Living Systems Architecture --

to make an ethical choice -- to take responsibility

for our actions on the planet & for future generations

a Human Health Movementeverybody wins

honoring natural expressions

observation

accept feedback

redundancy

functionality

community

LIFE

resiliency

union

connection

sharingaccumulation

practice teaches

co-creation

created by nature works(wearenatureworking.org)

diversity

collect & store energy

functional interconnection

integrate rather than segregate

the problem is the solution

use edges, value the marginal

use & value diversity

operate in zones of great leverage

all hands to work --simple machinery design from patterns

to details

no waste -- only food

more alchemical than the capacity to simply sustain, both permaculture & the planet foster the development

of self-supporting systems that grow in their own fertility, creativity & possibility

clean water, clean air, & healthy soil

whole-systems thinking

inspiration, excitement, connection & fun

Prime Directive:

Themes:

Principles:

Beyond Sustainable:

(an integral piece of)

(that yields)

(utilizing these)

Earth CarePeople Care

Resource Share

Ethics:

a quality of life that makes more of itself possible

the root & fruit of permaculture

nature’s original instructions

... and regeneration ?

to design & engineer an ethical & elegant descent from the peaksof oil, population, & resources

that we now face

Goal:

an art & science of employing life in service of itself

what is permaculture ?

what’s permaculture again?

(y)our integrated approach to a safer, saner world

(driven by these)

(with a)

(and at least one clear)

(one that is)

a vision of abundance

a design methodology

Earth-centered human culture

a network; a community

a synthesis of disciplines

applied common sense

a toolbox for regenerative living

So,

Friday, May 27, 2011

Living Systems Architecture

A presentation for:AmeriCorps Career Day

May 27th, 2011

Frances Subbiondo

Co-Founder, Green Collar Futures

living systems architect


Green Collar Futures empowers communities

to serve themselves, by cultivating visionary local leadership, and by creating pathways

to access the unique & essential gifts in

everyone.

JERSEY CITY

RIDGE & VALEY REGION

urbanrural

leadership development

green collar job training

sustainability curricula

urban renewal

inc. e!ciency & relevance

actionlearning

sustainable living

outdoor educational

centers

NJ schools

greenbusinesses

young adults

community service

Green Collar Futures provides three semesters of experience in sustainable living skills & business practices,

uniquely suited to the economic & environmental climate of New Jersey; plus one-month internships with local green businesses.

Participants acquire the skills & ingenuity demanded in this emerging green economy, while businesses receive skilled labor & leaders

in emergent industries, and outdoor education centers launch their programs & campuses toward true sustainability.

GCF members arrive from diverse backgrouds to join together in creating a new future for New Jersey that is BEYOND SUSTAINABLE

Green Collar Futures www.greencollarfutures.org

[email protected]


(2 hrs - 1 day)

our workshops

offers low-cost,educational workshops that promote

healthypeople andhealthycommunities

Eco-Art & Recycling

Permaculture Gardening

Local Foods & Ferments

Homesteading & Reskilling

Natural Building

Alternative Energy

Social Permaculture (1 day)

(1/2 day - 2 days)


Design & Installation of a Permaculture Learning Garden & Edible Forest Demonstration Garden

(nested inside the launch of the Green Collar Futures service-learning program)

-- Washington Park, Hudson County, NJ --

Summary:

• Green Collar Futures weaves an urban-rural educational exchange for urban young adults to develop core leadership skills, as they learn how to bring the work of regeneration home to their communities.

• The pilot apprenticeship consists of 2 months of service-learning in green collar job training, sustainable living skills, and leadership development for 6 young adults (ages 16-19).

• Apprentices learn hard skills of natural building, permaculture, organic gardening, community event production, and environmental education.

• The installation of a Community Permaculture Learning Garden in Jersey City is the apprenticeship’s feature project.






Population & Applicability:

• The program is designed to serve youth-in-transition from urban areas (graduates of service-based GED support programs such as NJ YouthCorps).

• Jersey City is our primary urban partner at the moment, but the program is designed to be replicable across the state & across the country.









Population & Applicability:

• The program is designed to serve youth-in-transition from urban areas (graduates of service-based GED support programs such as NJ YouthCorps).

• Jersey City is our primary urban partner at the moment, but the program is designed to be replicable across the state & across the country.

Nature-Based Learning:

• At the outdoor ecological education center in northwest New Jersey that serves as our rural training campus, traditional hard skills training is broadened through nature-based learning experiences, and feature break-through personal experiences (through an outdoor adventure curriculum) that connect the principles & ethics of sustainability with the deeper lives of each Apprentice.









Our Goals:

• Graduates emerge from the GCF program inspired, broadly-skilled, de facto community leaders, and comprise a brigade of young, social entrepreneurs.

• They catalyze & transform areas of economic distress, and carry a vision of their home socio-economic & environmental landscape that goes beyond 'sustainable', to one that effectively grows in its own resilience & health.

• To each their call -- serving as workers, leaders & 'enviropreneurs' -- GCF graduates engage comfortably & confidently as they return synergies, surpluses and innovation to budding local green economies.









Strategy:

• GCF bridges critical system needs by serving historically under-served communities and re-investing their energies into a progressive socio-economic system -- at home.









Strategy:


• Also significant is the additional traction GCF provides to organizational partners & program affiliates with whom GCF collaborates.









Strategy:



• It represents a missing piece of both after-care & the local, green economy puzzles.









Strategy:




• It addresses at once: urban decay, youth-at-risk, a crisis of visionary local leadership, the gap of holistic understanding around sustainability itself, lagging public ecological education, the critical need for a skilled workforce in every emerging green industry..









Strategy:




• It addresses at once: urban decay, youth-at-risk, a crisis of visionary local leadership, the gap of holistic understanding around sustainability itself, lagging public ecological education, the critical need for a skilled workforce in every emerging green industry..

• AND, the regenerative consciousness shift that ultimately provides a pathway out of poverty.







All workshops & community events are free, and hosted in Washington Park, at the border of Jersey City & Union City, in Hudson County, NJ.

Events will be held in the new Permaculture Learning Garden at the park (at Paterson Plank Rd. & Sherman Ave.)

Unless otherwise noted, raindates & locations are t.b.a.

Please wear comfortable clothes & shoes, and dress for the weather, as we will learn outside.

PLEASE EMAIL: [email protected] for more information.

For even more learning & growing opportunities, join usfor these Wednesdays in the Permaculture Learning Garden --

afternoons from 2:00 - 5:00, all summer. We will host community ‘action-learning’ work days.

6/8, 6/15, 6/22, 7/6, 7/13, 7/27, 8/10, 8/17, 8/24

and the

Garden Care Training Days in the Permaculture Learning Garden

at Washington Park

invite you to

Saturday, May 14, 10am - 4pm Annual Planting in the Park

Friday, May 20, 6pm - 7:30pm Permaculture Gardening Series:

Introduction to Permaculture

Friday, May 27, 11am - 4pm Intro to Natural Building with Cob

Friday, June 3, 11am - 4pm Natural Building with Cob, Plasters & Finishes

(Raindate Saturday, June 4)

Saturday, June 4, 4pm - 5:30pm Energy Efficiency

Friday, June 10, 3pm - 4:30, & 6pm - 7:30 Permaculture Gardening Series:

Composting & the Bokashi Method

Friday, June 17 1pm - 3pm Mosaics

Friday, June 24 1pm - 3pm, & 6pm - 7:30pm Permaculture Gardening Series: Soil Building

Wednesday, June 29 (time tbd) Community Knowledge Share

w/ the Green Collar Futures Apprentices

July (time & date tbd) Solar Cooking

August (time & date tbd) Permaculture Gardening Series:

Companion Planting


Living Systems Architecture


Architecture: (source: Wikipedia)

The art and science of designing & producing buildings & other physical structures.

A wider definition may comprise all design activity, from the macro-level to the micro-level.

Architecture is both the process & product of planning, designing & constructing form, space & ambience that reflect functional, technical, social, environmental, and aesthetic considerations. It requires the creative manipulation & coordination of material, technology, light & shadow.

Architecture also encompasses the pragmatic aspects of realizing buildings & structures, including scheduling, cost estimating and construction administration.

Architectural works are often perceived as cultural & political symbols, and as works of art. Historical civilizations are often identified with their surviving architectural achievements.

Architecture can refer to the activity of designing any kind of system.


What is a living system?

A whole system?


What is a living system?

A whole system?

Besides you.


Themes of RegenerationUnion

Community

Diversity

Sharing

Functionality

Practice Teaches

LIFE

Resiliency

Co-Creation

Honor Natural Expressions

Everyone Wins

Connection

Slow Accumulation

Nesting Systems(fractals)


RANCHO MASTATAL

-- Costa Rica --

Green Collar Futures Professional & Business

Development-- Winter of 2010 --


















We Design Ecosystems All The Time...


... but how healthy are they?





How do we merge these two visions?



GREEN COLLAR FUTURES: GUILD NETWORKS Guilds are groups of mutually supporting entities that !ll a wide range of niches in any (eco)system. Together they form an open, but still largely self-reliant and self-su"cient whole system. Below are the guilds that (le#) support & (right) comprise the Green Collar Futures service program.

2) GCF System Inputs (Value Chain Partners) 3) GCF System Outputs (Yields)

GCF Pillars:CURRICULUM

GUILD

GREENCOLLAR

FUTURES

green buildings / infrastructure

energy (conservation,

creation, storage)

food growing added value food preparation

wild crafting

outdoor education

community building

Earth literacy /nature awareness

expressivearts

culture of reverence

ritual creation

small business development

nonviolent communication

leadership training

sustainable living

healing / regeneration

nature-basedlearninghard skills

training

soft skills & communication

eco-socialdevelopment

extended partner network

AmeriCorps(sponsor model)

Pathways Out of Poverty

NJCDC / Habitat for Humanity

clients

GCF educator network

service learners

institutions of higher learning

network of sustainable enterprise institutions

outdooreducation centers

Earth-basedecosystems

water

wind

sunlight

local green businesses

natural resources

financial resources

organizationalresources

human resources

investors in Green Economy

The key features of this support guild include a balanced, broad base of contributing partners, and bi-directional energy flows -- even though this is a ‘support guild’. The nature of guilds are such that the primary member supported always returns some portion of the energy -- in altered, or value-added form, directly back to the system as new solutions.

Offered this broad spectrum of inputs, Green Collar Futures transforms them into its program guild above, which forms the keystone in the local economy noted earlier. This represents a strengthening, attained through increased connectivity, toward the formation of what may be called a node of permancnce -- a network so solid it may not easily be taken down.


career:

internships & job placementbusiness / professional trainingcultivation of sense of cra!spersonship, excellencemodels of leadershipspeci"c skills trainingexposure to full life cyclesdeep understanding of sustainability and beyond

health & wellness:

nourishing, whole and living foods dietculture of healing and regenerationfeelings of safety & securitycommunity support

personal growth:

framework for growthparadigm shi!leadership skills & experienceinvitation to self-re#ection(greater sense of personal awareness)support through challenges and beyondkey learning expriences (a-ha moments)sense of empowerment

sense of place:

comfort in natural world

sense of connectivity to natural world and society

career:

internships & job placementbusiness / professional trainingcrew trainingcultivation of sense of cra!spersonship, excellencemodels of and training in leadershipspeci"c skills training

deep understanding of sustainability and beyond

health & wellness:

nourishing, whole and living foods dietculture of healing and regenerationfeelings of safety & securitycommunity support

social growth:

sense of interdependenceculture of respectculture of sharingcircle leadership experienceinvitation to intra-community re#ection(greater sense of awareness)group support through challenges and beyondsense of communal empowermentmodel of sustainable livingpeople skills and peer counselingteam spirit, team building

sense of place:

regenerative earth communities

co-created sustainable living unique to place + time

models of action for community at home


business & economy

teachersmodel of successful program to replicate widelyregenerates economic systemmodel of sustainability across triple bottom line skilled work forces available across diciplines and where it is neededcore understanding of sustainability -- shared widelyvisible, tangible solvency of nascent, green economyfunctional, beautiful leather goods

environmental and public health:

increasing availability to nourishing, whole, and living foods through CSA production

healing to the planet and its inhabitantscontribution to culture of healing and regeneration

community support

consciousness shi!:

clear example of a more elegant and conscious way forward

paradigm shi!

framework for sustained regeneratin

leadership opportunities (as model of solutions)

greater sense of social and community awareness

sense of empowerment

sense of place:

community service

local produce, honey, + maple syrup

rooting of the state "rmly to this place and time

connections between and amongst urban centers in shared state of decay -- intercity alliances

"nancial:

savings from food grown on-site to feed center business / professional trainingcultivation of sense of cra!spersonship, excellencemodels of leadershipspeci"c skills trainingexposure to full life cyclesdeep understanding of sustainability and beyond

environmental leadership:

nourishing, whole and living foods dietsmaller carbon footprintgreater esteem from other ed. centers for position in the vanguard of movementperennial, edible forest garden on-site -- productive for decadeshealthy soil, clean water

educational growth:

deeper curricula to educate visitors

framework for growthparadigm shi!leadership skills & experienceinvitation to self-re#ection(greater sense of personal awareness)support through challenges and beyondkey learning expriences (a-ha moments)sense of empowerment

sense of place:

4- season livability

greater comfort in dwelling spaces

greater on-site fertility -- deep investment in the land and earth itself


INDIVIDUALGROUP

NEW JERSEY & BEYOND

GREEN COLLAR FUTURES YIELDS:

sustainable career

- specific skills training- models of leadership- business / professional training- craftspersonship, sense of excellence- in/externships & job placement

health & wellness

- nourishing, whole, & living foods dietculture of healing, reverence, & regenerationfeelings of safety & security

- community support

inner growth

- framework for lifetime growth- sense of empowerment & support through core challenges- leadership skills & key learning experiences- invitation for self-reflection (greater sense of personal awareness)

sense of place

- comfort in natural world

- sense of connectivity to natural world and society- personal paradigm shift- cultural mentoring

sustainable career

- specific skills training- business & professional training- craftspersonship, sense of excellence- team building experience- internships & job placement

health & wellness

- nourishing, whole, & living foods dietculture of healing reverence & regenerationfeelings of safety & security

- community support

social growth

- culture of respect & sharing- sense of interdepen-dence, team spirit & team building- circle leadership experience- group support through core challenges - invitation for community reflection

sense of place

- co-created sustainable living

unique to place & time- models of action for community at home- sense of communal empowerment & connectivity - earth communities grounded in regeneration of place

business & economy

- proven triple bottom line through core understanding of sustainability framework- scalable production models- regenerative economic models - skilled work forces across disciplines, including leaders, teachers, & mentors

environmental & public health

- increasing availability to whole, local, & living foods through CSA production & support networks- growing cultures of healing

& regeneration- substantial increases in community engagement

consciousness shift

- connection to new global paradigm- societal empowerment & conscious way forward- national & international leadership & exchange opportunities

sense of place

- in place, nature- based prosperity

-- bioregional alliances both urban and rural- scalable network of nodes of permanence - guild-based systems connections in state & across region

financial

- new & sustainable economic identity for partner facilities - reduced energy consumption savings & greater yields from now productive site ecosystem- exposure to full growth cycles - models of leadership that build system network partners

environmental leadership

- new model established for environmental education & stewardship - healthy soil, clean water- smaller carbon footprint via organic resource production

- perennial, edible forest gardens on-site

educational growth

- increased relevance of learning experience - living laboratory and showcase for the best practices of regeneration- self-generating & evolving curricula for visitors, new and existing

sense of place

- deep investment in terrestrial &

aquatic ecosystems- 4 season productivity

- increased connectivity between Earth & society- emergent ‘node of permanence’ through vital linkages with other system partners

OUTDOORECOLOGICALEDUCATION

CENTERS

NEW JERSEY & BEYOND

theINDIVIDUAL

the SERVICE

TEAM

the YIELD

CATEGORIES of

GREEN COLLAR FUTURES

OUTPUTSat the

SCALES of:

the Individual

the Service Team

Outdoor Ecological Education Centers

New Jersey & Beyond


GCF:OUTPUTS

(hard skills)

sustainable food system

organic farming

value added foods(ferments, jams, etc)

deer leather tanning

biofuels

wind

bicycle, tool & machine repair

dousing

coppicemgmt & crafts

multi-directionallearning wilderness

guidance

salvaged materials

solar

retrofits

local materials

energyaudits

carpentry

living roofs

indoor air quality

natural buildingcob

strawbaleclay plaster

furniture / furnishings

drumsmoccasins, accessories,

clothes

bee keepingorganic farming

wild crafting

maple sugaring

permaculture

composting

sprouting

fermenting

perennial cropfarming

creation

environmental education

green building

energy

conservation

cottageindustry

leadership training

ritual creation

cultural mentoring

painting,drawing, journaling

music making

meal sharing

work crew experience

daily practice

edible & medicinal wild crafting

whole food& medicine preparation

nonviolent communication

free design

conflict resolution

Peer Spirit Circle

sustainable living skills

community building

culture of reverence

communication

expression

GCF:OUTPUTS

(soft skills)

Green Collar Futures:

Arenas of Practice

The GCF curriculum guild divides naturally between hard skills & soft skills. Diagram 3) is the reference from which these illustrations of

program-specific outputs is generated.

Here again, key features include redundancy & functional

interconnection -- webs emerge, and balance is created. This

balance of hard and soft skills produces solid, stable graduates,

which bolsters GCF, and therefore the local economy, which lends more strength back to GCF --

continually evolving into something that may be called a node of

permanence within the region (with the understanding that nothing actually is)..

In so doing, GCF creates self-perpetuating upward spirals of healthy, magnificent growth.

4)

5)


Themes of RegenerationUnion

Community

Diversity

Sharing

Functionality

Practice Teaches

LIFE

Resiliency

Co-Creation


Everyone Wins

Connection

Slow Accumulation



Themes/Needs of the Profession Union

Community

Diversity

Sharing

Functionality

Practice Teaches

LIFE

Resiliency

Co-Creation


Everyone Wins

Connection

Slow Accumulation


Social / Invisible Structures

Open SourceEverything

Team(work)

Release

Choice - to PushEnvelope

Team(building)(Ecosystem)Building

Integrity

PRACTICE

A New Culture

AcceptFeedback

Use Edges, Value the Marginal

Find Points of Leverage


Niche Analysis & Ecosystem Design

(what if the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle grew & developed relationships over time?)


Where are you now?And how are you growing?

What are your Needs, Yields, Core Behaviors, and

Intrinsic Strengths?

Personal Niche Analysis


[email protected]


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