Permaculture Classes!!!

Permaculture Design Certificate (PDC) course with Local Experts. Permaculture is an innovative practice producing food, energy and shelter by following nature’s pattern. It helps build community and promotes more sustainable use of human and natural resources. It cleans trashed environments, harvests water, builds soil, reduces fossil fuel consumption and saves energy. Have you read the recent headlines of our local newspaper? Flooded farmers to officials: “We need help now” and the response was “apply for a loan “ Storms erode Goshen’s high-hazard dam and devastates Tuxedo, Hazardous waste a problem after flood .Since 2008, the world has been confronted with multiple crises including fuel, food and financial. It is estimated that by 2030, global energy demand will rise by 45% and the price of oil is expected to rise to US $180 per barrel.

 Do you want to know how to deal with these problems? Join our Permaculture Design Certificate course to develop solutions. In the course you are going to learn: How to harvest water and manage waste ?, How to conserve our soil and natural resources ?. How to reduce greenhouse gas emissions ?, How to design a garden for sustainable development?. How to conserve energy for cold climates ?. How to design and build a Green Building ?.

This course is sponsored by Orange Environment and taught by several local experts in Permaculture. The course is divided into two parts:

PART l:  –  April 14,  April 21,  April 22,  April 28,  May 5 and May 6, 2012 – Total- Four Saturdays and Two Sundays

Part II:  – May 12,   May 19,  May 20,  May 26, 2012 - Total – Three Saturdays and One Sunday

Participants are required to attend both Part I and Part II to complete the certification training.

Location of the training sites:

Part I will be held at a family garden in Chester and a CSA farm in Goshen. Part II will be held at a green building company and waste management site in Warwick, and will blend the study of Permaculture with site studies and field trips in Orange County.

Course Instructors:

Michael R. Edelstein, Ph.D. Professor, Director of Institute for Environmental Study, Ramapo College

Permaculture Designers and Bioregional Educators and Consultants.

Master gardeners from Cornell Cooperative Extension Orange and Ulster County

Soil Conservationist from Orange County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Certified Green Professionals in Waste management and Sustainable Building,

In the course, students will learn about:

- Permaculture design principles and design concept and methods

- Pattern understanding and application

- Climate Factors , landscape effects, latitude effects and designer’s checklist

- Trees and their energy transactions

- Water and Efficient water management

- Soils , Soil conservation and erosion control

- Garden design for sustainable development

- Earthworking and Earth Resource

- Biodynamic farming , Organic Farming and integrated Pest Management

- Composting , recycling and waste management

- Eco-friendly house placement and design

- Green energy conservation technology

- Food forestry and aquiculture

- Green economy and How to create a sustainable world

A deposit of $100 is required to reserve a seat by Feb 29, 2012, non-refundable unless the course is canceled. $350 each for Part I and Part II. If you sign up for both Part I and Part II, the tuition is reduced to $620. $25 Discount for Orange Environment members to register for Part I or Part II. 10% group registration discount: Register more than 2 students in the same class in either Part I or Part II. 40 % Internship discount: Offer for college and high school full time students only. Apply your internship to work as an administrative assistant to the course operations. Estimate 40 hours of work for both Part and Part II together. Send your resume and application to PeterLaiTQM@gmail.com before Feb 29, 2012

Registration: This course is limited to 16 students, so please register early to secure your seat. The tuition must be paid in full by March 15, 2012 to attend the course. Complete all of the following information. Print Clearly

Last name: _______________________, First name_________

Affiliation/Business Name___________________________

Mailing address_____________________________________

City: _________________, State: _______, ZIP: _____________

Home phone #________________, Work phone#_____________

Mobile phone #______________ Fax__________________

Email _______________________________

Orange Environment membership: Yes___, No____

High school or College Student: Yes___, NO__, If yes, which school/college _______

Fees Payment

Deposit $100

Part I $350

Part II $350

Both Part I and Part II $620

Discount –Specific

Total Payment

Date submitted:______________ Signature:______________________________

Check to be made payable to: Orange Environment

Return this form & payment to : Orange Environment, P.O Box 25, Goshen, NY 10924. Registration questions? Contact Peter Lai at PeterLaiTQM@gmail.com or call 845-313-4246.

Welcome to Orange Environment

Take the challenge and see what your ecological foot print is.
Coming Events

‘Won’t you join us on Saturday, October 22nd for Orange Environment’s 29th Annual Awards Dinner and Fundraiser with Silent Auction.

Dear Orange Environment Friends and Colleagues,

Every year Orange Environment selects both individuals and groups from grassroots organizations, the media, government, and businesses that exemplify ecological stewardship and whose programs and actions help ensure that we keep Orange County green! This year’s awardees are:

Geoff Howard & Dave Washburn of Sustainable Warwick/Warwick Community Garden Catskill Mountain Keeper – Ramsay Adams & Wes Gillingham Warwick Winery – Sustainable Production Using Locally Grown Grains The Bellvale Farm/The Buckbee Family – Growing Local Grains for Local Winery Deborah Kopald – Advocate for Wireless/Non-Ionizing Radiation Right to Know Laws Wildfire Grill – Krista Wild – for using local ingredients and organic wines Barbara Warren – Citizen’s Environmental Coalition Shabazz Jackson & Josephine Papagni – Greenway Environmental Robin Crouse – Good Government Citizen Advocate in Town of Woodbury

The dinner will be on Saturday evening at 6:30 P.M., October 22, 2011 at the Saffron Indian Restaurant, 130 Dolson Avenue (Playtogs Plaza), Middletown, New York. Tickets are $35.00 in advance and $40.00 at the door. Please make checks payable to Orange Environment, Inc. and send to P.O. Box 25, Goshen, NY 10924. If you would like Orange Environment to send out additional invitations or posters, or if you would like to reserve a table for 6, 8, or 10 people and/or need more information — please contact Jerome Spector at the number below or by email at oeoffice@warwick.net . Cash or checks for silent auction please.

For 29 years, Orange Environment has fought to protect the delicate balance of preserving our natural resources with the growing needs of our residents and expanding population. We have been working hard all year long on many projects and have just launched a new sustainable waste management web guide at www.orangeenvironment.org. OE will continue to fight to maintain the quality of life we all sought by moving here. We look forward to seeing you at the dinner on October 22nd …

For Ticket Information or Reservations Call Jerome Spector Toby Schack 845-610-3548 845-928-9632 (after 6 P.M.) Trustee/OE Dinner Committee Vice President Orange Environment, Inc Orange Environment, Inc.

A series of articles, links, and case studies were completed by Orange Environment in 2011 and contain important information on Sustainable Waste Recovery, Better Recycling, Composting, Zero Waste, Successful Business Models (see the Sustainable Waste Recovery page)


Irene, Irene, best reason for restoring wetlands I’ve ever seen

In My View by Michael R. Edelstein, Ph.D.
In the recent press, now dominated by the devastation wreaked on Orange County and the region by Irene, there was scant coverage (except in the Strauss papers) of a fascinating conflict taking shape in Orange County’s black dirt region. The federal government has been purchasing land in order to restore wetlands. As demonstrated at the wonderful Wallkill River National Wildlife Reserve, mostly south of our county, the restoration of this historic region’s wetlands causes an amazing flourishing of nature, also covered in the recent press.
(visit the Press Room page to view entire article)

There are no proceeds going to Orange Environment with the sale of any composter