tools of the Trade on how to design simple water re-use strategies for the home. Specifically, we learn how to install both a rainwater catchment system and a greywater system with The Ecology Center’s Evan Marks.

About Tools of the Trade
In collaboration with our new exhibition Tools for Change, Tools of the Trade is a FREE roundtable series in which local experts in a variety of fields will share useful skills and unique insights related to sustainable living.
Join us one Saturday a month to learn about topics such as beekeeping, backyard chickens, greywater systems, sustainable chocolate and more.

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