1. Changes to Our Recycling Program
Recycling has never been as easy a fix as many of us would like to think and recently, it’s gotten even more complicated. In response to a number of forces, from local resource and recovery rules to China’s ban on accepting plastic waste from the U.S. and other countries, Omega has made the switch from single to dual stream recycling.
“Separating paper from plastic, glass, and cans at the source provides a cleaner, less contaminated product for sorting facilities to sell and manufacturers to recycle,” explained Omega Center for Sustainable Living (OCSL) director Laura Weiland. “Recycling is changing so quickly because of the shifting world dynamic, which means that everybody has to pay closer attention to what can be recycled and how.”
In preparation for Omega’s 2019 season, OCSL staff toured the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency (UCRRA) to learn how to properly manage the new dual stream recycling process.
2. New Trail Signage
It will soon become easier—and more informative—to navigate your way through the woods that comprise much of Omega’s 250-acre campus as we replace old trail markers with new informational and directional signs. While you wander, you'll not only feel more confident about finding your way back to the dining hall in time for dinner, you'll also learn about local trees and other flora and fauna along the way.
3. Nurturing New Growth in the Eco Machine
Omega’s gardener, Pam Vitarius, is busy with a new generation of seedlings that she’s raising from seeds saved from our gardens in the greenhouse of the OCSL’s Eco Machine™. After the last frost has passed, plants including zinnias, marigolds, morning glories, Australian baptiste, and tree peonies will be hardy enough for transplanting in garden beds throughout the campus.
4. Building Support for Our Flagship Program
This summer for the 7th year, students of all ages will take part in the OCSL’s 4-week Ecological Literacy Immersion Program (ELIP) to learn about regenerative design—a whole systems, place-based approach to problem solving that considers the connections between society, nature, and individuals. To make this program accessible to as many people as possible, we offer scholarships.
This winter, ELIP alumni have stepped forward to help raise half of the $25,000 in scholarship funding needed for 2019 so more interested people can explore the potential for building a regenerative future and earn an internationally recognized Permaculture Design Certificate. You can designate a gift by clicking here and choosing Omega Center for Sustainable Living from the dropdown menu.
5. Ongoing Educational Opportunities With Drawdown Learn
With plans for Drawdown Learn 2019 well underway, events set in motion by last year’s conference continue to unfold. This April includes the Drawdown EcoChallenge, a 21-day engagement program focused on carbon reduction, hosted by our Drawdown partner, Northwest Earth Institute. In addition, indigenous rights activist and OCSL faculty Sherri Mitchell and Katharine Wilkinson of Project Drawdown sat down together for a Facebook Live discussion about the connection between social justice and the climate change movement.
