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The newsletter of the University of Kansas Center for Sustainability. This issue focuses on the Common Ground Community Garden project in Lawrence, the new KU Surplus Coordinator, upcoming sustainability events, and recycling information.
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July 2013
Page 1 KU Center for Sustainability
In the fall of 2011, conditions were ripe for establishing a community gardening and urban agriculture
program in the city of Lawrence: The Douglas County Food Policy Council had just completed their food
system report which showed that 10,000 Lawrence residents lack access to healthy foods. Bob Schumm, an
avid gardener had just been appointed Mayor. And there was a community-wide interest in increasing access
to healthier, locally-grown foods.
The Common Ground Program was
born. The Common Ground
Program is a community gardening
and urban agriculture program
created by the city to transform
vacant or under-utilized city
properties into vibrant sites of
healthy food production for our
citizens. The City surveyed its
properties, picked the ones
appropriate for food production,
and then made them available for
license to city residents. Through an
annual application process,
residents can propose their ideas for creating a community garden, orchard, or farm on the site.
In addition to increasing the availability of fresh, healthy produce in our city’s neighborhoods, these gardens
have impacts far beyond their boundaries. In exchange for receiving a free license for use of city property,
each grower/applicant creates a Community Benefit Plan for their project. These have resulted in 550 lbs of
produce donated to local food pantries, field trips for student groups, and community gardening class topics
from compost to tree pruning.
Gardeners & City of Lawrence find “Common Ground”
By Eileen Horn, Sustainability Coordinator, Douglas County & City of Lawrence
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Page 2 KU Center for Sustainability
July 2013
Currently we have
seven Common
Ground sites in the
program, each one
unique in its focus
and audience they
serve:
Garden
Incubator at John
Taylor Park (7th
and Walnut) – a
community garden
that focuses on
engaging residents
and children in
food production.
PermaCommons (1304 Pennsylvania) – a garden that utilizes the principles of permaculture to grow food
in a cooperatively-managed setting.
Penn St. Community Garden (1313 Pennsylvania St.) – a community garden with individual plots for
rent.
The Lawrence Community Orchard (830 Garfield St.) – an open-for-picking community orchard that
features an educational kiosk and signage to educate residents about Kansas-appropriate fruit trees.
JCCC Student Farm (815 Oak) – a farm for students in the Johnson County Community College
Sustainable Agriculture certificate program to hone their growing skills.
New in 2013! Pearl Clark Community Garden (639 Illinois St.) – a community garden with individual
plots for rent.
New in 2013! Incubator Farm at 24/40 – a farm leased by three small market growers, with space to
develop their small vegetable production businesses.
To learn more about the Common Ground program, or to apply for your site, visit:
www.lawrenceks.org/common_ground
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Page 3 KU Center for Sustainability
July 2013
Center for Sustainability hires Surplus Operations Coordinator
The Center for Sustainability recently promoted Sam Pepple to
the position of Surplus Operations Coordinator. Pepple has
worked for the University of Kansas Surplus Program as a
General Maintenance Repair Technician (GMRT) since 2007. As
a GMRT, Pepple has coordinated surplus purchasing and
disposal for campus departments, facilitated surplus donations
to area non-profit agencies, and organized food, clothing, and
item pick ups for student move out. To date, Pepple has
assisted in placing 7000 items back onto campus or to area non-
profits, diverting over 350,000 lbs and 3000 cubic yards of
products from the landfill. In his new position, he will work to
expand KU Surplus, making it an even more comprehensive
campus program.
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Page 4 KU Center for Sustainability
For more information about sustainability at KU, visit www.sustainability.ku.edu like us on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/KUSustainability, or follow us on
Twitter @SustainKU.
Join Us Contribute
Is your department or organization contributing to a more sustainable KU? We’d love to hear about it and
include your efforts in our next issue of the Spotlight!
Send submissions to [email protected].
July 2013
The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry,
disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression and genetic
information in the University’s programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the
non-discrimination policies: Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, [email protected], 1246 West
Campus Road, Room 153A, Lawrence, KS 66045, (785) 864-6414, 711 TTY.
Live Sustainably
Upcoming Campus and Community Events
7/20
Lawrence Community Bike Ride
8:00 AM (time of certain activities varies)
The Rotary Arboretum by the YSC Soccer fields
ridelawrence.com/events/2013-community-bike-ride/
7/27
Running for Food, Running for Health 5k
7:00 AM
West Middle School
https://www.themerc.coop/cmef-run.cfm
8/24
Gardening 102 Class
9:00 AM—12:00 PM
Douglas County Fair Grounds
8/25
Volunteers Needed: Recycling at KU Soccer
1:00 PM
Jayhawk Soccer Complex
Contact [email protected] to help.
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Page 5 KU Center for Sustainability
July 2013
Includes: Does Not Include:
White Paper Newsprint
Pastel Colored Paper Cardboard or Chipboard
Brochures Paper or Styrofoam Cups
Stapled Books Napkins of Tissues
Envelopes Food Contaminated Paper
Manila File Folders Magazines or Glossy Paper
Junk Mail Books with Glued Binding
Greeting Cards Paper Bags
Heavy Weight Paper
Includes: Does Not Include:
All Newsprint Magazines or Glossy Paper
Phone Books or Catalogs
Includes: Does Not Include:
Corrugated Cardboard Boxes Soiled Pizza Boxes
Corrugated Packaging Waxy Cardboard
Any boxes that have food
contamination
Includes: Does Not Include:
Other Paperboard Packaging Corrugated Cardboard
Includes: Does Not Include:
Magazines Junk Mail
Glossy Paper Phone Directories
Includes: Does Not Include:
Steel (tin) cans ONLY Aluminum Cans
Bottles of any kind
Sheet or Scrap Metal
Any #1-#7 plastic (salad bar take-out, plastic packaging etc)
TELEPHONE DIRECTORIES &
CATALOGS
Includes campus and municipal phone
books and catalogs with similar con-
struction (heavy-weight cover with
newspaper-like pages)
Mixed Paper
Grades of paper not listed above, including
journals, hard-back books and glue-bound
books should be recycled separately from
other materials.
Shredded Paper
Bags of shredded paper should be tied shut to
close bag completely. Do not put shredded
overheads or any other type of plastics in with
the shredded office pak. DO NOT put shred-
ded paper in, or stack on top of or next to the
regular recycling bins. Instead, contact KU
Recycling for a special collection.
OFFICE PAK
NEWSPAPER
CORRUGATED CARDBOARD
CHIPBOARD
MAGAZINES
#1— #7 PLASTICS
STEEL CANS
ALUMINUM CANS
Includes: Does Not Include:
Aluminum cans ONLY Foil Food Wrappers
Steel or Tin Cans
KU Recycling collects the following materials at most locations.