I love September in New York. Dry sunny days, crisp clear nights. A perfect time to enjoy the great outdoors. Yes, we do have great outdoors in NYC. Here are some great ways to experience them this month.
I've added a couple things I thought you should see:
Queens County Farm BBQ & Campout
This weekend!
September 6 to 7
Here's your chance to nosh on some tasty chicken BBQ'd by none other than celebrated butcher Tom Mylan while sipping on some local suds courtesy Brooklyn Brewery. And if that's not enough, there'll be delish pie, a DJ spinning tunes, camping, and wake-up bloody Marys! Hello?! Why haven't you bought your ticket yet? Get 'em here.
Central Park Bird Walks
brought to you by the Nature Conservancy
September 3 to October 26
NYC is a big stopping off point for birds migrating south for winter. Learn the ins & outs of bird watching with Kellye Rosenheim in Central Park. Get the full schedule and details.
Reservations are required. Please contact (212) 381-2194 or nycbirdwalks@tnc.org for reservations and cancellations.
Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance Events
September 4 to 26
Waterfront walking tours, kayaking Staten Island, tugboat races, and many more activities are on MWA's calendar this month. Check it out!
Governors Island Art Fair
brought to you by 4heads
Every weekend, September 5 to 27
Over 150 independent artists and galleries from around the world come together on Governors Island – free ferry to and from Manhattan and Brooklyn. Get the details.
Solar Powered Film Series
brought to you by GreenEdge NYC & Solar One
September 10 to 19
Get your fill of sustainable films in this series of serious documentaries – screenings powered by the sun.
Doors open at 7:00 pm each night at Solar One (23rd St. & FDR Drive)
Films start at 7:45 pm, followed by Q&A
September 10: Addicted to Plastic (trailer)
September 11: Who Killed the Electric Car (trailer)
September 12: Flow (trailer)
September 17: A Sea Change (trailer)
September 18: The Garden (trailer)
September 19: Burning the Sun (world premiere!)
Plus, every night of the series features a segment from Brooklyn filmmaker Michelle Vey’s From Elegance to Earthworms. Get more info.
National Parks Week NYC
September 19 to 27
I'm a big fan of National Parks. I've only been to 5 of them (soon to be 6!), but I've got my sites set on many more. Luckily, this month, the National Parks are coming to me – and everyone else in this fair city. The National Parks Conservation Association is hosting a full line-up of events all over NYC, including coastal clean-ups in Queens, a tour of Grant's tomb after dark in Morningside Heights, and screenings of clips from Rick Burn's latest documentary about the parks in Central Park. There are just too many events to list here, so here's the full schedule.
03 September 2009
september in the city - UPDATE!
10 August 2009
local food love: the bk farmyards fundraiser
Come one, come all to the BK Farmyards fundraiser event - our own little slice of local food heaven right here in Brooklyn. Guaranteed to be a good time with live bands, original artworks, dance, local food & drinks, cooking demonstrations, and games. Won't you join me?
CELEBRATE LOCAL FOOD
bk farmyards FUNDRAISER
hosted @ COMPOUND brooklyn
AUGUST 22, 2009, 2pm-12am
1287 Atlantic Ave, near Nostrand: 2 blocks Nostrand A stop; 2-3 blocks B44, B65 , B25; LIRR Nostrand stop steps away
RSVP on facebook
Live bands, original artworks, dance troupe, local food & drinks, growing display, cooking demonstrations, and games: Fun for all ages.
Bring along a blanket to picnic on the grass.
Suggested donation $5 at the door or pay what you can. All donations go toward creating more farmyards. We are currently working with developers on converting 3 acres to farm next year.
Gift certificates for Get Fresh Table and Market, Ici, Franny's, The Farm on Adderley, Brooklyn Kitchen, Edible Brooklyn, and more will be auctioned off.
Pass the word along! Help us build more farms!
08 July 2009
celebrate the sun with solar one
Daily events:
Friday -- 6:00PM - Dance Party
Saturday -- 12:00PM - Live Music Day
Sunday -- 11:00AM - Workshops and the Wide Open Eco-Pet Fashion Show!
Full details:
Since 2004, Solar One has held an annual festival celebrating sustainability and encouraging NYers to embrace a more sustainable lifestyle through fun and informative performances and exhibitions.
The schedule so far for Citysol 2009:
Friday July 10 at 6pm DANCE PARTY
"Mr. Lower East Side" Moonshine Shorey, Poet Extraordinaire
The Alien Comic- Legendary downtown performance artist confronts climate change
Party for a Solar-Powered NY- Join the I Heart PV campaign to increase solar energy generation in NYC! Find out what you can do: talk to a solar installer, write a letter to your legislators in exchange for a free drink, design a solar racecar and enter it in our competition and dance till you drop!
Solar-powered DJs from HomeBase Collective
Saturday July 11 at 12pm LIVE MUSIC DAY
Schwervon!
Love Like Deloreans
Outasight
Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers
The So So Glos
Hi Red Center
Fiasco
DJ Green Lantern
Dead Prez
Sunday July 12 at 11am
The Rachel Show
BioBus Mobile Laboratory
Make Your Own Generator with the Magdagascar Institute
PLUS Workshops, panels and exhibits from a variety of local sustainability organizations- check www.citysol.org for details, coming soon!
AND... Beer!
Bring your own cup, Get a discount on beer! Reuse the cup you get, Get a discount on beer! Write a letter for The I HEART PV CAMPAIGN, Get a beer on the house!
Event sponsored by Brooklyn Brewery
Here's how you get there:
Map/Directions
09 June 2009
food rules: events coming (really) soon!
Food. We can't live without it. This fact is especially clear to two disparate groups: the impoverished and the powerful (i.e., big agro-biz). And because of this (and other reasons), our current food system is pretty messed up. Learn how you can get involved by supporting local food and getting informed with these events, from film screenings to bee celebrating.
Brooklyn Food Coalition neighborhood meetings
Starting Wednesday, June 10
The recent Brooklyn Food Conference held in Park Slope Brooklyn, a wildly successful event brimming with valuable information on how to secure healthy food for all has spawned these neighborhood gatherings to help people get involved in food policy and other food-related action. Find out if your neighborhood is hosting one and when it's happening at the BFC website.
Food, Inc. (the film)
Wednesday, June 10
@ Bell House
An eye-opening look at the current state of the creation of modern food. This looks like a must see, for sure. Too bad it's happening at the same time as my neighborhood BFC meeting!
Here's a little preview:
Watch the official trailer
Get tickets
[via Brooklyn Based]
We Feed The World (another film)
Thursday, June 11
@ The Be-Hive
(55 Bethune St #215)
$10.00 suggested donation
Doors Open at 6:30 pm, screening begins at 7pm
Bring a dish for a Potluck Supper!
Stay for the discussion after the film
In case one disturbing food film isn't enough for you - A sobering portrait of the people who define the contemporary food industry, where the constant pursuit of profit takes precedence over the health of the workers, the hungry & the environment. (Austria-96 min)
The trailer is in German, but you'll get the idea:
Learn more about the event here.
NB - If you can't make it to the screening, this one's on DVD, and I think the whole movie is available online here.
Celebrate Pollinator Week
with Just Food
Monday, June 22 to Sunday, June 28
In honor of our hard-working, winged friends, Just Food and the Pollinator Week Planning Committee are pulling together a whole series of sweet events in order to raise awareness and support for urban beekeeping. We hope you'll join us:
Beekeepers Ball
Monday, June 22
Water Taxi Beach - South Street Seaport
(Pier 17 - 89 South St)
I'm getting buzzed just thinking about it (ha!)...
A not-to-be missed evening of sweetness and buzz... Indulge in the nectar of honey-infused cocktails and hors d'oeuvres and waggle dance the night away.
Find out more and get your tickets here.
New York Nectar
All week long
Mmmmm, I'm getting hungry!
Signature Pollinator Week dishes & drinks featuring local honey at New York's favorite restaurants, including: Back 40, Bobo, Jimmy's No. 43, Mae Mae Cafe, Palo Santo, Rose Water, Savoy and many more!
Honey Fest
Friday, June 26
@Union Square
A full day of fun at Union Square Greenmarket! Come enjoy tastings, demonstrations, and costumed antics in the park - and don't forget to pick up some local honey while you're there!
And stay tuned - there's more to come!
Sign up for Just Food updates to stay in the loop.
Sharecropper
All summer long
Throughout the city
An experiment in urban agriculture...
Sharecropper invites you to participate in this public art project and micro farming installation by artist Leah Gauthier for one growing season in New York City, Summer 2009. Leah will be using organic growing methods to plant rare and endangered heirloom vegetables and herbs, and to cultivate wild edibles on 17 parcels of donated land or growing spaces located in each of the five boroughs. A portion of the harvest will be shared with local soup kitchens, and series of public programming, including urban farming panel discussions, art happenings, and cooking performances around the city are being planned. This is a personal journey exploring agricultural plant matter and wild edibles as sculptural material, community building through growing and cooking food, re-imagining land use, and re-incorporating agrarian sensibilities and simplicity into modern life.
Read more about this local harvest at Brooklyn Based and Inhabitat.
28 May 2009
a whole lotta stuff going on this weekend
Oh man, this is what I live for. Stuff swapping, supporting local arts, enjoying the great outdoors of the urban jungle. Unfortunately I won't be around for the fun this weekend. Hopefully you'll get to enjoy some of these tasty events...
Saturday May 30
"Score!" Freecycling Event
@ BKLYN Yard
11am - 6pm
FREE!
Start gathering your old Twisted Sister albums, ill-advised sample sale purchases, well-intentioned gifts from grandma, those jeans that just don’t fit anymore, etc, and get ready to exchange them for new treasures.
MeanRed Productions is teaming up with FreeNYC, Newmindspace and RefugeNYC (the same folks who brought you the Wall Street Pillow Fight) to transform the waterfront venue, BKLYN Yard, into an open-air free boutique.
Over hundreds of records, clothes, household items, and regretful “impulse buys” will find new homes. This one-day event celebrates the joys of finding treasure in some one else’s trash.
Also:
- Enjoy delicious sweets from the Treats Truck
- All leftover stuff goes to Rock and Wrap It Up – an anti-poverty “think tank” that distributes donations to worth non-profits throughout the city
Sunday May 31
Brooklyn Bike Jumble@ JJ Byrne Park & Old Stone House
10am - 2pm
On May 31st, JJ Byrne Park and the Old Stone House will host the 1st Brooklyn Bicycle Jumble, New York's only outdoor bicycle flea market and celebration of New York City bike culture.
At this one-day-only-event, private, non-professional vendors will be on hand to sell bicycles, bicycle components, and clothing to the public. If you're looking for kid's bikes, cruisers, BMX, mountain, racers, fixed gears, or any wheeled, pedal-powered machine, or any part for one, come to the Brooklyn Bicycle Jumble.
Click here to send us an email.
[via Brooklyn Based]
All weekend: Friday May 29 to Sunday May 31
You won't find locally grown veggies here - more like fresh food for the creative spirit. Park Slope's own creativity and performance art haven, Spoke the Hub, is putting on one heck of a weekend full of dance, music, stilt walking, hula hooping, you name it. Activities for kids and adults. Let the good times roll. Full details here.
And coming soon, every Sunday in June
Summer Streets
Vanderbilt Ave in Prospect Heights
(this is my 'hood!)
[Not my shot. Image via Brownstoner]
During four consecutive Sundays in June, three blocks of Vanderbilt Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic and transformed into a temporary pedestrian plaza.
Summer Streets on Vanderbilt is designed to encourage the community to come together to shop, stroll and socialize. There will be music, art and gardening, face painting, sun and trees, eating and relaxing, biking and performances, people watching - and whatever else you might like to do. Plus a few surprises.
This temporary, experimental street closure, organized by the Vanderbilt Avenue Merchants District and the Prospect Heights Neighborhood Development Council in cooperation with the NYC DOT, is a smaller version of the successful Summer Streets program that ran along Park Avenue in Manhattan last August and is part of the city’s efforts to create a healthier, more livable and sustainable city as envisioned by the PlanNYC initiative.
How can you help?
You can help by: setting up and clean up on any of the days of the event; distributing flyers and postcards; supervising activities in the "kids zone"; arranging musicians and performers; making a donation to help cover expenses and spreading the word to friends and neighbors. See our contact here.
What if you want to perform?
We welcome musicians, acrobats, visual artists, etc. We'd appreciate it if you could contact us in advance – especially if you are interested in using our sound system and stage. Otherwise, don’t hesitate to bring out your acoustic guitar, juggling balls or hula-hoops.
Can you sell merchandise or promote your business?
No. This is different than a street fair; we will not have outside vendors.
[Streetsblog via Brownstoner]
30 March 2009
green pays
Here's a great example of how taking steps to reduce our impact on the planet also improves the bottom line. NBC, giant TV network, saved
$2 million last year by "going green."
Read the blurb here.
20 October 2008
red hook harvest
This past Saturday my friend Anne and I hopped on our bikes (after the helpful guys at Bicycle Station put Anne's bike chain back on) and headed down to the Red Hook Harvest Festival hosted by Added Value and Herban Solutions at Red Hook Community Farm.
Truer words were never written
We arrived just in time to get a tutorial from Classie Parker on canning for the leaner months. She showed us how to "put some love into" pickled onions and dilly beans and we sampled some of her delicious canned peaches. Spectators were able to participate by canning their own veggies.
Classie's puttin' her love into it
Classie shows them how to can-can
There were all kinds of activities for kids: pumpkin picking and a carving contest, bite the apple on the string, and Halloween costume making from fabric scraps. Families had the opportunity to pet the farm's chickens (whom, I'd like to add, were extraordinarily handsome).
Pickin' pumpkins at the pumpkin patch
Here chickie-chickies
That's one handsome chicken!
Swaying and bobbing for apples
Local restaurants including Applewood, The Good Fork, iCi, and Rice were serving up delicious soups and savories. I was happy to see that Rice sends their compost to the farm in these buckets.
Rice's compost buckets
Companies like Tri-State Biodiesel, orgs like Brooklyn Greenway Initiative (we rode on part of the new bike path on the way to the fest), and nonprofits like Heifer International were on hand to answer questions and provide information to the public.
Local musicians provided entertainment, local students offered up African dance lessons, and the local farm stand was set up to sell fresh produce and meats.
Some of the entertainment
It was a beautiful, sunny day that brought together an urban community in an agrarian way.
Learn more about canning farm fresh food
- FreshPreserving.com
- Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving (new edition)
by Judi Kingry and Lauren Devine
17 October 2008
apple day, this sunday
Eat some apples in the big apple while learning simple ways to go green, this Sunday on the Lower East Side. It's New York City Apple Day!
11am to 4:30pm
Orchard St btwn Broome and Grand
-
Apple Tastings - Apple Pie to Chicken Apple Sausage to Chocolate Apple Truffles and Apples and Honey for Sukkot
-
Face painting and Family Activities for kids
-
Free giveaways! Toys, 500 Energy Efficient Light Bulbs, T-Shirts
-
Live Entertainment
-
Learn the best way to recycle
-
Learn how to save energy and money
-
Learn the simplest things to do in your home to Go Green
It's true what they say, "an apple a day..."
I just read this fitting little tidbit from Yoga Journal editor Andrea Kowalski:
According to Ayurvedic medicine, apples help draw out of the body the heat that accumulates over the summer—heat that can dry out and cause digestive distress in the winter season. The pectin in apples also helps to clean and heal digestive mucosa, according to Ayurvedic doctor John Douillard.
Love apples? Share your favorite apple recipes here.
Honeycrisp, one of my favorites
16 October 2008
Dr. Michael Oppenheimer on the Colbert Report
Okay, it's from February of last year. But it's just as relevant today.
learning events @ AMNH
Some great opportunities to learn more about the world that's changing around us are coming up at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), in conjunction with the new Climate Change exhibit.
Future events @ AMNH
The museum plans to host several programs related to the exhibit including:
- International Polar Weekend celebration (February 7-8, 2009)
- World Water Day celebration (March 21, 2009)
- A series of interactive exhibits introducing kids ages 9-12 to the science of climate change and possible solutions to global warming
- A series of panel discussions bringing together world experts to discuss and debate the implications of climate change for our future (starting in January)
- Additional programs focusing on the effects of global warming on the wine and coffee industries
Upcoming programs for adults
These selected programs examine both personal and industrial responsibilities regarding sustainability.
FutureFashion: Connecting an Industry to Sustainable Practices
Thursday, October 23, 6:30pm
$15 ($13.50 Members)
Industry experts, Julie Gilhart, Fashion Director of Barneys; Scott Hahn, President of Loomstate; and others, participate in a discussion with Leslie Hoffman, executive director, Earth Pledge, and Greg Loosvelt, Earth Pledge’s carbon footprint assessment expert, about ways the fashion industry is working to reduce its environmental footprint. Learn about Earth Pledge's FutureFashion initiative, which encourages sustainability by working within the fashion industry to promote renewable, reusable, and nonpolluting materials and processes. On exhibit will be one-of-a-kind creations made as part of this collaboration by a few top designers, including Stella McCartney, Calvin Klein, and Rodarte.
Global Kitchen: Wine and Climate Change
Tuesday, October 28, 6:30 pm
$20
What consequences will global warming have on the wine industry? In this discussion and wine tasting, climatologist Gregory V. Jones, Southern Oregon University; author and blogger Tyler Colman, DrVino.com and Wine Politics; and Evan Spingarn, wine importer and distributor, will address such topics as redrawing the wine map, wines and their cultural identities, and calculating wine’s carbon footprint.
Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival
Friday-Saturday, November 14-16
$10 ($9 Members)
This sidebar to the international documentary film festival will include two sessions on climate change and global culture. Post-screening discussions with filmmakers and specialists will follow these films. Selected works will circulate in the Traveling Film Series domestically and internationally.
Peace with SealsUpcoming programs for kids and families
Saturday, November 15
Directed by Miloslav Novak. Peace with Seals (Mir s Tuleni) tells the story of biologist Emanuele Coppola’s hunt for the Mediterranean monk seal. Conversations with marine biologists and philosophers, as well as the beachgoers on the Mediterranean shores, who have supplanted the seals, lead him to believe that the only monk seals left are those preserved in Coppola’s extensive collection of archival footage. (U.S. Premiere)
Recipes for Disaster
Sunday, November 16
Directed by John Webster. Recipes for Disaster features the filmmaker and his family in a quest to reduce their carbon footprints by going one year without using oil-based byproducts. Their goal of “green living” seems manageable at first, but surviving without everyday essentials, like goods packaged in plastic, becomes increasingly challenging. (U.S. Premiere)
March Point
Sunday, November 16
Filmmaker and producer in person
Directed by Annie Silverstein. Intent on finding solutions to the pollution caused by two oil refineries in their native land, three teenage members of the Swinomish Tribe arm themselves with cameras and travel across the country to meet the politicians who can help. Following the screening will be a discussion with the filmmaker and producer. (NY premiere)
Co-presenter: National Museum of the American Indian
Adventures In Science: Climate Change Sundays
11 am–12:30 pm
(for 4th and 5th graders)
1:30–3 pm
(for 6th and 7th graders)
$30 each; $75 for all three
In conjunction with our new exhibition, these hands-on workshops introduce young audiences to the science of climate change and potential solutions. Participate in all three sessions and earn a certificate.
What Is the Difference Between Climate and Weather?
AS101908
Sunday, October 19
When people ask about the weather, we know what they mean: is it sunny, rainy, or hot? But what does climate mean, and how is it different from weather? In this workshop, we’ll use fun activities to compare their differences and similarities and learn why climate is so important.
What Is Climate Change?
AS102608
Sunday, October 26
Is Earth really getting hotter? Will a polar bear one day be your neighbor? Using the new exhibition Climate Change: The Threat to Life and A New Energy Future, we will examine the elements of climate change, its impact on Earth, and what that means for animals like polar bears, penguins—and us!
What Can We Do about Climate Change?
AS110208
Sunday, November 2
We know that Earth’s climate is changing—but what can you do about it? Is recycling enough? What exactly are greenhouse gases? Discover just how much energy you use in your daily life, and learn ways you can reduce your personal impact on the planet and help others to do the same.
To register for these programs, call 212-769-5200 or visit www.amnh.org.
climate change exhibit @ AMNH
This past Tuesday, I had the opportunity to get a sneak preview of the new exhibit Climate Change: The Threat to Life and a New Energy Future that opens this Saturday, October 18th, at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH).
The day started in the Hall of Northwest Coast Indians with opening remarks from the primary contributors,* which in hindsight seems apropos, considering the culture of native people in this region is being threatened by climate change.
From there we were led to the 3rd floor for the big show, on the way passing through the Warburg Hall of New York State Environment (I love the retro decor of wood paneling and white script lettering that surrounds the dioramas -- I hope they never renovate!), North American Forests, and the Hall of Biodiversity.
The exhibit
I don't want to give away the full show, because I think you should all see it for yourselves (it's in NYC until next August, then it moves on to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Mexico, and South America). To give you a sense of the importance and comprehensiveness of the event, Dr. Michael Oppenheimer, professor of Geosciences at Princeton, basically said that in lieu of his intro to climate change course, his students should just come to the museum to observe the exhibit.
The beginning of the end
The overwhelming theme of the entrance to the exhibit is black, perhaps signifying the dark descent into our addiction with black gold (in this case coal). On the wall, a fiery red LED line overlaid on a black and white collage demonstrates the rise in world population, economic growth, fossil fuel use and correlating atmospheric carbon dioxide.
This image only represents recent history. The line starts well below the knees and during the last century skyrockets to well about your head. ©AMNH/D. Finnin
Back in 1550, the great forest of Europe were vastly diminished, wood being the primary source of energy. Reluctantly, people took to burning coal for energy.
Here's a comparison between world conditions in 1600 (when coal use was gaining momentum) and 2000 (8 years ago):
In 1600
estimated world population: 545 to 579 million
estimated size of world economy: $77 billion
estimated atmospheric CO2: 274 parts per million
In 2000
estimated world population: 6.07 billion
estimated size of world economy: $41 trillion
estimated atmospheric CO2: 369 parts per million
If my math is correct, in 400 years, the world population increased to about 12 times its size and atmostpheric carbon dioxide increased by 35%! How could anyone refute that humans have greatly contributed to the warming of our planet?
[Click image to read text]
Ellen V. Futter, president, AMNH
Hey kids, coal is not cool!
Theresa Maher, age 9, and Brian Maher, age 11, from Massachusetts, examine a model of one metric ton of coal in the Climate Change exhibition—a dramatic icon of human energy consumption that represents the amount of coal needed to power an average home for two months, emitting about 2.5 metric tons of CO2. ©AMNH/D. Finnin
Goodbye downtown Manhattan
This model of lower Manhattan demonstrates what will happen when sea levels rise. ©AMNH/D. Finnin
Some alarming facts
- Earth’s average temperature has risen about 1.8°F over the past 100 years and it will rise much more as long as CO2 emissions continue to increase at current rates
- Even if emissions were to stabilize today, temperature would continue to rise for several decades due to the delayed response of the climate system
- Sea level has risen about 7 inches over the last 100 years, mostly due to the expansion of water as it warms. Every foot of sea-level rise translates to 100 feet of shoreline loss on the Eastern U.S. coast. Predictions vary, but future sea-level rise could range from 7 inches to more than 40 inches by 2100
- The primary effects of sea-level rise are increased flooding during storm surges and coastal erosion and submergence. Some of the world’s largest, most densely populated cities are located in these regions; indeed, 634 million people live within 33 vertical feet of sea level
Look on the bright side
The exhibit is only about 88% doom and gloom. Okay, I'm exaggerating -- it struck a balance between human contribution to the problem, the science of climate change, the ecosystems affected, and potential solutions to slow down the process.
Cleaner energy options are examined, and each resource (solar, wind, nuclear, geothermal) was allotted a percentage of the full energy pie. Other solutions offered were individual ways we can reduce our carbon footprint. There's even an interactive pledge wall where you can join others in committing to specific actions to improve your ecological impact.
Visit the exhibit
Timed tickets to the exhibit -- which is on view until August 16, 2009 -- include museum admission. Prices are $24 for adults, $18 for students and seniors, and $14 for children. Tickets can be reserved in advance by calling 212-769-5200 or visiting www.amnh.org. (Service charge may apply.)
*Ellen V. Futter, president of AMNH; Michael Novacek, SVP/provost of Science/curator of the Paleontology division; Edmond Mathez, curator of the exhibition; and Michael Oppenheimer, professor of Geosciences and International Affairs (an abbreviated title) at Princeton University.
(Thanks again, Andre & Jenni!)
24 September 2008
pete seeger, this saturday at BBG
[Image: Annie Liebovitz]
Pete Seeger, legendary folk singer, activist, and lover of everyone on the planet, is headlining the Chile Pepper Fiesta this Saturday (9/27) at Brooklyn Botanic Garden. He'll be accompanied by his son, Tao Rodriguez-Seeger, and blues guitarist Guy Davis.
There's also a full day of activities planned, including more musical performances, cooking demonstrations, tastings, and tours. The $8 admission to the garden gets you access to all the fun.
Learn more about the Fiesta at BBG's site.
Learn more about Clearwater, the environmental advocacy group co-founded by Pete Seeger.
22 September 2008
brooklyn harvest
It's the first day of Fall and it's already feeling a bit cooler. The kids are back in school, people are already donning boots and sweaters, and some are gearing up for harvest.
For those of us in the city, no upstate trip is required to enjoy some good ol' fashion pumpkin picking and harvest feasting. In Brooklyn, there are two harvest festivals next month.
The Gowanus Harvest Festival
Saturday, October 11 @ The Yard
11am-9pm
Advanced tickets $10
Day of Show $12
Children under 5 Free
Brooklyn! Fall! Brews! Bounty! Yes, its that time of year again. The Yard is once again hosting a fall-themed celebration of Gowanus proportions.Last year was an incredible success – over 1,000 people joined us at the banks of the canal to enjoy farm fresh food, live music, local vendors, pumpkin carving contests, pony rides, delicious brews and other triumphs of sustainable urban living.
This year, proceeds from the Gowanus Harvest Festival will be donated to Just Food.
So join us and enjoy the wonders of Autumn on Brooklyn’s most …charismatic… waterfront.
Red Hook Harvest Festival
Saturday, October 18 @ Added Value Farm
Annual festival featuring foods from local restaurants, live music and performances, kids' activities, pumpkin patch, raffle & contests, farmers' market, farm tours.
Join several thousand New Yorkers, young and old as we gather together to educate, motivate, inspire and create a more sustainable future for Red Hook and all of New York.What is a harvest festival?
Explore the Red Hook Community Farm, New York City’s largest urban agricultural project and take a tour of the facility led by a member of Added Value’s youth leadership team. Purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from the Farm, RonnyBrook Dairy, Red Jacket Orchard, and Wilklow Family Orchards.
Enjoy great local, seasonal fair produced by some of the finest restaurants in the City including The Good Fork, Restaurant ICI, Tini, Baked, and Rice. Press New York State apples into fresh cider, check out the livestock, pick a pumpkin and enter into your art into the craving competition, or pickle some string beans with Classie Parker.
Explore the practicality of solar power, harvesting the wind, collecting rain water and making your own bio-fuel by learning from greening organizations such as: Tri-State Bio Diesel, The Cloud Institute, Community Wind, The Water Resources Group, Solar One, and the Brooklyn Greenway, Just Food.
Experience the harvest near you
2 orgs that offer abundance to those in need
- City Harvest
- Feeding America (formerly America's Second Harvest)
[Event info via Brooklyn Based]
18 September 2008
new free rice games
I just donated 11,000 grains of rice testing out my Italian language skills. Yep, they added some new games to the mix at freerice.com. Now, in addition to the original free rice vocabulary game, you can test your knowledge of art, science, foreign language, geography, and math. It beats clicking away at Solitaire or Bejeweled because you're actually helping feed hungry people through the UN World Food Program, thanks to the websites sponsors.
As of yesterday, 43,809,979,770 grains of rice have been donated thanks to bored office workers everywhere. Try it out!
[Free Rice via Make]
12 September 2008
farm aid 2008
What's wrong with our farm system? It's unsustainable, unsupportive to family farmers, and unhealthy to us all. But for over 20 years, Willie Nelson, John Mellencamp, and Neil Young (and since 2001, Dave Matthews) have been striving to change that. As the face of Farm Aid, these musicians have seen their positive impact in the success of family farms, in the spread of the Good Food Movement, and through the development of grants that help farmers in need.
The concert
The Farm Aid concert, held next Saturday (9/20) in Mansfield, Massachusetts, is sold out this year. But you can still join the FarmYard fan club. If you join you get:
- A Farmers Kick A$$ totebag
- A chance to get special tickets to the FarmAid Concert
- Year-round access to the members-only site with exclusive photos and video, including the 2008 concert webcast
- 10% discount in the online store
- Quarterly drawings for free autographed items like t-shirts and program books
One of the groups Farm Aid funds is FoodRoutes, a non-profit that provides support to organizations that aim to rebuild local, community-based food systems. One of their efforts is Buy Fresh, Buy Local, which introduces consumers to local produce and the farmers who provide it.
Meet the farmers who've benefited from Farm Aid.
Watch this important message from Neil Young
07 September 2008
07 July 2008
robot love
Robots aren't always so cute. Think RoboCop, Terminator, HAL (well, I guess he's technically a computer). But what about Number 5 (Short Circuit), V.I.C.I (Small Wonder, okay, she was annoying), Twiki, or Artoo-Detoo?
In the cuteness department, WALL-E's got 'em all beat. He's freaking adorable. And not only is this fictional, computer-generated animation cute, the story surrounding him is an allegory about what we're doing to the environment. Could it get any better?
I don't want to give anything away, so go out and see it!
10 June 2008
09 June 2008
organic music?
It's unplugged. It brings people together. It feels good!
Like it? Check out the New York Times feature about Hypnotic Brass Ensemble here.
