From Consumerism to Sustainability

The Worldwatch Institute has a new report, 'State of the World 2010: Transforming Cultures,' that may be of interest to some of you currently researching consumerism. The core focus of the report is on shifts from consumerism to sustainability. Free chapters of select sections are available to download here.

LENAPE,MANHATTAN

This garden landscape is located on a rare patch of open, south-facing land in the middle of Manhattan. The triangular piece of land is in front of Hudson Guild, a vital community center that was established in 1895 and currently serves the 2,000 residents of the surrounding New York Public Housing Authority’s Robert Fulton Houses and Elliott-Chelsea Houses. The garden includes the native edible plants and mounded plantings of beans, corn, and squash—also known as the “three sisters”—that the Lenape people would have eaten for millenia in that very location. It provides a view back to their lives and how they lived off the land on the island they knew as Mannahatta at the time that the first European, Henry Hudson, visited in 1609. Unlike the other Edible Estates gardens, which are very much about the present, this garden is a meditation on the historical facts of and future possibilities for our occupation of the island.

The Lenape garden is surrounded by detailed signage that tells the story of each plant, the food it produces, how the Lenape used it in their diet, and the natural history of the site. It is not intended to feed the current local residents, but rather to provide visible evidence of both the general fact that our food comes out of the dirt and specific examples of the sources of food for the previous residents of the island. It is a demonstration garden, part experimental laboratory and part educational display. Visiting students and those from the nearby children’s center use the garden and its central gathering circle for activities and workshops dealing with the history, ecology, food, plants, animals, energy, and other aspects of the immediate natural environment.

The residents of Elliott-Chelsea Houses, members of the Hudson Guild community, visiting students, and the general public become more aware of organic growing cycles as they watch the garden evolve through the seasons and years. They become aware of the natural and cultural history of the island they live on by observing food growing on plants that existed in Manhattan soil before it was the city we know today. This garden landscape may also serve as a model for small-scale urban edible landscapes and as a possible prototype for modest green spaces at similar housing sites across the city.

ST. ANN'S ALLOTMENTS

STAA runs a Community Orchard on a collection of plots on the St Ann's Allotments. It is a lively hub of educational and community life centered on local children and families.

It was set up in September 2001 on several overgrown allotments. The plots – which include mature fruit trees, a pond and a stream - were cleared and planted up by volunteers, schools and community groups.

The Orchard provides a safe, natural and exciting place for people to learn and explore. Much of our work focuses on children varying in age from nurseries to secondary schools. Educational activities include gardening, construction, management of the environment and arts and crafts. Occasionally the site provides a learning space for gardeners on-site too. We run free sessions such as tree pruning and other horticultural skills.

The Community Orchard is also a place where we hold regular Activity Days and other open events. At these we focus on looking after the site, providing informal activities (especially for children) and seasonal events such as the annual Apple Day celebrations and our Winter Extravaganza. It's a great opportunity for the public to come and explore the orchard, to try new skills, and to sample some of our food and drink around the fire.

EDIBLE ESTATES regional prototype garden

The Edible Estate was established on a highly visible triangular lawn in front of the Brookwood Estate. This rare green space is fenced off and was previously unused.

Twenty-four units at Brookwood and another sixteen in Lancaster House (another council estate) all face the triangle. Placing the garden here meant that everyone would be watching: the local gardeners would perform for their neighbors. In the centre of the dense city, the production of food would become a public spectacle.

Initially many residents were sceptical about the prospects of such a garden in this location, and they feared it would be vandalized. But there is a school across the street, which insures a steady flow of children past the garden. It was the children of the council estates who were the most excited about the garden and eager to get their hands in the dirt over the course of the three days of planting.

This garden is intended as a new model for urban agriculture. It is not a true community garden (or “allotment,” as the popular practice is referred to in Britain) with separate private plots for each gardener. It is one holistic design that also integrates spaces where people may gather; a pleasure garden made up entirely of edibles. Those who tend it will eat from it.

The pedal powered stage

Sam Isaac - Carbon Dating - The Pedal Sessions from Magnificent Revolution on Vimeo.

Here's a nice video of the pedal powered stage I've mentioned this afternoon. You might want to check out Magnificent Revolution's other projects such as the pedal powered cinema or pedal powered home on their website. They're also organising bike generator workshops across britain in which you can learn the basics about building one by your own.

Green thing

"Green Thing is a not-for-profit public service that inspires people to lead a greener life. With the help of brilliant videos and inspiring stories from creative people and community members around the world, Green Thing focuses on seven things you can do - and enjoy doing."

>Do the Green Thing

Social lending platforms

Following on our discussion of (alter-)economies in studio today, you may be interested to have a look at 'webank,' which investigates alternative structures of finance, from lending to currency exchange.

Also check out this Nesta-related project:
>Big Green Challenge

Greens: too radical or too conservative?

A series of BBC programmes addresses whether Green thinking and practice is either too radical or too conservative to be taken up by wider publics. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/8308989.stm

Today: The Bigger Picture | Festival of Interdependence

Just stumbled upon The Bigger Picture Festival while checking 350.org for some action today, the international day of climate action. See the detailed programme here. See you there!

UPDATE: Some great impressions of the festival can be found on NEF's or Kate Andrews Flickr site.

Thames21

Thames21 is an environmental charity working with communities to bring London's waterways to life. Thames21 mobilise thousands of volunteers every year to clean up waterside grot-spots, remove graffiti and create new habitats for wildlife. Thames21 aim to transform neglected and littered waterways into areas that everyone can use and enjoy by encouraging all Londoners to treat their waterways with care and respect.

Video : The River Cleaners
Website : Thames21

Gathering Spaces

Debate of architecture is offer the opportunity to possibility of to experience architecture. It can mix the disciple and bring things together which may bring an interesting out come together.

Architecture with no wall will allow everybody into the space and become part of the freedom in the park.

A gathering space is a structure which invite people to interact, to climb on, to go inside, start to walk around and walk pass the structure.

The two images above are the fixed open structure which allow people gather around. They bring the "new experience" to the local and become some kind of landmark and attraction. They are in different form the 1st one the structure melt into the surrounding by using aluminum plate as a roof and reflect the sky. The 2nd one just like bring something normally in indoor to outdoor which represent as bring something out to the public.

Air Forest to create the public to converge and spark dialogue across the city through innovative cultural initiatives. The structure is to create a temporary public space to be utilized in a vast array of scheduled events (such as the Yoga Health Festival, a cocktail party for the convention, a high school play, Dialog: City closing party) as well as for the general public to enjoy.

The dome expands and organically adjusts to its surroundings, be it in a field, a wooded park, or below a highway overpass. The material is a sturdy, specially-designed translucent plastic, allowing the varying events taking place inside of the shelter – dance parties, lecture series, or dinner buffets – to be entirely visible from the outside and likewise the exterior environments become the events’ backdrops.

3rd and the 4th are inflatable structure using membrane and air pump to create the form. They have a high flexibility and can be easily transport. Air forest is more close to the nature as it didn't draw any boundary. The dome create a transparent indoor space and create an intimate atmosphere.