Terrain

Huge Victory for Berkeley Edible Gardens Initiative Last Wednesday!

Ecology Center — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:36:28 +0000

Many of our staff and members have been following closely the trajectory of the Edible Gardens legislation in Berkeley. We are happy to report that it passed unanimously at the Planning Commission meeting last week, and moving forward, it will be significantly easier for gardeners to grow and sell produce, honey and eggs from their residential lots. The version of this legislation that was passed requires no permits or fees; instead, urban farmers agree to follow reasonable guidelines. Cheers to the Planning Commission, to the outspoken supporters, and the leadership of the Berkeley Edible Gardens Initiative, who worked hard to get this effort from concept to legislation. Read on for a letter to supporters that includes the specific language in the passed legislation.

“Dear Berkeley Edible Gardens Supporters:

GREAT NEWS!!! Edible Gardens legislation was passed UNANIMOUSLY at last Wednesday’s Berkeley Planning Commission meeting.

Two versions of the code changes were under consideration; the version that was passed EXEMPTS residents from any permitting requirements to sell Non-Processed Edibles grown or raised on the premises, and requires no fees whatsoever. THIS IS A HUGE VICTORY!

Thank you to all of you for your support of this Initiative – your names were included in the list of supports submitted to the Commission. In addition, almost 200 letters were submitted on behalf of the legislation, which made a big impression on the Commission.

Commissioner Patti Dacey joked that the Commission should all join hands while they voted, as unanimous votes are very unusual in Berkeley. After the vote there was a shout of joy in the audience, and the Commissioners joined in. It was a really nice moment, and a reminder that food brings us together in many ways.

THANK YOU TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU FOR HELPING TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE – WHAT A GREAT EFFORT AND A GREAT OUTCOME!

Sophie Hahn
Co-Founder, Berkeley Edible Gardens Initiative

The text of what was adopted (not yet published in official version):

Definition of Non-Processed Edibles:
Foods, including fruit, vegetables, nuts, honey, and shell eggs from fowl or poultry, but not including cannabis as defined in Chapter 12.26 or meat, grown or raised in accordance with the Berkeley Municipal Code, that are whole and intact and have not been processed. Washing, trimming, bundling, and similar handling of otherwise whole and intact foods shall not be considered processing.

Exemption Text:
The sale or donation of Non-Processed Edibles grown or raised on the premises is permitted by right as an accessory use in all residential districts, provided that:

Sales are directly to the end consumer of the Non-Processed Edibles;

Sales-related activities take place between the hours of 8am and 8pm and are located either indoors or in an area generally shielded from view from the public right-of-way to the extent practical based on the accessibility of the subject lot;

The sale of Non-Processed Edibles does not involve hazardous materials or processes or create offensive or objectionable noise, vibration, odors, heat, dirt, or electrical disturbance perceptible by the average person beyond the lot line of the subject lot;

The sale of Non-Processed Edibles does not involve more than ten customer visits to the premises in one day.

Stop the Plastic Tidal Wave Event, Next Thursday, 5/24/12

Ecology Center — Sat, 19 May 2012 18:08:02 +0000

The first of our in-house events as part of our Zero Waste series, this event is all about discussing the very big problem of plastics in a proactive, solution-oriented way. It will offer participants an interactive presentation by Green Sangha members Sanjen Miedzinski, Ph.D and Beth Terry. Can recycling plastics solve the problem of plastic litter, and the poisoning of the food web? Where are we going with ocean cleanup and product stewardship? What are the plastics of greatest concern? Learn about the effects of litter, how recycling falls short, and what businesses and governments can do to stop the plague of plastic pollution. To read more about the background of the presenters, or more details on this free event, click here. We hope to see you there, Thursday May 24th from 7 to 9 PM. Be sure to catch the other events in the Zero Waste series, all listed on our EcoCalendar!
[Photo by neoluk]

Plastics in Ocean Worse than Thought

Ecology Center — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:19:40 +0000

The latest research from oceanographers show that wind and water currents can impact plastic pollution monitoring efforts. It seems that researchers have underestimated the volume of plastic pollution in the ocean because wind conditions push plastics out of reach of surface skim collections. One of the scientists coming out with new data on this, Giora Proskurowski, is quoted “‘I think what this research really shows is that I can go out in the middle of the ocean – five days away from land – into one of the remotest parts of the planet, and scoop up plastic … I think it’s a stark reminder of the impact our society has on the planet.’” The plastic problem is a huge one, and it is difficult to grasp both the scale and role that each of us play in it. We are excited about our Zero Waste event series in the coming weeks, that explores many facets of waste, from policy to personal impact, and hope that it will help participants digest some of the most pressing waste issues for our community. Check out our EcoCalendar for upcoming free events as part of that series, and for a full report on the latest plastic research, head over to California Watch.

Coming this November, GMO Labeling Initiative on Your Ballot!

Ecology Center — Tue, 15 May 2012 19:55:18 +0000

California’s Right to Know Campaign turned in nearly a million signatures earlier this month to secure the GMO Labeling Initiative’s spot on the November ballot. While signature gathering volunteers deserve a moment of victory, it may be only a respite before the big push during election season. This historic effort may face a tough push back campaign from some of the major biotech corporations, including Monsanto, Bayer, and others. Case in point, Vermont should be the first state to put a GMO-labeling law on the books, but since Monsanto has been threatening to sue, legislators there have been dragging their feet. Public opinion polls show that GMO Labeling is a popular effort, with some showing 90% of Americans support labeling genetically-modified foods. We’ll keep following and post updates on this campaign. In the meantime, Californians should head over to California Right to Know to find out how they can support this important effort.
[Photo from www.carighttoknow.org]

Ecology Center Statement on Gill Tract

Ecology Center — Mon, 14 May 2012 22:28:05 +0000

The Ecology Center supports the vision of the Gill Tract as a UC Berkeley Center for Urban Agriculture Research and Training. This vision of the Gill Tract is aligned with the mission of public land-grant institutions and the Gill Tract’s incredible legacy as the birthplace of vital sustainable agriculture methods. It also honors the significant and continuous growth of both organic agriculture and urban agriculture, and the need for technical development and training in those fields.

The Ecology Center supports the desire of community members and activists to ensure that the Gill Tract land remains in agricultural use, and calls upon them to embrace a vision that includes university research and training that benefits urban communities across the state, nation, and globe.

The Ecology Center calls upon the University of California to commit to the creation of a Center for Urban Agriculture Research and Training, and to allow farming to continue alongside relevant research. We call on UC Berkeley to engage in meaningful, good faith discussion with the community, urban agriculture organizations, UC researchers, and the City of Albany on how to best manifest this vision.

BASIL Represented at Justice Begins With Seeds Conference Next Week

Ecology Center — Sat, 12 May 2012 18:56:57 +0000

The BASIL seed library is hosting a panel and seed swap at this year’s Justice Begins with Seeds conference. The conference is all day next Friday and Saturday, May 18th and 19th in San Francisco. Please register and attend this amazing conference, and bring seeds to swap! Read on for details.

This conference, put on by the Biosafety Alliance, is bringing together a great swath of global thinkers and activists on food sovereignty, with a keynote talk by Winona LaDuke. There will also be a panel on the Label GMO movement on Saturday. BASIL’s coordinator, Patrick O’Connor will be on a panel Friday afternoon from 4 -6 pm, which will double as a seed swap!
To see the full program, click here. To register for the conference, click here. Scholarships and volunteer opportunities are available, contact miguel@biosafetyalliance.org.

Honoring Our Heroes Who Have Passed Away

Ecology Center — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:30:35 +0000

We want to take a moment to acknowledge some of our environmental leaders who have been laid to rest recently: Earnest Callenbach and Adam Yauch, aka MCA.

Berkeley resident Ernest “Chick” Callenbach passed away in April, best known as the author of Ecotopia. In his writing, Callenbach envisioned a hopeful future of the world, where recycling, local food and sustainable transportation prevail. Written in the height of 70s awareness of the dire consequences of pollution, the book was self published by Callenbach and friends after being rejected by 25 publishers. The book has proven that wider perspectives of ecology are more than a passing phase, with a million copies sold. Callenbach was a dedicated member of the Ecology Center, and as part of his community, we extend our condolences to his family. For those who wish to be more familiar with his work, copies of two of his books are available in our Library: Ecotopia and Ecotopia Emerging.

Adam Yauch, aka MCA of the band Beastie Boys, died this past week. The tragedy of his early death at age 47 has been widely mourned among the band’s fans and other musical giants who were influenced by the Beastie Boys. What isn’t as widely known is that Yauch had a side career as a producer and director, founding the independent film production company Oscilloscope Laboratories. Check out this summary of his work in this are from Grist. Supporting powerful environmental documentaries means giving voice to stories that mainstream media outlets won’t touch. For this work, we pay tribute to Yauch’s life. Those interested in Oscilloscope’s documentaries can check them out from our Library, which has the films Flow, No Impact Man, and The Garden. All very worth the watch, thanks to MCA!

Perennial Vegetable Workshop and Plant Sale, This Saturday, 5/12/12

Ecology Center — Tue, 08 May 2012 23:01:00 +0000

We’ll be gathering at the EcoHouse this Saturday from 10 am to noon to learn from permaculture expert Christopher Shein. Learn to select and grow low-maintenance edible plants and how to naturalize annual crops such as lettuce, arugula, chard, and collards by seedsaving. Bring questions about garden vegetables and fruits. Space is limited, so registration is required. Keep reading for details about the plant sale and info to RSVP for the class.
From noon to 1 pm, there will be a plant sale to take home new perennials to practice your new skills! The sale is open to all, and is a fundraiser for the EcoHouse. Unusual perennial vegetables such as Bolivian Sunroots (Yacon), Tuberous Nasturium (Mashua), Tuberous Oxalis (Oca), Sunchokes, Tree Collards and more will be available. For more details on reserving your spot in the class, click here.

Stand Up to Support Berkeley Urban Ag Legislation on May 16th!

Ecology Center — Sat, 05 May 2012 18:50:14 +0000

Please join us at the Berkeley Planning Commission meeting on May 16 at 7pm to support the passage of Edible Gardens legislation! The City of Berkeley has been considering legislation to facilitate the sale of homegrown edibles in Berkeley’s residential areas. The legislation that has been presented to the Planning Commission comes up for a final vote on May 16 in the City Council Chambers. We still need a strong turnout to push this over the finish line!

If you cannot come to the commission meeting but would like to submit a letter in support, please email your letters to the Secretary to the Commission, Alex Amoroso, (aamoroso@cityofberkeley.info) before noon on Tuesday, May 8. The legislation is supported by the Berkeley Food Policy Council, Ecology Center, Sierra Club, Spiral Gardens, East Bay Urban Agriculture Alliance, and others.

The agenda for the May 16 meeting will be posted toward the bottom of the Planning Commission’s webpage a week before the hearing. The proposed legislation will be very similar to the version included within the April 4th agenda, which is available at the same location. For background on Berkeley’s Edible Gardens legislation, visit www.berkeleyediblegardens.org.

Thank you in advance for coming out to support this important legislation. The City Council Chambers are located at Old City Hall, 2134 Martin Luther King Jr. Way.

Farm Bill Passes Senate Agriculture Committee, Update from CFSC

CFSC — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:55:29 +0000

This message was sent from CFSC last week, we wanted to pass on the good news! The next step will be a hearing of the bill on the Senate floor. Stay tuned…

“Yesterday afternoon, the Senate Agriculture Committee approved the Agricultural Reform, Food and Jobs Act (Farm Bill) in a bipartisan 16-5 vote. The bill includes $23 billion in savings over 10 years by cutting $15 billion from the Commodity Title, $6 billion from Conservation programs and $4 billion from nutrition programs.

The Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC) commends Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member Pat Roberts (R-KS) on their bipartisan leadership of the committee and on crafting a bill that minimizes cuts to nutrition programs while supporting programs that are building a more resilient, equitable, environmentally and economically sustainable American food system for the future.

The bill includes increased funding for CFSC Farm Bill priorities that support community food security programs and local food initiatives including:

Community Food Projects Program – Doubling mandatory funding for this program to $10 million per year
Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program – Expanding the Farmers Market Promotion Program to include developing food hubs and doubling funding to $20 million in mandatory funds per year for five years
Hunger-Free Community Incentive Grants – A new local fruit and vegetable incentive grant program to increase purchases by SNAP customers at farmers markets and other healthy food retailers with mandatory funding totaling $100 million over five years
Specialty Crop Block Grants – Funding increased to $70 million per year for five years from the current level of $55 million
Healthy Food Financing Initiative – Authorization for funding up to $125 million
Improving ease of SNAP Redemption at Farmers Markets, Mobile Markets and CSAs- Authority to establish pilot programs to test mobile technology and online ordering as well as ease SNAP redemption at Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs)
Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program – Mandatory funding maintained at $20 million per year

The $4 billion cut from the Nutrition title mirrors last fall’s cut in the Super Committee proposal and is significantly better than last week’s House Ag Committee vote to cut $33 billion from the program for deficit reduction.

The Agriculture Reform, Food and Jobs Act (ARFJA) eliminates the direct and counter cyclical payment programs and includes a payment limit for farmers and a maximize size for farms to received federal farm support, important reforms to the flawed agriculture subsidy system. It also includes support (albeit at reduced levels) for beginning farmer programs, key organic provisions and instructions to USDA to create crop insurance that will serve the needs of small and diversified farmers.

The bill does not include mandatory funding for the 2501 Outreach and Assistance to Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers program.

CFSC looks forward to the bill getting a hearing soon on the Senate floor. CFSC staff and members will be working to get good provisions from the Senate bill included in the House version of the 2012 Farm Bill.”

[Photo by Steve Rhodes]