Making Kombucha!

Since we mastered the art of fermentation with sauerkraut, it's on to bigger and juicier things!

Kombucha is in the making at EcoWing, here's how:

Need-2 big round glass jars with big opening (1 gallon jars)
-1 cup sugar per 1 gallon of water + 4 tea bags/8 grams of tea
-organic black tea (no green tea) because it’s the most caffeinated

Do-Boil water, when it starts boiling throw in a cup of sugar
-When cup of sugar dissolves, turn off the water and steep the tea for 10minutes (or overnight)
-Allow tea to completely cool (let tea sit overnight to cool)
-Next day take out tea bags and put in scobe (as long as tea is room temp)
-Cover with paper towel and rubber band

*Sterilize jars very well; first rinse it with hot water and then add some apple cider vinegar and swish it around
*Also wash your hands with apple cider vinegar before you touch the scobe (don’t use soap)
*Scobe cannot touch metal, so do not get a jar with metal
*Make new batch of tea every two weeks

Sustainability Spotlight: Silverlake, CA

After stopping for a juice at the local juice bar and a vegan pumpkin apricot cookie from a cozy cafe, I wasn't surprised to find a community garden in Silverlake. What was once a clearly neglected peice of property down the slope of a hill is now a beautiful booming garden for community residence. Go Silverlake!

Green City Initiative

EcoWingers have been passionate about the Green City Initiative that the Aliso Viejo councilmembers will either pass or not pass at tonights city council meeting. I even started an internship this semester with the planning department in charge of the GCI because I was so excited about this project. However, this fine morning an article was published regarding the GCI with rather negative comments from one particular councilmember who referred to the initiative as a "radical environmental law". Below is my response to the article which can be found here: http://alisoviejo.patch.com/

To council members:

The Green City initiative is not a proposal by some tree-hugging hippies; the GCI is an initiative that is CRUCIAL to your and my wellbeing. Despite our ranging beliefs about climate change, recycling, and all that "green" stuff, there is one common thing we can ALL as human beings agree upon, no matter who we are and where we come from and that is for the health and happiness of our family and friends. T his is not an initiative for the environment; it is an initiative for us, for Munzing and his family, for you because in order to live healthy and happy lives we need an environment that is conducive to that. So lets all eliminate the labels we create of someone being "conservative" or "green" because in the end we are all humans just trying to survive. Lets embrace our diversity and different opinions, while finding a common ground and agreement where we can utilize our unique skills and passions to unify together to create a thriving community. The Green City Initiative should not be viewed lightly; this is the first step to contributing to a healthier planet that is human-centered. We simply cannot continue living like queens and kings; it is time to re-design, re-imagine, and re-program our habits of living, and the Green City Initiative is the first step towards that exciting new future. The GCI is something that will become a norm in every city; it will no longer have to be proposed in this manner but rather the practices in the GCI will be the automatic and intuitive thing to do. So lets get a head start and prevent  the further damaging our beautiful city of Aliso Viejo. If we start making changes now we are paving the way for a more effective, cleaner, smarter, safer, economically stronger and human-centered city that will create these ideal living conditions for you and your family. Think about it, do you feel safe leaving your child to play outside in the street like you use to when you were little? Thank you.

Above Picture: Senior Charlie Kerhin and EcoWing Member Sarah Randolph

speak at the city council meeting in support of the GCI.

From Garden to Table

EcoWing members gathered today in the Soka Instructional Garden to collect organic kale, beets, oranges, and cabbage to make delicious juice and sauerkraut! Easy and ALIVE!

Homemade, Local, Organic Sauerkraut from our garden!

GOT THE GRANT!

EcoWing got $600 to attend an Earthship Biotecture workshop in Hollywood, on the second weekend of April! We are so excited!

Visit this website to learn more 

about Earthships: http://earthship.com

Meeting Minutes 3/13/13

 ~~~INSPIRATION~~~

Estadio Nacional – Brazilia

LEED Platinum

~~~WEBSITE AND BLOG~~~

* Website revamp      

* Blog additions

            Leia: 1) natural products expo 2) picking fresh from the garden

            Yona: 2) composting 2) BEEEEEEES

~~~FEILDTRIPS, ACTIVITIES, EVENTS~~~

* Rogue sauerkraut making with Akiko

            salt (two tblspns per two heads of cabbage)

            jar? crock pot?

* Ecology center

            March 31^st or next available Saturday/Sunday

* Movie night

            March 31^st @ night

* Volunteering?

* Screenings

            Story of Stuff: March 26^th, 7:00pm

                        Panel: Dia, Hamersley ?

            Maldives: April 18^th, 7:00pm

                        http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/island-president/getinvolved.html

                        Panel: Busenberg, Hamersley, Monika Calef, Shane Barter ?

~~~MISCELLANEOUS~~~

* Earth Day event ideas:

~ Ideas shared at ED meeting: some event everyday, highlighting local food, beach cleanup on Saturday, movie night

~ Ecowing skills exchange?

            ~ Activity at the garden: water bottle/shoe/bra/tire planters

* DIY low flow toilet:  http://frugalliving.about.com/od/householdsavings/ht/Low_Flow.htm

* SIG TSHIRTS: www.vitalhemp.com

~~~PARTNERING WITH ED~~~

* Environmental Department updates:

            food waste and some paper to composting facility

            online charts of Soka and energy use

* Projects:

           soka.edu:  design section on campus sustainability

           Solar panels

~~~BALCONY~~~

* Ceramics:

            Using the ceramics lab to make POTS

            Ceramics students to make big pots for SIG

* Succulents

* Hanging messages from the rails

* Decoration

* Craig’s List furniture

~~~REMINDERS AND TO-DOS~~~

* we find out about SSU grant on Friday March 15^th !

* Send blog link to Michelle Hobby and others

* email Don about pots

* email Wanna about SUA Today Article, meeting time, Ecology center fieldtrip

* Flyers for story of stuff

* email Kimberley about story of stuff