Earthworks call for volunteers!

From Earthworks, an urgent call for volunteers this Thursday!

We are in the midst of establishing a new garden at the Hurley School in Boston's South End. Due to a shortfall of volunteers last weekend, we are putting out an urgent call for help so that we can complete the project. Please join us on Thursday evening for any amount of time between 4-8pm or on Sunday from 12-4pm.

The project involves restoring a garden space to include edible and insect-attracting plants for our Outdoor Classroom students to study, care for, and harvest. The program at the Hurley School serves over 100 kids with hands on environmental science lessons twice a week.

Volunteering is also a good opportunity to learn about organic techniques and using edibles in the landscape. Please respond to this message or call our office if you are interested in signing up. We will provide instructions and directions for the events.

Spring Projects with EarthWorks Boston

Orchard Care Workshop Learn the basics of fruit tree maintenance

This workshop will cover the basics of pruning: Learn how to use the tools, make proper cuts, and identify problematic growth. Other topics to be covered will include basic tree identification, and an introduction to our suggested "Maintenance Calendar". The workshop is free, provided that you contribute 20 hours of volunteer time to caring for our orchards. Russell Elementary School Dorchester, Massachusetts March 21st and 22nd 10:00AM-2:00PM

EarthWorks Earthday Weekend Join us for the Green Apple Festival

Volunteer with EarthWorks as part of the Green Apple Festival, "America's Largest Earth Day Action" over Earth Day Weekend - April 18th and 19th. Join civic and environmentally-minded Americans in a simultaneous nationwide weekend of action that will focus on environmental volunteerism. Then, on Sunday, April 19th, celebrate your efforts by going to a free "Thank You Concert" for all volunteers that will be held at a popular local music venue in Boston! EarthWorks will be leading volunteers on a project at the Cooper Community Center where we will be clearing brush, planting trees, and ammending soils to create a healthy productive orchard for the Fort Hill Neighborhood. You can sign up at the Green Apple Festival website or by contacting Andrew - 617.442.1059 - andrew@earthworksboston.org Where & When Roxbury, Massachusetts 02119 April 18th and 19th 10AM - 3AM

City Fruit - New Orchard Expansion Orchard Planting Projects

EarthWorks is excited about two new orchards being installed this year. One at our home office at the Cooper Community Center and another at the Clapp Farm in Dorchester with the Dorchester Historical Society. These projects will be labor intensive and we need your help. If you are available on one of the dates above to help us plant trees, mulch, and do some light gardening give us a call or email andrew@earthworksboston.org. We will provide gloves and tools and encourage you to come dressed for the weather including close toed shoes! Pre-registration is required. Saturday May 16th, 10:00 - 3:00pm Cooper Community Center in Roxbury (map) Saturday May 30th, 10:00 - 3:00 pm Clapp Farm in Dorchester (map) Sunday May 31st, 12:00 - 4:00 pm Clapp Farm in Dorchester (map)

Group Volunteering Sign Up for Spring 2009 is now open!!!

We are currently booking group projects for the spring. We can accomodate groups of 5-20 adults on most weekdays or weekends. We can also host larger groups with appropriate funding. We also offer volunteer opportunities for youth groups that are chaperoned by adults. Projects typically include tree planting, invasive species removal, tree care, fruit harvesting or orchard care, and schoolyard garden care; tasks vary depending on the date and site. Contact Andrew - 617-442-1059

An Apple-A-Day Orchard Intensive with Michael Phillips Home Orchard Basics - HOR 155

Successfully growing fruit for your family and neighborhood depends on several essential orcharding skills. What starts off sounding so "awfully complicated" can be straightforward when you narrow your scope to understanding the basics. For example, harvesting sunlight through smart pruning renews fruit buds. Fungal diseases become manageable with wise variety selections and enhanced soil biology. Even major insect challenges can be resolved safely when you consider who, what, and when. This workshop is filled with practical information for growing apples and other tree fruits. Arnold Arboretum Hunnewell Building Sat May 9 9:00am-Noon Fee $30 member, $35 nonmember Register by emailing or calling Andrew Birch (617) 442-1059 andrew@earthworksboston.org Organic Apple Insights - HOR 311 Michael Phillips will expand on the morning's themes in this session dedicated to organic orchard techniques. You'll learn about building system health by embracing "tree ecology" and consider orchard compost, herbal teas, and mycorrhizal inoculum. The nutrient density-and flavor-of the apples you harvest for your family is of utmost importance. Dealing with specific pest and disease situations from a holistic perspective requires in-depth understanding of cause-and-effect. The misuse of fungicides and soluble fertilizers often adds to the susceptibility of varieties assumed to be prone to fungal infection. Just as apt, ignoring diversity and biological cycles makes insect dynamics all the more problematic without a chemical arsenal. A core paradigm of organic orcharding states that one sprays not so much to "kill" as to create health so that the system can begin to take care of itself. Growing healthy fruit requires an appreciation of subtleties that make our time on this precious planet all the more fascinating. Note: you must attend the morning session in order to participate in the afternoon session. Arnold Arboretum Hunnewell Building Sat May 9 1:00-4:00pm [HB] Fee $60 member, $70 nonmember for the day (HOR155 & HOR311) Fee $30 member, $35 nonmember for the morning only (HOR155) Co-sponsored by the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University and Earthworks

Yestermorrow Design/Build School open house

From our friends at Yestermorrow Design/Build School:

I'd like to extend an invitation to you all for an event I'm
organizing in Boston on Tuesday, March 10th at 7pm.

If you've ever wanted to learn more about the Yestermorrow
Design/Build School (www.yestermorrow.org) in Warren, VT, but
haven't made it up to VT, here's your chance! I'm hosting a
public information session at Next Phase Studios, 344 Boylston
ST, Boston, on March 10th.

Join me for an introduction to Yestermorrow Design/Build School,
see a slide show of our campus and recent class projects, and
meet faculty members. Learn more about the over 150 classes we
offer annually in design, construction, woodworking and more,
including our certificate programs in Sustainable Building and
Design and Natural Building. Free and open to the public.

RSVP: 802-496-5545, kate@yestermorrow.org or via our Facebook
event:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=49610789386

Please spread the word to anyone who you think might be
interested!

Thanks,
Kate Stephenson
Executive Director
Yestermorrow Design/Build School

News from the Green Roundtable

Many of you requested access to the resources from the event and so we posted the Walk Lightly presentation and a few additional resources on the NEXUS website. There are plenty more resources and some good places to look are:

The Low Impact Living Carbon Calculator to get you started: www.lowimpactliving.com/pages/getting-started/getting-started

The MA Climate Action Network and their Low Carbon Diet Program: www.massclimateaction.org

The Consumer’s Guide to Effective Environmental Choices written by Michael Brower & Warren Leon

For Green Building tips, materials and more visit Building Green: www.buildinggreen.com or

The Green Roundtable’s NEXUS Green Building Resource Center – www.nexusboston.com

For Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust for solar, wind, hydro rebates – www.masstech.org

A list of all the state’s energy efficiency and renewable incentives/rebates available to you: http://www.dsireusa.org

We will be hosting another Walk Lightly – Low Impact Living presentation on October 23^rd at 6pm – spread the word.

Please note that NEXUS is now open for weekend hours on the second Saturday of each month. Please keep these events in mind as an opportunity to bring your family, colleagues and/or friends to learn more and spread the energy of all of our green efforts!

Green your home, green your life.

10 ^am Gain tools to green your home and life,

11 ^am Attend a class on greening your home,

12 ^pm Ask a green expert about greening your home, and

1 ^pm Tour our green office at NEXUS

When Second Saturday of every month, 10 am–2 pm

Where NEXUS, 38 Chauncy St., 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02111

How RSVP at www.nexusboston.com/space/events

Thanks again and please don’t hesitate to contact us with interesting information, comments and suggestions or stories about your greening successes and challenges.

Best,

Phoebe

Phoebe Beierle

Earthworks' Roxbury in Bloom Tour

Join Earthworks for a tour of Roxbury, MA at the height of the flowering spring! See below for details.

Roxbury in Bloom Tour, June 14, 10am-noon
For the second year in a row, EarthWorks will participate in Discover Roxbury's "Roxbury In Bloom" Tour. Ride a trolley through this historic neighborhood of Boston to visit sites with flowers, fruits and vegetables. Delight in a gorgeous display of gardens, parks, historic sites and even a farm!
Click here for more information.

Sign Up Now for EarthWorks' Landscaping Workshops

Sign up now for Spring Landscaping Workshops!

EarthWorks is holding a series of landscaping and tree care workshops this spring. Find more info here.

March 8: Tree Pruning
April 26: Edible Landscaping
May 10: Landscaping with Native Trees and Shrubs

Labor standards in the cut flower industry

You're Invited to....

The Thorns of the Global Cut Flower Industry

Valentine's Day is coming up?

Any Idea Where Your Flowers REALLY Come From?

Presented by: Nora Ferm, International Labor Rights Forum

Tuesday, February 12th @ 4pm
Starr Auditorium, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard
University, Cambridge, MA

Refreshments will be served.

If you have any questions, please contact
Karen_vega@ksg08.harvard.edu or Emerita_Torres@ksg09.harvard.edu

For information about the International Labor Rights Forum's
Fairness in Flowers Campaign, visit:
http://www.unionvoice.org/ct/MdLOLeY1kP0n/
--------------------------------------------------

Visit the web address below to tell your friends about this.

http://www.unionvoice.org/join-forward.html?domain=laborrights&r=T7LOLeY1_W8E

If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for
International Labor Rights Forum at:

http://www.unionvoice.org/laborrights/join.html?r=T7LOLeY1_W8EE

Nonprofit Career Fair in Boston

Idealist.org is co-sponsoring a Nonprofit Career Fair in Boston on Tuesday, February 5th from 12pm – 4pm. The free
event is hosted by Boston University's Community Service Center, and will be held at Boston University’s George Sherman Union, at 775 Commonwealth Avenue.

This free career fair, for which 110 organizations have already signed up, is a great opportunity to learn about a wide variety of
jobs, internships, volunteer positions, and fellowships in the nonprofit sector. If you have been meaning to volunteer somewhere but haven't gotten around to it, or if you are thinking of a career in the nonprofit sector, this is a great chance to see what opportunities are out there in the Boston area.

Jillian Glazer, of Idealist.org goes on to say:
"People from every experience level, including undergraduate and grad-school students, experienced professionals (both from within the nonprofit sector and those transitioning from business and government), as well as other members of the community are welcome to attend.

For more information, and to register (it's free, but we need to know how many people to expect), please go to:
http://www.idealist.org/fairs.

and click on Boston in the list of cities on the right-hand side. Then, scroll down the page until you see the Registration for Job Seekers on the right, across from the list of registered organizations.

The 2008 Boston Nonprofit Career Fair is co-sponsored by the Brandeis University Hiatt Career Center, and this year our national series of Idealist Career Fairs is generously sponsored by e - NYU's Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service - and by Commongood Careers.

If you don't live in Boston, have no fear! Check out http://www.idealist.org/fairs to see if Idealist is hosting a non-profit fair in your fair city.

Nonprofit Highlight: EarthWorks Boston

One thing I like best about working with Gift It Up! is learning about all the great organizations that are working in my backyard. One of these is EarthWorks Boston, which is working to bring nature to the urban community. It does this through three main ways:

1. Planting fruit trees in open spaces, in conjunction with local neighborhood groups, to revive neglected spaces and share fruit with the community.
2. Bringing environment to 1,000 kids in the Boston schools through science-based programs in their own schoolyard.
3. Restoring Boston's own Urban Wilds areas, a total of 250 acres scattered throughout the city.

Donors can give tangible gifts such as dedicating a tree in an underforested area of Boston or giving an hour of environmental education lessons to Boston schoolchildren.

Local organizations like EarthWorks are crucial in making our city a real community. I hope you can join us in supporting them!

Nonprofit Highlight: African Health Foundation

Here's the bad news:
An estimated 12 million children have become orphans due to AIDS in Africa. As you can imagine, this dramatic reduction in adults and parental care has devastating effects on the social stability of these communities.

Over 2 million children in Africa are living with HIV. One of the greatest threats to their health is malaria, which kills 3,000 children every day. A cheap and easy way of preventing malaria is providing $5 bed nets that will keep away infected mosquitoes as the children sleep.

Here's the good news:
Non-profits like African Health Foundation are working everyday to build infrastructure and bring social stability and hope to these communities. Clean water and food are just the beginning, supported by counseling and sports activities for kids that upkeep the mental health of the community. African Health Foundation also brings needed supplies, like those mosquito nets, to the areas of the most need.

You can help. Visit www.giftitup.org to give to African Health Foundation and many other worthy non-profit organizations.

Bakers, Volunteers and Emailers needed for tomorrow 12/1!!!

Gift it Up! is tomorrow and we need some more help to make sure it's a big success.

Can you bake something? We have a bakesale to offset our costs and make sure the groups get all the money raised at the fair. We would love for you to bring something for the bakesale.

Can you come volunteer? Even if it's only for one or two hours, it would make a difference helping spread the word to people.

Can you spread the word? Please email friends, family and coworkers about Gift it Up! If they are local, encourage them to come. If they aren't, or can't make it, encourage them to visit us on the web. Our general message about the fair is below. Thanks for helping out!

Please visit our website at http://www.giftitup.org/ and consider make an honorary gift to your choice of nonprofits in a loved one's name.

Instead of the newest incarnation of something you probably already have, won't you consider giving a gift to change the world? If you live in the Boston area, come to Gift it Up! If you can't make it to the event, participate online at http://www.giftitup.org/.

Conscious Consuming gathers 14 non-profits on Saturday, December 1, at the River of Life Church in Jamaica Plain. "Shoppers" will get to talk with representatives from each of the nonprofits, browse their programs, choose a gift to fit any budget, and receive a Gift it Up! card announcing the gift. The event is to be held: Saturday, December 1 12noon – 4pm River of Life Church 440 Center Street Jamaica Plain, MA

Alternative gifting is a growing trend; it was even featured in the funny 2007 indie film "Year of the Dog." If you are unable to attend the fair, you can visit the Gift it Up! website at http://www.giftitup.org/ to learn more about it, to see the list of participating non-profits, and to purchase gifts securely on line.

Conscious Consuming is an all-volunteer non-profit, holding this event to reduce consumption and help other nonprofits. Please forward this info widely!

Biking in Boston

Originally posted by Eileen on EcoSpace.

Boston’s Mayor Thomas M. Menino is vowing to reverse Boston’s reputation as one of the worst cycling cities in the United States. Last year, Bicycling magazine put Boston on its list of worst cycling cities for "lousy roads, scarce and unconnected bike lanes, and bike-friendly gestures from city hall that go nowhere." Mayor Menino has just picked up biking himself and has hired a “bike czar”, former Olympic cyclist Nicole Freedman.

“We need to get more people to take the bike around. It’s good for the health, it’s good for the environment, and there’s less congestion on the streets,” Menino said. “It’s time for the issue to come to the forefront.” He now bikes every morning around his neighborhood.

The plan is to install 250 bike racks across Boston, and implement an online map system. First of course, more bike lanes need to be installed, but lane plans are still in brainwashing stages. Current bike commuters of Boston are being surveyed for their most frequently traveled roads. The city will soon hold a summit for local bikers and national experts.

Now only about one percent of Bostonians bike to work, according to a 2000 US census. And a recent poll revealed that more local residents would bike to work if their workplaces had showers. So the city will try to encourage offices to install shower facilities, convince gyms to let non-members use showers, or even install citywide coin-operated showers.

Another idea is to put bike terminals around the city so residents and tourists could rent a bike, ride it an return it to any other terminal in the city. The concept is similar to Zipcars, and is in place in Paris.

Boston has unbelievable potential," the newly appointed bike czar Nicole Freedman said. "We're a compact city, we're flat, we have a young population and lots of tourists. If we do this correctly, we have the potential to be one of the best bike cities in the country. In three years, I think we will see some very dramatic changes."

Gift it Up! 2006 comes to You Tube

Gift it Up! 2006 raised over $8,000 for 14 Boston area non-profits. Please check out our You Tube video to see our successful event for yourself!