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Here we are, deriving
our breadstuffs from the West, our butter stuff from Vermont, and out
tea and coffee and sugar stuffs, and much more with
which we stuff ourselves, from the other side of the globe.
Why, a truly prudent man…will know what are the permanent resources of
the land and be prepared for the hardest of times.
Henry David
Thoreau, Journal October 17, 1859
Ecology, Food & Education
As you
consider the impact of consumption on the state of the environment,
reference our activities and resources links below to learn more about
your own ecological footprint and what you can do to limit your impact.
You can also learn about existing and
potential Gardening & Farming
resources in your schools and communities.
General links for a brief overview
Activities and resources to learn about your ecological impact
Education Resources
(Gardening & Farming)
Community Organizations and Social Justice links
General links
to provide an overview of urban ecology and the environmental movement:
Activities and resources to learn about your ecological impact:
Education Resources - Gardening, Farming
& Education:
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www.aginclassroom.org: The mission of Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom is to foster an awareness and
learning in all areas related to the food and agriculture industries and
the economic and social importance of agriculture to the state, the nation,
and the world. Check out this website for a wealth of educational
resources related to food.
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www.citysprouts.org:
CitySprouts was created in
the spring of 2000 to provide Cambridge, MA public school communities
with sustainable gardens that support the overall curriculum and to
inspire urban schoolchildren to participate in the food cycle from seed
to compost. CitySprouts works with school communities to develop the
schoolyard as a green, open space for children to learn environmental
stewardship, food knowledge, and to have the experience of growing
living things. Also check out the Resource page for curriculum links to
many disciplines.
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www.miltonoutdoorclassrooms.com: Milton Outdoors Classrooms is
a non-profit organization that works in conjunction with the Milton
Public Schools and the National Wildlife Federation (NWF) to create
outdoor classrooms (schoolyard habitats/gardens) at all Milton Public
Schools. Their goal is to create easily accessible natural areas where
students will have an opportunity to discover their connections with the
natural world through hands-on experiences that will enhance all areas
of the curriculum. To date, they have projects underway at three
schools: Glover Elementary School, Tucker Elementary School, and Milton
High School. Projects for the other schools are in the planning stages.
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www.earthworksboston.org/outdoorclassrooms:
EarthWorks’
Outdoor Classroom Program is a hands-on environmental education program
based in small fruit orchards and gardens on urban school grounds. The
program connects children to the natural world while making science
relevant and exciting. EarthWorks helps more than 1,000 children each
year master many of the concepts mandated by the Massachusetts and
Boston Public School Science Frameworks and Curriculum Standards. The
program aids classroom teachers in their science curriculum and creates
confident, engaged and inquisitive learners.
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www.thefoodproject.org:
The Food Project is a
launching pad for new ideas about youth and adults partnering to create
social change through sustainable agriculture. Their goal is
sustainable, local food systems that bridge race, class, age, and more
to ensure food security for all.
Community Organizations (Environmental & Social Justice links):
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www.re-visionfarm.org: The Re-Vision Urban
Agriculture Project works in conjunction with ReVision House, a shelter
for homeless young women and their children located in the Franklin
Field neighborhood of Dorchester. The urban farm is an innovative
agriculture and aquaculture project aiming to increase access to
affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate food for shelter
residents and community members through the community-supported farm and
greenhouses. The reVision Urban
Agriculture Project has three main objectives shaping their work and
directing development of the urban farm: small-scale, green, economic
development; community food security; and job training and education.
These goals are woven into the fabric of the farm and the programs they
operate.
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www.communityfarms.org:
Waltham Fields Community Farm supports local hunger relief efforts by
providing fresh produce to local food pantries, soup kitchens and
shelters. The Farm reconnects people with the knowledge of how food is
produced. Children and adults learn about plants, food production and
farming when they come to WFCF to work in the fields and greenhouse.
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www.bostonnatural.org: Boston
Natural Areas Network, organized in 1977, works to preserve, expand and
improve urban open space through community organizing, acquisition,
ownership, programming, development and management of special kinds of
urban land - Urban Wilds, Greenways and Community Gardens. In all of its
endeavors, BNAN is guided by local citizens advocating for their open
spaces and assisting them to preserve and shape their communities.
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www.thegrowingcenter.org: An
excellent example of the power of community residents - the Somerville
Community Growing Center is much more than a community garden. Situated
on a ¼ acre of gently sloped hillside near Union Square, the site has
become a center for both environmental education and cultural
performances in Somerville. Initiated in 1994, it is a model for urban
land use and collaboration between city government and local nonprofit
and community agencies. This urban oasis was designed and built by local
residents and is maintained by volunteers. The
Center provides a hands-on learning environment for local youth to learn
about the natural world, science, community service and cultural issues.
After school programs are offered during the fall and spring, and there
is a spring vacation camp, in collaboration with local elementary
schools, such as the Cummings School. Teachers from Cummings and the
High School use this space as an outdoor classroom to support a wide
range of educational programs. A volunteer group coordinates a full
season of concerts and other events that are free to the public, in
addition to educational programming.
Click here for
more Resources
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