Greening Flatbush: Garden Where You Are is an afternoon of short demonstrations and hands-on workshops on a variety of gardening and urban agriculture topics, including:

• - gardening for kids
• - starting seeds indoors
• - growing herbs and microgreens on your windowsill
• - vertical gardening
• - growing sprouts in your kitchen
• - composting with worms in your apartment
• - how to join the Flatbush Farm Share CSA
• - preparing healthy food (cooking demo with a Just Food Community Chef)

… and much more!

“Garden is a verb,” says Chris Kreussling, Director of our Urban Gardens & Farms Initiative, which is sponsoring the event. “It’s not just a place you visit. It’s something you do.” The Urban Gardens & Farms Initiative is centered on modeling sustainable horticulture practices, promoting urban agriculture and food sovereignty, and building community through neighborhood gardening and beautification.

Sustainable Flatbush programs provide opportunities for residents to learn about and get involved in working toward the goal of a sustainable neighborhood, while simultaneously building community and fostering local self-sufficiency.

“Hearing about what others are already doing can inspire people to work with their neighbors to take action,” says Kreussling, who also authors a local gardening blog, Flatbush Gardener. “We want to build community through gardening.”

Snacks and coffee will be available (courtesy of Flatbush Food Co-op and Vox Pop Café).  Bring your own mug!

Greening Flatbush is on Sunday, February 21, from 2 to 4 pm, at the Dorchester Senior Center, 1419 Dorchester Road, located on the corner of Dorchester Road and Marlborough Road. Take the Q train to Cortelyou Road.

$3 suggested donation. Space is limited, click HERE to register.

If you have questions about this event, feel free to contact us.

Help us spread the word! Click here to download a PDF version of the flyer to print and put up in your building, community center, congregation, etc. Invite your neighbors to join in the fun!

Energy Efficiency and Affordability Where We Live

We are faced with the pressing challenge of reducing our resource use and greenhouse gas emissions, but how can we make that happen? We all know it’s going to take more than just changing our lightbulbs (although that is a great first step!), but the problem lies in the cost of retrofitting our older buildings or installing renewable energy.

The Neighborhood Energy Forum is bringing together all the people in the chain of making energy efficiency and alternative energy happen here and now.   If you have the desire to start an energy efficiency project in your building–whether big or small–come learn about how you can do it!  Find out how to get funding from all kinds of programs, and meet the contractors who can help you take the first steps.

The Forum’s long-term objective is to create a model block in Flatbush where the majority of homes and apartment buildings have lowered their energy use and costs, inspiring others to do the same.  Together we can decrease energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions and increase New York City’s overall energy efficiency.

You can look forward to speaking with representatives from Sustainable Flatbush, National Grid, Solar One, NYSERDA, and many other energy experts. Our elected officials will be on hand as well to let you know what they are doing to meet our energy efficiency goals.

Click here to register to attend the event. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us.

If you are interested in sponsoring the event we offer a range of  sponsorship opportunities that can help your business or organization reach its core audience and increase its visibility.  Check it out!

We look forward to seeing you there!

WHEN: Saturday, March 20^th 9:30am – 2pm

WHERE: Brooklyn College Student Center, Campus Road and E. 27th Street, 5^th floor

Relevant Links:

• Neighborhood Energy Forum Registration
• Neighborhood Energy Forum
• Ellen Honigstock at our Neighborhood Energy Forum
• What National Grid Can Do For You
• On the Path to Energy Efficiency and Affordability

Campus Road Garden (photo by Flatbush Gardener)

Before the interview was over Anne gave me a list of upcoming events and meetings to attend. Also she suggested that I walk over to Brooklyn College’s Campus Road Community Garden. Even after attending Brooklyn College for a year I had no idea that there was a garden. When I neared the end of Campus Road I saw sunflowers and pumpkins and I was already amazed. When I walked through the paths in garden I could not believe that something so sacred existed on Brooklyn College’s campus. I instantly recognized the peach trees even though they were not bearing any fruit because I grew up with peach trees in my backyard.

Peach Tree from Campus Road Garden (photo by Flatbush Gardener)

Finding a peach tree in the middle of Brooklyn was my greatest discovery because it was just a little something that reminded me of home, but that Sunday, October 4th, I attended the Campus Road Community Garden meeting and learned about the proposed demolition of the garden. You could hear from the discussion how passionate these gardeners were about preventing the garden from being turned into a parking lot. Each year many of the students and local gardeners use their hands to turn the soil into fruitful vegetation, so the fervor in their voices was understandable. Ideas were proposed about making the campus community aware of the presence of the garden and the threat of its demolition.

By that Tuesday, October 6th, I was able to help Sustainable Flatbush with Brooklyn College’s Student Center’s Welcome Back Bash. From our table set up on Campus Road we provided students and local community members with information about the goals and initiatives of Sustainable Flatbush. The street became filled with students and members from the community who played games, listened to live music from the Pimps of Joytime, watched the street performances of Circus Amok, and gathered information from student groups and organizations. Sustainable Flatbush invited several environmental groups to table at the event and introduce students to their programs. Since Sustainable Flatbush invited the Brooklyn Compost Project, I was able to dig through and at the same time learn about worm composting from Annie Houck-Lawson. I watched Rommel from Recycle-A-Bicycle fix bikes and Sam from Transportation Alternatives advocate for biking, walking, and public transit. Community Gardeners from the Campus Road Garden took students on tours of the garden to make them aware of the garden’s existence and solicited signatures for their petition to thwart the demolition of the garden.

Fall Foliage Walking Tour (photo by Jason Reif)

The light rain did not stop members of the community from gathering at Sacred Vibes Apothecary on October 24th, to follow Tracey Hohman and Chris “Flatbush Gardener” Kreussling to learn more about the trees in the Victorian Flatbush neighborhood. The drizzling rain made the yellow, red, orange, and green leaves as well as the brown in the barks glisten. By the end of the tour, tour-goers were able to identify and name the trees that line Argyle, Albemarle, Marlborough, Cortelyou, and Beverley Roads. I am now able to recognize the gingko trees that are on my street and Brooklyn College not just from their smelly fruit but their distinctive leaves.

I also had the chance of sitting in on a meeting with Anne and three representatives from the New York City Department of Transportation on October 20th. They were proposing the idea of changing and making improvements to the Nostrand Avenue bus service, the B44. By creating the Nostrand Avenue Bus Rapid Transit they would improve boarding time, bus speeds, and more through restructuring the street lanes and the sidewalks to accommodate the over 41,000 daily riders of the B44. Living right off of Nostrand Avenue I know how crowded the B44 can get and how long bus waits are, so I can appreciate the much needed upgrades. These representatives were looking for local organizations and community members to support the idea of the Nostrand Avenue Bus Rapid Transit so that it would be an idea that came into fruition.

Anne, fellow intern Mark, and I all met at the Community Resource Exchange on the 21st of October for a Budgeting Basics workshop for non-profit organizations. Being in a workshop with other non-profit organizations was very helpful because even though everyone was from different organizations and had different objectives, many of the concerns and questions about budgets were similar. I learned how much actually goes into creating and maintaining a budget. Also I began to understand that budgets should be symbiotic with planning, because a budget is your plan in numbers.

Shredding Leaves at the Flatbush CommUNITY Garden (photo by Flatbush Gardener)

Twice in November, on the 8th and the 21st, Sustainable Flatbush collected leaves at our Flatbush CommUNITY Garden in conjunction with NYCLeaves, to turn into rich compost for the garden. I was able to help work the leaf shredder and thanks to all the members of the community who dropped off their leaves there were way more leaves than we could shred in a single sitting. The first day that we collected leaves we received over 800 pounds of future compost. Once the leaves were shredded we added them to the compost piles in the garden. Rather than using the leaf shredder some children and a few adults took shredding into their own hands by jumping, playing, and tossing the leaves, so leaf composting not only keeps leaves out of our landfills but it is fun for all age groups.

Sustainable Flatbush invited Novella Carpenter to read from her book Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer at Vox Pop Cafe. Her book contained stories of dumpster diving, pig auctions, squatting, and much more about the trials and tribulations of having and maintaining an urban farm and garden. I learned that a lot of time and effort go into raising your own animals for food. I found Novella Carpenter’s experiences so inspiring that someone could be so dedicated to wanting to know where their food came from that they grew and raised their own food.

The morning of November 15th neighbors of the Flatbush community and beyond gathered with their own tools and the desire to beautify the streets by planting daffodil bulbs. The bulbs were planted in street tree beds with trees that were planted within the last year. Come spring everyone will be able to witness the fruits of their labor when the streets of Flatbush are decorated in shades of yellows and whites from the daffodils’ blooms.

Flatbush Daffodil Project 2009

There was record attendance at Brooklyn College’s November 17th Town Hall on Sustainability: 93 students, faculty, and community organizers met to voice their opinions on topics such as food, housing, health, transportation, water, energy, community gardens, and waste. Anne was one of the panelists that spoke and answered questions about sustainability in Brooklyn College and the community beyond the campus gates. I was a part of the health round table; we discussed concerns about health insurance or lack thereof, making more students aware of the health clinic, having healthier food choices at the Brooklyn College cafeteria, and using non-hazardous materials for cleaning and landscaping. Individuals at the community garden round table were some of the gardeners from the Campus Road Community Garden; they questioned and gave suggestions to Joseph Nigro, the representative from Brooklyn College’s facilities, about maintaining all of the garden’s land without having to destroy any of it for a parking lot, but he was unable to provide any clear answers. The purpose of the town hall was to present to the community what Brooklyn College is doing with regards to sustainability and take suggestions to improve on its sustainable efforts.

In October and November I had the opportunity to not only attend but be involved in a variety of events, meetings, and workshops with Sustainable Flatbush. Events are important to actively demonstrate to the surrounding community that as an organization you are fulfilling your objectives. What I love about Sustainable Flatbush is that the initiatives spread across a broad range of environmental topics, so I can meet with representatives from the Department of Transportation one day and then be in the garden and shredding leaves on another day.

To raise awareness of how public space is allocated in our neighborhood, we will transform an unremarkable parking spot into “Cortelyou Road Park”: an urban oasis with grass, lawn chairs, music, art supplies, games, and good conversation for all to enjoy, at the corner of Cortelyou and Argyle Roads, in front of the Public Library.

Two sustainable craft businesses based in the NYC area – Garbage of Eden Design and RePlayGround – will teach free creative workshops on fashioning fun stuff out of garbage. We invite you to bring your favorite empty cereal box or designed scrap paper to personalize your crafts. Jewelry made from plastic bags and yogurt containers as well as kits to make projects from scrap will be on display. You could even win a food gift basket from the Flatbush Food Coop, which is also graciously providing free snacks throughout the day! Join us for this international event at the level of our local neighborhood. Meet your neighbors and those working within our community who strive to make it a more livable place.

Last year’s event was a great success. This year we plan to outdo it with:

• * A special Puppet Show featuring the juggling egg puppet by Ronny starting at 11am
• * Craft workshops by Garbage of Eden Design and RePlayGround
• * A worm composting demonstration by a Brooklyn Botanic Garden Master Composter
• * A solar-powered cell phone charging station
• * BYO Mug Coffee Station, courtesy of Vox Pop Cafe

So bring your own mug and don’t miss the daylong fun!

WHAT: Park(ing) Day / Cortelyou Road Park
WHEN: Friday, September 18th from 9am until 6pm
WHERE: Corner of Cortelyou and Argyle Roads, Brooklyn NY

Park(ing) Day 2008 photos by Keka Marzagao

(Updated with details!)

Sunday, July 19, at 2pm, outdoors, at the Campus Road Community Garden

Campus Road Community Garden is just inside the grounds of Brooklyn College. Come to Ocean Avenue and Avenue H, take the short extension of H to the campus back entrance, tell the guard you’re coming to the garden, and you’re in!

Bring a brunch dish or beverage to share! Our discussion theme will be people gardening together in public and semi-public spaces.

The Campus Road garden is a gorgeous oasis of mature flowering shrubs and trees, lovely seating areas, plus individual plots where members grow veggies and flowers.

Brooklyn College wants to raze the garden and pave it for a small parking lot. The gardeners are resisting and can use all the community support we can get.

RSVP here or email directly on the Green Edge site.

Visit Flatbush Supper Club on the GreenEdge NYC network

Campus Road Community Garden (photo by Flatbush Gardener)

Please join us for our new monthly gathering.

WHEN:
Tuesday, July 14, 2009, from 6:30-8:30 pm

WHERE:
Vox Pop Cafe
1022 Cortelyou Road (at Stratford)
Flatbush, Brooklyn

WHY:
Meet the people who make our projects happen, then become one!

Urban Gardens and Farms Orientation

- Learn about the upcoming projects and plans of Sustainable Flatbush
- Come share some of your own sustainable ideas!
- Connect with other Sustainable Flatbush volunteers!
- Put faces to names and names to faces!
- Get to know each other!
- Have some fun!

Park(ing) Day on Cortelyou Road

Food and drinks are available for purchase if you need ‘em.

See you there!

* Learn about the projects and plans of Sustainable Flatbush’s Urban Gardens and Farms Initiative, including the Flatbush CommUNITY Garden

* Connect with others from the community who want to get their hands dirty greening our neighborhood

* Find out how to get involved

Your ideas, energy, and hands-on help are an essential part of our sustainable community. Any amount of participation is welcome! We hope to see you there!

Please RSVP to let us know if you’ll attend.

Light refreshments will be provided.

The Brooklyn College Arts Lab (BCAL) is located in Brooklyn College’s Roosevelt Hall, 2946 Bedford Avenue, south of Campus Road.

View Map.

Directions from Q train Avenue H station

Directions from 2/5 train Flatbush Avenue station

WHAT
Orientation for the Sustainable Flatbush Urban Gardens and Farms Initiative

WHERE
Brooklyn College Arts Lab (BCAL)
2946 Bedford Avenue
Roosevelt Hall, 3rd floor
Brooklyn, NY  11210

WHEN
Tuesday, June 16th at 7:00pm

photos by Flatbush Gardener (Daffodil Project)  and Inside Urban Green (Fire Escape Peppers)

Bus Rapid Transit has the potential to substantially upgrade Brooklyn’s public transportation system, particularly in areas that have limited or no subway access. It could also vastly improve travel between the boroughs, currently a time-consuming and frustrating experience on public transit.

Here is the DOT’s invitation:

Bus Rapid Transit Phase II Workshop

MTA New York City Transit and the New York City Department of Transportation are looking for ways to continue to dramatically improve transit service through a comprehensive Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network across New York City — complete with links to subways, ferries, and major destinations. NYCT and DOT invite the public to take part in interactive workshops that will lay the groundwork for the next phase of a BRT program for New York City. Given the magnitude of the MTA’s current fiscal constraints, it is even more imperative that we work together to expand this high performance bus service – an approach that will allow for cost savings realized from improving bus speeds, attracting more customers, and providing more efficient bus operations.

Brooklyn’s B44 bus line is under consideration for conversion to Bus Rapid Transit. BRT systems typically consist of all or a combination of seven main elements, which include the following:

* System identity and branding which bring a unique and distinguished visibility to the BRT service
* Bus ways where the road is dedicated to the exclusive use of buses
* High capacity vehicles
* High visibility stations
* A service plan that provides an easily understandable route map and schedule
* Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) that provides information on next arriving bus at the bus stations, and the next stop on-board buses
* Traffic Signal Priority (TSP) which gives buses priority at traffic lights

NYCT and DOT invite your feedback on where new BRT routes should be established and how they should operate.

This event will take place in the Brooklyn College Brooklyn College Student Center (East 27th St. and Campus Rd.), Jefferson-Williams Lounge, 4th floor

More info available at:

http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/ferrybus/selectbusservice.shtml

Safety in Numbers
Bicycle commuting pack
Meet in front of the Flatbush Food Coop
1414 Cortelyou Road
Wednesday, June 10th, 7:30 am

If you would like to ride to work, you’re comfortable riding on streets, and you are a little scared, this is your opportunity to try commuting by bike.

Join me on my normal workday commute. We will leave from Cortelyou Road, ride through Prospect Park and go over the Brooklyn Bridge. The route is almost entirely on bike paths, the pace will be slow-ish, and we will be conservative with regard to traffic regulations.

Please be prompt, we will leave at 7:30.

This ride is not sponsored by any group or organization. Rain cancels.

If you have questions, please leave a message for Deb at 347-249-9667

Streetfilms are short videos that show living examples of streets and public spaces designed for people, where walking, biking, public transit, and fostering community are the priorities. Locations range from Copenhagen, Paris, Curitiba and Bogota to our own New York City. Discussion and party to follow, bring your friends!

Hosted by Vox Pop, cafe/bookstore/community space on Cortelyou Road in Flatbush, Brooklyn. Admission is free, food and drink will be available for purchase.

WHAT
An Evening of Streetfilms

WHEN
Wednesday June 10th at 8pm

WHERE
Vox Pop Cafe and Bookstore
1022 Cortelyou Road (corner of Stratford)
Flatbush, Brooklyn