Please join us for the first Open House of the New Year!
Monday, January 27th, 6pm-7:30pm at the Ballard Library.
Join the King County Seed Lending Library (KCSL) for its First Annual National Seed Swap Day on Saturday, January 25, 2014.
The adventure begins at 1:30 p.m. with a seed-saving workshop by seed-saving guru and KCSL director Caitlin Moore. Around 3:00 p.m., KCSL will be offering free seeds to the community. Bring your own seeds to the swap to help protect the genetic diversity and overall health of our local seed stores.
A Seed Swap brings gardeners of all skill levels together to exchange seeds, resources, ideas, and experiences. Participating gardeners often share excess seeds they don’t plan to use, and seeds from their most successful yields. Many of the seeds that are “swapped” are also specific to plants that are appropriate to grow in this region and climate. By using seeds from previous bountiful yields, future harvests can turn out to be overwhelmingly successful.
The event will be at the Good Shepherd Center, Room 202, at 4649 Sunnyside Avenue North in Seattle. The event is free and open to the public, and you don’t have to bring your own seeds to participate.
Chasing Ice Film Screening: Sunday, January 12, 2014, 7:00pm – 8:30pm
University Congregational United Church of Christ, 4515 16th Ave NE, Seattle, WA 98105
In the spring of 2005, acclaimed environmental photographer James Balog headed to the Arctic on a tricky assignment for National Geographic: to capture images to help tell the story of the Earth’s changing climate. Even with a scientific upbringing, Balog had been a skeptic about climate change. But that first trip north opened his eyes to the biggest story in human history and sparked a challenge within him that would put his career and his very well-being at risk.
Chasing Ice is the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of our changing planet. Within months of that first trip to Iceland, the photographer conceived the boldest expedition of his life: The Extreme Ice Survey. With a band of young adventurers in tow, Balog began deploying revolutionary time-lapse cameras across the brutal Arctic to capture a multi-year record of the world’s changing glaciers.
As the debate polarizes America and the intensity of natural disasters ramps up globally, Balog finds himself at the end of his tether. Battling untested technology in subzero conditions, he comes face to face with his own mortality. It takes years for Balog to see the fruits of his labor. His hauntingly beautiful videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate. Chasing Ice depicts a photographer trying to deliver evidence and hope to our carbon-powered planet.
See more about the film here.
Visit the Ballard store at 1500 Leary Way and mention Sustainable Ballard to get 10% off your purchase.
Miller Paint offers AcroPure paint with a new generation ZERO VOC resin to make a wall finish that is easy to use, easy to clean, and safer for the environment than paints that contain solvent. It is a responsible alternative to conventional interior paints.
Many thanks to Miller Paint for supporting Sustainable Ballard!
Talk about a good neighbor….Reuben’s Brews is donating $1 from all pint and growler sales ($5 and higher) on Thursday December 12 from 3 to 8 PM to Sustainable Ballard!
We’ll be there celebrating a fantastic year, the holiday season and the many volunteers that make Sustainable Ballard outreach programs and projects a reality. Bring your friends, your family, your co-workers, your neighbors and anyone else who loves supporting neighborhood businesses and sustainable living events. Pop in for a pint or two and take home a growler full of your favorite brew for your holiday party. This portion of Reuben’s sales from 3 – 8 PM will support Sustainable Ballard outreach programs and projects next year, including our outrageously popular annual festival in Ballard Commons (don’t believe us? check out all the people that showed up during the blustery downpour of this year’s festival!)
See you there!
Now is a great time to get started with your RainWise project. Contact a trained contractor and learn how your new rain garden or cistern adds beauty and value to your yard. By installing a rain garden or cistern now, you’ll put this year’s rainwater to use instead of contributing to stormwater pollution in Puget Sound.
Get Started with RainWise, presented by Sustainable Ballard, Thursday, December 5th, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., at the RE Store, 1440 N.W. 52nd St., Seattle. Register here.
The National Organic Certification Cost Share Program, the Country of Origin Labeling program, and states’ rights to protect their environment and citizens from pesticides and GMOs are some of the measures threatened by the new version of the Farm Bill, currently in conference committee negotiations. Those who care deeply about the quality and health of the food we eat and believe in our right to determine what goes into it have much cause for concern.
For more on the good, bad and ugly in the Farm Bill and how you can join the efforts to protect our farm lands, the organic sector, and human rights including our right to know what’s in our food and make choices accordingly – check out this page from the Center for Food Safety and sign the letter to your elected officials.
Jenny’s Little Free Library® has been selected as a Library of Distinction!
Here’s what the Little Free Library folks have to say about it:
“Its unique design and the creativity and enthusiasm you have put into it make it an inspiring example for other Little Free Library Stewards to follow. We are thrilled to have your Library as part of the Little Free Library family and we hope that your Library will bring you and others in your area much joy and exciting new reads for years to come!”
Congratulations to Jenny!
Do you want to join Jenny and others in filling Ballard with Little Free Libraries®? Project Leader Paula would love to hear from you about your plans!
Property owners in East Ballard and West Phinney are now eligible for RainWise rebates, a win-win solution to managing storm water pollution at home. Homeowners beautify their landscape, capture rainwater for summer irrigation, solve basement flooding issues, preventing combined sewer overflows into our waterways…all with the help of generous city rebates which average $4,400! Are you eligible? Check here now
Want to learn more? Check out our other RainWise resources and sign up for a workshop at the Ballard Library on February 5.
Why we care:
Sustainable Ballard is thinking and celebrating green! In support of the holidays and the Think Green Reuse and Recycling Challenge, Sustainable Ballard is hosting a community holiday barter and celebration at Ballard Odd Fellows Hall on Sunday, December 8 from 4 – 7 PM. This event brings together the community, encourages creativity and sharing, creates friendships and offers people a relaxing and enjoyable alternative to the more commercial holiday gift buying experience.
In past years, barter items have included:
In addition to the barter, we’ll enjoy the live music by Max Crumble Orchestra and delicious food and drink donated by local restaurants and breweries. We’ll event raffle off a beautiful basket of products and gift certificates donated by Ballard businesses. Thank you to the many local businesses supporting this event!