All news and resources below are reported from the Goddard Sustainability Listserv, April 2014. To join the Listserv, please email Catherine Lowther.
Jean-Martin Fortier: A Model for Profitable Micro-Farming: Earn a living gardening on just 1.5 acres
Jean-Martin Fortier and his wife, Maude-Hélène are a thirty something couple who have been farming successfully for the past decade. In fact, they’ve been micro-farming: their entire growing operations happen on just an acre and half of land. And with this small plot, they feed over 200 families. And do so profitably.
They have published a book, The Market Gardener, which is nothing short of an operating manual for their entire business. In it, they reveal exactly what they grow, how they grow it, what tools and farming practices they use, who their customers are, what they charge them, and how much profit they take home at the end of the day.
Watch the podcast of an interview with Jean-Martin Fortier, 34 min., here:
Years of Living Dangerously
The first episode in a documentary series Years of Living Dangerously by James Cameron that focuses on personalizing the connections between climate change and society. One hour, watch below:
Active Hope: How to Face the Mess We’re in Without Going Crazy
By Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone
Active Hope is about finding, and offering, our best response to the crisis of sustainability unfolding in our world. It offers tools that help us face the mess we’re in, as well as find and play our role in the collective transition, or Great Turning, to a life-sustaining society.
The New 400ppm World: CO2 Measurements at Mauna Loa Continue to Climb: A blog on independent science + practical solutions.
Building Thriving, Resilient Communities: A Collection of Resources for You & Your Neighbors to Create a Saner, Healthier Future Together
This collection of books, online resources, trainings and courses was assembled by members and allies of the Thriving Resilient Communities Collaboratory (TRCC), who share a vision of a world that is sustainable, just, compassionate, and healthy.
Gaia Sustainability Education: The Four Keys
The Keys are four comprehensive books compiled by Gaia Education associates, offering an overview of cutting-edge thinking on design for sustainability at local, regional and global scales. Drawing from the experience emerging from the best research and development centers for carbon-constrained lifestyles, they are reference books for anyone seeking to develop a high quality low-impact life-style. Free downloads here.
Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NESARE)
NESARE offers competitive grants to projects that explore and address key issues affecting the sustainability and future economic viability of agriculture.
Northeast SARE serves Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Vermont Student Climate Coalition (VSCC)
“My name is Francesca Hall and I’m a junior at UVM. For the past few months I’ve been working with students across Vermont to build a strong coalition of student environmental organizers and activists. Our goal is to connect and strengthen the campaigns being waged throughout the state to make Vermont and its colleges and universities models of sustainability and environmental stewardship. If you’d like any more information about VSCC, please feel free to visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/vtstudentclimatecoalition“
