Last year's abundant tables at the Flatbush Plant Swap!

The 2nd Annual Flatbush Plant Swap is coming up soon! On Saturday, April 16, Sustainable Flatbush and Flatbush Food Co-op will be hosting a free community plant swap. So prepare your cuttings, divide your perennials, or just get excited to pick up some horticultural tips… and take a plant home to start your own indoor or outdoor garden!

Lucky neighbor took home a beautiful young flowering tree

Last year’s inaugural plant swap was a huge success; we saw many people of all ages come and go throughout the day bringing plants, taking plants, sharing gardening knowledge and just hanging out to enjoy the sun.

Click here to see our photos from last year’s event.

From noon to 3pm, rain or shine, we will be in front of the Co-op again this year. So come out and join the fun!

Remember, you don’t have to bring something to take something.

Everyone goes home with a plant! Children and adults alike are welcome!

What: Free plant swap

When: Saturday, April 16, 12-3 p.m., rain or shine

Where: Flatbush Food Co-op @ 1415 Cortelyou Road (between Marlborough & Rugby Roads)

Sponsored by Sustainable Flatbush, Flatbush Food Coop, and Brooklyn College Student Center

Filmed over nearly three years, Waste Land follows renowned artist Vik Muniz as he journeys from his home base in Brooklyn to his native Brazil and the world’s largest garbage dump, Jardim Gramacho, located on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. There he photographs an eclectic band of “catadores”—self-designated pickers of recyclable materials.

Muniz’s initial objective was to “paint” the catadores with garbage. However, his collaboration with these inspiring characters as they recreate photographic images of themselves out of garbage reveals both the dignity and despair of the catadores as they begin to re-imagine their lives.

Director Lucy Walker (DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND, BLINDSIGHT and COUNTDOWN TO ZERO) and co-directors João Jardim and Karen Harley have great access to the entire process and, in the end, offer stirring evidence of the transformative power of art and the alchemy of the human spirit.

WHERE:
Brooklyn College Student Center
Gold Room (6th floor)
Campus Road and East 27th Street, Brooklyn
Subway: 2 or 5 train to Brooklyn College/Flatbush Avenue
Free refreshments and popcorn
provided by Flatbush Food Co-op

Join us on Wednesday March 23rd at 7pm for a *free* screening of TAPPED

Sponsored by Sustainable Flatbush, Flatbush Food Co-op, Ditmas Park West Neighborhood Association, and Brooklyn College Student Center

Is access to clean drinking water a basic human right, or a commodity that should be bought and sold like any other article of commerce? Stephanie Soechtig’s debut feature is an unflinching examination of the big business of bottled water.

From the producers of Who Killed the Electric Car and I.O.U.S.A., this timely documentary is a behind-the-scenes look into the unregulated and unseen world of an industry that aims to privatize and sell back the one resource that ought never to become a commodity: our water.

From the plastic production to the ocean in which so many of these bottles end up, this inspiring documentary trails the path of the bottled water industry and the communities which were the unwitting chips on the table. A powerful portrait of the lives affected by the bottled water industry, this revelatory film features those caught at the intersection of big business and the public’s right to water.

WHERE:
Prospect Park Temple Isaac
Dorchester Road at Marlborough Road, Brooklyn
Q or B train to Cortelyou Road

WHEN:
Wednesday, March 23rd, 7PM
Free popcorn provided by Flatbush Food Co-op.

MORE MOVIES:
Hold Wednesday, April 27th for more environmental movies.

Sponsored by the Brooklyn College Student Center, Sustainable Flatbush, and Flatbush Food Co-op

The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of “fracking” or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a “Saudia Arabia of natural gas” just beneath us. But is fracking safe?

When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. A recently-drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND.

Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown, Gasland is one of five nominees for an Academy Award for 2010’s best feature documentary.

WHERE:
Brooklyn College Student Center
Campus Road and East 27th Street, Brooklyn
2 or 5 train to Brooklyn College/Flatbush Avenue

WHEN:
Wednesday, February 23rd, 7PM

Free refreshments and popcorn provided by Flatbush Food Co-op.

MORE MOVIES: Hold Wednesday, March 23rd and Wednesday, April 27th for more environmental movies. Titles and location to be announced.

New project: Support our composting efforts on ioby!

Compost Kids (photo by Elisabeth Deogracias)

We recently launched a project on ioby – an online microphilanthropy initiative for NYC environmental projects – to raise funds to build a 3-bin compost system at our new communal garden on Church Avenue. The compost bins will provide nutrient-rich fertilizer for the garden while engaging residents in discussions on waste reduction as part of the garden’s community activities. We are actively seeking supporters for this project as compost is a key component of a zero waste initiative, especially in a community garden–so help us realize this goal and pledge a donation right now, right HERE!

No Impact Man Film Poster

April 15th 2010: Earth Day Film screening of No Impact Man

In order to educate and promote a less wasteful lifestyle, Sustainable Flatbush co-sponsored, with Flatbush Food Co-op, and Ditmas Park West Neighborhood Association, a screening of Colin Beavan’s self-assigned challenge to live for a year creating as little impact on the environment as possible. Addressing issues of consumption, transportation, and electricity, Beavan documents his struggles and successes to live as efficiently as possible.

April 11 2010: National Grid Earth Day Celebration

We kicked off Earth Week celebrations by partnering with Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts and Brooklyn College Community Partnership to produce the 2010 National Grid Earth Day Celebration, bringing together the following organizations, artists, and performers: Brooklyn Botanic Garden; Garbage of Eden Designs; the ArtLab of the Brooklyn College Community Partnership; Seeds, Soil & Sunshine (seed starting workshop); Plant Secrets (children’s gardening); New York City Fire Department; New York City Department of Parks & Recreation; Nydia “Liberty” Mata; Tova Ackerman’s Puppetry In Practice; Campus Road Garden at Brooklyn College; Puppeteer Ronny Wasserstrom; Teaching Artist Susan Marinoff; and the Bar Mitzvah Project (selling reusable bags to benefit the Rainforest Alliance).

Our main demonstration, aligned with the Zero Waste initiative, was creating colorful flowers out of used plastic bottles with children. This project encouraged kids and parents to think more creatively about how to divert waste from the landfills and more generally about rethinking the potential of disposable items.

National Grid Earth Day (photo by Rick Berube)

Support Our Work!

If you like what our Zero Waste Initiative is doing, help us continue showing Brooklynites how to reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost! You can make a secure, tax-deductible donation to Sustainable Flatbush HERE!

The documentary Grown in Detroit, directed by Mascha and Manfred Poppenk, is an award winning documentary featuring urban organic farming efforts. Detroit was the home for mass producing automobiles, however, due to the decline of the auto industry one of the nation’s wealthiest cities has become one of the poorest. Nature in all its glory has taken over the empty lots and the city has started “greening” from within. Taking this opportunity into consideration the residents of the city have opted to use the land and its resources for their necessity.

The documentary is one hour in length and it follows students at the Ferguson Academy for Young Women, which is a high school for pregnant teens. They work in the school’s urban garden and learn how to grow nutritious food for their children. As one can imagine these teens aren’t able to cope in the beginning and they dislike farm work. However, as time goes by they see the fruits of their labor growing and then being sold for profit, which changes their attitudes completely. I think the insight into the lives of these teens can be an eye opener for the rest of us. We can learn from them valuable lessons about facing your struggles head on and coming out the victor. As well as, necessity being the mother of invention and how, when given resources, people will come together to reap the benefits.

Flatbush Food Film Forum presents GROWN IN DETROIT
sponsored by Sustainable Flatbush, Flatbush Food Co-op, and Ditmas Park West Neighborhood Association

WHEN: Wednesday, May 26th at 7pm
WHERE: Prospect Park Temple Isaac, 1419 Dorchester Road (entrance on Marlborough)

Free popcorn provided by Flatbush Food Co-op! Kosher snacks available for purchase

Plant Swap! (photo by Keka Marzagão)

Get ready to do some sweet swappin’! On Saturday, April 24, Sustainable Flatbush and Flatbush Food Co-op will be hosting a free plant swap!

From noon to 3 p.m., no matter the weather, we’ll all swap together in front of Flatbush Food Co-op. Bring your plants and your favorite gardening tips, and get ready to do some sharing!

You don’t need to be a gardener to join the fun! If you don’t have any plants to swap, come and pick up some new plants — free! Never planted a garden before? Learn how to get started on one! Fear your green thumb is underdeveloped? Talk to gardeners and learn the art of planting!

Children and adults alike are welcome! So don’t forget — be there!

What: Free plant swap

When: Saturday, April 24, 12-3 p.m., rain or shine

Where: Flatbush Food Co-op @ 1415 Cortelyou Road (between Marlborough & Rugby Roads)

Sustainable Flatbush, Flatbush Food Co-op, and Ditmas Park West Neighborhood Association present a special Earth Day film screening of NO IMPACT MAN.

This movie is all about taking a new look at the way we impact our environment. Colin Beavan sets out to experience life without any automated transportation, electricity, no more non-local food and overall to make as little impact as possible for one year. No problem right? That is, until his wife who has completely different ideals from that of Beavan and their daughter is brought into the fray. How will this family cope with the new way of living? How will they be tested and what will they find out along the way?

As for me, after doing a little bit of research what I found interesting was the fact that the family had to give up a lot for that one year. I haven’t seen the movie yet so I would like to see what kind of strain it put on their relationship. All the struggles they endured and how they overcame, as well as learning from them what I can do to make less of an impact on environmental degradation. Isn’t that interesting? Shouldn’t all of us give this a thought and come see what this family has accomplished?

COME SEE AND FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF!

Flatbush Food Film Forum presents a special Earth Day film screening of NO IMPACT MAN
sponsored by Sustainable Flatbush, Flatbush Food Co-op, and Ditmas Park West Neighborhood Association

WHEN: Wednesday, April 21st at 7pm
WHERE: Prospect Park Temple Isaac, 1419 Dorchester Road (entrance on Marlborough)

Free popcorn provided by Flatbush Food Co-op! Kosher snacks available for purchase

We’re sponsoring this FREE event along with Flatbush Food Co-op, and Ditmas Park West Neighborhood Association. (Big thanks to Prospect Park Temple Isaac for letting us use their space!!)

FRESH is more than just a movie, it’s a gateway to action. Join us this Wednesday and feel inspired by the film’s message and stunning delivery.

FRESH (a film by Ana Sofia Joanes) celebrates the farmers, thinkers, and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system.  Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity.  Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.

Will Allen (photo by Growing Power)

Among several main characters, FRESH features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, recipient of MacArthur’s 2008 Genius Award; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma; and supermarket owner, David Ball, challenging our Wal-Mart dominated economy.

Free popcorn provided by Flatbush Food Co-op, Kosher snacks available for purchase

WHAT: FRESH (a film by Ana Sofia Joanes)

WHEN: Wednesday, January 27th, 7 PM

WHERE: Prospect Park Temple Isaac, 1419 Dorchester Road (entrance on Marlborough Road), Flatbush Brooklyn, Q or B to Cortelyou Road

** Keep an eye out for the next film of the forum, ASPARAGUS! Stalking the American Life, on Wednesday February 24th at 7 PM, Watch the trailer here!

I’ve seen Black Gold and it is a powerful testimonial on why Fair Trade coffee is important: coffee farmers make a fraction of what we pay for a latte while living and working in terrible conditions. A few pennies more per pound to farmers means the difference between a community being able to build a school for their kids vs. having to grow illegal drug crops to survive.

Flatbush Food Coop presents
Thursday Movie Nights!

Enjoy FREE movies and popcorn (and other refreshments for sale)

January 22nd: The Real Dirt on Farmer John
This film will turn every idea you ever had about what it means to be an American farmer, or an American dreamer, on its head. Meet Farmer John, the incredible human being whose inspirational story of revolutionizing his family farm and redeeming his own life has won accolades and awards at film festivals around the world.

February 26th: Black Gold
As westerners revel in designer lattes and cappuccinos, impoverished Ethiopian coffee growers suffer the bitter taste of injustice. In this eye-opening expose of the multi-billion dollar industry, Black Gold traces one man’s fight for a fair price.

March 26th: Movie selection TBA

Location:
Flatbush Food Coop offfice space
380 Rugby Road between Cortelyou and Dorchester Roads
(next door to John’s Bakery)